Writing and Writers: It's all about books

Writer’s Block airs every Tuesday, at 9 a.m. MST on KFUN/KLVF, streaming live at www.kfunonline.com

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Great children's books and programs at a hometown bookstore

Children's section at Tome on the Range, Las Vegas, NM

My interview with Suzanne Cole, former landscape designer and now children’s book specialist at Tome on the Range, was a joy. Her enthusiasm for her job, an inborn sense of fun and an apparent love of books made for a lively conversation and new insight into the bookstore’s commitment to providing an adventure in reading for all ages.

Suzanne said the “Where's Waldo” contest will continue through July. What is it? Look for Waldo at participating stores and collect four tickets to win a Waldo button. Eight tickets earns an entry in a drawing to win various prizes including art supplies from Art Essentials and Waldo books. Participating businesses are Unikat Jewelers, Tito's Gallery, Stuff, New Moon, Art Essentials, @ the Plaza, Threadbare, Pam's Flowers, Plaza Antiques, Wardancer Gallery, Semilla Natural Foods , Tome on the Range, and Gordon's Jewelers.

The much anticipated summer day camp, “Riding the Rails,” runs from July 30 to Aug. 3 from 12:30 to 5 p.m., for ages 8-12. The camp will take place on Monday and Thursday at the Las Vegas City and Rough Rider Memorial Museum. On Tuesday and Friday sessions will be at the parish hall on the Plaza. The highlight of the week will be a train ride to Lamy for a visit to the railway museum there. There are only eight openings left, so parents need to get to Tome soon to assure their child has a spot at this year’s camp. Fee for the camp is $50 per child.

Suzanne also brought several children’s books as examples of the variety available in the colorful and well-stocked children and youth section.

Picture books included Cowboy Ned and Andy, by Ezra Stein. What will Ned get Cowboy Bob for his birthday? The answer is found on the wonderfully illustrated pages of a book that teaches about what is important in life.

Wumbers by Amy Rosenthal is a fascinating approach to reading and thinking. Parts of the words are represented by a number, as in 4tune. Wumbers requires strict attention and is a great way for children to learn concentration and thinking on more than one level.

For intermediate readers Suzanne brought:

Bink And Gollie - Two For One, by Kate DiCamillo. Bink and Gollie, different in every way and fast friends, use teamwork and smarts while checking out the wonders at the state fair. It’s a funny and warmhearted story of friendship featuring the visual humor of illustrator Tony Fucile.  

Three Times Lucky, by Sheila Turnage is the hilarious tale of rising sixth grader Miss Moses LoBeau. (From Penguin.com “Miss LoBeau  lives in the small town of Tupelo Landing, NC, where everyone's business is fair game and no secret is sacred. She washed ashore in a hurricane eleven years ago, and she's been making waves ever since. Although Mo hopes someday to find her "upstream mother," she's found a home with the Colonel--a café owner with a forgotten past of his own--and Miss Lana, the fabulous café hostess. She will protect those she loves with every bit of her strong will and tough attitude. So when a lawman comes to town asking about a murder, Mo and her best friend, Dale Earnhardt Johnson III, set out to uncover the truth in hopes of saving the only family Mo has ever known.”

The Case of the Deadly Deserados, by Caroline Lawrence. (Kirkus Review: Twelve-year-old P.K. “Pinky” Pinkerton was born with a poker face—he can’t show or read emotion—but it’s not until he lands in Nevada Territory’s silver-mining country that he comes to terms with the hand he’s dealt. This fast-paced and deadpan-funny Wild West adventure is Pinky’s first-person account, scrawled out as “last words” on ledger sheets in a mine shaft while three desperados hunt him down. Read more…

I confess the young adult selections Suzanne brought were interesting enough that I might be adding them to my book list, which leads me to comment on the reading lists developed for summer reading for kids of all ages. Suzanne said everyone at Tome contributed to the development of the lists, which run the gamut from paranormal to sweet children’s book with simple messages. The following are suggested books that I found intriguing.

