By Dennis Moore

by Mayan Avitable

January 12, 2011 (San Diego) – Want to cook up a dish savored by your favorite Hollywood celebrity from a bygone era? Frank DeCaro, author of The Dead Celebrity Cookbook—A Resurrection of Recipes from More than 145 Stars of Stage and Screen, will sign copies of his book January 14 at Babette Schwartz gift store, 421 University Avenue in Hillcrest.

Book Review by Dennis Moore  

December 28, 2011 (East County) -- Anat Tour, this East County (San Diego) resident , has done it again – following up her debut publication of  Mama’s Shoe with an enchanting story of friendship and hope,  The Rainbow Animals. She has taken The Rainbow Animals a step further by having it published as a bundled package, CD/DVD and booklet insert.

Veteran/Wrestler pens a poignant memoir

 
Heaven, Iron and I: The Ron Martinelli Story, By Ron Zuccaro (Tribute House Publishing, Macomb County, Michigan, 2011, 145 pages.)

Book Review by Dennis Moore

December 13, 2011 (San Diego’s East County)--Ron Zuccaro, a highly decorated former Marine, has written a riveting and at times spiritual memoir of a tumultuous time in our country’s history, the Vietnam War--and how it steeled him to overcome a devastating personal tragedy after coming home.

 
November 21, 2011 (El Cajon) – While the book industry abounds with change and uncertainty, one local publisher continues its holiday tradition that has spanned over a quarter of a century. Sunbelt Publications invites the public to its warehouse for a celebration of literature in the holiday season.

On Thursday, December 8 from 4:30 to 8:30, Sunbelt Publications will host its annual holiday party with the 2011 theme: Eat, Drink, and be Literary.

 
December 1, 2011, (Julian) -- The Pig and the Dragon, a fantasy novel by La Mesa author Cindy Schuricht, is available for purchase at Julianʼs Quilts Plus, 2125 Main St., Julian. Come meet Cindy, have her sign your copy, and have a cup of hot apple cider on Sat. Dec. 3 from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.

By Miriam Raftery

Mrs. Cubbison’s Best Stuffing Cookbook, by Leo Pearlstein and Lisa Messinger (Square One Publishers, 2005)
 

October 15, 2011 (La Mesa) --  Readers, Inc., a children's book store in the heart of La Mesa Village,  will hold a Spooky Children’s Poetry event on Monday, October 17 from 1:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. for children aged 10 and up. Meet Author Laura Wynkoop and her book, An Eyeball in My Garden. Author-signed books will be available at a special event price of $15.00.

RSVPs are requested and refreshments will be available.

Review By Joshua Romero

 September 29, 2011 (San Diego) -- At age 8, San Diego writer Terry Angel Mason began his love affair with poetry. And in his latest book, They Say That I Am Broken ($20.00, iUniverse), that affair is inflamed with a passion that illuminates the struggles and triumphs of the gay male of color. A collection of seemingly unrelated stories, essays, and poems reveals the depth and breadth of what it means to be gay in Black America.

By Miriam Raftery

Looking for a new plant for your garden or architectural endeavor?

By Matt Kopjak

August 4, 2011 (San Diego's East County)--Choosing the right plant for your garden can be a daunting task, but with Plants-Pedia you can sift through 48,000 plants from the USDA plants database and narrow down your choices, complete with charts and images. You can filter your options by growth period, soil texture, lifespan, shade tolerance, temperature, toxicity, fire tolerance, drought tolerance and more, depending on your needs. This tool is simple enough for the average gardener and has enough advanced options to be useful for even the most experienced botanist.

July 30, 2011 (Alpine) – Exotic birds from around the world will flock to the Alpine Library on July 30th at 1 p.m. for a very special program. Be sure to bring your camera! Learn about different bird species, habitats and behaviors, then come and play with the birds at this free family event.

July 14, 2011, (El Cajon) -- Bryon Harrington, local Alpine author, will appear at s meeting of the El Cajon Historical Society on Thursday, July 28 at 11:30 a.m.  Mr. Harrington will share stories and sign copies of his self-published book,Campo, The Forgotton Gunfight. See the East County Magazine review here.

History buffs will enjoy this true local history of the gunfight which occurred in December, 1875, in Campo--a confrontation that surpassed the famed OK Corral shootout in duration and bloodshed. 

June 28, 2011 (San Diego) -- Executive Chef Jeff Rossman’s farm-to-table cookbook-come-love story to local growers, From Terra’s Table: New American Food Fresh From Southern California’s Organic Farms (Chefs Press, 2010), adds a new honor to its list of accolades.