Local Authors to Appear at Yearly Fair in Laguna Beach

T. Jefferson Parker, Maxine O’Callaghan and Theodore Taylor are among more than 30 authors scheduled to appear Saturday at Books by the Beach III, Orange County’s annual book fair and writer’s forum in Laguna Beach.

The daylong event, co-sponsored by the Friends of the Library Foundation and the Los Angeles Times Orange County Edition for the benefit of the Orange County Public Library system, will be held from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Festival of the Arts Grounds, 650 Laguna Canyon Road.

Events will include panel discussions, writers workshops, signings, storytelling and children’s activities. Also available will be new, used and rare books and food booths.

Authors scheduled to appear on the noon keynote panel discussion, “The Art of Writing,” are Diane Leslie “Fleur de Leigh’s Life of Crime”), Parker (“The Blue Hour”), Sherwood Kiraly (“California Rush”); and Earl Hamner Jr., creator of television’s “The Waltons” (“The Avocado Zoo Drive Zoo”).

The Wonderful World of Children’s Books, an 11 a.m. panel, will include Catherine Cowan (“My Life With the Wave”), Julie Mammano (“Rhinos Who Surf”), and John Reitano (“What if the Zebras Lost Their Stripes”).

Among the authors slated for a 1 p.m. panel, “Weaving the Mystery: Grabbing the Reader,” are Mimi Latt (“Ultimate Justice”), O’Callaghan (“Death Is Forever”) and Barbara Seranella (“No Human Involved”).

Other participating authors include David Koenig (“More Mouse Tales”), Janet Eastman (“Simple Indulgence: Easy Everyday Things to Do for Yourself”), John Gobbell (“A Code for Tomorrow”), Patricia Guiver (“Delilah Doolittle and the Motley Mutts”), Miriam Lee (“Deadly Probe”), Marlene Simmons (“A Single Parent Driven by Love”), Riley St. James (“Deception in the Rainshadows”), Tom Bay (“Change Your Attitude: Creating Success One Thought at a Time”), Michael Maxsenti (“Laguna Beach, Local Color”), Connie Merritt (“Chocolate for a Woman’s Soul”), Charles Hillinger (“Hillinger’s California”), Carole Campbell (“Women, Families and HIV/AIDS”) and Steve Smith (“If You Can’t Make Time, Don’t Make Children”).

Admission: $5 at the gate; $4 with coupons available in Times ads, Orange County Public Library branches and Borders Books and Music in Costa Mesa. Children 12 and younger are free.

Information: (949) 497-7053 or (949) 366-1056.

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McCain to Speak

Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), the Republican presidential contender who was shot down over Hanoi during the Vietnam War and spent 5 1/2 years as a prisoner of war, will discuss his memoir, “Faith of My Fathers,” at 10:30 a.m. Thursday at the Richard Nixon Library & Birthplace, 18001 Yorba Linda Blvd., Yorba Linda.

General admission: $14. A book signing will follow at 11:30 a.m. Information: (714) 993-5075.

Also Coming Up

* Veteran Hollywood correspondent and author Aljean Harmetz (“The Making of Casablanca,” “The Making of the Wizard of Oz,” “The Making of Gone with the Wind”) will speak at a meeting of the Orange County chapter of Women in Business at 6 p.m. today at the Sheraton Hotel, 4545 MacArthur Blvd., Newport Beach. $35 for WIB members; $42 for guests. Information and reservations: (714) 731-1077.

* An open reading will be held at 8:30 tonight at the Ugly Mug Cafe, 261 N. Glassell St., Orange.

* Margaret Coel will discuss and sign “The Lost Bird” at noon Thursday at Coffee, Tea and Mystery, 13232 Springdale St., Westminster. She’ll also sign at 3 p.m. Saturday at Book Carnival, 348 S. Tustin Ave., Orange.

* Eric A. Shelman will discuss and sign “Out of the Darkness: The Story of Mary Ellen Wilson” at 7 p.m. Friday at Barnes & Noble, 26751 Aliso Creek Road, Aliso Viejo.

* Mystery writer Barbara Seranella (“No Human Involved”) will speak at the Writer’s Series meeting at 7 p.m. Friday at Barnes & Noble, 13712 Jamboree Road, Irvine.

* Todd Hayes will discuss and sign “The Hallow” at 1 p.m. Saturday at Borders Books and Music, 429 Associated Road, Brea.

* Marsha Ferber will sign “Prescription for Robust Health” at 7 p.m. Saturday at Borders Books and Music, 429 Associated Road, Brea.

* Julie Mammano will read and sign “Rhinos Who Skateboard” at 11 a.m. Saturday at Barnes & Noble in the Huntington Beach Mall, 7777 Edinger Blvd., Huntington Beach.

* Martin Dugard will sign “Knockdown: The Harrowing True Account of a Yacht Race Turned Deadly” at noon Saturday at Latitude 33 Bookshop, 311 Ocean Ave., Laguna Beach.

* Greg Bear will discuss and sign “Darwin’s Radio” at 3 p.m. Saturday at Barnes & Noble in the Huntington Beach Mall, 7777 Edinger Ave.

* Sam McCarver will sign “The Case of Cabin 13” at 2 p.m. Saturday at Walden Books in the Shops at Mission Viejo, Mission Viejo.

* Tatiana Elmanovich will sign “Death: The Beginning” at 2 p.m. Saturday at Barnes & Noble, 13712 Jamboree Road, Irvine.

* Linda Fairstein will sign “Cold Hit” at 1 p.m. Sunday at Book Carnival, 348 S. Tustin Ave., Orange. She’ll also sign at 4 p.m. Sunday at Coffee, Tea and Mystery, 13232 Springdale St., Westminster.

Send information about book-related events at least 10 days before event to Dennis McLellan, O.C. Books & Authors, Southern California Living, The Times, 1375 Sunflower Ave., Costa Mesa, CA 92626. Or e-mail to dennis.mclellan@latimes.com.