Name of the Star, by Maureen Johnson. (From Maureen Johnson’s website: The day Louisiana teenager Rory Deveaux arrives in London marks a memorable occasion. For Rory, it’s the start of a new life at a London boarding school. But for many, this will be remembered as the day a series of brutal murders broke out across the city, gruesome crimes mimicking the horrific Jack the Ripper events of more than a century ago. Read more…

Clockwork Angel (The Infernal Devices Series), by Cassandra Clare: (Goodreads review: When sixteen-year-old Tessa Gray crosses the ocean to find her brother, her destination is England, the time is the reign of Queen Victoria, and something terrifying is waiting for her in London's Downworld, where vampires, warlocks and other supernatural folk stalk the gaslit streets. Only the Shadowhunters, warriors dedicated to ridding the world of demons, keep order amidst the chaos. Read more…

For more about about books in general and children's books in particular, stop by Tome on the Range and talk to Suzanne or any of the booksellers.They'll be happy to help you.

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New Mexico Showcased in March 27 Program

Writers’ Block guests on March 27 talked about traveling New Mexico and fitness as a way of life. Author Sharon Niederman will talk about her book Signs & Shrines, Spiritual Journeys Across New Mexico on Saturday, March 31, 3 p.m. at Tome on the Range. Writers' Block streams live each Tuesday at 9 a.m. MST, at http://www.kfunonline.com.

A Travel Guide to New Mexico Adventures 

Author Sharon Niederman

If you want a fun travel guide for New Mexico Signs & Shrines, Spiritual Journeys Across New Mexico by Sharon Niederman, is the book for you. The guide is informational and interesting, the language clear and concise and the sites fun and intriguing.

Sharon says for her life is a spiritual journey and many of the places she has been have provided her with meaningful experiences, and fodder for her books. Signs & Shrines is one of seven books she has written or collaborated on. Her novel Return to Abo is now available as an e-book and the others are all available at most indie bookstores and on-line retailers. See Sharon’s website for titles and more information.

The author and her latest book will be featured at a Tome on the Range on Saturday, March 31 at 3 p.m.

What I liked about Signs & Shrines is that it made me fall in love with New Mexico all over again. I’ve had dreams of living by the ocean and then I think about all the quirky out-of-the-way treasures just down the road, and I realize this is the best place to be.

Sharon said the stories used in her latest book come from information gathered over a 20-year period. The areas touched on include such places at Chimayo, Chaco Canyon, Santa Fe and Taos. And it isn’t just the place; it’s the journey. The Old Spanish Trail, Roads of the Ancestral Puebloans, The Path of the Migrations are some of the paths along the way.

The book is intended as a travel guide, but it is so much more. It’s easy to follow with chapters organized by region with entries listed under categories that I think of as calls to action. Instead of “places of interest,” Sharon calls one section, “Discover,” which is a friendly reminder that when you travel you are on an adventure of discovery. Recreate (outdoor fun), cherish (shopping for the original and unique), meander (day trips and off the beaten path attractions), renew (meditation, spas and retreats), nourish (food), respite (lodging), celebrate (local festivals) and on the town (entertainment venues). These headings encourage the reader to get up and get with it. 

An added bonus is Sharon’s photography. Iconic color photos of people doing what people do, sacred images and scenic shots fill the book with enticing reasons to spend your tourist dollar in mystical and magical New Mexico.

Buy the book and keep it in your car. You never know when you might like to take a side trip that will lead to an adventure.

Fitness Trainer Motivates and Inspires

Creating a better life for other people fits into Rico Marciano’s life just fine. He has worked with many people who thought disability was a permanent condition. Through fitness and diet he has helped people regain strength and mobility, but more importantly he has helped motivate his clients to be and do their best against the odds.

This energetic entrepreneur is a TV and radio personality in Florida and is working on a manuscript about his experiences as a fitness instructor. He has written and produced a documentary about his work and has written scripts awaiting a producer.

I enjoyed my conversation with Rico, which was high energy and non-stop. It is as though he’s busy getting as much out of life as he possibly can. During his he career he has won championships in every sport and performed in film, TV, theater, nightclubs and on radio.

 As a Certified Physical Fitness Instructor, he designs exercise programs for various neurological and orthopedic disabilities, programs for athletes, breast cancer survivors, and conditioning. He has won multiple awards including Trainer of the Year and Chip Van Wanderham Achievement Award for his work with the disabled.

