Activities Turn Bookstores Into Town Squares

In the past, a shockingly large number of intimidated Americans did not venture inside bookstores, where the only activity was quiet browsing, and authors remained a mysterious lot. It’s a different world now. Bookstore/cafes remain open until late at night and provide a variety of interactive events for kids and adults.

Hundreds turn out to meet touring politicians, celebrity authors and literary icons who spend hours talking to customers and signing books. The bookstore is the new town square where families and friends gather to pursue learning and gentle entertainment.

Pull out your calendars and take advantage of the new scene. This week there are offerings aplenty.

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Events at Mysteries to Die For, 2940 Thousand Oaks Blvd., Thousand Oaks: Today at noon, the prolific Loren Estleman (35 books to date) will sign his latest novel, “Stress,” featuring Detroit cop Charlie Battle. Friday at noon, Robert O. Greer, a practicing surgical pathologist, research scientist, short story writer and cattle rancher, will present his first novel, “The Devil’s Hatband,” which introduces African American bail bondsman C.J. Floyd. At 11 a.m. Saturday, Jan Burke will sign “Remember Me, Irene,” her fourth mystery featuring reporter Irene Kelley.

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Chris Ahrens will sign “The Surfers Travel Guide,” which includes descriptions of the best local surfing spots, at 1 p.m. Saturday at Barnes & Noble, 4360 E. Main St., Ventura.

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Doreen Lacy and Heather Rubio will host story time for children at 2 p.m. Saturday at Gull Wings Children’s Museum, 418 W. 4th St., Oxnard. Admission to the museum is $3 for adults, $2 for children.

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Nancy Ellen Carlberg, author of “Nancy’s Easy Filing System,” will talk about “Overcoming Dead Ends” at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday at Conejo Valley Genealogical Society, Conejo Valley Adult Center, 1025 Old Farm Road, Thousand Oaks. Call 497-8293.

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Joe Seldner, magazine editor, journalist and business consultant, whose work includes movie development deals, will discuss how to develop, market and finance scripts for television and film at 7:45 p.m. Tuesday at Ventura County Writers Club, Orchid Professional Building, 816 Camarillo Springs Road, Camarillo. Nonmember fee is $5. Call 482-5648.

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UP THE COAST

Authors Mark Pendergrast (“Victims of Memory”) and Eleanor Goldstein (“True Stories of False Memories” and “Confabulations”) will explore the issue of false-memory syndrome at 7:30 p.m. Friday at Borders Books, 900 State St., Santa Barbara. The pair will also appear at 2 p.m. Sunday at SuperCrown Books, 3985 State St., Santa Barbara.

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Lawyer and TV commentator Gerry Spence will sign his book, “How to Argue and Win Every Time,” at 10 a.m. Saturday at Chaucer & Co., 3321 State St., Loreto Plaza, Santa Barbara.

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“A disarming blend of magic, realism and pungent social satire . . . extraordinary debut novel . . . incandescent tale . . . lyrical . . . fiercely intelligent,” so wrote Publisher’s Weekly about “Mangos, Bananas and Coconuts: A Cuban Love Story” by Santa Barbara author Himilce Novas, who will be signing her novel at 3 p.m. Sunday at Earthling Bookshop, 1137 State St., Santa Barbara. Novas is also the author of “Everything You Need to Know About Latino History” and “The Hispanic 100.”

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The Upham Hotel, Santa Barbara’s oldest, is celebrating 125 years of continuous hospitality this year. To commemorate the occasion, a history of the hotel is being compiled by local author Laura Kath Fraser. Anyone who has photographs, souvenirs or stories about the Upham is urged to contact manager Jan Martin Winn by March 15 at 962-0058.