Check out Las Cruces Writer and memoirist Karen Ray talk about writing at the virtual Kingdom Writers Conference on March 24th. Extra-nice: it’s free!
Karen Ray Speaks!
Charmayne Reigns!
Check out more exciting activities by award-winning Las Cruces Writer Charmayne Samuelson. Here’s a rundown of upcoming events straight from her mailing list:
…On Saturday evening, Feb. 28th, I accepted the very prestigious Southwest Book Award from the Border Regional Library Association in El Paso. It was a wonderful event! The BRLA is a stellar institution, and has given these Awards to Authors for 29 years. It is humbling to look at that list of Award-Winning authors and books, and now my name is added to them! Amazing. This is the 8 th Literary Award for my book, MATA ORTIZ POETRY OF THE CLAY, and I am so grateful and happy that this Award helps to shine even more light on the wonderful potters of Mata Ortiz, MX.
Coming up soon in Albuquerque, New Mexico: Join me Sat. March 21st, 2026, 10-1, at the Scarab Art Design House art gallery for New Mexico Book Awards Winners and Finalists “POETRY AND ART BOOK” event hosted by the New Mexico Book Awards. It just so happens that is what my book is: Poetry and Art! My book, POETRY OF THE CLAY POESIA DEL BARRO, won 5 NM Book Awards, including WINNER FIRST PLACE in Fine Art, FINALIST in Poetry, FINALIST in Cover Design, FINALIST in Coffee Table: FINALIST in Multicultural. I will be reading poetry and signing books! All my Albuquerque friends, come on out for this fun event! Thank you to Director Lisa McCoy and the New Mexico Book Awards
February Meeting!
Where
Las Cruces Village (formerly Good Samaritan) in the Creative Arts Room, 3011 Buena Vida Circle. Enter through the main administrative building entrance (parking is to the east of the building) and turn left in the first hallway to reach the room.
When
2:30-4:30 pm, Saturday February 21st, 2026
Agenda
1. Call to Order
2. Welcome to New Members
3. Membership and Financial Information
4. Member Accomplishments. (Let’s boast!)
5. Does anyone have a current poem to read? We will critique it, if you wish.
6. I will bring a lecture and worksheet about place. Like real estate—location, location, location. How important place is! Then we will write a short, creative version of the place you are contemplating. (Bring paper and pen.)
7. Does anyone have a short story to read? We’ll critique it. 😍😍
8. Q and A. Do you have a specific question or problem with your writing? We’ll help, if we can.
9. Our next meeting will be in three weeks. March 14, 2:30 – 4:30 in the Creative Art Room.
10. Adjourn. Let’s each be creative.
…
Hail the Lizard King!
Check out Las Cruces Writer and biologist Fenton Kay‘s new book about lizards, now available on Lulu and, soon, other vendors. It’s ready for 5th graders and up!
Here’s the scoop:
…Lizards have lived on Earth for millions of years. They are wondrous animals that fascinate most young people. Lizards live almost everywhere—in deserts, in forests, by the ocean, and in mountains. Lizards dive in the ocean, climb trees, glide through the air, swim in sand, run over water, and warm themselves on rocks. They eat all kinds of things. Some lizards eat fruit and leaves, some eat seaweed, many eat insects, and some eat snails. Some lizards signal by doing pushups and bobbing their heads. Others use body postures, color changes, and bright color patches to signal other lizards. This book talks about the things lizards do and has pictures of many lizards doing some of those things.
Enjoy Valentine’s Day!
The Las Cruces Writers meeting has been moved to February 21st. More details and agenda are forthcoming.…
Las Cruces Writer Charmayne Samuelson wins Southwest Book Award!
Yes, it’s official, Charmayne’s MATA ORTIZ POETRY OF THE CLAY Pottery. Poems. Artists: POESÍA DEL BARRO Cerámica. Poemas. Artistas just won the SOUTHWEST BOOK AWARD from the Border Regional Library Association. This represents the 8th award for the tome and is an inspiration for all border region writers and poets, especially since poetry is underrepresented and underappreciated in our modern era.…
A Poetic First Meeting of 2026!
In a long night in anxious times,
Stanzas clash in metrical rhymes.
Enjambments crouch in happenstance
Lurking as if spilled by chance.
With pens we frame visionary cheer
And meet in the light of a frothy new year.
Where
Las Cruces Village (formerly Good Samaritan) in the Creative Arts Room, 3011 Buena Vida Circle. Enter through the main administrative building entrance (parking is to the east of the building) and turn left in the first hallway to reach the room.
When
2:30-4:30 pm, Saturday January 10th, 2026
Agenda
Special Agenda: January is the Poetry meeting month! What does that mean? Bring your poems! Write some poems! Read some poems!
If you haven’t tried writing poetry yet, give it a try. You still have a week. If you have written some things, bring them along to read. If you haven’t and don’t want to, bring a poem from one of your favorite poets and read it.
We’ll also be writing some poems in the meeting with some prompts. Poems poems poems!
- Call to Order
- Welcome New Members
- Membership and Financials
- Member Accomplishments
- Poems reading
- Poems writing
- Favorite poems
- More poems reading
- More poems writing
- Time & Date of next meeting reminders
- Adjournment
December Meeting (NOTE New Meeting Room)
Where
Las Cruces Village (formerly Good Samaritan), 3011 Buena Vida Circle. Our meeting will NOT be taking place in the same room, however. Go down the stairs that are right outside the room we usually meet and there will be a large meeting room almost right at the bottom. We’ve met there several times before.
When
2:30-4:30 pm, Saturday December 13th, 2025
Agenda
- Call to Order
- Welcome New Members
- Membership and Financials
- Member Accomplishments
- Holiday themed writing prompts!
- Readings by members?? (THIS COULD BE YOU!)
- Current advertising techniques (we didn’t get to this last time and I’d really like to discuss)
- Goals for the new year as a writer
- Time & Date of next meeting reminders
- Adjournment
From Holiday Booknanzas to the Vatican
Las Cruces Writer Charmayne Samuelson’s award-winning book, MATA ORTIZ POETRY OF THE CLAY Pottery. Poems. Artists: POESÍA DEL BARRO Cerámica. Poemas. Artistas, is on its way to the Vatican with her Mata Ortiz collaborators. Here is Charmayne on the amazing events:
The outstanding Master Mata Ortiz potters, Hector Gallegos and Laura Bugarini, are now at the Vatican in Rome for a special Chihuahua, Mexico in Rome Christmas celebration. The photos here show their outstanding work in creating magnificent life-sized statues of the nativity scene.
They also presented my book to the Ambassador of Mexico to the Holy See, Alberto Barranco Chavarría. I would have never dreamed that my work, my poetry/pottery book would speed around the world to the VATICAN. This is a truly blessed Christmas!
Fenton Kay Short Story!
Las Cruces Writer Fenton Kay has a new short story, “Reverse Lend-Lease: Keeping the Freezer Stocked,” published at Twist and Twain out of India! Fenton has a wide range of writing interests but his background in biology is always present, whether in mysteries, science fiction, or here in a jungle hunt to fulfill the vision of a far-from-home chef.…