Book Briefs for Feb. 26-March 4

Romance authors
to discuss love and literature

Bestselling historical romance novelists Julia Quinn and Sarah MacLean are scheduled to speak on love and literature from 7 to 9 p.m. Monday at the Clark County Library, 1401 E. Flamingo Road.

Quinn, a graduate of Harvard University and Radcliffe College, is the author of 19 novels including “The Duke and I,” “The Secret Diaries of Miss Miranda Cheever” and “A Night Like This.”

MacLean, daughter of a former British spy, is a graduate of Smith College and Harvard University and is the author of “The Season,” “Nine Rules to Break When Romancing a Rake,” “Ten Ways to be Adored When Landing a Lord,” “A Rogue By Any Other Name” and “One Good Earl Deserves a Lover.”

For more information, visit lvccld.org.

Local Writer to sign book
on Journey through China

Robert Stanelle “Lao Luo,” author of “China: In My Eyes,” an account of his five-year journey through China, is scheduled to appear as part of the Henderson District Public Libraries READ Local Author Series, from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. Wednesday in the lobby of the Paseo Verde Library, 280 S. Green Valley Parkway.

NATE BERKUS to sign Books AT J.GLENN

Nate Berkus plans to sign his latest design memoir, “The Things That Matter,” from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Thursday at J.Glenn, 750 S. Rampart Blvd., Suite 13.

Berkus’ book highlights a new way of looking at design and how we live. Through Wednesday, it can now be preordered with 10 percent off at J.Glenn in Boca Park and Artifact in the Market LV at Tivoli Village, 302 S. Rampart Blvd.

For more information, call 702-425-7636.

Visiting Author to speak

“The Boy on Fairfield Street: How Ted Geisel Grew Up to Become Dr. Seuss” author Kathleen Krull is scheduled to speak on enhancing the creative process from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. Thursday at the Enterprise Library, 25 E. Shelbourne Ave. A signing for Krull is scheduled at 4 p.m.

Mary Jo Buttafuoco to sign
copies of her new memoir Sunday

Mary Jo Buttafuoco is scheduled to sign copies of her memoir “Getting It Through My Thick Skull: Why I Stayed, What I Learned, and What Millions of People Involved with Sociopaths Need to Know” at 1 p.m. Sunday at the 2191 N. Rainbow Blvd. Barnes & Noble.

Signing set for children’s book

Rho Titus Hudson, author of “The Cub and the Caterpillar,” is scheduled to sign books from 1 to 3 p.m. Sunday at the 9595 S. Eastern Ave. Nielsen’s Frozen Custard.

Donate books, get magic show tickets

Get two free tickets to comedy magician Mac King’s show at Harrah’s Las Vegas, 3475 Las Vegas Blvd. South, in exchange for donating three new or gently used children’s books during kickoff events for King’s Magical Literacy Tour. Books are to be collected through Thursday at Sky Zone Indoor Trampoline Park, 4915 Steptoe St. Donors can also get an hour of free jump time for giving books at Sky Zone.

King plans to deliver the books to students in at-risk schools during his Nevada Reading Week visits Wednesday -March 1. For details, visit mackkingshow.com.

Author to speak at society luncheon

The Las Vegas Chapter of The Federalist Society for Law and Public Policy Studies plans to host a luncheon on immigration reform featuring author Clint Bolick, vice president for litigation at the Goldwater Institute at 11:45 a.m. March 8 at the Fogo de Chao Churrascaria restaurant, 360 E. Flamingo Road. Tickets are $45 or $35 for state, county or city attorneys and students. Attorneys can receive continuing legal education credit. To RSVP, contact Lynn Warren at 702-331-3219 or lvfedsoc@yahoo.com.

Ira Shapiro to speak at Brandeis Lunch

The Brandeis National Committee plans an author luncheon for 11 a.m. March 17 at TPC Summerlin, 1700 Village Center Circle.

Ira Shapiro is the planned guest speaker. He is the author of “The Last Great Senate: Courage and Statesmanship in Times of Crisis.” Shapiro has worked in the U.S. Senate for 12 years in senior staff positions.

Admission is $70. Reservation must be made by March 8. To register, send a check made out to Brandeis National Committee to Marilyn Shocket, 8837 Cortile Drive, Las Vegas, NV 89134. For more information, contact Denise Needleman at 702-396-8887 or dfneedleman@gmail.com or Len Krane at 702-255-6667 or lenkrane1@gmail.com.

