Time for Poets to Test Their Words’ Worth

It’s back.

The ninth annual Performance Poetry Contest--Orange County’s only annual poetry contest with established criteria for professional judging--will be held at 8 p.m. Friday at the Gypsy Den Grand Central Cafe in Artist’s Village, 125 N. Broadway, Santa Ana.

Anyone who wants to compete--and pay a $5 entry fee--can sign up for the contest, but only the first 15 readers to register, beginning at 6:30 p.m., will be allowed to read.

Orange County performance poets Jana and Donato Martinez, a professor at Santa Ana College who teaches English and poetry, will serve as judges.

Contestants will be judged on content, technique and timeliness. Each poet will have a five-minute limit. Cash awards of up to $50 for the first-place winner will be given. An additional $35 first-place prize will be awarded to the audience’s choice for best poet.

As usual, the contest motto is: “Anything goes as long as it’s good.”

“They can do whatever they want with the five minutes, but our contest is rooted in solid poetry; that’s our expectation,” said contest co-producer Lee Mallory, who will emcee the event.

“The competitive pressure is enormous,” Mallory added. “I liken the contestants to a ski jumper in a crunch at the top of a 50-meter platform. All eyes are on the contestant. He’s hoping the phrases click like telegraphy, where every word costs 20 bucks: Compress, compress, compress.”

Free, with music provided by Liquid Muse. (714) 835-8840.

Also Coming Up:

* Rob Wagner will sign “Red Ink, White Lies: The Rise and Fall of Los Angeles Newspapers 1920-1962” at Borders Books and Music in The Block, 20 City Drive West, Orange. 3 p.m. today. (714) 385-1025.

* Robert Woodcox will sign “The Golf Gods Are Laughing” at Paradies Shop at John Wayne Airport, 18601 Airport Way, Santa Ana. 9 a.m. today. (714) 252-6140.

* Paul Paolicelli will discuss and sign “Dances With Luigi: A Grandson’s Determined Quest to Comprehend Italy and the Italians” at Borders Books, Music & Cafe, South Coast Plaza, 3333 Bear St., Costa Mesa. 2 p.m. today. (714) 432-7854.

* Ermal Williamson, a John Wayne celebrity look-alike, will sign his novel, “Across the Brazos,” at Paradies Shop at John Wayne Airport, 18601 Airport Way, Santa Ana. 8 a.m. Monday. (714) 252-6140. Williamson also will read and sign at Barnes & Noble in The Market Place, 13712 Jamboree Road, Irvine. 7:30 p.m. Friday. (714) 508-9707.

* Karen Rauch Carter will discuss and sign “Move Your Stuff, Change Your Life: How to Use Feng Shui to Get Love, Money, Respect, and Happiness” at Barnes & Noble in The Market Place, 13712 Jamboree Road, Irvine. 7:30 p.m. Wednesday. (714) 508-9707.

* Barbara DeMarco Barrett will interview literary agent and author Jeff Herman (“Writer’s Guide to Book Editors, Publishers and Literary Agents”) on “Writers on Writing” on KUCI (88.9 FM) in Irvine. 5 p.m. Thursday.

* Miriam Lee will discuss and sign “Masquerade Journey” at Coffee, Tea & Mystery, 11931 Valley View St., Garden Grove. 1 p.m. Saturday. (714) 898-2583.

* Sandra Ross will discuss and sign “Pitching In: When Your Elderly Parents Need Help” at Borders Books and Music, 429 S. Associated Road, Brea. 7 p.m. Saturday. (714) 672-0120.

* L.M. Lawson will sign “Green Flash” at Barnes & Noble in the Huntington Beach Mall, 7777 Edinger Ave., Huntington Beach. 2 p.m. Saturday. (714) 897-8781.

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