Tune in next week for the latest reads at Tome on the Range with Michael Siewert, and a conversation with Roslynn Alexander, who says she is an artist who uses words in her art.

Poetry and Memoir, Life in Vignette

Writers’ Block guests on March 20 talked about the value of poetry as a writing form and essayist Cindy Charlton talked about memoir writing and her book signing on Saturday, March 24, 3 p.m. at Tome on the Range. Writers' Block streams live every Tuesday at http://www.kfunonline.com at 9 a.m. MST.

Shirley Blackwell and Georgia Santa Maria

Poetry does not appeal to everyone, perhaps because it is a much misunderstood medium of expression. New Mexico State Poetry Society President Shirley Balance Blackwell is trying to change that by bringing poetry into the modern age through technology and outreach. She and Georgia Santa Maria were as excited about promoting the Poetry Society as they were about promoting their work. Already There, Shirley’s book of poetry is available through her website. Georgia’s body of work has been published and includes both poetry and photography. Both read a poem from their books and each spoke about the value of belonging to writing groups.

Shirley has a lively personality, an obvious passion for poetry and a clear understanding of the importance of networking with other writers. A starting point for her was to revitalize the New Mexico State Poetry Society by increasing membership and improving its web presence. Originally from Deming, much of her career was in Washington, D.C. She returned to New Mexico as a result of her final assignment and now lives near Albuquerque with her husband and two rescue dogs. When asked, “Why Poetry,” she said, “Sometimes there’s no other way to live.”

The title, Already There, reminds the reader that much of what we’re looking for is there, sometimes right in front of us, we just need to be, as Shirley says, paying attention. Her poetry is wonderfully personal and covers the range from visionary to practical. In Upon Reflection she describes coming home with carefully chosen words and the way they visually appear on the page.

In Quantum Theology she writes:

“If poems were numbers and computers were infinite,

I would search for a magic algorithm of words

that-muliplied, magnified-would loop, swirl, and branch;

grow complexes of beauty; produce patterns truer

than I could devise but were there for the viewer.”

There’s more of this poem, but this verse gives you a sense of pacing and the exploration of a novel idea through the eyes of this inventive and creative poet. Her sense of what is and what can be come together in interesting ways. Whether she is writing about a mother-in-law with dementia, the discretion to keep silent about her happy marriage when everyone else is bemoaning the disappointment in theirs, or not being at her mother’s bedside at the time of her passing the words ring true and crystallize vignettes of life through the eyes of someone who has been there.

I recommend Already There whether you are a fan of poetry or someone who would like an introduction to a writing discipline that tells quick stories in lyrical form.

Georgia Santa Maria has a lovely laugh and appears to be innately cheerful. She read Santa Rosa from her book, Lichen Kiss, explaining the book title as coming from an image of a “Marilyn Monroe-like” pair of lips in red lichen growing on a boulder. As a photographer she was charmed by nature’s whimsy and felt that it would well-reflect her eclectic collection of poetry.

Georgia said in our interview that she believes poetry tells the truth and gets to the heart of ideas. “Poetry is internal music,” she said.

An artist and writer all her life, Georgia is a native northern New Mexican who has chronicled the landscape and life, both behind the camera and on the page.  Since 2010 she has made a conscious effort to, “… get my work out there and connect with other writers in my area. I have greatly enjoyed getting to know other writers and hear their work as well as sharing mine.”

She is working on a collection of her poetry, and a book about her experiences as a storekeeper in rural New Mexico.

To learn more about the Poetry Society and its upcoming state convention on April 28, go to New Mexico State Poetry Society.

Cindy Charlton: Family Caregivers, a Testament to Love

My good friend Cindy Charlton was my call-in guest. We only needed a cup of coffee in front to us to make the conversation complete, well that and being in the same room. Chatting with Cindy always makes me feel good. She is supportive of people who try and she shores up people who are struggling. I’m looking forward to getting Chicken Soup for the Soul, Family Caregivers, which contains One in a Million, an essay by Cindy. It is a personal account of her time as a caregiver for her terminally ill husband, Michael, which she was doing at the same time she was learning to live as a disabled person with new prosthetic legs.

