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.

June 16, 2011 (Poway) --To kick off the County Library’s Summer Reading Club, a team of search and rescue beagles visited children at the Poway Library today. Some kids even read their favorite books aloud to the friendly animals.

April 26, 2011 (Alpine) -- On Thursday, April 28, 2011 at 6:00 pm, Linda Loegel, former owner of Fred's Old Fashioned Burgers (Mrs. Fred), will present a show and tell evening featuring her new book, Bumps Along the Way.

Guitar Lessons: A Life’s Journey Turning Passion Into Business, By Bob Taylor, (John Wiley & Sons, Inc., Hoboken, New Jersey, 2011, 230 pages.)

Book Review by Dennis Moore

April 8, 2011 (El Cajon)--Bob Taylor, co-founder and president of Taylor Guitars in El Cajon, California, has added a new title to his repertoire: author. in Guitar Lessons: A Life’s Journey Turning Passion Into Business, Taylor masterfully crafts a story in which the guitar becomes a metaphor for much more—sharing secrets for success in business and in life.

Authors will offer writing tips and sign copies of books at Grossmont Center store

By Dennis Moore

April 2, 2011 (La Mesa)—Are you an aspiring author? Barnes & Noble bookstore in Grossmont Center will host ”How to get published” on April 9 at 1 p.m.

Moderated by ECM book reviewer Dennis Moore, The event will feature  best-selling novelist Joshua Graham as well as local authors Max Sturman and TJ Johnson. The authors will field questions and offer helpful tips about the business, as well as sign copies of their books.

East County entrepreneur, businessman and author shares lessons in success, failure and perseverance in Guitar Lessons: A Life’s Journey Turning Passion Into Business