Jo Ellen Heil

The Oxnard Library will offer two intriguing programs this week and next. Both are free and open to the public. To celebrate National Honeybee Day, the main library will screen "Vanishing of the Bees" at 3 p.m. Saturday. The documentary ...

British author C.S. Lewis was both versatile and prolific. The 20th-century scholar wrote university essays, children's fantasies such as "The Chronicles of Narnia," poetry (which he later dismissed), very adult sci-fi novels, volumes defending Christianity and much more.

Interested in writing or publishing a book? On Saturday, the California Literary Arts Society will begin a five-week series titled "Write, Self-Publish and Sell Your Work." Taught by author Mary Embree, the workshops will run from 2-4 p.m. Saturdays through ...

Amazon Digital Services has released "Kwajalein Stories" by Simi Valley resident Mike Leptuch. A post-World War II tale of espionage that centers on atomic weapons research and testing in the Bikini Atoll region of the Pacific Ocean, Leptuch's story is ...

Readers looking for a bargain might want to visit the Moorpark Library. The Moorpark Friends of the Library its offering its annual $2-per-bag sale today through July 20 during regular hours on the library's front porch.

From "Hope Was Here" and "Squashed" to "Rules of the Road" and "Peeled," author Joan Bauer, who writes for young adults, has long been a favorite of mine. So I was delighted to learn that Bauer has a new book ...

During a recent visit to my local library, I picked up a pamphlet from the American Library Association titled "Quotable Facts About America's Libraries."

Mysteries to Die For in Thousand Oaks will host a launch party at 1 p.m. Saturday for "Twice as Dead" by Sue Ann Jaffarian. The sixth title in her humorous Odelia Grey series set in Southern California, "Twice as Dead" ...

Whether you're a baby boomer who grew up in California or simply yearn to explore our state's more picturesque corners, "Greetings from California" by Gary Crabbe is the book for you (Voyageur Press; $25).

I've long enjoyed Rick Steves' travel programs on PBS, but I particularly appreciated his article "Why I Write" in the Feb. 28 issue of Publishers Weekly. The author of more than 50 guidebooks, Steves is both excited and thorough about ...

CreateSpace has just released "One Side Leads to the Other" by Oxnard poet and musician Tim Pompey. In his first book of short stories, Pompey includes humorous, dramatic and even otherworldly points of view to examine our perceptions of reality.

Edgar Award-winning author Earlene Fowler will visit Mysteries to Die For in Thousand Oaks at 1 p.m. Saturday. She'll discuss and sign "Spider's Web," the 15th title in her popular Benni Harper/Sheriff Gabe Ortiz mystery series (Berkley Prime Crime; $26).

This week holds many literary opportunities for readers throughout the county. But should one attend an author appearance or a story time, a poetry reading or a book group?

Ventura writer Julie Carobini will visit Barnes & Noble in her hometown on Saturday to discuss and sign "Fade to Blue" (B&H Publishing; $15) from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Romantic Times gave the latest title in her series of ...

Bank of Books in Ventura will provide readers with a glimpse into Eastern Europe at noon Wednesday when Alina Smiyun of Santa Barbara shares her experiences as a summer counselor in Ukraine through Mission Without Borders.