Storyteller to offer free workshop

Binnie Wilkin is scheduled present a storytelling workshop at 7 p.m. March 13 at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Las Vegas’ 101 N. Pavilion Center Drive location.

Wilkin is a retired librarian and professor who has taught storytelling at several universities and is the author of many books, most recently “African and African American Images in Newbery Award Winning Titles: Progress in Portrayals.” Admission is free. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. For more information, call 702-437-2404.

Memoir-writing classes slated

The University of Nevada Cooperative Extension’s Life Stories Nevada program plans free four-week memoir-writing classes for seniors.

Instructors help would-be memoirists sort through their memories and organize how they want to tell their story. Sessions are slated for:

n 10:30 a.m. to noon Fridays March 8-29 at the Las Vegas FamilySearch Library, 509 S. Ninth St.;

n 10 to 11:30 a.m. Mondays April 8-29 at Temple Beth Sholom, 10700 Havenwood Lane;

n 10 to 11:30 a.m. Thursdays May 2-23 at the East Las Vegas Community/Senior Center, 250 N. Eastern Ave.

For more information, visit lifestoriesnevada.org. To register, contact Jean Norman at 702-940-5423 or norman@unce.unr.edu

Artists encouraged to participate
in comic book compilation

Comic book publisher Pop! Goes the Icon is seeking Las Vegas-based artists to be featured in its next “Tales From” series book created to benefit the Vegas Valley Comic Book Festival.

“Tales from Lost Vegas,” written by Ed Hawkins, who also developed the concept behind 2011’s “Tales from Fremont Street,” follows three friends on a journey to a secret city beneath the streets of Las Vegas.

Each artist selected will be assigned to illustrate one chapter (six to 10 pages) of the book. A $200 honorarium is to be offered to each participant. To be considered, artists must submit five to 10 sequential art pages demonstrating their ability to illustrate a story through pictures. Submissions will be accepted through Thursday . The book is slated for completion in time for the Vegas Valley Comic Book Festival scheduled Nov. 2.

For more information, visit popgoestheicon.com.

Author/illustrator plans bookstore visit

Meet Catherine Follestad author/illustrator of “The Itty Bitty Kitty” and “I Think That I Would Like to Be” at 1 p.m. March 9 at the 2191 N. Rainbow Blvd. Barnes & Noble.

Former Gov. Bob Miller to sign ‘Son of a Gambling Man’

Former Gov. Bob Miller is scheduled to sign copies of his memoir “Son of a Gambling Man: My Journey from a Casino Family to the Governor’s Mansion” at 7 p.m. March 12 at the 2191 N. Rainbow Blvd. Barnes & Noble. Former President Bill Clinton wrote the foreword, but is not scheduled to attend.

Bestselling author Cassandra Clare’s ‘Clockwork Princess’ tour to visit

Cassandra Clare is scheduled to lead a discussion and sign copies of her newest Infernal Devices Series book “Clockwork Princess” at 7 p.m. March 20 at the 2191 N. Rainbow Blvd. Barnes & Noble. Patrons must purchase the book to get a wristband for the book signing line. The store will begin handing out wristbands at 9 a.m. March 19. The film “The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones,” set to be released Aug. 23, is based on Clare’s work. For more on the author, visit cassandraclare.com.

Library District plans book fair

The Clark County Library, 1401 E. Flamingo Road, plans its fifth annual Spring Fling Book Fair from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. April 6. Authors are scheduled for signing table sessions from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. or 1:30 to 3 p.m. The main theater is expected to feature a Hollywood authors panel, a concert and more.

For more information, contact library scheduling specialist Julie Okabayashi at okabayashij@lvccld.org.

Henderson Writers Group meetings set

The Henderson Writers Group meets from 6:30 to 8:45 p.m. Mondays in room C-2 at Community Lutheran Church, 3720 E. Tropicana Ave. Meetings are typically canceled on holidays. Visit henderson
writersgroup.com for more information.

Barnes & Noble to host writing group

The 2191 N. Rainbow Blvd. Barnes & Noble hosts a writing critique group the fourth Monday of each month. The group is limited to the first 20 participants per meeting. Sign up at meetup.com/las-vegas-creative-writing-class.

