Barnes & Noble Planning a Bounty of Fund-Raising Events

Those of us who loiter at bookstores know they are a welcoming and comfortable place where friends gather to exchange news, meet authors and get the culture fix. This week the focus is on Barnes & Noble, which operates 454 superstores and 559 B. Dalton bookstores nationwide.

Barnes & Noble also hosts the annual Share Our Strength Writers’ Harvest, a gathering of more than 2,000 authors who will participate in events nationwide Oct. 23 to raise awareness and money in an attempt to eradicate hunger and poverty.

Among the list of participating local authors are Jack Canfield, Kim Kirberger and Patty Aubery, authors of the “Chicken Soup for the Soul” series who will be at the Thousand Oaks Barnes & Noble at 7 p.m. The Left Handed Players, a consortium of local actors, will perform classic children’s literature at 6 p.m. in the Ventura Barnes & Noble, 4360 E. Main St.

At 7 p.m., the Santa Barbara Barnes & Noble at 829 State St. will feature Steven Gilbar, Perie Longo, Dennis Lynds, John Daniel and authors published by Capra Press, Fifthian Press, McNally & Loftin, and the literary journal Santa Barbara Review.

For details about Writers’ Harvest activities nationwide, call (800) 955-8278; for local events, call Cynthia Leggitt at 445-9054.

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In addition to Writers’ Harvest events, an eclectic mix of local and touring authors will speak about, read from and sign books on a variety of subjects this week at Barnes & Noble.

The Thousand Oaks store at 160 S. Westlake Blvd. will host psychologist Jonathan Young, who tells spooky stories based on his book, “SAGA-Best New Writings on Mythology,” at 7 p.m. Friday. And Michael Broggie presents a slide show based on his illustrated “Walt Disney’s Railroad Story” at 3 p.m. Sunday.

At 8 p.m. Friday, the Ventura Barnes & Noble, 4360 E. Main St., will feature Frances Jones, author of “A Circle of Love,” the story of how Feed the Children, an organization she founded with her husband, responded to victims of the Oklahoma City bombing. Proceeds from sales of the book are used to help children who are victims of violence and disasters.

Betty Frain will discuss “Becoming a Wise Parent for Your Grown Child” at 2:30 p.m. Sunday. And at 6 p.m. Sunday, Barnes & Noble will host a party for all to celebrate its fourth anniversary in Ventura.

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The extraordinarily prolific Ray Bradbury will sign “Driving Blind,” his new collection of short stories, at 11 a.m. Saturday at Phantom Bookshop, 451 E. Main St., Ventura.

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Two light-and-bright entertainments are scheduled Sunday at the Thousand Oaks Borders, 125 W. Thousand Oaks Blvd. The Simi Valley Actors Repertory Youth Ensemble will present scenes from “The Spoon River Anthology” at 2 p.m. And award-winning musician-children’s author Norman Foote will perform and sign “Spider Dan” at 4 p.m.

In Santa Barbara

Speaking of Stories will present a special evening of performance, produced by Steven Gilbar and directed by Karin delaPena, in conjunction with the touring “Anne Frank in the World” exhibition and lecture series. Scenes from Ida Fink’s new work “Traces” and her play “Scrap of Time,” which won the Anne Frank Literary Prize, will be performed at 8 p.m. Monday at Victoria Hall, 33 W. Victoria St. Tickets are $10. Call 963-2788.

* Frances Halpern and Jon O’Brien are co-hosts of “Beyond Words” at 10 a.m. Sundays on KCLU-FM (88.3), Ventura County’s National Public Radio station.