SOMOS Monthly Announcements

Posted by Jim Kimmons, Broker/Owner • November 2, 2009 • Printer-friendly

ULTIMA IS COMING!

Taos County is gearing up for THE BIG READ, a month-long party that kicks off November 7^th, and everybody’s invited.

Drop by the Taos Public Library this Saturday, between noon and 2:30, for food, music, fun, and your own FREE COPY of the book we’ll all be reading.

The book is BLESS ME, ULTIMA, by New Mexico author Rudolfo Anaya, and we’ll have dozens of other FREE events and activities throughout the month to encourage people of all ages, backgrounds, and walks of life to come out and share their thoughts and stories.

At 7pm Saturday, nationally acclaimed, Dixon-raised poet Levi Romero takes the stage at the Taos Center for the Arts.

Joined by members of the Taos High School Poetry team, Romero plans to enchant the crowd with stories, reminiscences, and poetry that celebrate northern New Mexico and pay tribute to the rich culture of the area.

All events are FREE. Come join us!

What’s a BIG READ? It’s a project of the National Endowment for the Arts, and is sponsored here in Taos by SOMOS, Taos’ premier literary organization, in collaboration with the Taos Public Library.

The idea is that all of us who live in Taos County will read the same book at the same time and be inspired to talk about the issues it raises.

If you’d like to find out more, including info on contests, discussion groups, kids’ activities, and a full schedule of events,

please check out the program website at

www.taosbigread.org

The Big Read is an initiative of the National Endowment for the Arts

in partnership with the Institute of Museum and Library Services and Arts Midwest.

SOMOS BOOK DISCUSSION GROUP

Will launch with the discussion of “The Big Read” book: “Bless Me Ultima” by Rudolfo Anaya on Tuesday, November 3, 2009, at SOMOS office on 233 B Paseo del Pueblo Sur (next to the Enchanted Florist) from 4 – 6 p.m. Future times of meetings will be determined by what meets the needs of the majority of members.
PLEASE RSVP to jms@intuitcounselingservices.com or call 770-9057if you will be attending this first meeting as space is limited!

Free copies of "Bless Me Ultima" are available at the SOMOS office to book club members courtesy of the Big Read!
"Bless Me Ultima" Synopsis: “Antonio Marez is six years old when Ultima comes to stay with his family in New Mexico. She is a curandera, one who cures with herbs and magic. Under her wise wing, Tony will test the bonds that tie him to his people, and discover himself in the pagan past, in his father’s wisdom, and in his mother’s Catholicism. And at each life turn there is Ultima, who delivered Tony into the world – and will nurture the birth of his soul.”

Each book discussion will be led by a facilitator who has prepared a list of thought provoking questions regarding the chosen book. We will share our reactions to the plot, character development, setting, tone, style and intent of each author’s written work. All opinions welcome!

We will continue the New Mexican theme by reading, “Death Comes for the Archbishop” by Willa Cather for the December meeting on 12/1/09.

From January through May of 2010 we will explore the genre of memoir beginning with “The Liar's Club” by Mary Karr on 1/5/2010.

SOMOS USED BOOK SALE!!
This Saturday, November 7 from 11-2

10 mass market books for $1!!!

HAIKU SUBMISSIONS WANTED

Anyone interested in writing haiku about any aspect of Taos, and willing to let it be posted online, please email to janet@taoswebb.com or, if you have a Twitter account, submit at http://twitter.com/taoshaiku

These haiku will be part of a new website, TaosSacredPlaces.com, that will launch later this week. The site will be part of the town’s new marketing campaign.

New Mexico Book Association News & Events for November 2009!

First, the News...

>> Southwest Book Design Awards Early Bird Deadline has been extend to November 15! Get your entries in by that date and your cost is only $25 for the first category entered ($15 for additional categories)! Find the Entry Form and detailed brochure at www.nmbook.org

>> NMBA Networking Luncheon Is November 13 at the Book Forum on the main floor of our fine office at 826 Camino del Monte Rey, Santa Fe, Friday, 11:30 pm. We have a new neighbor: New Mexico’s Own, serving far-flung businesses in the state. Come, share, learn, laugh, it’s free! NMBA’s Board meeting follows at 1:30pm.

>> "Pressing Forward" November 12-14: PubWest’s National Publishing Conference is set for Tucson, Arizona (see Calendar below). NMBA urges all our members who have not been to this important conference to make plans to go. You’ll enjoy the warmer weather and connect with publishers throughout the West. Details at: www.pubwest.org/conference

>> Holiday Fiesta Set Thursday, December 10! The annual gathering of New Mexico’s literary and book people is a social affair you won’t want to miss! Mark your calendar now. Our venue will be El Museo Cultural (most likely) in the Santa Fe Railyards. More details in the final Libro newsletter of the year, coming to you in mid-November.

>> Clean Sweep: Your Book Association needs a vacuum cleaner, to keep our new Book Forum space nice and tidy. If there’s one in the closet you haven’t used for awhile, get in touch with Paula Lozar, (505) 473-3479.

