Story Surgeon

Anyone who loves stories may wonder about the fate of books in this age of high-tech entertainment, but a UCSB writing teacher says you can relax.

“Stories will be around as long as language is around--storytelling is kind of an accessory to language,” said Leonard Tourney, the author of eight mystery novels set in Shakespeare’s England.

Tourney will be the featured speaker at the Ventura County Writers Club at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday at Borders in Thousand Oaks. His topic will be “X Marks the Plot” or “How to Structure a Story.”

Tourney teaches composition, legal writing and upper division writing courses, in addition to teaching in the relatively new professional writing minor, all at UCSB. Among his other titles, Tourney classifies himself as a book doctor, a role that often starts with a job as editorial consultant.

“What I do is provide quick fixes for serious problems,” he said. “It’s not line editing, although as a longtime English teacher, I find it very hard not to do that.”

Rather, he may call to the writer’s attention more effective openings, plot development problems, characterizations, point-of-view problems--anything that gets in the way of a good story. And he can be very specific.

“I’m in the middle of editing a manuscript now and am going to recommend that the author take one of the chapters and abbreviate it radically or dump it--it’s too heady and it slows down the action,” he said. “But I make it as a recommendation rather than a demand because, after all, it is the author’s book.”

Tourney’s own fiction falls into the mystery category. He noted that all storytelling depends on formula, but when the formula becomes too conspicuous and the characterization too inconspicuous, the writer usually has a problem.

“Even a classic work like ‘Hamlet’ follows a formula as do some other classic novels, but we don’t call them formula pieces unless we don’t like them,” Tourney said. “If we like them, we praise them for other qualities.”

Tourney, who lives in Goleta, has been to England several times--where he also did his graduate work. Now he is working on a series of novels with a radical change in venue--the Mojave Desert.

Which only proves that stories never die--they just move to a new location.

HAPPENINGS

* Today: 4 p.m. Bookbusters, a young adult book group led by Wildwood Elementary School librarian Mary Lock, will discuss “Dolphin Sky” by Ginny Rorby. Borders, 125 W. Thousand Oaks Blvd., Thousand Oaks, 497-8159.

* Monday: 12:30 p.m. The Monday afternoon book club will discuss “A Patchwork Planet” by Anne Tyler. Barnes & Noble, 160 S. Westlake Blvd., Thousand Oaks, 446-2820.

* Tuesday: 10:30 a.m. Storytime. Adventures for Kids, 3457 Telegraph Road, Ventura, 650-9688.

* Tuesday: 7 p.m. The Contemporary Book Group will discuss “A Lesson Before Dying” by Ernest Gaines and the video group will discuss Amy Ephron’s “A Cup of Tea.” Borders, 497-8159.

* Tuesday: 7:30 p.m. Great Books of the Century Reading Group will focus on the 1950s and the book “East of Eden” by John Steinbeck. Thousand Oaks Barnes & Noble, 446-2820.

* Tuesday: 7:30 p.m. Ventura County Writers Club features speaker Leonard Tourney, writing instructor and author of eight mystery novels. The public is invited. Borders, Thousand Oaks, 497-8159.

* Wednesday: noon. Mystery writer Dennis LeHane will sign and discuss his latest book, “Prayers for Rain.” Mysteries to Die For, 2940 Thousand Oaks Blvd., Thousand Oaks, 374-0084.

* Wednesday: 4 p.m. Handlers from the Moorpark Zoo bring wild friends--this week it’s a fox. Borders, 497-8159.

* Wednesday: 7 p.m. Great Books of the Century Fiction Reading Group will focus on the 1960s and the book “A Death in the Family” by James Agee. Ventura Barnes & Noble, 4360 E. Main St., 339-9170.

* Wednesday: 7:30 p.m. Joyce Morris will discuss and sign her book, “Reiki: Hands That Heal.” Ventura Barnes & Noble, 339-9170.

* Wednesday: 7:30 p.m. David Harder will discuss and sign his book, “The Truth About Work: Making a Life, Not a Living.” Borders, 497-8159.

* Wednesday: 7:30 p.m. A book and song group will focus on “Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats” by T.S. Eliot, followed by highlights from the musical “Cats” by Andrew Lloyd Weber and Tim Rice. Thousand Oaks Barnes & Noble, 446-2820.

* Saturday: 10:30 a.m. William Eliot and his New Life Options cast will perform Kenneth Grahame’s “Wind in the Willows.” Thousand Oaks Barnes & Noble, 446-2820.

* Saturday: 3 p.m. Janet Evanovich will sign and discuss her latest mystery, “High Five.” Mysteries to Die For, 374-0084.

All events are free and open to the public.

Catch you next week.

Information about book signings, writers groups or publishing events can be faxed to Ann Shields at 647-5649 or e-mailed to anns40aol.com.