Book briefs

Young writer to Sign children's book

Ten-year-old McKenzie Wagner is scheduled to sign her book "The Magic Meadow and the Golden Locket" at noon on Monday at the 567 N. Stephanie St. Barnes & Noble.

For more information on the book, visit mckenziewagnerbooks.com.

Author starts internet food show

"Top of the Food Chain," a weekly live Internet show hosted by Al Mancini, co-author of "Eating Las Vegas -- The 50 Essential Restaurants," can be found at vegasvideonetwork.com/our-shows/top-of-the-food-chain.

Mancini's first episode, on wine and cheese pairing, was aired live May 12. The show is set to continue to broadcast live at 4 p.m. Thursdays.

Local writer explores allergies in 'Eating Gavin's Way'

Local author Theresa J. Gonsalves released the new book "Eating Gavin's Way" April 15.

The tale, illustrated by Kathy Garren, follows the plight of Gavin Young, an 8-year-old allergic to oats, dairy, eggs, nuts, soy, wheat and red meat. The book is written to help children tackle their own allergies or understand peers with allergies.

Locals named finalists in Next Generation Indie Book Awards

"I Can Hear the Applause: Adult Language Some Nudity," a book by local authors Lisa Medford and Jeanne Gulbranson, has been named a 2011 finalist for autobiography in the Next Generation Indie Book Awards.

This is the third Indie Award for Gulbranson, whose books "Be the Horse or the Jockey" and "Pink Leadership" each received career category awards in 2009.

Final book in Signs of the Zodiac series to be launched in June

Las Vegas showgirl turned best-selling author Vicki Pettersson is scheduled to sign copies of her newest book, "The Neon Graveyard," at 7 p.m. June 3 at the 6521 Las Vegas Blvd. South Borders in Town Square Las Vegas.

According to Pettersson's website, vickipettersson.com, this will be the last in her Signs of the Zodiac series, set in Las Vegas. Pettersson also hopes to meet with her Twitter followers to share coffee before the event. To learn more, follow her on Twitter at twitter.com/vickipettersson.

Picture book workshops planned

Join award-winning picture book author/illustrator Jim Averbeck for the workshops Bringing More to the Story and Revision Can Be Fun scheduled from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. June 4 at the Las Vegas Day School, 3275 Red Rock St.

The event is targeted for illustrators and picture book authors wanting a better understanding of the marriage of words and illustrations. Illustrators are asked to bring a two-page spread for critique and discussion.

The event is free to Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators members who register in advance, or members can pay $5 at the door. Nonmembers are welcome with a $40 registration fee. If they join SCBWI, the $40 fee is fully refundable with proof of membership.

To register, visit nevadascbwi.org. For more information, call 290-3190 or email lvscbwi@gmail.com.

For more information about Averbeck, visit jimaverbeck.com.

For more information about SCBWI, a professional organization that acts as a network for writers, illustrators, editors, publishers and educators with an interest in children's literature, visit scbwi.org.

'Random Thoughts About God' author to sign books at Barnes & Noble

Bishop W. Ralph Mangum is set to sign his book "Random Thoughts About God: Extraordinary Ideas For Ordinary Folks" at 1 p.m. June 4 at the 2191 N. Rainbow Blvd. Barnes & Noble.

Mangum lives in Las Vegas and serves as a pastoral volunteer with Infinity Hospices and as an advisor to area pastors.

For more information about the book, visit christianpublish.com/bookstore.htm.

Extension program to teach free memoir workshop for seniors

Life Stories Nevada, a University of Nevada Cooperative Extension program designed to help seniors 50 or older record their memoirs, is sponsoring free four-week memoir workshops.

Next up, the Heritage Park Senior Facility at 300 Racetrack Road in Henderson plans to host a Life Stories Nevada workshop from 2 to 3:30 p.m. Tuesdays from Sept. 6-27.

To register, call 940-5423.

For more information about the program, visit lifestoriesnevada.org.

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.

Sunrise Coffee Co. on sunset road hosts open mic night Wednesdays

Sunrise Coffee Co. welcomes poets and poetry fans to participate in its open mic night starting at 7 p.m. every Wednesday at 3130 E. Sunset Road.

Share poems at Human Experience

Polish up a poem or two and try them out live at Human Experience, a free spoken word event, from 7 to 9 p.m. Mondays in The Beat coffee shop at 520 Fremont St. inside Emergency Arts. For more information or to view the events online as they happen, visit lasvegaspoets.org.

Library District on a paperless push

The Las Vegas-Clark County Library District wants your email address.

On July 1, the district will discontinue the mailing of hold and overdue notices. After that date, notifications will only be provided electronically. But patrons can elect to receive notices electronically now.

Advantages include: a courtesy notice via email three days before your items will be overdue, prompt notices when held items are available and a library newsletter and events notices via email.

Email addresses can be submitted online at lvccld.org, at any library customer service desk or by phone at 507-3595.

Access recorded Book programs online through library district

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."

Northwest-area borders offers writers group on Tuesdays

Borders bookstore hosts a free writers group at 6:30 p.m. Tuesdays at 2190 N. Rainbow Blvd.

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 240-2665.

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

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 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.

Henderson Writers Group meets Mondays

The Henderson Writers Group meets from 6:30 to 8:45 p.m. Mondays. Meetings are at the Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf at 4550 S. Maryland Parkway on the second and fourth Mondays and at Saxby's Coffee Lounge, 72 Horizon Ridge Parkway, on the first, third and occasional fifth Mondays.

Visit hendersonwritersgroup.com for more details.

Meetings are open to the public.

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 Cafe in Emergency Arts, 520 Fremont St.

The library is still small, 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.

National Senior poets laureate competition under way

Entries are being accepted for regional winners in the 19th annual National Senior Poets Laureate Poetry Competition for American poets 50 or older. The submission deadline is June 30. State senior poets laureate are expected to be named in July, and the National Senior Poet Laureate is set to be announced Sept. 1.

For more information, visit amykitchenerfdn.org.