Las Vegas book briefs for April 14-20, 2016

Italian book signing: Karen Haid, author of “Calabria: The Other Italy,” a book based on four years living and traveling in the region, is slated to speak and sign books from 6 to 7 p.m. April 14 at the Sahara West Library, 9600 W. Sahara Ave., as part of the Desert Authors series. Visit lvccld.org.

History of HIV: The history of HIV is set to be the topic of a panel discussion with national and local experts at the UNLV School of Community Health Sciences’ “HIV 35 Years Later: Medical Detectives Explore Our Most Promising Research and Interventions,” set from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. April 14 in Greenspun Auditorium at UNLV’s Greenspun Hall, 4505 S. Maryland Parkway. Speakers are set to include Dr. Mary Guinan, former assistant director for evaluation in the Office of HIV/AIDS for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The discussion will cover the most successful efforts to make HIV the first disease eradicated without a cure. Following the discussion, Guinan is set to host a book signing for her new book, “Adventures of a Female Medical Detective,” which chronicles her career. The event is free, with light refreshments to be served. Register at tinyurl.com/zozdbmj.

RT Booklovers Convention: Authors, bloggers, librarians and romance fiction fans are invited to take part in more than 200 workshops, parties and a giant book fair at the RT (Romantic Times) Booklovers Convention, scheduled through April 17 at the Rio, 3700 W. Flamingo Road. Day passes start at $124. Saturday-only passes for teens are $20. Visit rtconvention.com.

Native American series: Donald Ensenbach plans to sign books in his Whispers from the Past series at 10 a.m. April 16 in the 567 N. Stephanie St. Barnes & Noble.

Love and publishing: A panel of romance and young adult authors, including Dahlia Adler, Erica Cameron, Lucy Briand, Rachel Harris and Jennifer Allis Provost, is set to discuss the merits of publishing through small presses and traditional publishers from 2 to 4 p.m. April 17 at the Clark County Library, 1401 E. Flamingo Road. Visit lvccld.org.

Award winners: Helen: A Literary Magazine publisher Jocelyn Paige Kelly recently announced winners of the first Helen Stewart Poetry Award. Christine Bettis took first place, Lana Hanson took second and Miranda Cooper won third. A reading is slated to feature the winners and others, as well as to celebrate Stewart’s birthday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. April 16 at the Old Las Vegas Mormon Fort State Historic Park, 500 E. Washington Ave. Visit helenpresents.com.

Band tales: An event is slated for the book “NOFX: The Hepatitis Bathtub and Other Stories,” a tell-all punk band autobiography by NOFX with Jeff Alulis, at 5 p.m. April 18 at the 2191 N. Rainbow Blvd. Barnes & Noble. Wristbands are set to be distributed to book buyers starting at 9 a.m. Visit barnesandnoble.com.

Life stories discussion: Randy Sutton, author of “A Cops Life,” “True Blue: Police Stories by Those Who Have Lived Them” and more, is scheduled to talk about capturing your life story during a meeting of the Las Vegas Writers Group at 7 p.m. April 21 at the Tap House, 5589 W. Charleston Blvd. The meeting fee is $5. Visit meetup.com/las-vegas-writers.

Newbery medalist: Kate DiCamillo, author of the Newbery medal-winning “The Tale of Despereaux” and “Flora and Ulysses” and the Newbery Honor Book “Because of Winn-Dixie,” is scheduled to talk about her new book “Raymie Nightingale” at 6:30 p.m. April 26 at the Historic Fifth Street School, 401 S. Fourth St. Due to time restrictions, DiCamillo will sign only one copy of previous works.

Library campaign: The Las Vegas-Clark County Library District’s Love Your Library? Tell a friend! campaign is set to run through April 30. Sign up for a library card or “like” the district on Facebook and be entered to win a Discovery Children’s Museum gift basket, which includes a family membership. Library patrons can get $3 off per person on museum admission through April 30 by showing a library card. Visit lvccld.org.

Great Basin reading: Leisle Carr Childers, assistant professor of public history and the American West from University of Northern Iowa and author of “The Size of the Risk: Histories of Multiple Use in the Great Basin,” is scheduled to speak at 2 p.m. April 24 in the Goldfield Room at the UNLV Lied Library, 4505 S. Maryland Parkway. Visit library.unlv.edu or call 702-895-2277 to RSVP.

Free reading classes: Adults are invited to participate in free learn-to-read classes from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays through May 27 at the Stupak Community Center, 251 W. Boston Ave. Call 702-507-3530 to register.

