Shades of Gray

It took Anne Perry 20 years before her first mystery, “The Cater Street Hangman,” was published in 1979. But since then, Perry has written and published 31 more mysteries.

That makes her willing to offer encouragement to other writers.

“You must never, ever give up--just be there when the luck strikes,” she said in a recent telephone interview from her home in Portmahomack, Scotland.

The 62-year-old Perry will be at Barnes & Noble in Thousand Oaks today to sign and read from her latest mystery, “Slaves of Obsession” (Ballantine; $25.00).

Readers have followed two sets of major characters in her books, which address moral and ethical dilemmas of the times, from spousal abuse and back street abortions to the social stigma of suicide.

Her previous novel, “Half Moon Street,” featured police Supt. Thomas Pitt and his wife, Charlotte, confronting the dangers of confusing pornography with art.

Her most recent, “Slaves of Obsession,” features William Monk and Hester Latterly, who face the moral question of arms dealing, specifically whether to sell to both sides in a foreign war--in this case the American Civil War.

Perry said that most of the issues she writes about have a timeless quality, although she admitted that some are specific to certain historic events.

‘On the issue of slavery in general, it was felt very differently at the time than the way we feel about it now,” Perry said. “I think if you are going to make any moral assessment, you have to look at it through the eyes of the people concerned.”

*

The most interesting issue she mulled over was how we expect those close to us to hold the same set of values as us, and how we feel betrayed if they don’t. This became the central theme of “Traitors Gate,” published in 1995.

Perry said the 1994 elections in England and the United States made her wonder about politicians who do philosophical U-turns to suit themselves, with their wives dutifully following.

But what if, she asked, the wife refused to turn, or even be thought to have turned?

Perry noted that a recent interviewer asked her how she could write about such devilish people.

But she doesn’t write good and evil people, she said. Sometimes the characters are very dark or very light gray, but it’s gray all the same. When asked if any of her characters are autobiographical, she said you can only write from what you can feel.

“There are little bits of me in everybody, but not much of me in anyone,” she said.

HAPPENINGS

* Today: 10:30 a.m. Mystery author G.H. Ephron will discuss and sign “Amnesia.” Mysteries to Die For, 2940 Thousand Oaks Blvd., Thousand Oaks, 374-0084.

* Today: 2 p.m. Barnes & Noble stores in Ventura and Thousand Oaks will host writing workshops led by authors Tom Prinz in Ventura, 4360 E. Main St., 339-9170, and Michael J. Mason in Thousand Oaks, 160 S. Thousand Oaks Blvd., 446-2820.

* Today: 8 p.m. Anne Perry will read and sign “Slaves of Obsession.” Thousand Oaks Barnes & Noble, 446-2820.

* Sunday: 3 p.m. Leslie and Charles Lyon celebrate “Surf Clowns: Seven Mental Missions,” designed to bridge the transition from picture book to novel. Borders, 125 W. Thousand Oaks Blvd., Thousand Oaks, 497-8159.

* Monday: 11 a.m. Stories celebrating the Amazing Maize Maze in Camarillo. Borders, 497-8159.

* Monday: 12:30 p.m. The Monday Afternoon Book Club will focus on “Lindberg” by A. Scott Berg. Thousand Oaks Barnes & Noble, 446-2820.

* Tuesday: 4:30 p.m. History’s Mysteries Book Club for fifth- and sixth-graders will focus on “The Night Flyers--Book 3.” Thousand Oaks Barnes & Noble, 446-2820.

* Tuesday: 7 p.m. The Short Stories Group will discuss “Sweat” by Zora Neale Hurston. Borders, 497-8159.

* Tuesday: 7 p.m. The Partners-in-Crime Mystery Group will discuss “Champagne for One” by Rex Stout. Borders, 497-8159.

* Wednesday: 10-11:30 a.m. Eve Bunting will introduce “The Memory String” and “Who Was Born This Special Day?” Adventures for Kids, 3457 Telegraph Road, Ventura, 650-9688.

* Wednesday: 11 a.m. The Food Lovers Group will focus on Chinese Cuisine, Part II. Thousand Oaks Barnes & Noble, 446-2820.

* Wednesday: 7 p.m. Paine Webber Vice President Michael Saunders and research analyst Steve Welker will discuss the stock market. Borders, 497-8159.

* Wednesday: 7 p.m. Writers Workshop. Ventura Barnes & Noble, 339-9170.

* Wednesday: 7 p.m. Michael James Mason will discuss and sign “How to Write A Winning College Application Essay.” Thousand Oaks Barnes & Noble, 446-2820.

* Thursday: 10-11:30 a.m. Virginia Pilegard will introduce her math-related picture book, “The Warlord’s Puzzle.” Adventures for Kids, 650-9688.

* Thursday: 1 p.m. Carolina Garcia-Aguilers will discuss and sign “Havana Heat.” Mysteries to Die For, 374-0084.

* Thursday: 4:30 p.m. The American Girls Club focuses on “Felicity.” Thousand Oaks Barnes & Noble, 446-2820.

* Friday: 9:30 a.m. Children can hear “It’s Raining Pigs and Noodles” and write their own poems. Ventura Barnes & Noble, 339-9170.

Information about book-signings, writers groups and publishing events can be e-mailed to anns40@aol.com or faxed to 647-5649.