Las Vegas book briefs, April 30-May 6, 2015

LAS VEGAS WRITERS SELECTED FOR NATIONAL AWARD

Poets & Writers magazine announced that Las Vegas fiction writer Joseph Langdon and Las Vegas poet Rosemary Powers are the winners of the 2015 Maureen Egen Writers Exchange Award. One state is selected each year, and invites writers from that jurisdiction are invited to apply for the award. For 2015, Nevada was chosen. Winners identify New York agents, editors and authors they would like to meet. Magazine staff helps arrange appointments with as many as possible, and in October, the winners travel to New York City where magazine representatives accompany them on a round of visits. Past winners — such as Sue Monk Kidd, Elaine Beale and Fae Myenne Ng — have had books published, received fellowships, secured teaching positions and more as a result of the award.

Langdon earned his bachelor’s degree in English from Vassar College and his master of fine arts degree from UNLV. He has worked as a newspaper reporter, features writer, columnist, political campaign speechwriter and assistant director of the Black Mountain Institute.

Powers is completing her master in fine arts in creative writing at UNLV where she teaches composition.

Judges named first runners-up poet Marianne Chan from Las Vegas and fiction writer Sharon Randall from Henderson.

For more information, visit pw.org.

JACK SHEEHAN TO TALK ABOUT WRITING

Author and journalist Jack Sheehan is set to discuss making a living as a writer from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. April 30 in the Greenspun Hall Auditorium at UNLV, 4505 S. Maryland Parkway. Sheehan is the author of 18 nonfiction books, including “Buried Lies,” “Skin City,” “Class of ’47” and “Quiet Kingmaker.” The event is free and open to the public. For more information, visit unlv.edu.

RICHARD SIKEN TO SPEAK AT UNLV

The Black Mountain Institute is set to host a presentation by poet, editor, painter and filmmaker Richard Siken at 7 p.m. April 30 in the Greenspun Hall Auditorium at UNLV, 4505 S. Maryland Parkway. For more information, visit blackmountaininstitute.org.

‘RED BIRD BEA’ PLANS BOOK SIGNING

Local author Vee Allen is set to sign copies of her book “Red Bird Bea” at 1 p.m. May 3 at the 567 N. Stephanie St. Barnes & Noble.

PARENTING AUTHOR PLANS SIGNING EVENT

Vickie Hoefle is scheduled to sign “The Straight Talk on Parenting: A No-Nonsense Approach on How to Grow a Grown-Up” at 6 p.m. April 30 at the 567 N. Stephanie St. Barnes & Noble.

COOKING AUTHOR SET TO TALK

An author event is event is set for 2 p.m. April 30 at the Jewish Community Center of Southern Nevada, 8689 W. Sahara Ave., Suite 180.

The Women Enjoying Leisure Taste of Bali event features Dr. Vivienne Kruger, who will present recipes, photos and stories from her book about the cuisine and food culture of Bali.

Books are set to be available for purchase and signing as well as samples of the tastes of vegetarian Balinese dishes.

The cost is $5 for members or $10 for non-members. Space is limited. Register online at goo.gl/Gbtw6U or call 702-794-0090.

POP-UP POETRY SERIES SLATED

The Las Vegas Poets Organization, in conjunction with Nevada Humanities, plans to present a monthly series in the 18b Las Vegas Arts District every First Friday at the Nevada Humanities offices at Art Square, 1017 S. First St. Each month, featured poets are set to present a reading from their works at 7 p.m. May 1’s featured poets are to include Elizabeth Quiñones-Zaldana, Chhen Nguon and Jeska Trevino. For more information, visit lasvegaspoets.org.

ACTRESS, AUTHOR CYNTHIA PEPPER TO SIGN BOOK

Las Vegas author Cynthia Pepper is set to sign her book “Pigtails, Presley, and Pepper” from 1 to 4 p.m. May 2 at the Boulder City Library, 701 Adams Blvd. Pepper played the romantic interest of oldest son Mike on “My Three Sons,” did a season as the title character in “Margie” and played “Midge” in “Kissin’ Cousins” with Elvis Presley. Her father, Jack Pepper, was a vaudeville and nightclub entertainer whose first wife was Ginger Rogers.

For more information, visit bclibrary.com.

‘THE CHAPEL OF ETERNAL LOVE’ AUTHOR PLANS SPA SIGNING DAY

“The Chapel of Eternal Love” author Stephen Murray is set to sign books from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. May 2 at Body Spa West, 8751 W. Charleston Blvd. Suite 190. Murray is also set to speak at 2 p.m. May 16 at the Sahara West Library, 9600 W. Sahara Ave. For more information, visit thechapelofeternallove.com.

