Getting Creative

The Small Publishers, Artists & Writers Network continues to sponsor workshops and seminars for the local publishing community. They have scheduled an Intuitional Writing Workshop presented by screenwriter-novelist S.L. “Sid” Stebel from 1 to 4 p.m. Saturday at Ventura TowneHouse, 4900 Telegraph Road.

Stebel, whose latest book is “Double Your Creative Power,” will describe exercises to help writers generate book ideas. He is adjunct professor and writer-in-residence at USC’s professional writing program, a workshop leader at the Santa Barbara Writers Conference, and teaches screenwriting at the American Film Institute. The fee is $30 for network members and $38 for nonmembers. Call 643-2403.

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Author J.S. Salt, who interviewed 147 kids about how to raise perfect parents for his book, “Always Kiss Me Goodnight,” is gathering new stories from youngsters for a second edition. He will teach a writing workshop for children at 7 p.m. Friday at Barnes & Noble, 4360 E. Main St., Ventura.

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There is no sign yet that the mystery genre is fading. But established authors are worrying about a glut on the market as publishers continue to take on new writers. Philip Reed will present his debut novel, “Bird Dog,” at noon Saturday, and best-selling author Robert Crais will sign “Indigo Slam” at noon Sunday at Mysteries to Die For, 2940 Thousand Oaks Blvd., Thousand Oaks.

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Mark Bryan, who co-founded the Artist’s Way workshops with Julia Cameron, will discuss the importance of children having a father in their lives, and sign his new book, “The Prodigal Father,” at 7 p.m. Monday at Borders Books, 125 W. Thousand Oaks Blvd., Thousand Oaks.

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Dick Uhlman will discuss “Windows 95 From A to Z” at 7 p.m. Tuesday for the Conejo Valley Genealogical Society’s Computer Interest Group in the Conejo Valley Center, 1025 Old Farm Road, Thousand Oaks. The public is invited. Call (805) 495-9659.

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Poetry On Tuesdays sponsors weekly readings and workshops at the Daily Grind, 607 E. Main St., Ventura. Pat Wahl will read at 8 p.m. Tuesday. Call (805) 641-1679.

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In Santa Barbara

Noncelebrity memoirs have captured the fancy of the American reading public. And an aging generation has discovered another market for the tales usually shared only with family and friends. And what a market it is, especially in the case of now-98-year-old Jessie Foveaux of Kansas. A bidding war among publishers last March pushed the advance for her autobiography, which she wrote 20 years ago, to more than $1 million.

Local author Louise Cabral has taught life-writing classes for a decade. She will share her expertise on how to organize and write memoirs, and sign her book, “Islands of Recall,” at 7 tonight at Earthling Bookshop, 1137 State St.

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A bidding war of another kind took place May 11 at the Brandeis Women’s used-book table during the Jewish Festival in Santa Barbara’s Oak Park. Two people went head-to-head over a copy of Longfellow’s “Hiawatha,” which was priced at $2. It was decided that a King Solomon solution--to tear the book in half--wouldn’t work, and so “Hiawatha” went on the auction block. The winning bid was $50. Who the contestants were and why the fever over this particular book remains a mystery.

* Frances Halpern and Jon O’Brien are co-hosts of “Beyond Words” at 10 a.m. Sundays on KCLU-FM (88.3), Ventura County’s National Public Radio station.