Girls Put Writing to the Test and Turn Out Their Best Advice

Beyond Words Publishing of Oregon decided to hold a Girl Writer Contest as encouragement to young female writers to believe in themselves, take risks and make their dreams happen. Wonderful ideas poured in from imaginative girls nationwide (including more than 200 entries from one Los Angeles high school), and the result is the just published “Girls Know Best: Advice for Girls From Girls on Just About Everything!”

Six of the young authors, ages 12 to 15, will discuss topics like “figuring out guys” and describe their adventures as new writers at 3 p.m. Sunday at Barnes & Noble, 160 S. Westlake Blvd., Thousand Oaks.

*

Valerie Wilson Wesley signs “No Hiding Place’ at noon today, and Bruce Alexander will present “Person or Persons Unknown,” a mystery set in 18th century London, at noon Saturday at Mysteries to Die For, 2940 Thousand Oaks Blvd., Thousand Oaks.

*

Laurence Yep will introduce his latest book, “The Dragon Prince,” at 9:30 a.m. Friday at Adventures for Kids, 3457 Telegraph Road, Ventura.

*

Jerry Camarillo Dunn of Ojai received a first place award from the Society of American Travel Writers, Western Chapter, at its annual meeting in July for his book “Driving Guide to California, Nevada and Hawaii.” Dunn, who writes a column for National Geographic Traveler, will sign his new book, “Idiom Savant, Slang as It Is Slung,” at 4 p.m. Saturday at Local Hero Books, 254 E. Ojai Ave.

*

SPAWN, the Small Publishers, Artists & Writers Network, is hosting three seminars for anyone seeking contacts in the publishing field. Irwin Zucker, of Promotion in Motion and founder of Book Publicists of Southern California, will address the Ventura chapter at 7 p.m. Sunday in the Ventura TowneHouse, 4900 Telegraph Road. Call 644-9843.

SPAWN’s Conejo Valley chapter will hear Dan Poynter of Para Publishing, whose “Self-Publishing Manual” is the most popular reference guide for author-entrepreneurs, at 7 p.m. Monday at 29376 Mulholland Highway, near Malibu Lake. Call (818) 707-0589. Guest fee is $5 for each seminar.

How to sell books by mail order will be described in detail by Melvin Powers of Wilshire Books at SPAWN’s seminar scheduled from 9 a.m. to noon Sept. 27, in the Ventura TowneHouse. The $38 nonmember fee includes a continental breakfast. Call 643-2403.

*

In Santa Barbara

Lots of events this week at Earthling, 1137 State St.: Jean Houston will discuss and sign “A Passion for the Possible” at 7 p.m. Friday. Phyllis Davies, who turned her personal tragedies into a way to aid others struggling with loss, is the author of “Grief: Climb Toward Understanding,” illustrated by Santa Barbara artist Itoko Maeno. She will sign at 3 p.m. Sunday.

*

Tom Barron will sign his children’s novel “The Seven Songs of Merlin” at 11 a.m. Saturday in Chaucer’s, Loreto Plaza, 3321 State St.

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.