Send items at least two weeks in advance to 500 Ala Moana Blvd., Suite 7-210, Honolulu 96813; fax 529-4750; or email features@staradvertiser.com.

BOOK SIGNINGS

>> “Heavenly Hakus,” by Elvrine Chow, 2 to 4 p.m. today, Native Books/Na Mea Hawaii, Ward Centre. Also features a haku-making demonstration, with fresh haku and kupee available for sale. Call 596-8885.

EVENTS

>> Halloween Fiction Contest sponsored by Honolulu Star-Advertiser: Entries must be original, unpublished work; 650-word limit. First place is $200, second is $100. Entry deadline is Oct. 17; winning entry will be published in the Today section Oct. 30. One entry per person; Hawaii residents only. Email entries to features@staradvertiser.com or mail to Halloween Fiction Contest, Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 500 Ala Moana Blvd., Suite 7-210, Honolulu, HI 96813.

>> “SyrianamericanA”: Poet Omar Offendum, artist in residence at Doris Duke’s Shangri La, presents his blend of hip-hop and Arabic poetry, noon-1:15 p.m. Wednesday, East-West Center Burns Hall, Room 2012.

>> Third annual Words@Manoa Creative Writing Conference: This year’s theme is “Betweenness,” 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Oct. 22, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Campus Center. Fine-tune your creative writing skills or be inspired to write for the first time while attending sessions on fiction, poetry, graphic novels, play-writing, publishing and more. Also features a keynote address by Solomon Enos, a book fair and lunch. Co-sponsored by UH Manoa’s Department of English Creative Writing Program and Hawaii Review. Cost: $10 for community members, $5 for university students. Young writers age 17 and under are invited to attend “Youth Sessions” at no charge. To register, visit hawaiireview.org.

BOOK SALES

>> Revolution Books closing sale: All stock will be on sale through Oct. 20, the last day of business for the store, located in University Square at 2615 S. King St. No. 211. Hours are noon to 6 p.m. Most fiction books are half-off, while many books are up to 75 percent off and all used books are $1. Call 944-3106 or visit revolutionbookshonolulu.org.

NOTICES

>> James A. Vaughan Prize for Poetry: Hawaii Pacific University is seeking entries for its annual contest of poems (60-line limit) for publication in Hawaii Pacific Review. Participants must have resided in Hawaii for at least one year or be graduates of HPU. Submission postmark deadline is Dec. 30. Email anejame@hpu.edu.

Send items at least two weeks in advance to 500 Ala Moana Blvd., Suite 7-210, Honolulu 96813; fax 529-4750; or email features@staradvertiser.com.