Las Vegas Book Briefs for Nov. 6-12, 2014

KISS BASS PLAYER TO SIGN BUSINESS BOOK

Rock legend Gene Simmons is set to sign copies of his new motivational business book “ME, Inc.: Build an Army of One, Unleash Your Inner Rock God, Win in Life and Business” at 6 p.m. Nov. 9 at the KISS by Monster Mini Golf, 4503 Paradise Road. For more information, visit monsterminigolf.com.

Simmons is also set to sign books at 6 p.m. Nov. 21 at the 2191 N. Rainbow Blvd. Barnes & Noble. For more on the book, visit genesimmons.com.

NATIONAL NOVEL WRITING MONTH UNDERWAY

National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) challenges participants all over the world to write 50,000 words of a new novel Nov. 1-30.

The Summerlin Library, 1771 Inner Circle Drive, plans to support NaNoWriMo writers by opening the conference room from 10 a.m. to noon all month to allow people to have a quiet place to work. For more on the library, visit lvccld.org.

For more on NaNoWriMo and information on local kickoff parties and writing sessions, visit nanowrimo.org.

AUTHOR TO SIGN ‘DONALD’S STORY’

Local author Gina Moreno Wilson plans to sign “Donald’s Story: One Family’s Journey Through the Tangled Darkness of Alzheimer’s” at 1 p.m. Nov. 8 at the 567 N. Stephanie St. Barnes & Noble. A portion of sales is set to be donated to the local branch of the Alzheimer’s Association.

STEVEN GROGAN PLANS BOOK SIGNING

Steven Grogan, best known for his novel “Vegas Die,” is set to sign books at 1 p.m. Nov. 8 at the 2191 N. Rainbow Blvd. Barnes & Noble.

EVENT SLATED FOR ‘THE DEVIL’S GLOVE’

An author event for “The Devil’s Glove,” the story of a cursed baseball mitt, is scheduled at noon Nov. 8 at the 8915 W. Charleston Blvd. Barnes & Noble.

SIGNING SLATED FOR ‘BLUE.RIVER.APPLE.’

Nancy Nelson plans to sign copies of her book, a look at Alzheimer’s through poetry, “Blue.River.Apple.,” at 1 p.m. Nov. 8 at the 567 N. Stephanie St. Barnes & Noble.

CONVERSATION WITH STEPHEN GREENBLATT AND GERALDINE BROOKS SLATED

The Black Mountain Institute’s “To Swerve or Not to Swerve: How Literature Navigates the Past,” a conversation with Stephen Greenblatt and Geraldine Brooks, is scheduled for 7 p.m. Nov. 13 in the Philip J. Cohen Theatre in the UNLV Student Union, 4505 S. Maryland Parkway. For details, visit blackmountaininstitute.org.

POETS CAN SEEK FEEDBACK 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. Nov. 8. 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.

EVENTS SLATED FOR AGENT ORANGE MEMOIR

Author events for Las Vegas resident Rena Kopstenski’s post-Vietnam War memoir “An Unbelievable Life: Agent Orange and One Woman’s Fight Against It” are set for 1 p.m. Nov. 9 at the 567 N. Stephanie St. Barnes & Noble and 3 p.m. Nov. 11 at the 8915 W. Charleston Blvd. Barnes & Noble.

DANIEL BOULUD TO HOST COOKBOOK SIGNING AT THE VENETIAN

A happy hour and book signing with chef Daniel Boulud is scheduled from 3 to 6 p.m. Nov. 15 in db Brasserie at The Venetian, 3355 Las Vegas Blvd. South. The French chef and author of eight cookbooks plans to sign books while serving canapes and spinning some of his favorite tunes. For $25, guests can indulge in a spread of cheese and charcuterie. Happy hour cocktails will also be available.

For more information, visit danielboulud.com.

WOLFGANG PUCK TO SIGN COOKBOOKS

Wolfgang Puck is set to sign copies of his cookbook “Wolfgang Puck Makes It Healthy: Light, Delicious Recipes and Easy Exercises for a Better Life” from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Nov. 18 at Wolfgang Puck Bar & Grill in Downtown Summerlin, 10955 Oval Park Drive. Readers may bring a copy of the book or purchase one for $30. For more information, visit wolfgangpuck.com.

AYAANA HIRSI ALI TO BE HONORED AT GALA

The Dr. Miriam & Sheldon G. Adelson Educational Campus plans to honor global human rights activist, author and politician Ayaan Hirsi Ali with the Pursuit of Excellence Award at the 11th annual In Pursuit of Excellence Gala scheduled at 6 p.m. Nov. 22 at The Venetian, 3355 Las Vegas Blvd. South. The award is the campus’ highest recognition. Tickets are $250 or $125 for university students, educators, military personnel, retirees, nonprofit employees and Adelson Educational Campus parents. Proceeds from the event will benefit the school’s scholarship program. To purchase tickets or to make a donation, visit adelsoncampus.org or contact Davida Sims at 702-515-8203.

RECEPTION TO CELEBRATE LIBRARY EXPANSION’S 20TH ANNIVERSARY

Celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Clark County Library’s 1401 E. Flamingo Road facility expansion during a free reception scheduled from 6 to 7 p.m. Nov. 13.

Built in 1971, after nearly two years in a storefront across the street in the Mission Center, the Clark County Library reopened on Nov. 13, 1994. Designed by architect Michael Graves, with assistance from local architectural firm JMA Associates, the library almost doubled in size to 120,000 square feet and now includes a 399-seat theater, a “black box” theater space and conference rooms.