+ NOVEMBER Book Events:

Nov. 6, 7, 8: "A Light in my Soul" (Una Luz en mi Alma), Working Classroom Ensemble Company, Jewish Arts and Culture Group and Tesuque Assistance Trust, $20 adults, $15 students and seniors, James A. Little Theatre, 7pm Friday and Saturday; 2pm Sunday, (505) 242-9267, www.workingclassroom.org Tickets at www.ticketssantafe.com

Nov. 7: Rio Rancho Book Fair. info@nmsantos.com, www.nmbookcoop.com

Nov. 12-14: PubWest National Publishing Conference and Trade Show, Doubletree Hotel Reid Park, Tucson, AZ. All details at: www.pubwest.org/conference.

Nov. 13: NMBA Networking Luncheon, Book Forum, downstairs at 826 Camino del Monte Rey, Santa Fe, free. Bring friends and your bag lunch; free but contributions to the cookie fund welcome 1 11:30am to 1:15pm.

Nov. 13: NMBA Board Meeting, Book Forum, Santa Fe, 1:30pm.

Nov. 14: EARLY BIRD DEADLINE! Annual IPPY Awards. Independent publishers may enter 67 categories in 20 regions! Enter now and save $5. Jim Barnes. Visit www.independentpublisher.com

Nov. 15: EARLY BIRD DEADLINE! Southwest Book Design & Production Awards. $25 first category entered, $15 each extra category (NMBA members). See the brochure at www.nmbook.org or contact Jim Mafchir, (505) 988-7214, westernedge@santa-fe.net

Nov. 20: New Mexico Book Awards Banquet, MCM Elegante Hotel, Albuquerque, 6:30pm. Honoring Joe Sando Michael McGarrity, Howard Bryan, Joe Westbrook. Tickets $48. Paul Rhetts, (505) 344-9382, www.nmbookcoop.com

Nov. 21: "The Art of the Personal Essay," Page Lambert, Connecting People with Nature and Writers with Words, $85 early registration, $95 after Nov. 1. Mt. Vernon Country Club, Golden, CO, 8:30am-4pm, (303) 842-7360, page@pagelambert.com, www.pagelambert.com

Nov. 21: Clear Light Gallery Book Market, Santa Fe, 10am-3pm. Harmon Houghton (505) 989-9590.

Nov. 25: DEADLINE: 2009 DIY Book Festival entries. Fees: $10 to $50. JM Northern Media (323) 665-8080.

+ November Signings & Readings:

Nov. 6: Jimmy Santiago Baca, A Glass of Water, booksigning and reading at Collected Works, Galisteo and Water streets, Santa Fe, 6pm. Mary Wolf, (505) 988-4226.

Nov. 11: Sally Denton, The Pink Lady: The Many Lives of Helen Gahagan Douglas, La Fonda Hotel, 100 E San Francisco Street, Santa Fe, 5-6pm, (505) 986-0151, garciastreetbooks@yahoo.com

Nov. 14: Jeff Haas, The Assassination of Fred Hampton, Garcia Street Books, Santa Fe, 5-6pm, (505) 986-0151, garciastreetbooks@yahoo.com, www.garciastreetbooks.com

Nov. 14: K. J. Fraser, A Journey, A Reckoning, and a Miracle, Borders, 3513 Zafarano Dr., Santa Fe, 2-4pm, (505) 474-9450, mweddle@bodersstores.com, www.jrmstory.com

Nov. 17: Margaret Atwood and Graeme Gibson, The Year of the Flood and The Bedside Book of Beasts, Lensic Performing Arts Center, 225 San Francisco Street, Santa Fe, 7pm.
(505) 988-1234, garciastreetbooks@yahoo.com, www.ticketssantafe.org

Nov. 21: Christopher Valen, The Black Minute, Hastings, 800 Juan Tabo, Albuquerque, 5 - 9pm, (505) 296-6107, book@hst9630.hastings.com, www.christophervalen.com

Nov. 21: K. J. Fraser, A Journey, A Reckoning, and A Miracle, Hastings, 800 Juan Tabo NE, Albuquerque, 3-5pm, (505) 296-6107, book@hst9630.hastings.com, www.jrmstory.com

Nov. 21: Christopher Valen, The Black Minute, Barnes & Noble, Coronado Center, Albuquerque, 11:30am-2pm, (505) 883-8200, www.christophervalen.com

Visit www.nmbook.org for continuing news and events!

MARK YOUR CALENDARS!

TELLEBRATION is a worldwide event that takes place annually on the Saturday before Thanksgiving. Within that 24 hours, stories are being told around the world.

Join the Taos Tellebration on Saturday, November 21st, from 2 to 4 p.m. at the Taos Public Library.

There will be eight talented storytellers telling wonderful tales. This event is free to the public.

Contact Gail Berry for more information by calling 575-751-3442.

THIS PROJECT IS MADE POSSIBLE IN PART BY NEW MEXICO ARTS, A DIVISION OF THE DEPARTMENT OF CULTURAL AFFAIRS, AND THE NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR THE ARTS, MAG DIMOND, THE VIRGINIA WELLINGTON CABOT FOUNDATION, THE PETER & MADELEINE MARTIN FOUNDATION FOR THE CREATIVE ARTS, HEALY FOUNDATION and the TAOS COUNTY LODGERS TAX.

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SOMOS
www.somostaos.org somos@somostaos.org <mailto:somos@somostaos.org>
233 B Paseo del Pueblo Sur P O Box 3225, Taos NM 87571
575-758-0081 FAX 575-758-4802