Moderator: Janet Fitch Panelists: (from left to right) Chris Abani, Steve Erickson, Michelle Huneven, Jim Krusoe Two transplants (Abani from Nigeria and Krusoe from the midwest) and two natives (Erickson, Huneven) take on what it means to be a writer in Los Angeles. Erickson and Huneven were on a similar panel last year. We culled a few of this year's best (and lamest) quips. The high points: Chris Abani says, "The idea of being......

The Festival of Books was just like SXSW, except with books instead of music, and with scarcely any drinking, drugs or sex. Nevertheless, it was enormous, exhausting and exhilarating. LAist made it to a couple of impressive panels focused on LA: one featuring DJ Waldie, Norman Klien and Richard Rayner; the other with Steve Erickson, Michelle Huneven, Peter Lefcourt and Michael Jaime-Becerra. Some of their bon mots follow. Just for you, we managed to ferret......

We're in Austin for SXSW just like folks from Gothamist, SFist, and the newly launched Austinist and here are the greatest hits from the last week of LAist: - We interviewed author Michelle Huneven. - We obsessed about hot dogs. - We went to Clifton's. - We washed our car. - We sang karaoke with porn adult film actresses. - And, we considered the aftermath of the Mayoral election.......

Writer Michelle Huneven delves into all aspects of life in Southern California, from the material to the spiritual and everything in between. She is the author of two published works of fiction, Jamesland (2004) and Round Rock (1998), as well as many pieces of non-fiction journalism. She’s also familiar to readers as a former restaurant critic for the LA Weekly. 1. Age and Occupation: 51, Writer 2. How long have you lived in Los......

Who's going to the Southern California Booksellers Association "Author's Feast" on Saturday, November 6th at the Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach? Michelle Huneven Kevin Starr Dean Koontz Paula Woods and a lot of other authors are, that's who! The event starts at 7:30 with a reception and segues into dinner at 8:45 which features the association's Book Awards presentation. The dinner caps off a weekend of panels designed to help independent booksellers......

The West Hollywood "Fall Into Reading" Book Fair is this Sunday on October 3rd. Avid readers can visit with their favorite local and national authors at West Hollywood Park, 647 N. San Vincente Boulevard from 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM. The event has attracted a pretty heady mix of talent for a one-day schedule: Local author Nichelle Tramble, will be in conversation with Susan Straight on the "Blurred Reality" panel at 3:30 PM. Actresses......