Cindy has been writing about her personal experiences in her blog (accessible from her website), A Survivors Handbook, but writing for Chicken Soup for the Soul, Family Caregivers, proved to be a challenge. It was both emotionally taxing and healing. She said in reading the essays submitted by others, she found common experiences, and as difficult as these experiences were, the caregivers said they would not have missed out on these moments with their loved ones. The gifts they received became precious memories.

Cindy said she writes creative non-fiction, basically memoir writing, explaining that memoir describes a journey that shows how you’ve evolved into the person you are. “While it may be cathartic,” Cindy said, “it’s very hard to get down on paper.” One in a Million recounts a time just prior to her husband’s death.

“Writing about fighting my battle with disability and what I went thought isn’t as emotional and difficult as writing about Michael. You hurt for your loved one more than you hurt for yourself. You have to be the courage for the other person.” Cindy said Michael was her caregiver as well and remembers him as being unfailing in his attention. “I don’t remember him ever quaking at anything.”

Her remarkable story is a book all its own, but this piece in Chicken Soup for the Soul, Family Caregivers is especially close to her heart.

Be sure and set aside time on Saturday, March 24 at 3 p.m., to attend her book signing at Tome on the Range. She will also talk about her experiences and what it means to be caregiver for someone in the end stages of life.

Program Summary

An Apricot Year, by Martha Egan

University of New Mexico Press

Price: $25.95

An Apricot Year by Martha Egan was the featured book on Writers’Block this week. It is a wonderful story about a woman whose life is turned upside down and inside out by circumstances. A gift that should have lead to a joyous experience opens the door to a future Luli Russell never anticipated. Faced with starting over she gets caught up in the lives of strangers who soon become friends. These associations will bring her a new outlook on life, unexpected relationships and a new found appreciation for New Mexico, its art, color, traditions and people.

Martha will be the guest at an author event at Tome on the Range, 3 p.m., Sunday March 11. She is a writer, entrepreneur and importer of folk art. Her shop, Pachamama, in Santa Fe features imports from Latin America. Her experiences related to the import business lead her to write Clearing Customs, in response to what she refers to the US Customs Service’s “dirty little war on small import businesses.”  

An ApricotYear is a study in character, place and relationships. Luli becomes involved in the shady side of the art business without realizing it, but the bad guy – though undoubtedly involved in art fraud – is also generous in his way. Luli is perhaps a bit naïve, which shouldn’t be interpreted as weak. Despite a defunct marriage and years of being a traditional stay-at-home wife and mom, she finds freedom in the knowledge that against the odds she is a survivor.

Martha’s experiences in the folk art world and as a shop owner in Santa Fe are reflected in the storyline as Luli seeks work in a town were finding a living wage job is next to impossible. It says a lot about Luli that she doesn’t hesitate to take on work that even her family finds unsettling.

The following information is from online resources:

The author’s interest in Latin American folk art began in the mid-‘60s in Mexico City, where she was a student at the Universidad de las Américas. She graduated in 1967 with a B.A. in Latin American History, followed by two years as a Peace Corps volunteer working with credit unions in rural Venezuela.

 Martha’s works include award-winning novels Clearing Customs (2004), Coyota (2007), and La Ranfla & Other New Mexico Stories (2009) and two non-fiction titles—Milagros: Votive Offerings from the Americas and Relicarios: Devotional Miniatures from the Americas.

Gayle Gross

10daybookclub.com

Gayle Gross is a writer, entrepreneur and owner of 10daybookclub.com. She’s on a quest to change the world, which might seem like a big undertaking until you spend some time talking to her. Following a four-month retreat, she created a platform for authors where their work can be critiqued and where social networking training is available. Signing in as a member is free; fees apply to services. The fees are affordable. For $10 a writer can have his or her work read by a virtual book club and get feedback. A second benefit is a 15-minute prep interview with 10daybookclub that gives authors insight into ways they can use social networking as a marketing tool.

Gayle comes across as smart, creative and dynamic. Her background is in creative and professional relationship development. Her LinkedIn recommendation describe her as an entrepreneur and “the best hand-holder of budding writers and authors.”

Gayle has an active Facebook page and takes advantage of beneficial social networking tools. In developing her concept she offered shares to trusted friends. As the company grows she sees the initial benefactors as key to making the venture successful, and expects they will benefit.

