Bulletin report
Nearly 50 local authors have been selected to participate in Celebrate Authors 2022, which will be held 2-4 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 18 at Thomas Branigan Library, 200 E. Picacho Ave. The event was started by The Friends of the Branigan Library in 2014. This year’s sponsors are MOONBOW Alterations and Moonbow’s Book Nook, 225 E. Idaho Ave. #32.
Here is information about some of this year’s participating authors:
- George Pintar writes fictional stories about the Southwest. He has experience as a teacher, school administrator, educational consultant and business owner. As a private pilot, Pintar saw the vast landscape of the United States from high. He is best known for his fictional character Chile Charlie, featured in Pintar’s book, “The Adventures of Chile Charlie.” In that series of short stories, Pintar portrays what life was like in some ghost towns in the southwest corner of New Mexico.
- Bob Worthington is an award-winning nonfiction writer with more than 2,600 publications (articles and books). His current book, “Fighting Viet Cong in the Rung Sat,” a memoir, describes his second tour in the Vietnam War as a combat advisor to Vietnamese troops and as a special operations expert. The book on his first tour won a national award for literary excellence and the Rung Sat book is under consideration for a national award. Worthington is a retired Army officer and writing professor. "Writing is my profession and I enjoy it; I produce about a dozen magazine articles and one book a year," he said.
- Charmayne Samuelson has given a valuable gift to her great-great nephews, Cole, 10, and Chase, 8, Martin: the experience of authoring and publishing a story coloring book. “What I Love! Said Rubee Dove” features a beautiful, ruby-colored dove who is bullied because she is different until one day she saves the other desert doves and becomes their heroine. Samuelson also published other story coloring books for all ages featuring local Southwest Desert animals: “I Am Whatever I Need: Shaped by Southwest Desert Animals” and “How to Draw Southwest Desert Animals,” along with a novel, “Mystery of the Lost Kingdom of Gold. Visit charmaynesamuelson.com.
- Fenton Kay is a retired biologist and published author who lives in Las Cruces, the location of his two most recent Carol Montgomery Mysteries, “The Old Courthouse,” about strange noises in the old Doña Ana County Courthouse, and “A Piano in the Night, about a haunted century-old adobe. Kay has also published three mysteries in the O’Flaithearta Biological Consultants series. He writes for pleasure and because over his lifetime, he has enjoyed some adventures and has tales to tell. At 79, Kay reminds would-be authors that you are never too old to have a go at putting your thoughts on paper (or your computer).
- Jack Eakman, former Las Cruces city councilor, is the author of “Thank You for Leading” discusses the key talents that shape the excellent leader. Eakman chose 12 outstanding leaders in New Mexico and what sets them apart. “Thank You for Your Lessons” describes the powerful mentors that contributed significantly to Eakman’s successes. The lessons portrayed will save the leader/reader valuable time in developing their skills and approaches. Eakman holds a baccalaureate degree in business administration and a master’s degree in public administration. A former hospital administrator in a nonprofit teaching hospital, Eakman specializes in team building, mission focus and performance management.
- Jan Toomer is the author of “Re-Writing My Future: A Stroke in Time,” which takes a look at Toomer’s life growing up as a multi-talented sensitive who had a stroke as a young adult. She shares how it affected her mentally and physically, as well as her metaphysical, spiritual and paranormal aspects. Toomer wrote the book for stroke survivors, their caretakers and anyone with metaphysical abilities who needs to know they aren’t alone. “For those who would like to write, know that your experiences and perceptions are unique to you – no one else has the same story to tell, so go for it,” Toomer said.
- Kathy Armstrong Pudil is the author of “A Mother’s Heart Beat,” a work of women’s contemporary fiction and some science fiction. The book is about Chickee, a woman who develops a device that allows children’s bodies to “listen” to a mother’s heartbeat. Linking heartbeats has awful side effects but keeps a person young. Later, she discovers that she can help suffering elderly people by using the device to “transition” them from life into death. As a writer, Armstrong Pudil has always kept journals, notes and lists and written down her dreams in the middle of the night. Visit heartofeternity394938455.wordpress.com.
- Mary Armstrong’s historical fiction series “The Two Valleys Saga” takes you to 1880s New Mexico Territory where Mesilla Valley’s law and order doesn’t work in the Tularosa. Her fictional protagonist, young Jesus “Chuy” Messi joins the adventurous, imaginative and fun-loving Fountains to “read law” with Albert J. Fountain. The series covers the most turbulent period in southern New Mexico’s history, leading to the disappearance of Fountain and his 8-year-old son and an event that painted the politics of southern New Mexico since. Armstrong moved to Las Cruces in 2010. She previously wrote a column for Sun-News and has contributed to magazines and journals.
- Raymond Giordano is the author of “All the Roads.” Giodano was born in Rhode Island. After, being picked, pulled and extracted from his birthplace at the age of 12, his life began to take shape and purpose. “I would have never thought it would take me here to the Land of Enchantment and allow me to meet a beautiful Mesilla native born girl named Belinda,” Giordano said. “I think you will find in my book a lot of all the roads that led us through 58 years of marriage. The book covers all the laughter, sorrows, joy, patriotism, career, love, faith, friendship and travels.”
- Ron Washburn is the author of “Murder in E-Town.” In the fall of 1870 a woman, badly beaten and suffering from hypothermia, stumbled into the Pearson Saloon in the New Mexico Territory mining settlement of “E-Town.” Her husband had just killed their young son and a passing traveler. Her story fell upon the ears of well-known gunslinger Clay Allison and his gang. What happened next would become one of the most notorious stories ever to come out of New Mexico. Washburn has been writing since he was old enough to read. His stories range from westerns to science fiction and fantasy.
- Tanya Dawson is the author of “Andersen Light: A Meta-Normal Novel,” a young adult, superhero fantasy, an empowering, becoming-who-you-are adventure for the young and young-at-heart. Georgie Jones rescues her siblings from their stepfather, then moves to live with her dad in Mystic Creek, Oregon. When a bully at her new school pummels her friend, Georgie sends the bully flying across the schoolyard. This is the day Luther Andersen, lighthouse keeper, mystic and professor, has been waiting for. Dawson had a life-long career in cyber security. She calls her writing “bright YA fiction.” Dawson’s tip to writers is one she must do every day: manage distractions!
- Tim Staley is originally from Alabama and has lived in Las Cruces since 2001. He is a high school English teacher who recently started a freestyle rap and song production club for his students. His rap persona is MC Flashcard; His DJ persona is The Tater. Staley’s second full-length poetry collection, “The Pieces You Have Left,” includes poems written 2016-20 about nature, death and “the solid beams and poles that support society.” Staley’s advice for other writers: “The process of writing creatively is mentally healthy even if you never show anyone; also, tell Alice Davenport thanks for supporting local authors!”
For more information, contact Davenport at 575-527-1411 and adavenport@totacc.com. Visit her at Moonbow.