Summerlin Library offers
Readers and writers workshop series

A readers and writers workshop series sponsored by poet, editor and writer Barbara Miller is scheduled from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. the second Saturday of every month at the Summerlin Library, 1771 Inner Circle Drive. For more information, call 702-507-3866.

Wall Street trader to sign books

Veteran Wall Street trader Andrew Hecht plans to sign copies of his book “How to Make Money with Commodities” at 3 p.m. Feb. 23 at the 8915 W. Charleston Blvd. Barnes & Noble.

FREE STORYCORPS TOOLKIT
HELPS COLLECT MEMORIES

The national StoryCorps’ Memory Loss Initiative encourages people with memory loss to share their stories with loved ones and future generations. To make that task easier, a free step-by-step toolkit is available to download at storycorps.org/mli.

The Commemorate toolkit offers an individual reminiscence program that family members can initiate or memory loss care facilities can add to activities.

The initiative has collected more than 1,800 interviews with 180 partner organizations.

For more information, visit storycorps.org or call 646-723-7027.

ACCESS RECORDED BOOK PROGRAMS ONLINE

Too busy to get out to book programs? The Las Vegas-Clark County Library District has started posting videocasts and podcasts of many of its programs online. Selections available so far include: “An Afternoon with Tony Curtis,” John L. Smith’s presentation “Amelia’s Long Journey: The Challenge of Writing What You Know,” “Batman” movie producer Michael Uslan’s presentation at the 2009 Vegas Valley Comic Book Festival, Jami Carpenter’s “ABCs of Editing” workshop and Brian Rouff’s “Getting Published: A Long Strange Trip.” To access the programs, visit lvccld.org, select “Books, Movies & More” and then “Video and Podcasts.”

The Black Mountain Institute has offered recordings of its programming since 2006. To access recordings of a gamut of writers from E.L. Doctorow to Alissa Nutting, visit blackmountain
institute.org and select “multimedia.”

FREE READ TO ME PROGRAM
OFFERS STORIES ONLINE AND BY PHONE

Celebrity storytellers Oscar Goodman, Rita Rudner, Clint Holmes, Terry Fator, Carrot Top, The Scintas and others have donated their talents to the Clark County Education Association Community Foundation’s Read To Me program. Children can view more than 15 videos of celebrities reading books on the website at readtomelv.com. Stories also can be accessed by calling 702-240-2665.

Both databases are frequently updated with fresh stories. Parents and teachers can download lesson plans for each book on the website.

SHARE POEMS AT HUMAN EXPERIENCE

Polish up a poem or two and try them out at Human Experience, a free spoken word event, from 7 to 9 p.m. Mondays in The Beat Coffeehouse inside Emergency Arts, 520 Fremont St. For details, visit lasvegaspoets.org.

DOWNLOAD BOOKS and MORE
FROM YOUR PUBLIC LIBRARY

Virtual Branch websites make it easy to browse, check out and download digital books and more to a home computer for free. All patrons need is a valid library card and an Internet-connected PC.

Virtual Branch download websites feature a digital catalog of downloadable audio books, e-books, music and video titles.

Each site is meant to look and feel like the library’s main site, and it has many easy-to-use features similar to an online store.

Digital book downloads are borrowed just like print materials. Once patrons select the title or author they want, they follow the steps to check out and then download the title to their home computer.

Patrons can transfer most titles to portable media players, such as MP3 players, PDAs, Kindles or smart phones.

Each title that is downloaded has a designated lending period. When the title expires, it is automatically returned to the Virtual Branch, so there are no late fees.

For more information, visit
search.overdrive.com.

ZINE LIBRARY OPEN IN EMERGENCY ARTS

Grab a cup of coffee and check out the independently crafted magazines at the Las Vegas Zine Library inside The Beat Coffeehouse in Emergency Arts, 520 Fremont St.

The library is more of a collection on display for reference and on-site reading than a checkout repository. Contributions of zines are appreciated. For more information, visit lvzinelibrary.blogspot.com.

Browse rare books in new app

Searching for rare books? Now there’s an app for that. Bauman Rare Books, which has a shop in The Palazzo, 3325 Las Vegas Blvd. South, recently launched an app available on iTunes that allows readers to see new acquisitions, browse catalogs, view videos, make purchases and manage their personal accounts and share items via Twitter and Facebook. If you have $65,000 to spend on a first-edition “The Catcher in the Rye” signed by J.D. Salinger, the app has you covered. The catalog can also be perused at baumanrarebooks.com.