LAKE COUNTY – Lake County's piano man, David Neft, is performing at a number of gigs around Lake County and the North Coast this month.

The following is a list of performances scheduled for the rest of this month.

– Friday, June 10: Konocti Harbor Resort & Spa’s “The New Cool,” 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.

– Saturday, June 20: Middletown Days Parade, 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., Highway 29, Middletown.

– Friday, June 20: Konocti Harbor Resort & Spa’s “The New Cool,” 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.

– Wednesday, June 24: Wednesday Night Market, Fourth Street in front of Barnes & Noble, Santa Rosa, 5 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

– Thursday, June 25: Performing with Bill Noteman & the Rockets, outdoor concert, Old Town Eureka at the Wharf, 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.

– Friday, June 26: Performing with Bill Noteman & the Rockets, Summer Concert Series, Gazebo, Library Park, Lakeport, 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

– Saturday, June 27: Performing with Steve Dubois on drums, Home Winemakers Festival, Main Street, downtown Kelseyville, 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.

– Friday, June 27: Konocti Harbor Resort & Spa’s “The New Cool,” 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.

– Sunday, June 28: Calistoga Inn, brunch on the patio, noon to 3 p.m.

– Sunday, June 28: Timber Cove Inn, 15 miles north of Jenner, Highway 1, 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Going to “The New Cool” at Konocti Harbor? Call 1 800-660-LAKE for your reservations.

For reservations at the Calistoga Inn Restaurant and Brewery, call 707-942-4101.

For more detailed information on any of the venues above and for late changes or additions to his busy gig schedule, call David Neft at 707-987-4290.

Winners represent the best independently published books from 2008 and were selected by a national panel of librarian and bookseller judges.

Mendocino Coast author Molly Dwyer won gold – First Place in Historical Fiction – for her debut novel, “Requiem for the Author of Frankenstein.”

Dwyer’s novel has received accolades before – it was nominated in April for the Northern California Book Award in Fiction and won the 2008 “Indie” Book Award for Historical Fiction last spring.

“I’m thrilled at the praise and attention 'Requiem' is generating,” said Dwyer. “My intention was to create a modern version of the 19th century novel. To me, the essence of good historical fiction lies in capturing the ambiance of the time.”

Speaking at the awards ceremony in New York, ForeWord Magazine Founder and publisher Victoria Sutherland, “Programs like the Book of the Year Awards help level the playing field … Look around at the other national awards programs. There seems to be a prejudice against anything that isn’t from a larger house. ForeWord honors those books coming from independent community, giving them the value they deserve.”

A tribute to the creative genius of the feminine, “Requiem for the Author of Frankenstein” is a carefully researched novel that examines the life of Mary Shelley and her relationships with her legendary lovers, the poets Percy Bysshe Shelley and Lord Byron.

It’s the opening salvo of Dwyer’s “La Belle Quartet,” a sweeping four-volume chronicle of the history of the Romantic Movement. “The Apassionata,” set in Paris, is the second in the series.

Dwyer is a transformational educator, author and speaker. A literary scholar of the Romantic Movement and unabashed storyteller, Dwyer entertains readers and audiences while she challenges, educates and encourages them to think.

“Requiem is a marvel. Gothic romance, feminist history, philosophical mystery – it’s perfect for those of us who love to think as much as we love a good story. Molly Dwyer brings Mary Shelley and her circle so alive it makes me wonder if they ever died,” said local author Jean Hegland.

Molly Dwyer is teaching a historic fiction writing workshop on Saturday, June 20, at the Mariposa Center in Ukiah.

Dwyer described the day-long workshop as an exploration of “what I call Story Stalking, intuitive approaches to historical fiction that include dreaming, and the power of synchronicity.”

To register for Story Stalking, go to the events page at www.mollydwyer.com or call 707 272-8305. A special early registration fee of $75, which includes the book and lunch, is available through Friday, June 5.

The performances will take place at 7 p.m. Thursday, June 18, in the “Comedy Corner” at the casino's Grapevine Lounge.

Featured performers will be Chicago Steve Barkley and Albert Vallejo.

Admission is free. There is no reserved seating.

Twin Pine Casino is located on Highway 29 between Middletown and St. Helena.

For more information call 707-987-0197 or visit www.TwinPine.com .

LAKEPORT – The first of the annual Lakeport Summer Concerts at Library Park began on Friday.

Kicking off the season was Memphis Exchange, a band with local roots that plays country, rock and blues.

Several hundred people gathered in the park to enjoy the music and dance.

On June 19, rock/blues band Chicken and the Defenders will play, with local favorites Bill Noteman and the Rockets featured on June 26.

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

Several hundred community members gathered to dance and enjoy the evening on Friday, June 12, 2009. Photo by Harold LaBonte.