Going out

Pat Conroy: The best-selling author of Beach Music and The Prince of Tides breezes in to sign and introduce his new autobiographical My Losing Season. 7-8:30 p.m. today, Books & Co., 350 E. Stroop Road, Kettering. Line numbers available beginning at 6 p.m. (800) 777-4881.

Turner scholar: London's noted J.M.W. Turner Scholar, Eric Shanes, is here to share thoughts about the famous landscape and marine painter in a presentation called “Turner's Human Landscape,” 7:30 p.m. today, Lecture Hall, Cincinnati Art Museum.,$5-$10. 721-2787.

Haunted bus: The Metro's Haunted Bus makes a stop for thrills, chills and candy, too. 2-4 p.m. today, Avondale Branch Library, 3566 Reading Road, free. 369-4440.

Open Mic: The Nashville Songwriters Association International hosts an open mic night at Mars Music as part of its national songwriting contest. Songwriters need to bring their lyrics and their own guitar; keyboards provided. 6-9 p.m. today, 11805 Commons Drive, Springdale. 671-4500.

Staying in

TV pick: Skip Law & Order for a rare look inside the real U.S. court system on PBS' Presumed Guilty: Tales of the Public Defenders, chronicling four San Francisco cases, including two murders (9-11 p.m., Channels 48, 16).

TV critic John Kiesewetter also says UPN's new The Twilight Zone (9 p.m., Channel 25) breaks format by airing a one-hour story about a telephone lineman (Jeremy Piven) struck by lightning.

CD picks

Critic's picks: Santana leads the week's releases with his follow to Supernatural, Shaman (Arista; $18.98), featuring another batch of generation-spanning guests, including Michelle Branch, P.O.D., Macy Gray and Placido Domingo.

His old band, Nirvana, is about to get the boxed-set treatment, but Dave Grohl's Foo Fighters have a new, darker disc out, One By One (RCA; $18.98).

Former Black Crowes frontman Chris Robinson has the solo New Earth Mud (Redline; $18.98). The first pressing comes with a limited-edition DVD.

And, in the diva division, Kelly Rowland becomes the last member of Destiny's Child to go solo with Simply Deep (Sony; $18.98).

Planning ahead

24 hours out: Underground psychedelia at its finest as The Legendary Pink Dots take over the 20th Century, 8 p.m. Thursday, 3021 Madison Road, Oakley. $10-$12. 562-4949.

48 hours out: Design Consortium Gallery throws an opening reception for a new exhibit by the ethereal and spiritualized oil painter Brian Jones, 5:30-8:30 p.m. Friday, 2012 Madison Road, O'Bryonville. 321-1800.

Jim Knippenberg

E-mail jknippenberg@enquirer.com; phone: 768- 8513; fax: 768-8330.

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