And if her appearance Friday at the downtown Borders bookstore was any indication, she’s learned to keep her mouth shut about anything risque. Turner avoided all controversial topics asked of her and only had good things to say about her Hollywood experiences. Intimidation can be a wonderful silencer. …

Turner relished being the center of attention in the small Borders gathering and joked with her fans. (“Hold on, I might forget how to spell my name.”) She gave out advice to various fans about how to break into show biz and how to cope with rheumatoid arthritis, with which Turner was diagnosed in 1992. In fact, Turner was downright ordinary during this book signing: When asked where she was headed next, Turner sounded more like the average D.C. commuter than a star from the silver screen: “I’m going to the train station; my daughter’s cooking dinner tonight.”