Las Vegas Book Briefs for Oct. 30-Nov. 5, 2014
BOOKSORBOOKS TO HOST AUTHOR EVENT
A local author event with signings, readings, refreshments and more is scheduled from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Oct. 31 at BooksOrBooks, 3460 E. Sunset Road, Suite R. Visit the store’s Facebook page for a list of participating authors. For more information, visit booksorbooks.com or call 702-522-7697.
NOVEMBER IS NATIONAL NOVEL WRITING MONTH
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.
DON BARNHART PLANS BOOK SIGNING
Summerlin resident Don Barnhart, author of “The Sweet Talkers,” “Crooked Road Straight” and “Jacks and the Jills,” is set to sign books at 1 p.m. Nov. 1 at the 567 N. Stephanie St. Barnes & Noble. Barnhart was a director on several television shows, including episodes of “Mork & Mindy,” “Benson,” “Full House” and “Saved by the Bell.” For more information, visit donlewisbarnhart.com.
CARLOS SANTANA TO SIGN MEMOIR
Guitarist Carlos Santana is slated to sign copies of his book “The Universal Tone: Bringing My Story to Light,” written with Ashley Kahn, at 12:30 p.m. Nov. 4 at the 2191 N. Rainbow Blvd. Barnes & Noble. The signing is limited to the first 200 people or one hour, whichever comes first. Wristbands are to be distributed. For more information, visit barnesandnoble.com.
GEOFF SCHUMACHER TO DISCUSS LAS VEGAS HISTORY
Writer, editor and Mob Museum executive Geoff Schumacher plans to discuss highlights in Las Vegas history from 1844 to 2014 during “Las Vegas Stories: Paradise Palms – Key Turning Points in Las Vegas History,” a free program scheduled for 7 p.m. Nov. 6 at the Clark County Library, 1401 E. Flamingo Road. For more information, visit lvccld.org.
AUTHOR PLANS CAREER WORKSHOP
Local author PJ Sheldon plans a workshop designed to help job candidates put their best foot forward from 10 to 11:30 a.m. Nov. 1 at the Green Valley Library, 2797 N. Green Valley Parkway. To register, visit mypubliclibrary.com or call 702-207-4261.
VEGAS VALLEY COMIC BOOK FESTIVAL SET FOR NOV. 1
The seventh annual Vegas Valley Comic Book Festival is scheduled from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Nov. 1 inside and around the Clark County Library, 1401 E. Flamingo Road.
Comic book artist and writer Howard Chaykin is slated to be the featured guest at this year’s event, joined by numerous comic creators, including Spencer Brinkerhoff III, Russell Lissau, Nick Mamatas, Brian and Kristy Miller and Chris Staros. The event is also set to include live music, face painting, food trucks, vendors and publishers and an artist alley. Admission is free. For more information, visit vegasvalleycomicbookfestival.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.
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.
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 scheduled 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.
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.
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.
ILLUSTRATIONS TO BE ON DISPLAY IN TRAVELING SHOW
“Illustrators 56,” a traveling exhibit featuring 58 pieces by book, magazine and newspaper illustrators such as Scott Bakal, Kali Ciesemier, Eleanor Davis, Tatsuro Kiuchi, Victo Ngai and Sam Weber, is scheduled to be on display through Oct. 31 in The Studio at the Sahara West Library, 9600 W. Sahara Ave. For more information, visit lvccld.org.
CSN CREATIVE WRITING CLUB LAUNCHES CONTEST
The College of Southern Nevada’s Creative Writing Club, a group of students and alumni, meets twice a month on the Charleston campus, 6375 W. Charleston Blvd. Activities include workshop sessions, open mic readings, poetry slams and field trips. Once a year, the club, founded in 2010, publishes the literary journal “Neon Dreams.” The club recently announced plans to sponsor a contest open to any writer in the Las Vegas Valley. Stories must be 300 words or fewer, and Las Vegas must be a part of the narrative. Writers are also challenged to include the following words: neon, desert, gamble, dreams, casino and view. The deadline for submissions is Oct. 31. First prize is a $75 gift card. First-, second- and third-place entries are to be printed in the 2015 edition of Neon Dreams. For more information, email creativewriting.club@csn.edu.
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.
AUTHOR 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.”
