Book briefs
Neon Museum to host book signing
The Neon Museum plans to present a book signing by Las Vegas historians Su Kim Chung, author of “Las Vegas Then and Now,” and Dorothy Wright, author of “Spectacular: A History of Las Vegas Neon,” from 1 to 3 p.m. Saturday at the museum, 770 Las Vegas Blvd. North. All proceeds from Wright’s book sales will go to the museum. There is no charge for admission to the signing. For more information, visit neonmuseum.org.
Football player-turned pastor
to sign motivational memoir
Randall Cunningham is scheduled to sign copies of his motivational memoir “Lay It Down: How Letting Go Brings Out Your Best” at 11 a.m. Saturday at the 2191 N. Rainbow Blvd. Barnes & Noble. Cunningham, a past recipient of the NFL’s Most Valuable Player award, is now a pastor and mentor in Las Vegas.
Digital bookmobile to visit libraries
The Digital Bookmobile is slated to visit from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. today at the Clark County Library, 1401 E. Flamingo Road.
The 74-foot trailer provides high-tech experience and staff members offer hands-on digital download instruction.
Participants have the chance to win a Sony PRS-Y1 Wi-Fi eReader. For details, visit lvccld.org or call 702-507-3860.
READ Local author Series
to feature Bernadette Quander
Bernadette Quander, author of the science fiction novel “Sabre de Pleiades,” is scheduled to appear as part of the Henderson District Public Libraries READ Local Author Series, from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. Wednesday in the lobby of the Paseo Verde Library, 280 S. Green Valley Parkway. For more on the author, visit sabredepleiades.com.
Kaya to sign book
on dream interpretation
Performer, author on the subject of angels and dream interpretation, Kaya, is scheduled to share music and sign copies of his book “How to Interpret Dreams and Signs” at 7 p.m. Saturday at the 2191 N. Rainbow Barnes & Noble. Visit kayadreams.com for more on the author.
Library launch for ‘Going Vintage’
to include a costume contest
A kickoff for the release of “Going Vintage,” Las Vegas author Lindsey Leavitt’s new book for teens and tweens, is scheduled from 7 to 9 p.m. April 3 at the Clark County Library, 1401 E. Flamingo Road.
In the book, Mallory decides to swear off boys and technology when her boyfriend finds another girl online. Inspired by a list of goals her grandmother set in 1962, she decides to go vintage and embrace a simpler time.
To celebrate the book launch, the library plans to host a costume contest. Guests are invited dress up in clothes from their favorite era and win prizes.
For more information, visit lvccld.org or call 702-507-3459.
H. Lee Barnes to sign new novel
H. Lee Barnes, who teaches English and creative writing at the College of Southern Nevada, is slated to sign his novel “Cold Deck” at 1 p.m. April 6 at the 567 N. Stephanie St. Barnes & Noble.
Library District plans book fair
The Clark County Library, 1401 E. Flamingo Road, plans its fifth annual Spring Fling Book Fair from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. April 6. Authors are scheduled for signing table sessions from 11 a.m. to
12:30 p.m. or 1:30 to 3 p.m. The main theater is expected to feature a Hollywood authors panel, a concert and more.
For more information, visit lvccld.org.
Las Vegas Writers Conference
to include free public reception
The Las Vegas Writers Conference is scheduled for April 18-20 at Sam’s Town. Registration is $475 in advance or $500 at the door. One-day registration for $300 is also offered. For more information, visit lasvegaswritersconference.com.
A free public reception sponsored by Stephens Press is scheduled from 7 to 9 p.m. April 18.
Stephens Press authors scheduled to be highlighted at the reception include Kurt Divich, Elaine McNamara, P Moss, Brenda Williams, Trish Harris, Vicki Kilbury and Stu Michaels.
Authors, agents and editors on the conference faculty are slated to include My Haley, Peter Joseph, Jeniffer Thompson, Jeff Kleinman, Margaret Bail, Sara Sciuto, Sara D’Emic, Rhonda Penders, Michelle Johnson, Johanna Melaragno, John Vorhaus, Randall Platt, Jo Wilkins, Claudia Suzanne, Rachel Ekstrom, Paul Sinor, David Zuckerman, Oksanna Marafioti and Paula Stahel.