AUTHOR SIGNING PLANNED

Author Sari Dennis plans a book signing from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. May 2 at Belly Bliss, 5761 S. Fort Apache Road.

Her book, “My Little Dish, The Story of Your Creation Through In Vitro Fertilization,” was conceived as a way to explain to her daughter how she came to be. The book was written as a starting point for other parents to address the topic with their children conceived through the alternative method.

LEE MALLORY LAUNCHES SEVENS LIVE!

Poet Lee Mallory plans to present Sevens Live!, a new music, comedy and spoken arts showcase, from 7 to 9 p.m. Mondays inside the Cantina at the Silver Sevens, 4100 Paradise Road. Upcoming dates are May 4, 11, 18 and 25 and June 1.

Admission is free with a one-drink minimum. For more information, call 702-733-7300.

CLARK COUNTY SEEKS POET LAUREATE NOMINATIONS

Clark County is seeking applicants for the honorary position of Clark County Poet Laureate. The two-year term for the volunteer post is set to begin June 1. Poets must live in Clark County and be at least 18. A committee of five county residents will make the selection. Candidates must be willing to participate in public and educational gatherings. An application packet should include a resume, a biography, work samples totaling 20 pages or fewer, publication credits, a list of public appearances and accomplishments, three letters of recommendation and a one-page statement on the role of poet laureate and how the applicant might fulfill it. The submission deadline is May 1. Packets may be emailed to gaffeypj@clarkcountynv.gov or mailed to Poet Laureate Nominations, Attn: Patrick Gaffey, Winchester Cultural Center, 3130 McLeod Drive, Las Vegas, NV 89121. For more information, email Gaffey at the address above or call 702-455-7340.

WALTER MOSLEY TO DELIVER LECTURE ON HIGHER EDUCATION

Easy Rawlins mysteries series author Walter Mosley is set to deliver a Black Mountain Institute-hosted Jim Rogers Contrarian Lecture on higher education at 7 p.m. May 7 in the Student Union Ballroom at UNLV, 4505 S. Maryland Parkway. For more information, visit blackmountaininstitute.org.

UNITED WAY PLANS FREE FLIP THROUGH SUMMER READING KICKOFF

The United Way of Southern Nevada’s Flip Through Summer reading kickoff is set to return from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. May 16 at the Springs Preserve, 333 S. Valley View Blvd. The annual event is set to feature six book nooks with live readings and activities. Children are invited to explore favorites such as “The Cat in the Hat,” “Clifford the Big Red Dog,” “Stuart Little,” “Charlotte’s Web,” “Dora the Explorer” and the Harry Potter series.

Families can also participate in a book swap where each individual can bring two books and swap them for two new ones.

Community members are encouraged to donate books for the event May 4-14 at the United Way of Southern Nevada, 5830 W. Flamingo Road.

To learn more about sponsorships, contact Chris Cappas at 702-892-2322 or chrisc@uwsn.org. For event details, visit uwsn.org/flipthroughsummer.

THE WRITER’S BLOCK PLANS EVENTS

The downtown bookstore The Writer’s Block, 1020 Fremont St., offers a full schedule of literary events, including readings and signings for adults and free workshops for students ages 5 to 18. Upcoming events include a presentation by “Call Me Home” author Megan Kruse at 7 p.m. May 14 and a reading with “Fed, White, and Blue: Finding America With My Fork” author Simon Majumdar at 7 p.m. May 22. Volunteers interested in teaching writing to children over the summer can email codex@thewritersblock.org. For more information, visit thewritersblock.org.

POETRY TO BE FEATURED AT 5/5+

Poets are invited to share original work for five minutes followed by attendees offering comments for five minutes during 5/5+, a workshop series put on by Nick Marco, Lana Hanson and Lee Mallory, scheduled every two weeks at BooksorBooks, 3460 E. Sunset Road, Suite R. The next session is planned from 3 to 5 p.m. May 9. For more information, call 702-754-5971, email jtjmarco@live.com, raisewomenup@gmail.com or leewmallory3@gmail.com or search for 5/5+ on Facebook.

FREE CREATIVE WRITING WORKSHOPS PLANNED AT LIBRARY

A free Creative Writing @ Your Library series is scheduled from 10 to 11:30 a.m. on the second and fourth Tuesdays of the month at the Gibson Library, 100 W. Lake Mead Parkway. Writers 18 or older are encouraged to participate and share.

Members of the Henderson Writers’ Group are slated to facilitate workshop sessions on a variety of topics, including editing your own work on May 12 and publishing options on May 26. For more information, visit mypubliclibrary.com.