“One thing that emerged from my retreat is the certainty that in everything I do I want to give back. Helping others is an important part of 10daybookclub.com.”

Based in Colorado, Gayle is building a network of resources to meet the needs of her growing client base. She attended Devry University and Kutztown University of Pennsylvania.

Her LinkedIn connections exceed 500 and the membership of 10daybookclub has passed the 5,000 mark.

Gayle's websites

·         Connect on 10dbc Facebook

·         Connect on Personal Facebook

·         10 Day Book Club (click here for membership information)

Gayle’s commitment to make good things happen for authors makes this an excellent tool for writers to put in their toolboxes.

Writers Explore the Real World and Create New Ones

Jose Vasquez

Jose Vasquez was the winner of the first Writers’ Block writing contest with his entry about the first snow of the year. The wonderful surprise for me in our interview was to learn he has done quite a bit of writing, including music composition and lyrics, and he can sing.

And the man is a ham. Something I never knew about him, but then I haven’t known him all that long. When he learned he'd won the contest he was in San Francisco getting ready to perform at an open mike night.

Jose and his siblings grew up in an environment where learning and applying what you learned was a way of life. He wrote in a recent blog about the Paths that influence and sustain him. It was a reminder of what is important, like his connection to family. Jose and other family members spent the last several months being present for their aging and ailing father, J.D. Vasquez, a well known and well respected educator who passed away at home surrounded by those who loved him most.

Jose had written a chap book about his dad’s life, a wonderful memorial to J.D. and a gift to the family that will be treasured.

Jose also read his wonderful children’s story, The King Who Wanted to be a Jester. As with most children's literature, it is a charming story with a strong message.

Although retired, he spends much of his time writing a blog for Barnabas Institute, the Center for Christian Community, in Santa Fe, and supporting its initiatives. According to the website, The Barnabas Institute is a nondenominational ministry of encouragement that provides inspiration and practical help for people who want to live Christian lives. Jose can be reached by e-mail at c4cc@comcast.com.

Mark Tierno, my call-in guest has created a monumental 13-book epic sci-fi/fantasy novel. Maldene sweeps across the galaxy full of bizarre characters, an evil being whose motives are unfathomable, and a world where the one thing you can expect is the unexpected.

Tierno uses his physics and math background to lend credibility to the strange environment he has created and uses his skill with words to bring to life a myriad of characters.

From the Maldene website: Picture a planet, giant Earth-swallowing sphere, swaddled green with the color of life, the glare of its giant blue star glistening off its atmosphere in colorful, almost aurora-like, bursts of light. Picture three moons in an eternal cosmic dance around this large orb, the smallest colored the blue of Earth’s sky, the next the green of deepest seas, and the largest the yellow of your own home star. Picture the swoop and whirl of these satellites as they leave no part of that orb with a moonless night, yet also none with the multiple romance of more than one. Picture a planet all filled with magic, mystery, and utter strangeness. 

Picture Maldene.

Tune in Tuesday, Feb. 14, for a visit with Tome on the Range manager, Michael Siewert. We’ll be exploring books, books, books, maybe a few about romance, sweethearts and Valentine’s Day.

Also on the air with me will be call-in guest Anne Hosansky. Anne has a new book out entitled Ten Women of Valor, about Biblical heroines from a feminist view. The women speak in their own voices about how they managed to triumph in a male-dominated world. Ranging from Sarah to Esther the women confide feelings of ambition, passion and sibling rivalry — and emerge as women coping with many of the same issues faced by women today. Anne has also written Turning Toward Tomorrow, Victories Over Loss and Widow’s Walk, One Woman's Spiritual and Emotional Journey To A New Life.

A columnist, an author and a bookseller went into a bar…

On KFUN, live in the studio.

Well, they didn’t go into a bar, but they were guests on Writers’ Block. Two of my favorite people joined me this last Tuesday to talk about writing and books: Art Trujillo and Nancy Colalillo.

Art is a witty fellow and a wonderful commentator on life, language and current events. He talked about his column in the Optic, Work of Art, how he comes up with his column ideas, and the frustration of not being perfect as a copy editor. Well, he didn’t say it quite that way, but he did mention that perhaps criticism can be a bit irksome.

