LA Observed contributors read, write and sell

LA Observed contributor Nancy Rommelmann is in town tonight (from Portland) to read from her new novel, "The Bad Mother," at Skylight Books in Los Feliz. I hope to make the event; in the meantime, here's a trailer for the book.

Recently posted by Nancy Rommelmann:
When you're an author, life sometimes imitates art
The situation

Also: Contributor Gary Leonard will be celebrating his birthday with a big Turning 60 sale April 22 at his Downtown gallery. Here are more details from KPCC's John Rabe, who writes: "I maintain that in the next century, Gary will be recognized as the most city's important photographer, because he documented everything from the Dodgers to the Punk scene to the riots to the raising of the LA Live tower."

And: Deanne Stillman has a piece at Truthdig on Cleopatra mythology, pegged to the death of Elizabeth Taylor.