SHARE POEMS AT HUMAN EXPERIENCE

Polish up a poem or two and try them out at Human Experience, a free spoken word event scheduled from 7 to 11:30 p.m. Mondays at The Center, 401 S. Maryland Parkway. Participants 18 or older are welcome. For more information, visit facebook.com/humanexperiencelasvegas.

WRITING ADVENTURES STUDIO TO OFFER CAMPS

Summer camps are scheduled from June 8 through Aug. 14 at the new Writing Adventures studio, 3227 E. Warm Springs Road. Camp fees are $199 a week, with classes from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Additional extended care is available from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. The studio also offers ongoing tutoring and classes. For more information, visit writingadventuresusa.com or call 702-413-6199.

LIBRARY TEAMS WITH MOB MUSEUM FOR CARD DRIVE

The Las Vegas-Clark County Library District and the Mob Museum have teamed for a library card sign-up campaign throughout April. Patrons who sign up for a library card or like the district’s Facebook page during April will be entered for a chance to win a gift basket from the museum that includes a one-year family membership. Nevada residents can also present their library card at the museum during April for a $2 discount. For more information, visit lvccld.org or themobmuseum.org.

SCIENCE FICTION AND FANTASY GROUP UNDERWAY IN LIBRARY

Readers, writers and editors of science fiction and fantasy are invited to check out a new group scheduled to meet at 2 p.m. Saturdays in meeting room two at the Green Valley Library, 2797 N. Green Valley Parkway. For more information, call 702-334-0204.

UNLV WRITERS WELCOME ALL TO NEON LIT

Neon Lit, a public reading featuring writers from UNLV’s Master of Fine Arts and Ph.D. writing programs, is scheduled the fourth Friday of most months at The Writer’s Block, 1020 Fremont St., No. 100. For more information, visit neonlit.org.

BARNES & NOBLE TO HOST WRITING GROUP

The 2191 N. Rainbow Blvd. Barnes & Noble plans to host a writing critique group at 5:15 p.m. 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.

WRITER’S BLOCK CO-OWNERS TO SPEAK TO WRITERS GROUP

The Writer’s Block co-founders Scott Seeley and Drew Cohen are scheduled to speak about the independent bookseller’s mission and role in the community during a meeting of the Las Vegas Writers Group scheduled for 7 p.m. May 21 at the Tap House, 5589 W. Charleston Blvd. A $5 meeting fee is charged. For more information, visit meetup.com/las-vegas-writers.

ALIANTE LIBRARY TO HOST WRITERS CLUB

The Aliante Library Writers Club is scheduled to meet from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. the first and third Tuesday of each month at the Aliante Library, 2400 W. Deer Springs Way. For more information, email facilitator Glory Wade at glorywadewriter@gmail.com.

ARTS CENTER TO HOST POETS CORNER

The West Las Vegas Arts Center, 947 W. Lake Mead Blvd., plans to host poets corner readings with Keith Brantley at 7 p.m. the first and third Friday of each month. For more information, call the center at 702-229-4800.

LIBRARY CAN BENEFIT FROM AMAZON PURCHASES

At no cost to participants, purchases made at amazon.com can help the Las Vegas-Clark County Library District. The district benefits not only when customers buy books but also movies, CDs, electronics, appliances and more. To start, visit wowbrary.org/lasvegas, and the online retailer will donate roughly 7.5 percent of your purchases to the district.

For more information, email ask@lvccld.org or call the Virtual Library section at 702-507-6300.

FREE READ TO ME PROGRAM OFFERED

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.

HENDERSON WRITERS GROUP MEETINGS SET

The Henderson Writers Group plans to meet 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. For more information, visit hendersonwritersgroup.

MEMOIR-WRITING WORKSHOPS SLATED

An ongoing series of free four-week memoir-writing workshops is scheduled at noon Wednesdays and 10 a.m. Fridays at the Las Vegas FamilySearch Library, 509 S. Ninth St. Four-week sessions are set to begin the first week of every month. For more information, call 702-382-9695.

ACCESS RECORDED BOOK PROGRAMS ONLINE

Too busy to get out to book programs? The Las Vegas-Clark County Library District posts videos and podcasts of many of its programs online. Selections available 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 blackmountaininstitute.org and select “multimedia.”

NEVADA STATE MUSEUM COLLECTING PHOTOS FOR BOOK ABOUT THE HISTORY OF NORTH LAS VEGAS

The Nevada State Museum is looking for photos for a book about the history of North Las Vegas.

Photos are sought that document regular life and special events, from family barbecues to award ceremonies, or show what the city looked like back in the day. Photographs from the 1930s and 1940s are of particular interest.

Museum professionals are set to scan photographs, and the originals will remain with the donors.

For more information, call Crystal R. Van Dee at 702-822-8751.