One-man show to share stories from book about gay black men in the South
The College of Liberal Arts at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, is slated to sponsor “Pouring Tea: Black Gay Men of the South Tell Their Tales” a performance by Northwestern University professor E. Patrick Johnson. The one-man show, set to feature oral histories from Johnson’s book “Sweet Tea: Black Men of the South,” is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. April 4 at the Clark County Library, 1401 E. Flamingo Road. For more information, visit unlv.edu or lvccld.org.
Local historian to sign
‘Showgirls of Las Vegas’
Lisa Gioia-Acres is scheduled to sign copies of the Images of America series book “Showgirls of Las Vegas” at 1 p.m. April 13 at the 2191 N. Rainbow Blvd. Barnes & Noble. Gioia-Acres, a Las Vegas resident since 1987, teaches history and anthropology and is dedicated to collecting life and career stories.
Sun City MacDonald Ranch plans signing for Wednesday Warriors
The Sun City MacDonald Ranch Literary Guild plans to host a book signing for the Wednesday Warrior Writers’ new book “I Pledge Allegiance: Stories of Valor, Heroism and Patriotism” at 2 p.m. April 14 at the Willows Community Center, 2020 Horizon Ridge Parkway. The event is free and open to the public, and the onsite Willows restaurant is slated to offer a 20 percent discount to attendees on the day of the event.
Las Vegas Writers to welcome Kurt Divich
Las Vegas writer Kurt Divich, author of the novel “Lords of Las Vegas” and the nonfiction book “The Smith Center for the Performing Arts, A Dream in the Desert,” is scheduled to speak on the grabbing readers during a meeting of the Las Vegas Writers Group scheduled for 7 p.m. April 18 at the Tap House, 5589 W. Charleston Blvd.
A meeting fee of $5 is charged.
For more information, visit meetup.com/las-vegas-writers/.
Grace Robbins to chat with Robin Leach
about tell-all memoir
Robin Leach is slated to interview author Grace Robbins about her new tell-all memoir, “Cinderella and the Carpetbagger: My Life as the Wife of the ‘World’s Best Selling Author,’ Harold Robbins,” at 2 p.m. April 20 at the 2191 N. Rainbow Blvd. Barnes & Noble. For more on the book, visit cinderellaandthecarpetbagger.com.
Romance writers to welcome Tom Keller
Tom Keller, local author of the urban fantasy Return of the High Fae, is scheduled to speak on self publishing and marketing at 10:30 a.m. April 20 during a meeting of the Las Vegas Romance Writers in the Wengert conference room in the NV Energy building, 6226 W. Sahara Ave. The meeting is scheduled to begin with club business at 10 a.m. For more information, visit lasvegasrwa.org.
Local author to sign fantasy novel
Local author Chelsea Ramsey is slated to sign copies of her fantasy novel “Brink the Awakening” at 1 p.m. April 20 at the 567 N. Stephanie St. Barnes & Noble.
Book launch slated for Nevada Women’s History Project book
The Southern Nevada Women’s History Project is slated to launch its new book “Steadfast Sisters of the Silver State: One Hundred Biographical Profiles of Nevada Women,” a tribute to the women who helped build Nevada published by Stephens Press, with a book release party from 2 to 5 p.m. April 21 at the Mesquite Club, 702 E. St. Louis Ave. The project’s book “Skirts That Swept the Desert Floor” is also slated to be available the free, public event. For more information, call 888-951-2665 or visit nevadawomeninhistory.com.
Library to host Children’s Day/Book Day
El Dia De Los Ninos/El Dia De Los Libros, Children’s Day/Book Day, an afternoon of plays, music, crafts and activities to encourage literacy in children of all languages and backgrounds, is scheduled from 2:30 to 5 p.m. April 27 at the Paseo Verde Library, 280 S. Green Valley Parkway. The schedule includes children’s crafts from 2:30 to 4:30, a performance by Ballet Folklórico Xyachimal’s child performers at 2:30 p.m., its junior performers at 3:30 p.m. and its master performers at 4:30 p.m. Puppet shows are scheduled at 3 and 4 p.m. For more information, visit mypubliclibrary.com or call 702-492-6581.
Henderson Writers Group meetings set
The Henderson Writers Group meets from 6:30 to 8:45 p.m. Mondays in room C-2 at Community Lutheran Church, 3720 E. Tropicana Ave. Meetings are typically canceled on holidays. Visit henderson
writersgroup.com for more information.
