Exercising His Vanity License

Dean Koontz fans will want to stick close to their TVs this week.

On Tuesday and Wednesday, a two-night miniseries based on his 1996 thriller “Intensity” will air at 8 on Fox, KTTV-TV Channel 11.

And the best-selling Newport Beach suspense author will be a guest on two late-night talk shows: Monday night on “The Late Late Show With Tom Snyder” (KCBS-TV Channel 2) and Thursday on “Politically Incorrect With Bill Maher” (KABC-TV Channel 7).

Fans who haven’t seen Koontz lately may do a double take.

The 52-year-old author is sporting a new look. Gone are the trademark dark mustache and thinning hair, thanks to a razor and a hair transplant.

“It’s bizarre,” Koontz says with a laugh. “People keep telling me I look 35 to 40.”

As for the transformation, he freely admits: “Vanity, vanity.”

For years, Koontz shunned publicity and TV guest appearances. His new motto: “If it’s fun, then do it.”

Koontz has appeared on Snyder’s show six times over the past year and a half. “We usually have quite a lot of laughs. And he’s a good interviewer because he’ll let you tell anecdotes and stories.”

Koontz’s first couple of appearances with Snyder went so well that other shows began inviting the author on as a guest. He’s become something of a regular on “Politically Incorrect.”

“I do seem to be funny on the air and relaxed,” says Koontz.

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“Intensity” is Koontz’s seventh novel to be translated to the screen.

It is about a 26-year-old woman, Chyna Sheperd, whose weekend with a family in the Napa Valley turns into a nightmare. Everyone in the house is murdered except Sheperd, whose troubled childhood taught her how to survive. But as a survivor, she is faced with a choice: to run or save the life of a young girl who is the serial killer’s next intended victim.

With the exception of the CBS movie “The Face of Fear,” and “Demon Seed,” the 1977 movie starring Julie Christie, Koontz says the films of his novels “have been almost universally dreadful.”

Koontz is more than pleased with “Intensity.” He should be.

“I chose the screenwriter and had approval of the director,” says Koontz, who served as co-executive producer. “The result is a terrific miniseries. It’s the first thing to hit that I can enthusiastically endorse. This is probably the most suspenseful television I’ve ever seen. Usually, they mess up. But this one goes for the throat and definitely keeps the tension going.”

Koontz says “Intensity” is also the first film translation of one of his books that retains both the emotional content and message of the novel.

“My message basically is a very life-affirming one. It’s really a story about personal courage and committing to other people.”

Koontz is also upbeat over “Phantoms,” a movie based on his 1983 novel that will reach theaters in October.

He wrote the screenplay and is executive producer of the film that stars Peter O’Toole, Joanna Going and Rose McGowan.

The movie is still in post-production, but Koontz has viewed both the director’s and studio cuts and says, “It’s looking good.”

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Fans may say the same of Koontz.

He says he first went “public” with his new look in January while promoting his most recent novel, “Sole Survivor.”

The book jacket featured an old photo of the author. But the recent reissue of “Demon Seed” and the TV tie-in reissue of “Intensity” feature pictures of him sporting his new look.

For longtime fans, the new look has been something of a shock. At least one “Demon Seed” book buyer complained to Koontz’s publisher that somebody else’s picture had been used on the jacket.

“I thought of just going on and using the old picture,” says Koontz, “but I do so many television shows that you might as well just go with the new picture--or wear a bag over your head when you do TV.”

Also This Week

* Meg O’Brien, author of “Take My Breath Away,” will speak and sign at 1 p.m. today at Coffee, Tea & Mystery, 13232 Springdale St., Westminster.

* Poets Marcia and Pat Cohee will read at 8 p.m. Tuesday at the Gypsy Den Cafe and Reading Room in the Lab, 2930 Bristol St., Costa Mesa.

* Faye Kellerman, author of “Serpent’s Tooth,” will sign at 6 p.m. Thursday at Book Carnival, 348 S. Tustin Ave., Orange.

* James Blaylock, author of “Winter Tides,” will sign at 1 p.m. Saturday at Book Carnival, 348 S. Tustin Ave., Orange.

* Maurice Medland, author of “Point of Honor,” will sign at 2 p.m. Saturday at Barnes & Noble at Fashion Island, 953 Newport Center Drive, Newport Beach.

* Taylor Smith, author of “The Best of Enemies,” and Meg O’Brien, author of “Take My Breath Away,” will sign at noon Saturday at Mystery Ink/Upchurch-Brown Booksellers, 384 Forest Ave., Laguna Beach.

* Dr. Ronald S. Citron and Kathye J. Citron, authors of “Dr. Citron’s Evolutionary Diet and Cookbook,” will sign and co-host a food-tasting at noon Saturday at the William-Sonoma cookware store at South Coast Plaza, 3333 Bristol St., Costa Mesa.

* A used-book sale is scheduled from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday at the Newport Beach Central Library, 1000 Avocado Ave.

Send information about book-related events at least 10 days before event to: Dennis McLellan, O.C. Books & Authors, Life & Style, The Times, 1375 Sunflower Ave., Costa Mesa, CA 92626.