Get ready for the Booknanza at Mesilla Valley Mall this July! Meet the authors, learn more about writing, and buy their books for yourself and as gifts.…
Summer Booknanza 2026!
Request for 2026 Southern New Mexico Book Festival Vendor Applications
We are ready to accept applications from authors, booksellers, and book-related vendors to participate in the 2026 Second Annual Southern New Mexico Book Festival (SNMBF).
The 2026 SNMBF will be held on Saturday, October 3, 2026, at the DASR building at the Doña Ana Community College East Mesa campus on 2800 Sonoma Ranch Blvd.
This year, we are expanding beyond the common area into the courtyard, so we will be able to accommodate more vendors. If you choose to be in the courtyard, you have the option of using your own table or renting a half or whole 6-foot table.
Follow the appropriate link to access the online application that applies to your situation.
Link to Author Vendor form – https://forms.gle/W1bgwHkCnq4LGPyi6
Link to Bookseller/Publisher Vendor form – https://forms.gle/AkXL23rnNw95iHUx8
Link to Book-related Vendor form – https://forms.gle/R8qf9LseUqpAQJho6
If you participated in the 2025 Southern New Mexico Book Festival (SNMBF) and you want to use the same headshot and book cover that you submitted last year, email us at snmbookfestival@gmail.com. Put your name as the subject.
DO NOT SUBMIT PAYMENT UNTIL YOUR APPLICATION IS APPROVED. When you are accepted, you will receive instructions about how to pay. There will be an online payment option.
We still need volunteers to help with the 2026 SNMBF. Only children’s book authors will do readings. Author panels by genre will replace adult author readings. We need authors to serve as panelists and moderators; help with planning and conducting workshops; getting sponsors and food vendors; and doing …
June 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 June 13th, 2026
Agenda
- Call to Order
- Welcome New Members
- Membership and Financials
- Member Accomplishments
- Vote on next years LCW Board Members
- Readings by members?? (THIS COULD BE YOU!)
- Discussion: Supporting characters. How do good supporting characters propel a story forward? What makes a good supporting character?
- Writing prompts
- Time & Date of next meeting reminders
- Adjournment
Meet in May
May you rise in sunlight
And quicken in the day.
May you write of springtime
When we meet again in May
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 May 9th, 2026
Agenda
- Call to Order
- Welcome New Members
- Membership and Financials
- Member Accomplishments
- POV discussion (first, second, third, limited, omniscient, strengths and weaknesses of each)
- Readings by members?? (THIS COULD BE YOU!)
- Writing prompt (I have two good ones, and we can hit both if we have time)
- Time & Date of next meeting reminders
- Adjournment
2026 Southern New Mexico Book Festival
April 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 April 11th, 2026
Agenda
- Call to Order
- Welcome New Members
- Membership and Financials
- Member Accomplishments
- Mira! Las Cruces!
- Carol Potenza – Going Wide – Other than Amazon Book Sellers
- Booknanza discussion
- Readings by members?? (THIS COULD BE YOU!)
- POV Discussion (read up on the different POV types and their strengths!)
- Time & Date of next meeting reminders
- Adjournment
Las Cruces Public Schools and Las Cruces Writers at the 5th Annual Spring Literacy Extravaganza
Join Las Cruces Writers at the 5th Annual Spring Literacy Extravaganza hosted by Las Cruces Public Schools. I went through the LCPS system long ago and much of the literacy seems to have stuck!
This is a great opportunity for kids and their families. LCW will be giving away free books, too!
Per the announcement, get literate from 5-7PM on April 9th at the Field of Dreams.
Check out the venue from last year:
Book Release: Spencer MacCallum en Español!
Award-winning Las Cruces Writer Charmayne Samuelson has released a Spanish version of her biography of Spencer MacCallum, a critical figure in the development of the Mata Ortiz pottery school of Mexico.
Here are some upcoming events she is doing:
The book launch AND tour begins on Friday, April 17, 2026 from 6-8 at the prestigious Otero Arts Center Reading Program in Alamogordo, NM, where I will be the guest speaker and will share thoughts about everything from the Creative Process to Publishing to the significance of winning awards for not only me but those I write about. I will be signing the new book as well as many of my other books.
The second launch date is Sunday, May 3, 2026 in Tucson, AZ. I will join the renowned Tito Carillo’s Mata Fest, joining famous potters from Mata Ortiz, and signing all three Mata Ortiz books.
The third launch date will be Saturday, June 20, 2026, in Silver City, AZ, at the Silver City Museum for the Silver City Clay Festival. The museum features the stunning work of Mata Ortiz Potter Oralia Lopez and others, and I will be doing 3 slide show presentations and signing books for you!
Miracles of Tortugas
Las Cruces Writer George Pintar has released a new novel of local interest, Miracles of Tortugas.
Here’s a synopsis to whet the appetite:
…In a world where survival often feels like an act of faith, Miracles of Tortugas tells seven short stories of quiet resilience, unexpected grace, and the slow courage it takes to keep moving forward.
Set against a landscape shaped by memory, loss, and longing, this novel follows characters who carry their wounds like secrets—searching for meaning in the ordinary and hope in the impossible. As miracles appear in the most unlikely forms and Tortugas become symbols of patience, endurance, and return, the line between chance and destiny begins to blur.
Tender yet unflinching, Miracles of Tortugas are stories about learning when to wait, when to fight, and when to believe. It reminds us that not all miracles arrive suddenly—some take their time, moving steadily toward us, one small step at a time.
A luminous exploration of love, faith, and the strength found in moving forward, even when the path is uncertain.
March Meeting Madness!
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 March 14th, 2026
Agenda
- Call to Order
- Welcome New Members
- Membership and Financials
- Member Accomplishments
- Rosemary poem and questions
- Genre discussion
- Readings by members?? (THIS COULD BE YOU!)
- Writing prompt (something outside your genre)
- Time & Date of next meeting reminders
- Adjournment