Beginning Tuesday, the California Literary Arts Society will offer a seven-week series titled "The Seven Secrets of Successful Writers." Taught by author and editor Mary Embree, the intensive program will guide participants through the process of writing a novel or nonfiction book, from a first draft through a proposal.

Sessions are slated from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Tuesdays in Ventura at the Wright Library, 57 Day Road. A single session is $10 for society members and $20 for nonmembers; the series costs $50 for members and $100 for others. To register or for information, call 643-3385 or visit marye@literaryarts-ca.org.

AUTHOR APPEARANCES

Dick Wimmer 1 p.m. today. Will sign "Wildly Irish Sextet." Borders, 125 W. Thousand Oaks Blvd., Thousand Oaks. 497-8159.

Baron R. Birtcher 3 p.m. today. Will sign "Angels Fall." Borders, 2910 Tapo Canyon Road, Simi Valley. 526-2800.

Scott Simon 8 p.m. today. National Public Radio host and author will speak. $15-$40. Fred Kavli Theatre, Civic Arts Plaza, Thousand Oaks. 493-3900.

Anne Perry Wednesday. Call for time. British author will sign "Buckingham Palace Gardens," the newest title in the Charlotte and Thomas Pitt series. Mysteries to Die For, 2940 E. Thousand Oaks Blvd., Thousand Oaks. 374-0084.

Libby Fischer Hellman 1 p.m. Thursday. Will sign "Easy Innocence." Mysteries to Die For, 2940 E. Thousand Oaks Blvd., Thousand Oaks. 374-0084.

Steve Hockensmith 2 p.m. Saturday. Will discuss and sign "The Black Dove" in the Big Red/Old Red series. Mysteries to Die For, 2940 E. Thousand Oaks Blvd., Thousand Oaks. 374-0084.

SPECIAL EVENTS

Poetry Reading 7:30 p.m. Tuesday. Artists' Union Gallery, 330 S. California St., Ventura. 320-3524.

Poetry Workshop 7 p.m. Wednesday. Barnes & Noble, 4820 Telephone Road, Ventura. 339-0990.

Books and Brew Program 4 p.m. Thursday. California Lutheran University religion lecturer Paul Egertson will lead a discussion on "Religious Literacy: What Every American Needs to Know and Doesn't" by Stephen Prothero. Roth Nelson Room, CLU, 60 W. Olsen Road, Thousand Oaks. 493-3244.

Train of Thought 6:30 p.m. Thursday. Poetry reading at 856 E. Thompson Blvd., Ventura. 642-1146.

Poetry Reading 7:30 p.m. Saturday. Bell Arts Factory, 432 N. Ventura Ave., Ventura. 643-1960.

LIBRARY NEWS

Computer Workshop 10 a.m. Monday. Prueter Library, 510 Park Ave., Port Hueneme. 486-5460.

Read to Pepper the Dog 3 p.m. Monday. Blanchard Library, 119 N. Eighth St., Santa Paula. 525-3615.

Earth Day Stories and Art 6:30 p.m. Monday. Wright Library, 57 Day Road, Ventura. 642-0337.

Shakespeare Reading Salon 7 p.m. Monday. Ojai Library, 111 E. Ojai Ave. 646-1639.

Anime/Manga Workshop 4 p.m. Tuesday. Camarillo Library, 4101 Las Posas Road. 388-5222.

Pet Stories 3:30 p.m. Wednesday. Wright Library, 57 Day Road, Ventura. 642-0337.

Paws 4 Healing 6:30 p.m. Wednesday. Simi Valley Library, 2969 Tapo Canyon Road. 526-1735.

Computer Workshop 10 a.m. Thursday. Registration required. Thousand Oaks Library, 1401 E. Janss Road. 449-2660.

Music with Motion 10:30 a.m. Thursday. Westlake Village Library, 31220 Oak Crest Drive. 818-865-9230.

Book Group 2 p.m. Thursday. "The Kitchen God's Wife" by Amy Tan. Free. Prueter Library, 510 Park Ave., Port Hueneme. 486-5460.

Writers Workshop 6 p.m. Thursday. Twice-Sold Tales Bookstore, 122 E. Ojai Ave., Ojai. 646-1639.

Classical Guitarist Peter Fletcher 10:30 a.m. Saturday. Oxnard Library, 251 South A St. 385-7500.

Paws for Reading 12:30 p.m. Saturday. Wright Library, 57 Day Road, Ventura. 642-0337.

STORY TIMES

Monday 9:30, 10:30 and 11:30 a.m. Barnes & Noble, 160 S. Westlake Blvd., Thousand Oaks. 446-2820.

10:30 a.m. (bilingual) and 5:30 p.m. (English) Prueter Library, 510 Park Ave., Port Hueneme. 486-5460.

7 p.m. (bilingual) Oxnard Library, 251 South A St. 385-7535.

Tuesday 10 a.m. Colonia Library, 1500 Camino del Sol, Oxnard. 385-8108.

10 a.m. and 7 p.m. Camarillo Library, 4101 Las Posas Road. 388-5222.

10:30 a.m. Adventures for Kids, 3457 Telegraph Road, Ventura. 650-9688.

10:30 a.m. Foster Library, 651 E. Main St., Ventura. 648-2715.

10:30 a.m. Oak View Library, 55 Mahoney Ave. 649-1523.

10:30 a.m. Prueter Library, 510 Park Ave., Port Hueneme. 486-5460.

11 a.m. Borders, 241 W. Esplanade Drive, Oxnard. 988-6886.

11:30 a.m. and 7:30 p.m. Simi Valley Library, 2969 Tapo Canyon Road. 526-1735.

Wednesday 10:30 a.m. Blanchard Library, 119 N. Eighth St., Santa Paula. 525-3615.

11 a.m. Borders, 2910 Tapo Canyon Road, Simi Valley. 526-2800.

Thursday 10:30 a.m. Moorpark Library, 699 Moorpark Ave. 517-6370.

10:30 a.m. Oak Park Library, 899 N. Kanan Road. 818-889-2239.

10:30 a.m. South Oxnard Library, 4300 Saviers Road. 385-8129.

Friday 7 p.m. Borders, 2910 Tapo Canyon Road, Simi Valley. 526-2800.

Saturday 10:30 a.m. Barnes & Noble, 160 S. Westlake Blvd., Thousand Oaks. 446-2820.

3 p.m. Adventures for Kids, 3457 Telegraph Road, Ventura. 650-9688.

7 p.m. Borders, 125 W. Thousand Oaks Blvd., Thousand Oaks. 497-8159.

— We'd like to announce your news. Send items at least three weeks in advance to Jo Ellen Heil at P.O. Box 7083, Ventura, CA 93006; samheil@hotmail.com; or fax to 482-6167.