Stepping Off the Edge

Sandy Nathan and her husband Barry raise those gorgeously gaited Peruvian Paso horses on their Santa Ynez Rancho Vilasa, and Sandy also keeps busy attending retreats and writing furiously. A couple of novels will come out soon and Stepping off the Edge ($18.95), her recently published self-help book about learning and living spiritual practice, is receiving wide acclaim. Another local writer, Barbra Minar, closes her comment about Sandy’s work, “…full of resources and exercises and wisdom to be read and reread.”

As a benefit for the Santa Ynez Valley Therapeutic Riding Program, Sandy Nathan will speak about the healing power of horses and read from her book at The Book Loft at 3 p.m. Sunday, March 18. Both the author and the bookstore will contribute part of the proceeds from that day’s sales to the riding program.

Snakeskin Shamisen

Avid mystery readers maintain a continual lookout for a new detective. Here’s one for them—Mas Arai, a curmudgeonly Los Angeles gardener, Hiroshima survivor and inveterate gambler.

Mas Aria is the creation of Naomi Hirahara who wrote extensively on Japanese American society before beginning her mystery series. Snakeskin Shamisen ($12) is her newest; others are Summer of the Big Bachi and Gasa-Gasa Girl.

Ms. Hirahara will be among four authors appearing at the seventh annual Authors Forum Luncheon March 24, sponsored by the Santa Maria chapter of the American Association of University Women.

Joining Hirahara will be Thomas Steinbeck (Down to a Soundless Sea $13.95), Jennifer Vandever (Bronte Project: Novel of Passion, Desire and Good PR $12.95) and Lee Wardlaw (author of children’s books including 101 Ways to Bug Your Teacher $6.99).

The Book Loft will handle book sales at the event, open to the public, although space is limited. (Phone Judy at 937-0290.)

Farstrup-Mortensen Lecture Series

Planning for the 2008 Bethania Lutheran Church’s Farstrup- Mortensen lecture series started before the actual 2007 event, always held the last weekend in February. Imagine the consternation this year when organizers learned that Solvang would be tied up by the Amgen bike race on the very afternoon their conference was to get underway. Thanks to much work, love, understanding and the community spirit of cooperation, the Farstrup-Mortensen went on as scheduled, bigger and better than ever before.

Renowned theologian Martin Marty was the headliner. Congresswoman Lois Capps and County Supervisor Brooks Firestone rounded out the program. Next year one of the main speakers will be Mark Juergensmeyer, director of international studies at UCSB and author of Terror in the Mind of God: The Global Rise of Religious Violence $18.95)

Hans Christian Andersen's Birthday

Hans Christian Andersen Museum, located upstairs above The Book Loft, throws a little party every year on April 2 to commemorate the great Danish storyteller’s birthday. Always worth a visit, don’t miss one of the museum’s new Authors—Local and Global—Make News this Month and most spectacular acquisitions—a limited edition of The Ugly Duckling, Andersen’s classic tale that reassures children that they can outgrow feelings of unworthiness and loneliness. This is a gigantic boxed volume, lavishly illustrated by Henri Galeron and edited by Maria Tatar, dean for the humanities at Harvard University ($85).

The Story of Columbia Records

With a dust jacket looking as much like an old 78 as a book cover could, The Label: The Story of Columbia Records arrived in bookstores recently, When the company built a facility in Santa Maria some 40 ago. Columbia executive Irving Townsend settled in the Valley and soon became a legend. Animal lover and habitué of Mattei’s Tavern, Irv wrote a couple of entertaining books about his experiences here. We lament that his memoir The Less Expensive Spread is no longer in print. The new book, written by Gary Marmorstein contains abundant references to Mr. Townsend.

A Local Author on our amazing bodies

Retired petroleum engineer Patrick Foxen joins the ranks of local authors with the recent publication of Your Amazing Body Machine: How it Works Compared to Manufactured Machines (IUniverse $12.95). Using many illustrations, Foxen combines his engineering knowledge and strong Christian faith to explain how the human body works like a superbly designed machine.Best Seller Lists (Compiled by the folks at The Book Loft, 1680 Mission Drive in Solvang, 688-6010)

Best Seller Lists

Compiled by the folks at the Book Loft, 1680 Mission Drive in Solvang at (805) 688-6010

Fiction

1. Two Minute Rule Robert Crais
2. Memory Keeper’s Daughter Kim Edwards
3. Just the Right Woman William Cates
4. Complete Tales of Hans Christian Andersen
5. Sacred Games Vikram Chandra
6. Ten Days in the Hills Jane Smiley
7. Templar Legacy Steve Berry
8. High Profile Robert Parker
9. Constant Princess Philippa Gregory
10. Plum Lovin’ Janet Evanovich

Non Fiction

1. Buellton Curt Cragg & Buellton Historical Society
2. The Secret Rhoda Byrne
3. Freedom Writers Diary Freedom Writers with Erin Gruwell
4. Born on a Blue Day Daniel Tammet
5. Only Horse People Pam Stone
6. I Feel Bad About My Neck Nora Ephron
7. Three Cups of Tea Greg Mortenson
8. White Masai Corinne Hoffman
9. About Alice Calvin Trillin
10. Measure of a Man Sidney Poitier

Children’s

1. Tales of Hans Christian Andersen (various editions)
2. Vintage Valentines Golden Books
3. Dog Matthew Van Fleet
4. Invention of Hugo Cabret Brian Selznick
5. Charlotte’s Web E .B. White (includes movie tie-in books)
6. Bridge to Terabithia Katherine Paterson
7. Flotsam David Weisner
8. Owen and Mzee Isabella Hatkoff
9. Outsiders S. E. Hinton
10. Eragon Chris Paolini