As a bit of a critic himself when it comes to grammar and punctuation, he recognizes constructive criticism when it comes from others and takes it with good grace… mostly. It’s too bad we didn’t get around to talking about his other passion, photography. Watch out when you see him coming with a camera in hand, he’s likely to take a shot of you and post it on Facebook.

What I like about Art’s column - which according to his son Stan in Denmark has been read by people in every state in the U.S.A. - is his honesty, humor and ability to hone in on the very subjects people want to read about. He is often topical, sometimes nostalgic and always on target. As a home-grown Las Vegan he remembers vividly what happened years ago. Admittedly these memories don’t always jibe with his family’s memories, but as Art said, they are his memories and when he shares them with us, it makes us all smile.

Art should think about collecting his columns into a book. I know people would buy a collection of essays that recalls the Las Vegas of yesteryear from the perspective of someone who watched the town grow up. Thanks, Art, for taking time to be on the show with me.

Nancy was as always informative. She talked about World Book Night, a fantastic opportunity to share the love of reading. People who are selected to be part of the book give away will have 30 books to give to people who are light readers.

There is a world of discovery in books. On World Book Night, April 23, those doors of discovery will open all over Las Vegas and all over the US. The expectation is that 50,000 books will be given away.

The deadline to sign up is looming – Feb. 6, so click on World Book Night and apply to be a distributor.

Nancy also talked about the Feb. 19 salon at Tome on the Range, a discussion of Crazy Like Us: The Globalization of the American Psyche.

The Tome website blurb reads: “Is mental illness the latest Western export, a new form of imperialism?  Journalist Ethan Watters investigates how others' embrace of Western ideas of mental health and illness impacts local cultures and indigenous methods for coping.”

You can go to the Tome website to read reviews of the book. The conversation will be facilitated by Nancy.

My call-in guest was Cindy Cromer, the author of Desperate Measures, a suspense novel set in St. Kitts. A perfect vacation turns into a fast-paced race to find out who is disrupting the lives of Caitlin and her family with deadly intent. Cindy has had favorable reviews and is working on the next installment.

Cindy said her challenge with the second book is to create something entirely fresh and new and yet keep the threads of the Desperate Measures storyline.

I’m sure she can do it. Her enthusiasm for writing was evident in our interview. It is obvious she has a passion for creating interesting and realistic characters.

From her publisher’s website: “Cindy Huefner Cromer, formally a New Jersey resident, now resides in Stuart, Florida, with her husband, son, and daughter. Cindy works as a laboratory scientist and executive. As the president of a laboratory network, she has written numerous laboratory procedures and research documents. Driven by a passion for suspense and mystery novels, she dreamed of becoming a writer. Her dream turned into reality with the release of her debut suspense novel, Desperate Measures. She is currently working on her second novel, Desperate Deceptions. Plots are in place for her third and fourth books.

So that’s a wrap for Tuesday, Jan. 31. My very best intention is to get my website updated from week to week with a summary of that week’s program. That doesn’t always happen. I have great guests and hope listeners will enjoy hearing about writers and how they create the books we love to read.

Next week tune in to learn about the winner of my first writing challenge. Jose Vasquez will be there to read his story and talk about writing. My call-in guest is a writer who says when he is in the zone he can write 12,000 words a day. I can tell you folks, that is NOT an easy thing to do. Mark Tierno has written a massive work of science fiction. I haven’t read Maldene, but I am intrigued. Tune in Feb. 6 to find out more.

Writers’ Block streams live at 8:45 a.m., MST Tuesdays on KFUN.

Review: Footlights in the Foothills

 

It has been my experience that writing can be both liberating and limiting. When you add research as an element of the process it can almost become drudgery… unless you enjoy research and can convert that enviable talent into intelligent, entertaining and engaging prose. Edwina Portelle Romero has done just that in Footlight in the Foothills, Amateur Theatre of Las Vegas and Fort Union New Mexico, 1871-1899.

Do not, under any circumstances, be deceived by the academic sound of the title. Yes, it is educational but it is also down right fun to read. Edwina, Pat to those who know her, has taken an historic era and painted wonderful pictures of the culture and creativity of the times. Brevity, as Shakespeare so eloquently said, is the soul of wit. This little book of fact-based anecdotes is packed with priceless prose, engaging wit and interesting lore.

