Sue Lehman does it again! “The Rat” is a fun mystery even the likes of Agatha Christie would love to chase.

Ruth was sick and frail, so it was really no surprise when they found her dead one morning. But when that nice young man died, and that little girl, and that nosy Detective Thomlinson started snooping around, it started to look like there might be a problem. In fact, it started to look a lot like murder.

You'd better keep your eyes peeled for mischief, just in case, because when there's a rat in the house, it'll keep making a mess until you catch it. The weapon? Rat poison. The murderer? It's anybody's guess.

A book signing will follow the reading.

Red Hat attendees will receive a FREE Gift from Wild About Books.

“Blindsided,” released January 2007, was Sue Lehman’s first book published. She now resides in Northern California. Lehman is the owner of Allegro Piano Service; she tunes and repairs pianos. She is currently working on her next book.

Wild About Books is located at 14290 Olympic Drive, Clearlake, next door to Lisa's clothing store.

For an updated list of times and dates for upcoming events, stop by and see visit or call the store today at 994-WILD (9453).

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“Youth Writes” has partnered with local businesses to provide six performance sites throughout the county.

These sites are: Holy Joe’s Coffee Shop in Upper Lake (Friday, April 4 at 4 p.m.), Café Victoria in Lakeport (Saturday, April 5 at 1 p.m.), Giovanni’s Coffee and Tea in Loch Lomand (Saturday, April 12 at 1 p.m.), Tuscan Village in Lower Lake (Saturday, April 19 at noon), Wild About Books in Clearlake (Friday, April 25 at 3 p.m.), Calpine Geothermal Visitor Center in Middletown (Saturday, April 26 at 1 p.m.).

Poets should sign in 10 to 30 minutes prior to events. They need to be accompanied by a parent/guardian or bring a signed permission slip. Permission slips are available on-line at www.lakecountyartscouncil.com.

PERFORMANCE TIPS: Choose your strongest pieces to perform in public. Always speak slowly and don’t be afraid to pause. Practice out loud and for friends and family. Memorize your poems to maximize your impact.

Selected poets will be invited to read at the Art and Nature Show at Rodman Slough Preserve, Nice-Lucerne Cutoff at 11 a.m. on May 3.

For questions about “Youth Writes” contact Lorna Sue at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

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The event will be from 5 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Light refreshments and non-alcoholic beverages will be served.

McMillan said there will be readings of Irish prose and poetry, with an emphasis on work by Irish women.

She is being assisted by immediate past Poet Laureate Sandra Wade and Cherie Holden of Watershed Books.

The public is invited to bring favorite Irish poems to read, especially those by women, with a maximum length of about three minutes per reading.

There also will be a selection of poems available to read.

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Meet Bert and hear the stories beginning at 3:30 p.m.

This informative book provides a glimpse into the founding and success of California's premiere 20th century crop dusting company, begun by Bert's parents.

Atwood's book contains vast personal insights, many interviews and several hundred photos.

Watershed Books is located at 305 N. Main St., Lakeport, telephone 263-5787.

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The following gigs are among his planned appearances.

• March 27: The 2008 return of Neft to Saw Shop Bistro, Main Street, Kelseyville, 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. For reservations call 278-0129.

• March 30: David performs as attendees arrive at the “Stars of Lake County” event, Konocti Harbor Resort & Spa, Kelseyville.

• March 31: David appears with drummer Steve DuBois at the Blue Wing Saloon & Cafe, Main St., Upper Lake, 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. For reservations call 275-2233.

• April 2: Hidden Valley Lake Ladies Luncheon Club Annual Fashion Show, noon.

• April 11: The New Riviera Hills Restaurant and Lounge, Fairway Drive off Soda Bay Road, Kelseyville. Call 277-7575 for reservations.

• April 13: The New Riviera Hills Restaurant and Lounge.

• April 24: Saw Shop Bistro, Main Street, Kelseyville. For reservations call 278-0129.

• April 27 – Hidden Valley Lake Association Annual Concert, noon to 3 p.m. at the “quad,” Blues band Bill Noteman and the Rockets. This will mark the return of Neft playing with the Rockets since Bill Noteman’s major surgery in early January.

For more information call Neft at 987-3630 for information and late additions to his busy gig schedule.

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The Little Book of Atheist Spirituality. Andre Comte-Sponville. Viking. $19.95.

Red Letter Christians: A Citizen's Guide to Faith and Politics. Tony Campolo. Regal. $19.99.

The Great Awakening: Reviving Faith & Politics in a Post-Religious Right America. Jim Wallis. HarperOne. $25.95.

The French philosopher, professor of emeritus at the Sorbonne, and a former Catholic, argues that unbelievers don't need to give up traditional values they may have learned in a religious setting. "This does not prove, however, that these values need God in order to subsist. On the contrary, everything tends to prove that we need them-an ethics, a sense of communion and fidelity-in order to subsist in a way we find humanly acceptable."

He argues that while civil society is possible without God, it is not possible without the values religion has been mainly responsible for teaching and preserving.

Evangelicals Jim Wallis and Tony Campolo urge Christians back to civility, care for the wide community and faithfulness to the words and teachings of Jesus, so often printed in red in the New Testament.

Wallis said in an interview “religion does not have a monopoly on morality. I say that every time I speak. Yet, religion, to be faithful and true to itself, must have a vibrant social conscience. And when it does, it moves things forward in dramatic ways. Every major social reform movement in American history was fueled, driven in part – not in whole, but in part – by religion and faith. I was asked the other day, How can secular progressives partner with religion progressives, given our differences? And I said, that's up to you, more than to us. I've partnered with secular progressives for years.”

Campolo, a professor emeritus of sociology, wrote: “The message in those red letters is radical, to say the least. If you don't believe me, just read Jesus' words in the Sermon on the Mount, found in Matthew 5-7. In the red letters of this sermon, Jesus calls us to an 'upside-down Kingdom,' far away from the dominant values of the modern American consciousness. For instance, Jesus tells us that we cannot be sucked into a system that seeks life's meaning and satisfaction in materialism and self-gratification while still claiming to serve God. Furthermore, He challenges many of the social policies that too many Evangelicals fail to question. Consider the fact that He calls us to be merciful (see Matt. 5:7) which has strong implications for how we should think about capital punishment – and since Jesus also tells us to love our enemies, we probably shouldn't consider it an option (see Matt. 5:44). These words should cause us to examine our attitudes about war, as well. Most important, when we reflect on all Jesus had to say about caring for the poor and oppressed, committing ourselves to His red-letter message just might drive us to see what we can do politically to help those he called, 'the least of these' (see Matt. 25:31-46).

“It seemed to us newly named Red Letter Christians at one of our early meetings that Evangelicals often evade what Jesus said in those red letters in the Bible, and that this evasion lends some credence to Mahatma Gandhi's claim that everybody in the world knows what Jesus taught – except for Christians!”

At the least, these readings can lead to tolerance, even to the Zen Buddhist concept of Beginner's Mind, free of preconceptions, expectations, judgments and prejudices.

E-mail Sophie Annan Jensen at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

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