Tuesday, September 24, 2013

Past Participant Publication - Eleni Bastea



Congratulations, Eleni!

Poets! In 2014, the Taos Summer Writers' Conference will be offering a master class in poetry with Amy Beeder as well as two poetry weeklong workshops with Tomas Q. Morin and Leslie Ullman. Class descriptions and instructor letters will be up on the website by mid-November.

Thursday, September 19, 2013

Past Participant Publications - Jay D Roberts


Master class participant, Jay D. Robert's book,  Break the Chains, is now available. Congratulations, Jay!

After the release date, 11/26/13, it will also can be purchased online on Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

Break the Chains
Transforming Shame into Forgiveness
by Jay D Roberts, MD
If you were abused over and over again, would you become an abuser, or would you learn to forgive? Dr. Jay Roberts had to go to prison to learn the answer.
In 1999 Dr. Roberts was in at-home hospice care preparing for his own death from a neurological disease. At the point where he finally gave up, he experienced a spontaneous, overnight healing. It was not the first time he had 'cheated' death. He had survived a fifty-foot fall from a cliff, a plane crash, and attempts on his life by rebel insurgents in remote areas in the Philippines in the 1970s. This near-death escape was different, though, because it was the culmination of a turbulent, lifelong dialogue with God that started when he was a child being bull-whipped by his alcoholic father. Yet even after his complete recovery from disease, it would take a maximum security prison environment to reveal to him the mysterious power of forgiveness.
In the telling of his fascinating story of extreme abuse, of the compulsion to become a pain and wound-care specialist, of medical school in a third-world country against a dangerous political backdrop, and of his return home to deal with the demons he'd left behind, Dr. Roberts tackles the big questions illuminating physical, mental, and spiritual growth. Break the Chains affirms faith in both God and the human spirit. It is as revealing and inspirational as it is truthful and poignant.
332 pages - $23.99 (paperback)

Monday, September 16, 2013

Past Participant Gigs - Sandra Ramos O'Briant



Sandra Ramos O'Briant Reads from her award-winning novel

Saturday, September 28, 2013, 5:00 p.m.
Location: Taos, SOMOS Salon at 233-D
Paseo del Pueblo Sur
 Albuquerque, Bookworks,
Sunday, 09/29/2013 3:00 pm
4022 Rio Grande Blvd NW,

The Sandoval Sisters' Secret of Old Blood won First Place at the the 15th annual International Latino Book Awards, 2013 in two categories: Best Historical Fiction and Best First Book.

Merchants have always loved the Santa Fe Trail. The Mexican-American War was fought to gain more land, but it was also about controlling trade, and that meant controlling Santa Fe:  it was the first foreign capital captured by the U.S. An unbelievable influx of men occurred, but nary a word has been written about how that affected the New Mexican women. Until now. The war is the backdrop for the Sandoval sisters' individual coming-of-age stories in which they cope with racism, sexism, political intrigue and the power of superstition in that time and place.
sizzling . . . a delightful historical romp set in New Mexico . . . fits into literary space created by Anaya's timeless Bless Me, Ultima." La Bloga   
"An outstanding family saga."  Historical Novel Review and History and Women
"Woven among the stories of love and life is eroticism, mystery, witchcraft, folktales, superstition, political intrigue, corruption, and violence. Told with a fluid style that grabs you from the first page and leaves you hungry for more at the end."  Dr. Michele Shaul*, Co-Editor of the e-journal Label Me Latina/o
The author excellently interweaves much history of the United States and Mexico during that time. The book is written with great skill and talent. One of the top 10 Latino Books, 2012.” The Latino Author
"This story of love, mysticism and betrayal tests the ultimate boundaries of sisterhood. I loved this brave, lushly written tale of life in old Santa Fe." Jill Smolinski, author of Objects of My Affection
Sandra Ramos O’Briant grew up in Santa Fe and spent summers in Texas, but calls Los Angeles her home now. She was an executive recruiter in Beverly Hills before beginning her writing career. Her short stories and creative nonfiction have appeared in numerous journals and anthologies.  A complete list is here.



Tuesday, September 10, 2013

Fourth Annual Rudolfo and Patricia Anaya Lecture



The UNM English Department's fourth annual Rudolfo and Patricia Anaya Lecture on the Literature of the Southwest will take place this year on September 26 at 7:00 p.m. in the SUB Grand Ballroom and will feature a talk by renowned Native American writer N. Scott Momaday.  The series was launched in 2010 with a generous endowment from renowned writer Rudolfo Anaya to promote the study and appreciation of the SW.  The lecture is free and open to the public; a small reception will follow.  


Please announce widely to your associates and on your community listservs.  If you have any questions or further inquires, please follow us on facebook at https://www.facebook.com/Anaya.Southwest.literature, or email the committee at anayalecture@unm.edu.