BOOK BRIEFS

UNIVERSITY PROFESSOR TO SPEAK ON POP FICTION TRENDS

Join the Las Vegas Writers Meetup Group at 7 p.m. Aug. 21 at the Roadrunner Grand Canyon, 9820 W. Flamingo Road, as it welcomes UNLV English Department Professor Felicia Campbell, who is set to speak on popular culture and tends in pop ficiton.

Event fee is $5. For more information, call 227-9793 or visit http://writers.meetup.com/23/.

SPEND AN EVENING LEARNING ABOUT THE QUINCEAÑERA

Julia Alvarez explores the coming-of-age ceremony for Latinas turning 15 in her book "Once Upon a Quinceañera."

The author of "How the García Girls Lost Their Accents" and "In the Time of the Butterflies," which was made into a movie starring Salma Hayek, will read and sign books, 7 p.m. Aug. 18 at the Clark County Library, 1401 E. Flamingo Road, 507-3400.

TOWN SQUARE TO HOST SIGNING

Geoff Herbach plans to sign copies of the novel "The Miracle Letters of T. Rimberg" starting at 7 p.m today at the Town Square Borders, 6521 Las Vegas Blvd. South.

TATTOO CELEBRITY INKS BOOK

Carey Hart, motocross star and proprieter of Hart & Huntington Tattoo at the Palms, is scheduled to sign his new book "Inked: The Life of the Tattoo" at 7 p.m. Sept. 25. at the Town Square Borders, 6521 Las Vegas Blvd. South.

Peppered with more than 70 photographs by New York photographer Bill Thomas, the book features images of Las Vegas celebrities covered in artistic ink.

LISTEN TO A MASTER STORYTELLER

Master storyteller Kendall Haven is set to present stories at several local libraries.

Thursday, he'll be at the Spring Valley Library, 4280 S. Jones Blvd., 507-3820, at 10:30 a.m. and at the Enterprise Library, 25 E. Shelbourne Ave., 507-3760, at 5 p.m. On Friday, he'll be at the Sahara West Library, 9600 W. Sahara Ave., 507-3630, at 11 a.m. and at the Las Vegas Library, 833 Las Vegas Blvd. North, 507-3500, at 4 p.m.

GO ON A 'VEGAS DIE' QUEST

The Mystery Adventures Las Vegas tour company plans a series of Quest Mystery Adventure Tours to visit the Las Vegas clue sites from Stephen Grogan's mystery novel "Vegas Die." The clues are designed to lead readers to a $25,000 dagger hidden somewhere in Las Vegas. Tour dates are Wednesday and Aug. 20 and 27. Space is limited. For more information, call 893-6400 or visit www.MysteryAdventuresLasVegas.com or www.QuestMystery.com.

'Behind the Mask' author to sign at Cheesecake and Crime

Helene Moore plans to sign copies of her new book "Behind the Mask" at 2 p.m. Aug. 23 at Cheesecake and Crime, 10545 S. Eastern Ave., No. 100.

FOCUS THOUGHTS AT EVENT

Jesse Duplantis plans to sign the book "Everyday Visionary: Focus Your Thoughts, Change Your Life" at noon on Aug. 19 at the 8915 W. Charleston Blvd. Barnes & Noble.

'ACTIVE CHRISTIANITY' SIGNING SET

Joyce Ray plans to sign copies of her book "Active Christianity" at 7 p.m. Friday at the 567 North Stephanie St. Barnes & Noble.

FINISH THE STORY AT CLUB MEETING

The Missing Ending Book Club will discuss possible alternative endings for Stephenie Meyer's "Breaking Dawn," 7 p.m. today at the Spring Valley Library, 4280 S. Jones Blvd., 507-3820.

BLACK MOUNTAIN INSTITUTE ANNOUNCES 2008 SCHEDULE

The Black Mountain Institute has a full slate of author presentations planned for 2008.

First up will be Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist Jane Smiley, who will speak in a private reception for BMI supporters in September.

The rest of the season's offerings are free and open to the public, starting with National Book Award-winner Joyce Carol Oates, who is set to speak to the public, 7 p.m. Oct. 18, at the UNLV Student Union Ballroom.

Charles Simic, the 2007 U.S. Poet Laureate is scheduled for 7 p.m., Oct. 21 in the UNLV Student Union theater. His visit is co-sponsored by the UNLV Department of English.

Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist Michael Chabon is set to speak 6 p.m. Nov. 8 at the Clark County Library, 1401 E. Flamingo Road, in a reading co-sponsored by Nevada Humanities, the city of Las Vegas Office of Cultural Affairs, the Las Vegas-Clark County Library District and the Las Vegas Review-Journal.

Sen Dina Titus, D-Las Vegas, is set to act as host for an author's panel titled "Sexism and Racism in the 2008 Election," featuring Susan Faludi, Katha Pollitt and Farai Chideya, 7 pm. Dec. 3 in Doc Rando Hall in the Beam Music Center at UNLV.

For more information, visit blackmountain.unlv.edu or call 895-5542.

CARR CHAT SERIES HOSTS CONVERSATIONS WITH WRITERS

Local writer Robyn Carr hosts conversations with visiting authors as part of the Carr Chat series sponsored by the Henderson Public Libraries. Book signings follow each chat and most events are free and open to the public.

Upcoming events are set to feature David Rosenfelt, 7 p.m. Sept. 18; and Linda Lael Miller, noon Oct. 3, Paseo Verde Library, 280 S. Green Valley Parkway. For more information, call 492.6584 or e-mail organizers at carrchat@hdpl.org.

CELEBRATE BIRTHDAYS AMONG CHILDREN'S BOOKS

The NeverEnding Story children's bookshop, 9440 W. Sahara Ave., No. 120, now offers birthday parties.

Parents can select the do-it-yourself option, with room rental only, or they can go all out with a hosted theme party, which can include decorations, storytime, dancing and crafts.

Prices begin at $50 for the do-it-yourself option and $150 for a hosted party.

For details, call 869-8943.

AUTHOR IS REGULAR AT AIRPORT

Just about every Sunday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., readers can catch William Slick Hanner, co-author of "Thief! The Gutsy, True Story of an Ex-con Artist" signing books at the McCarran International Airport Borders. For information about the book, visit Thieftruestory.com.

BOOK FESTIVAL PUTS OUT CALL FOR LOCAL AUTHORS

The Vegas Valley Book Festival isn't until Nov. 6-8, but organizers are already taking applications from writers interested in participating in the Nov. 8 Local Author's Expo downtown at the Fifth Street School. From 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. the school's gallery space will be packed with tables for authors to present books. Exhibit space is free, but limited, and the deadline to apply is Sept. 1.

In addition to locals, big-name festival presenters for this year include Neil Gaiman and Michael Chabon. For more information, visit www.artslasvegas.org/vvbf or call 229-5431.Poetry served up Once weekly at reJAVAnate

The ReJAVAnate coffee house hosts live poetry performances from 7 to 9 p.m. Tuesdays.

Some of the selections are intense and not intended for all ages. The shop is located at 3300 E. Flamingo Road, No. 23. Call 253-7721 for more information.

BOOKSTORE OFFERS WRITERS GROUP ON WEDNESDAYS

Borders bookstore, has a writers group at 7 p.m. Wednesdays, 2190 N. Rainbow Blvd.

LEARN MORE ABOUT AREA AUTHORS

Authors are invited to share information with readers and other writers at the 18Q Web site, www.eighteenquestions. com.

Surveys are posted on the Web site and sent out as part of The Fabulist Flash, a weekly eZine.