Little Learning Libraries: The Children’s Advocacy Alliance and volunteers from the Boys & Girls Clubs of Southern Nevada and Home Depot plan to build bookshelves for the Strong Start Little Lending Library initiative from 3 to 6 p.m. March 30 at the Lied Clubhouse, 2850 Lindell Road. The 10 bookshelves are set to be placed throughout the community in places where children and their families can access them. Businesses and organizations interested in supporting the program are invited to donate funding or new or gently used books. To help, email shelby.henderson@caanv.or or call 702-228-1869.

Reducing library fines: The Las Vegas-Clark County Library District plans a food for fines program through April 30. For each nonperishable food item brought in to be donated to Three Square food bank, the library will reduce patron fines by $2. Materials must be returned, and food donations can’t be used to pay for lost or damaged materials. Visit lvccld.org.

Picture book exhibit: Local graphic novelist Kenneth Lamug plans to exhibit art from his new dark children’s fantasy book “The Stumps of Flattop Hill” through May 3 at the Whitney Library, 5157 E. Tropicana Ave. Visit thestumpsbook.com.

Earth book signing: “Nature’s Calling” author Gail Collins-Ranadive plans a book release party and signing from 6 to 8 pm. April 22 at at the Stillpoint: Center for Spiritual Development, 8072 W. Sahara Ave., Suite D. Visit stillpointcsd.org.

Las Vegas Writer’s Conference: Storyfix.com founder Larry Brooks is slated to give the keynote address at this year’s Las Vegas Writer’s Conference, scheduled April 28-30 at Sam’s Town. Other conference faculty members at the Henderson Writers’ Group-sponsored event include agents, acquisition editors and authors from a variety of genres. Registration is $475 or $300 for a Friday or Saturday pass. Clark County high school students and student chaperone Saturday-only passes are $100 per person. Registration at the door, if available, is set to be $525. The conference is limited to 150 participants. Visit lasvegaswritersconference.com.

Neon Lit: Neon Lit, a public reading featuring writers from UNLV’s Master of Fine Arts and Ph.D. writing programs, is scheduled at 6 p.m. the fourth Friday of most months at The Writer’s Block, 1020 Fremont St., No. 100. The next gathering is set for April 29. Visit neonlit.org.

Dragon author signing: Lisa McMann is scheduled to sign copies of “The Unwanteds: Island of Dragons” at 7 p.m. April 29 at the 2191 N. Rainbow Blvd. Barnes & Noble.

Beat poet visit: Founding member of the Beat Generation and the San Francisco Poetry Renaissance Michael McClure plans a reading as part of the Poets of National Stature Reading Series initiated by Clark County Poet Laureate Bruce Isaacson at 7 p.m. April 30 at the Winchester Cultural Center, 3131 McLeod Drive. McClure is also set to present a free writing workshop from 2 to 3:30 p.m. May 1 in the Clark County Library, 1401 E. Flamingo Road. Visit clarkcountynv.gov or lvccld.org.

Transforming Fear to Love: Karen Smith, author of “The ‘I AM’ Solution: Simple Practices to Transform Fear Back to Love,” is set to speak on the world’s need for love from 1 to 3 p.m. May 7 at the 2191 N. Rainbow Blvd. Barnes & Noble. Visit drkarmen.com.

Romance workshop: Laurie Schnebly Campbell is scheduled to speak during a workshop planned by the Las Vegas Romance Writers at 9 a.m. May 21 in the community room at Findlay Chevrolet, 6800 S. Torrey Pines Drive. Information on topics and fees are slated to be announced at lvrwa.org.

Painted Stories: Writers of Southern Nevada plans to present a mixed-media showcase featuring local authors Vital Germaine and Geoff Schumacher reading as artists Svetlana Miller and Andy Williams paint from 2 to 3:30 p.m. April 24 at the Clark County Library, 1401 E. Flamingo Road. Future Painted Stories events are slated for July 31 and Oct. 30. Visit clarkcountynv.gov or lvccld.org.

Megan Volpert: A reading and signing with Megan Volpert, author of “1976,” is scheduled from 7 to 8 p.m. July 15 at The Writer’s Block, 1020 Fremont St. Visit thewritersblock.org.

Vegas Valley Book Festival: This year’s book festival, an event that typically packs in 100 authors, workshops, panel discussions, readings and signings, is scheduled Oct. 13-15. To apply to be a participating author, volunteer or vendor, visit vegasvalleybookfestival.org.

ONGOING EVENTS

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. Email facilitator Glory Wade at glorywadewriter@gmail.com.

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. Call 702-229-4800.

Science fiction and fantasy writing group: 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. Call 702-334-0204.

Barnes & Noble 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.

Henderson Writers Group: 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. Visit hendersonwritersgroup.com.

Memoir-writing workshops: 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. Call 702-382-9695.