A friendly honor for a Laguna Beach writer

BARBARA DIAMOND

The Friends of Laguna Beach Library will honor prolific,

award-winning author Theodore Taylor at the annual dinner.

“Ted has always been a major supporter of libraries [not to

mention filling their shelves] and we want to say thank you,” Friends

President Martha Lydick said.

Best-selling, former Laguna Beach author T. Jefferson Parker will

serve as master of ceremonies for the dinner, to be held Oct. 28 at

Tivoli Terrace.

“Also on the same evening, we are having the second annual Silent

Auction of autographed books,” Lydick said. “Last year’s auction was

a huge success, with 88 books for sale. This year, we already have

more than 115 books.”

Local authors who have contributed include Roger Johnson, who

donated four copies of his recently published book, “It can be Fixed

-- Your Unmanaged Government;” Bette Anderson, who gave her debut

thriller, “Close Ups,” set in Laguna; and Barbara Howard, whose

daughter Malinda Howard lives in Laguna, donated her anthology of

“Letters to Seabiscuit.” Gail Michael sent “I am a Thousand Winds

that Blow;” and Hortense Miller contributed a copy of her “Garden

Writings.”

Parker donated a copy of “Black Water,” and, of course, copies of

some copies of Taylor’s books will be available.

Taylor, 83 in June, has spent more than half his life in Laguna

Beach. He and his second wife, Flora, live in the middle of a

beautifully landscaped garden in Woods Cove. Taylor has two children

from his first marriage.

He was born in North Carolina and began writing at 13, covering

high school sports for a local newspaper. Before becoming a full-time

writer, Taylor managed a prizefighter, sailed on a merchant ship,

publicized movies and filmed documentaries.

His prize-winning books include “The Cay,” which captured eight

major literary awards; and “The Weirdo,” winner of the Edgar Allan

Poe Award. Recently a film of his book. “The Maldondo Miracle” won a

Sundance Film Festival Award.

Among the bestselling authors who donated books for the auction:

Janet Evanovich, Joseph Wambaugh, Judith McNaught, Michael Korda,

Charles W. Colson, Mr. Blackwell, Stephen J. Cannell, Ray Bradbury,

Jeffrey Archer, Alice Sebold, Kelly Lange, Dean Koontz, Elizabeth

George, Clive Cussler, John Grisham and Jackie Collins.

Also: Jay Hovdey, horse racing writer with close ties to track

fan, Lydick; Jane Goodall, one of Coastline Pilot staff writer Suzie

Harrison’s all-time favorite interviews; and Jane Smiley, whose

writing is enjoyed by former Mayor Lida Lenney.

Proceeds from the auction will benefit the Friends’ perennial fund

to assist the library, usually in the form of buying books. The

Friends’ bookstore, under the library, is the primary fund-raiser.

The shop opens 11 a.m. Monday through Saturday and closes at 3

p.m., except Monday and Wednesday, when it is open until 6 p.m.

However, this year the group has taken on a new task.

“The Friends and the Laguna Beach Chamber of Commerce had pledged

to raise funds to renovate the landscaping at the library,” Lydick

said. “Steve Kawaratani is planning the landscape and the city’s Vic

Hillstead will remove the sad plants, trim trees and replace the

sprinkler system.

“This is an exciting community project.”

The dinner is $40 per person. For more information or

reservations, visit [email protected] or call (949) 497-7053.

USO REMEMBERED

American Legion Post 222 will present its 7th annual USO

fund-raiser in honor of Veterans Day.

“We are especially pleased to bring back Pete Jacobs and his

Wartime Radio Review -- there was no TV then, kids -- to play

fantastic “Big Band’ music for listening and dancing pleasure,” post

commander Richard Moore said.

The United Service Organization was formed in 1941 in response to a request by President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, who thought it

would be best for private groups to handle the on-leave recreation of

the armed forces.

By 1944, the USO had more than 3,000 clubs. USO Camp Shows

presented an amazing 428,521 performances between 1941 and 1947.

Curtains were raised 700 times a day in 1945 to entertain audiences

as large as 15,000 and as small as 25, all around the world, where

ever U.F. forces were stationed.

Entertainers from the biggest movie stars -- the late Bob Hope

comes immediately to mind -- to retired vaudevillians joined the

“soldiers in greasepaint.”

Today, an army of more than 12,000 volunteers operate 160 USO

centers, 77 overseas and 83 in the U.S.*

Laguna’s legionaries will recreate a live USO Show from 1 to 5

p.m., Nov. 7 at the Veteran Memorial Community Center, 384 Legion

Street.

Everyone is invited. Those who have military uniforms and can

still fit in them are encouraged to wear them. Prizes will be awarded

for the best dressed: civilian and military.

Hamburgers, hot dogs and soft drinks will be served -- the menu of

the original USOs.

Adults $10, children $5. All proceeds will benefit American Legion

supported charities.

For more information or reservations, call (949) 376-6340.

LAGUNA STORE OWNER HONORED

Art for the Soul owner Valinda Martin will be honored today for

her contributions to business and society.

Martin is one of five Orange County women to be recognized by the

National Assn. of Women Business Owners at a luncheon at the Hyatt

Regency Hotel in Irvine.

She opened the Forest Avenue store in December. It is not the

place to shop for the Shabby Chic look.

Purple, black and taupe replaced the pastel aqua and pink exterior

of the beauty supply store that occupied the space for years.

Bold as it is, the exterior pales in comparison to the uninhibited

interior. The ceiling is black. The walls are painted saffron, lime

green, salmon, red, fuchsia, blue and purple.

The vitality and the inventory of hand-crafted, whimsical,

inspirational and above all, color, reflects Martin’s take on life.

“My whole twist is inspiration and color,” Martin said. “The store

combines the two and we have something for everybody.”

Martin runs her business from a wheelchair. She has been a

paraplegic since 1993.

* OUR LAGUNA is a regular feature of the Laguna Beach Coastline

Pilot. Contributions are welcomed. Write to Barbara Diamond, P.O. Box

248, Laguna Beach, 92652, hand-deliver to 384 Forest Ave., Suite 22;

call 494-4321 or fax 494-8979.

*Information courtesy of American Legion Post 222.