Networking Seminars to Give Tips of the Trade

The Santa Barbara, Ventura and Agoura chapters of Small Publishers Artists & Writers Network (SPAWN) have scheduled seminars this week on everything from turning on the creative juices to promoting the published book. Award-winning poet and novelist Jari Chevalier will lead the “Visceral Writing Interactive” seminar at 1:30 p.m. Saturday at Karpeles Library, 21 W. Anapamu St., Santa Barbara.

Journalist-author Patricia Fry and Internet Web-site expert and editor Virginia Lawrence will discuss “Writing as a Business” at 7 p.m. Sunday at Ventura TowneHouse, 4900 Telegraph Road, Ventura. Call 643-2403 for details. The Agoura chapter will hear longtime book publicist Irwin Zucker, who will share the latest tips on promoting books at 7 p.m. Monday. Call Louise Cabral at (818) 707-0589.

SPAWN has established a Novice Computer group for those over 55. Call Ruth Hibbard at 654-1294. There is also a Santa Barbara Writers Circle critique group. Call Dallas Glenn at 899-1174.

*

First-time author Joyce Spizer will sign “The Cop Was White as Snow” at noon Saturday at Mysteries to Die For, 2940 Thousand Oaks Blvd., Thousand Oaks.

*

Events at Barnes & Noble, 160 S. Westlake Blvd., Thousand Oaks: Dhun Sethna will sign “Classical Music for Everybody” at 1:30 p.m. Sunday; and Wayne Dosick will share his renewal after tragedy and sign “When Life Hurts” at 7:30 p.m. Monday.

*

Jim Woodard will profile the life of artist Grandma Moses and tell stories appropriate for President’s Day at 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. Monday at the Reagan Presidential Library near Simi Valley. The work of Grandma Moses is on exhibition through March 15. Call 522-2977.

*

The atmosphere is growing mysterious at the Thousand Oaks Borders store, 125 W. Thousand Oaks Blvd. Tuesday at 7 p.m., the Mystery Book Club will discuss “The Plot Thickens,” an anthology of today’s top mystery writers edited by Mary Higgins Clark. Each author penned a tale featuring a thick fog, a thick book and a thick steak. Proceeds from the anthology will be donated to Literacy Partners, an organization that teaches reading skills.

And because the publishing business is fixated on offering huge advances to everyone and anyone involved in sensational crimes, from sexual harassment to murder, how do authors mine this genre? Tom Byrnes has some answers and will discuss his “Writing Best-Selling True Crime and Suspense,” just released by Prima Publishing, at 7 p.m. Wednesday at Thousand Oaks Borders.

Plan Ahead

Richard F.X. O’Connor, acquiring editor at Renaissance Publishing and author of “How to Promote You and Your Book,” will conduct a one-day seminar on “How to Get Published in a Tough Market” from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Feb. 21 at Learning Tree University, 72 Moody Court, Thousand Oaks. Call (818) 706-0180.

*

The Simi Valley literary journal Verve is accepting contributions until March 1 for the spring edition. Contact editor Ron Reichick at 522-7575 for guidelines.

In Santa Barbara

Performance poet Quincy Troupe, two-time winner of the American Book Award for poetry and Miles Davis’ biographer, will read from his work at 4 p.m. Wednesday in the Multicultural Center Theater, UCSB. Call 893-3535.

* Frances Halpern and Jon O’Brien are co-hosts of “Beyond Words” at 10 a.m. Sundays on KCLU-FM (88.3 Ventura and 102.3 Santa Barbara), Ventura County’s National Public Radio station.