Foursome to Compete in National Poetry Slam

A team of four Orange County poets will compete in the National Poetry Slam Finals in Austin, Texas, in August.

Victor Infante, Chris Tannahill, Mindy Nettifee and Derrick Brown earned top scores from a five-judge panel at the Laguna Beach Poetry Slam Finals at the F.A.C.T. Gallery in Laguna Beach on Monday. John Gardiner earned a slot as alternate team member.

The winners were among 10 poets who competed before an audience of 120, which donated $1,245 toward the $3,000 needed for team expenses for the trip to Texas, said poet Lee Mallory, who hosted the Laguna contest.

The team will be the first from Orange County to compete in the national contest.

This Week:

* Stephen Hunter, author of “Time to Hunt,” will sign at 1 p.m. today at Book Carnival, 348 S. Tustin Ave., Orange.

* Jerrilyn Farmer, author of “Sympathy for the Devil,” will speak and sign at 1 p.m. today at Coffee, Tea & Mystery, 13232 Springdale St., Westminster.

* Earlene Fowler, author of “Dove in the Window,” will sign at 1 p.m. today at Mystery Ink/Upchurch-Brown, 384 Forest Ave., Laguna Beach.

* Tom Stevens, author of “You Can Choose to Be Happy: Rise Above Anxiety, Anger and Depression,” will speak at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday at Borders Books and Music, 429 Associated Road, Brea.

* Kevin Anderson, author of the “X-Files” and “Star Wars” novels, will sign copies of his espionage novel, “Ai! Pedrito!: When Intelligence Goes Wrong,” at 7 p.m. Thursday at Barnes & Noble, 13712 Jamboree Road, Irvine. Anderson also will sign at 1 p.m. Friday at B. Dalton in the Laguna Hills Mall, Avenida de la Carlota and El Toro Road.

Send information about book-related events at least 10 days before event to: Dennis McLellan, O.C. Books & Authors, Life & Style, The Times, 1375 Sunflower Ave., Costa Mesa, CA 92626.