Advance Notice. Alicia Silverstone signing The Kind Diet.

A few weeks ago, I wrote about my discovery of Alicia Silverstone's website/online community, The Kind Life, an extension of her book, The Kind Diet.

In March, she'll be at the Grove for an author event (which typically means discussion and signing) in celebration of the book coming out in paperback. It's now available for pre-order through Barnes & Noble for just $12.27 (a bargain compared to the $21.99 list price - not to mention the $29.99 hardcover).

I think I'll bring along my Clueless special "Whatever!" edition DVD to see if she'll sign that too (I was in 5th grade when the film came out and thought Cher was the just the coolest).

March 15 at 7:30 p.m. Info: barnesandnoble.com, (323) 525-0270

189 The Grove Drive, Suite K 30 in Los Angeles (3rd and Fairfax)

-- Leslie Anne Wiggins

Photo credit: barnesandnoble.com

Advance Notice. Steve Lopez at Book Soup.

Steve Lopez, one of L.A.'s most popular columnists (who I'm lucky enough to run into at the supermarket sometimes), has a new book out--a compilation of his best columns over the years.

Lopez was portrayed by Robert Downey, Jr. in Joe Wright's 2009 film The Soloist.

He'll be a Book Soup two weeks from tonight to discuss and sign Dreams and Schemes: My Decade of Fun in the Sun (he joined the Los Angeles Times in May 2001).

January 27 at 7:00 p.m.

Book Soup is located at 8818 Sunset Boulevard in West Hollywood. Info: (310) 659-3110, booksoup.com

-- Leslie Anne Wiggins

Photo credit: Paramount Pictures via northbynorthwestern.com

Do It. West Hollywood Book Fair.

The annual West Hollywood Book Fair is this Sunday--and while it's not quite the Los Angeles Times' weekend-long Festival of Books, it's some bookish fun if that's what you're in the mood for at summer's end.

Everyone's favorite John Hughes movie sweetheart Molly Ringwald will be discussing and signing her book, Getting the Pretty Back at 1:00 p.m. James Ellroy will discuss and sign his latest work, The Hilliker Curse: My Pursuit of Women, and Aimee Bender will be part of a panel discussion titled "(I Think) I Love You: Exploring the Many Facets of Love and Desire in Fiction".

The ninth annual West Hollywood Book Fair will take place on Sunday September 26, 2010 from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. in West Hollywood Park, at 647 N. San Vicente Blvd. in West Hollywood. Free parking at the Pacific Design Center (8687 Melrose Ave.) Admission is free.

-- Leslie Anne Wiggins

Photo credit: westhollywoodbookfair.org

Check It. I Write Like.

If there were ever a writer who I wish I could write like, it would be Vladimir Nabokov. There's something about his lyric-like prose that was always so admirable to me, in how effortless it seemed to make everything so beautiful--even in a twisted, dark world as was Lolita. But I definitely don't think I write like Nabokov.

Actually, I apparently write like Stephen King. Or at least, that's what "I Write Like" has told me. This instant aggregator simply asks you to input a sample of text into a box, click a button and voila! It analyzes your text to tell you which author you emulate the most. I inputted an article I had written, which isn't the best way to figure out a literary style, but I'll take King, I guess.

According to the L.A. Times, getting Nabokov is an option, unfortunately for me (a girl can dream!). But you can also get Raymond Chandler, Lewis Carroll, Chuck Palahniuk, Edgar Allan Poe, Kurt Vonnegut, J.K. Rowling, Charles Dickens, or even Dan Brown (ew). So who do you write like? Tell us below in the comments, I'm curious!

-- Chau Tu

Photo credit: babble.com

Check It. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.

The bestselling Stieg Larsson book is going to be a David Fincher (Zodiac, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button) film, with names like Brad Pitt, Johnny Depp, George Clooney, Kristen Stewart, Carey Mulligan, and Ellen Page being thrown around. Before that happens, you should check out the 2009 Swedish version, now playing at the ArcLight, the Landmark, and Beverly Hills' Laemmle's Music Hall 3, among other L.A.-area theaters.

It sounds like a really interesting crime-drama story (some journalism in there too!) with what's bound to be an awesome title character.

As far as the read the book or see the movie first question, for this one I'm thinking movie-book-movie. The Hollywood version of the film currently has '2012' as the predicted release year on IMDb.

-- Leslie Anne Wiggins

Photo credit: www.monniblog.com