The clarification of what constituted a theatrical venue — from the music halls to the opera houses to the boards of the Fort Union stages — is illuminating and fun. Was it the Duncan Opera House or the Ward-Tamme Opera House? Where was it? How did these establishments survive and thrive? Perhaps it had to do with filling time with creative pursuits. Perhaps it had to do with talented folks who wanted to make the most of their talents. Perhaps it was a consequence of wanting to entertain and be entertained. Whatever the reasons, Edwina has pulled 28 years of amateur theater into a concise rendering that is informative and charmingly delivered using direct quotes from printed reviews and critiques.

Footlights in the Foothills identifies Spanish and English language companies and performances, all well and enthusiastically attended, sometimes too enthusiastically. At one performance it was reported that a director ejected several “young men” of ‘the best families’” from the theater because of their rowdy behavior.

“One of the significant features of amateur theatre,” the author writes, “is its involvement in and reflection of community. When rail service arrived in Las Vegas, it brought many new people of diverse ethnicities and races and thus strengthened ‘ethnic consciousness’ among the Neuvo Mexicanos. As a result, Spanish-language newspapers, featuring sections on literature, poetry, and popular fiction, flourished…”

Las Vegas performances were only a part of the big picture when it came to live amateur performances. The antics on stage at Fort Union and the competitiveness among the theatrical companies at the fort reflect a somewhat farcical real life tension that played itself out in the pages of the Las Vegas Optic in the form of reviews, which sometimes took on a rather acerbic and personal tone.

A good writer of historical fact takes many elements and puts them together in entertaining ways. In Footlights in the Foothills, Edwina has done that and more. Her attention to detail and informed understanding of the period leads to a book worth having on your bookshelf so you can go back to it time and again.

Footlights in the Foothills, Amateur Theatre of Las Vegas and Fort Union New Mexico, 1871-1899, ($16.95), by Edwina Portelle Romero is published by Sunstone Press and is available at Tome on the Range in Las Vegas, N.M. and at other fine bookstores.

Blessings in Disguise

Joseph Baca’s memoir, “Blessings in Disguise,” is equal parts history, family dynamics under stressful and sometimes violent circumstances, humor, spiritual awakening and inspiration. It is the story of one man’s life and how it was shaped by circumstances, but not defined by circumstances.

Baca is brutally honest about himself, his father’s brutality, his own mistakes, triumphs and joys. Despite times of darkness in his life Baca could always see the light ahead. In the book he credits his wife Loretta, with helping him see himself in a new way.

His dreams were more than dreams they were affirmations: “Good morning KFUN and KLVF hill, I love you and one day I am going to own you and you will be mine.” He started repeating that affirmation more than 20 years ago and eventually made it happen.

He also told his wife his Wednesday and Saturday lottery ticket purchases would someday bring in a million dollars. Apparently Joseph was the only one who wasn’t surprised when it happened.

“Blessings in Disguise,” begins with vignettes of Joseph Baca as a child. It details the verbal and physical abuse he received at the hands of a troubled father who turned his own demons on those closest to him. Joseph felt the brunt of that alcohol driven anger many times. It created an angry youngster who ended up finding trouble even when he wasn’t looking for it.

The memoir is touching, funny, heartbreaking and triumphant. It tells of Baca’s own struggle against the power of his past, which threatened to invade and take over his present and his future. He writes about the spirit that seemed to guide him past these dark times when anger and a feeling that his father was right when he said, “You’ll never be worth a damn and you’ll never accomplish anything in life.”

With grit and determination Baca has proven El Wille (his father) wrong, although that wasn’t his intent. His success is a blessing he counts with thanksgiving in his heart, not with revenge in his mind.

Baca said writing the book has been cathartic, allowing him to perhaps shine a light on his past and blow away the shadows that have haunted him for years.

“Blessings in Disguise,” is available at Tome on the Range in Las Vegas, N.M., and from the author. Baca will be the guest author at a reading and book-signing event at Tome on Saturday, Sept. 17 beginning at 3 p.m.