Barnes & Noble to host writing group
The 2191 N. Rainbow Blvd. Barnes & Noble hosts a writing critique group the fourth Monday of each month. The group is limited to the first 20 participants per meeting. Sign up at meetup.com/las-vegas-creative-writing-class.
Summerlin Library offers
Readers and writers workshop series
A readers and writers workshop series sponsored by poet, editor and writer Barbara Miller is scheduled from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. the second Saturday of every month at the Summerlin Library, 1771 Inner Circle Drive. For more information, call 702-507-3866.
FREE STORYCORPS TOOLKIT
HELPS COLLECT MEMORIES
The national StoryCorps’ Memory Loss Initiative encourages people with memory loss to share their stories with loved ones and future generations. To make that task easier, a free step-by-step toolkit is available to download at storycorps.org/mli.
The Commemorate toolkit offers an individual reminiscence program that family members can initiate or memory loss care facilities can add to activities.
The initiative has collected more than 1,800 interviews with 180 partner organizations.
For more information, visit storycorps.org or call 646-723-7027.
ACCESS RECORDED BOOK PROGRAMS ONLINE
Too busy to get out to book programs? The Las Vegas-Clark County Library District has started posting videocasts and podcasts of many of its programs online. Selections available so far include: “An Afternoon with Tony Curtis,” John L. Smith’s presentation “Amelia’s Long Journey: The Challenge of Writing What You Know,” “Batman” movie producer Michael Uslan’s presentation at the 2009 Vegas Valley Comic Book Festival, Jami Carpenter’s “ABCs of Editing” workshop and Brian Rouff’s “Getting Published: A Long Strange Trip.” To access the programs, visit lvccld.org, select “Books, Movies & More” and then “Video and Podcasts.”
The Black Mountain Institute has offered recordings of its programming since 2006. To access recordings of a gamut of writers from E.L. Doctorow to Alissa Nutting, visit blackmountain
institute.org and select “multimedia.”
FREE READ TO ME PROGRAM
OFFERS STORIES ONLINE AND BY PHONE
Celebrity storytellers Oscar Goodman, Rita Rudner, Clint Holmes, Terry Fator, Carrot Top, The Scintas and others have donated their talents to the Clark County Education Association Community Foundation’s Read To Me program. Children can view more than 15 videos of celebrities reading books on the website at readtomelv.com. Stories also can be accessed by calling 702-240-2665.
Both databases are frequently updated with fresh stories. Parents and teachers can download lesson plans for each book on the website.
SHARE POEMS AT HUMAN EXPERIENCE
Polish up a poem or two and try them out at Human Experience, a free spoken word event, from 7 to 9 p.m. Mondays in The Beat Coffeehouse inside Emergency Arts, 520 Fremont St. For details, visit lasvegaspoets.org.
DOWNLOAD BOOKS and MORE
FROM YOUR PUBLIC LIBRARY
Virtual Branch websites make it easy to browse, check out and download digital books and more to a home computer for free. All patrons need is a valid library card and an Internet-connected PC.
Virtual Branch download websites feature a digital catalog of downloadable audio books, e-books, music and video titles.
Each site is meant to look and feel like the library’s main site, and it has many easy-to-use features similar to an online store.
Digital book downloads are borrowed just like print materials. Once patrons select the title or author they want, they follow the steps to check out and then download the title to their home computer.
Patrons can transfer most titles to portable media players, such as MP3 players, PDAs, Kindles or smart phones.
Each title that is downloaded has a designated lending period. When the title expires, it is automatically returned to the Virtual Branch, so there are no late fees.
For more information, visit
search.overdrive.com.
ZINE LIBRARY OPEN IN EMERGENCY ARTS
Grab a cup of coffee and check out the independently crafted magazines at the Las Vegas Zine Library inside The Beat Coffeehouse in Emergency Arts, 520 Fremont St.
The library is more of a collection on display for reference and on-site reading than a checkout repository. Contributions of zines are appreciated. For more information, visit lvzinelibrary.blogspot.com.
Browse rare books in new app
Searching for rare books? Now there’s an app for that. Bauman Rare Books, which has a shop in The Palazzo, 3325 Las Vegas Blvd. South, recently launched an app available on iTunes that allows readers to see new acquisitions, browse catalogs, view videos, make purchases and manage their personal accounts and share items via Twitter and Facebook. If you have $65,000 to spend on a first-edition “The Catcher in the Rye” signed by J.D. Salinger, the app has you covered. The catalog can also be perused at baumanrarebooks.com.