For more information, visit lvccld.org.

CHILDREN’S BOOK AUTHOR PLANS SIGNING

Kandra Ferguson is slated to sign copies of her children’s book “KenKay: Hair I Am” at 1 p.m. Nov. 15 at the 2191 N. Rainbow Blvd. Barnes & Noble.

GRAPHIC NOVEL EXHIBIT ON DISPLAY

“BAM! It’s a Picture Book: The Art Behind Graphic Novels,” an exhibit featuring illustrators such as Matthew Holm, Lincoln Peirce, Mark Crilley, Jarrett J. Krosoczka and Raina Telgemeier, is set to be on display through Nov. 25 in the Historic Fifth Street School, 401 S. Fourth St.

ROMANCE WRITERS TO WELCOME ANGELA BREIDENBACH

Angela Breidenbach, author of “A Healing Heart” and “Eleven Pipers Piping,” is slated to lead a presentation during a meeting of the Las Vegas Romance Writers scheduled from 10 a.m. to noon Nov. 15 at the Green Valley Library, 2797 N. Green Valley Parkway. For more on the event, visit lvrwa.org. For more on the author and editor, visit angelabreidenbach.com.

SIGNING SET FOR ‘MIND OF A KILLER’

Daniel Schneider is set to sign copies of his book “Mind of a Killer” at 10 a.m. Nov. 15 at the 8915 W. Charleston Blvd. Barnes & Noble.

PJ SHELDON PLANS SIGNING

Local author PJ Sheldon plans to sign her books at 11 a.m. Nov. 15 at the 567 N. Stephanie St. Barnes & Noble.

WILLIAM SIRLS PLANS SIGNING

William Sirls is slated to sign his books “The Reason” and “The Sinner’s Garden” at noon Nov. 16 at the 567 N. Stephanie St. Barnes & Noble. For more on the author, visit williamsirls.com.

SIGNING SET FOR TEEN MYSTERY ‘JEX MALONE’

A signing for the teen mystery book set in Las Vegas “Jex Malone,” by journalists C.L. Gaber and V.C. Stanley, is set for 6 p.m. Nov. 21 at the 567 N. Stephanie St. Barnes & Noble.

EMERGING WRITERS SERIES TO FEATURE JENNIFER PASHLEY

Jennifer Pashley is scheduled to speak at 7 p.m. Nov. 18 in the Greenspun Hall Auditorium at UNLV, 4505 S. Maryland Parkway, as part of the Black Mountain Institute’s Emerging Writers Series. Pashley is the author of the short story collections “States” and “The Conjurer.” For more information, visit blackmountaininstitute.org.

SIGNING SET FOR ‘THE IRISH SCAM’

Author J.D. McNamee is set to sign copies of the book “The Irish Scam” at 2 p.m. Nov. 15 at the 8915 W. Charleston Blvd. Barnes & Noble.

LAS VEGAS WRITERS GROUP TO WELCOME OLIVIA CLARE

Poet and novelist Olivia Clare, a Black Mountain Institute Ph.D. Fellow in Literature at UNLV, is scheduled to speak on elements of style in fiction during a meeting of the Las Vegas Writers Group scheduled for 7 p.m. Nov. 20 at the Tap House, 5589 W. Charleston Blvd. A $5 meeting fee is charged. For more information, visit meetup.com/las-vegas-writers.

BOOK SPEED-DATING EVENT SLATED

Readers ages 12 to 17 are invited to share their favorite book in two-minute chats with peers at a book speed-dating event scheduled from 4 to 5 p.m. Nov. 20 at the Gibson Library, 100 W. Lake Mead Parkway. For more information, visit mypubliclibrary.org.

AUTHOR TO DISCUSS JFK ASSASSINATION

Walt Brown, author of “Master Chronology of JFK Assassination,” plans to discuss little-known facts about the assassination during a book event scheduled on the anniversary of the shooting at 6:30 p.m. Nov. 22 at the National Museum of Organized Crime & Law Enforcement, the Mob Museum, 300 Stewart Ave. The program is free to members or with regular museum admission. For more information, visit themobmuseum.org.

THE SMITH CENTER TO HOST AN EVENING WITH DAVID SEDARIS

National Public Radio humorist and best-selling author David Sedaris is set to speak in celebration of his newest release “Let’s Explore Diabetes with Owls” at 7:30 p.m. Nov. 23 in Reynolds Hall at The Smith Center for the Performing Arts, 361 Symphony Park Ave. Tickets start at $46. For more information, visit thesmithcenter.com.

NEVADA WRITERS ELIGIBLE TO APPLY FOR EXCHANGE

Poets & Writers magazine has selected Nevada as the state to draw entries for the 2015 Writers Exchange Award. Nevada writers of fiction and poetry are invited to apply for the exchange — which includes a $500 honorarium, a trip to New York City and a one-month residency at the Jentel Artist Residency Program in Wyoming — by Dec. 1. For details, visit pw.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.

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.

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 9 p.m. Mondays in The Beat Coffeehouse inside Emergency Arts, 520 Fremont St. For more information, visit lasvegaspoets.org.

ART 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.

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.

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.

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.

FILMMAKER TO SIGN BOOK ABOUT MOTHER TERESA

Filmaker Christina Stevens shares her experiences with Mother Teresa in the book “Love: The Saint and the Seeker.” Stevens is set to sign copies of the book from 7 to 9 p.m. Dec. 1 at the 2191 N. Barnes & Noble. For more on the author, visit christinastevens.co.

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.

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 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.”