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Category: Writers

Charmayne Samuelson has a Best Seller (and More!)

Posted on October 18, 2023October 18, 2023 by Mark Davis

LCW’s very own Charmayne Samuelson is now a best seller on Amazon in the Latin American Biographies category with her new book, SPENCER MacCALLUM Memories-Mystique-Mata Ortiz. Here’s the synopsis:

Was it all destiny? The mesmerizing Spencer MacCallum story is the tale of an incurable explorer who meets his destiny! Charmayne Samuelson is an Award-Winning Author introducing this authorized and definitive biography of Spencer MacCallum, the American Princeton-educated anthropologist who discovered Juan Quezada and Mata Ortiz pottery. Buying three distressed pots in Deming, NM, he was sure they were prehistoric. When told they were not, he went on an adventure to find the potter and did not give up until he did. Praise for the book from Mata Ortiz experts hails it as “Wonderfully written!” and “An important book!” A biography in progress for many years, and after hundreds of interview hours and extensive research extracting his life story from audio and video tapes, this cross-border adventure is now available for all to enjoy. From childhood, each step of Spencer’s life seemed destined to take him to Juan Quezada and Mata Ortiz. His natural curiosity at a young age of discovering ancient relics continued on with this incredible tale of him trekking across Mexico to find one single potter, dirt-poor farmer/cowboy Juan Quezada, propelling him onto the world stage as an unlikely superstar artist. As time went on, and as Spencer’s legacy, thousands of village potters have found true artistic and monetary success in their once-dirt-poor village in Mata Ortiz,

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LCW October Meeting

Posted on October 6, 2023October 6, 2023 by Mark Davis

Where

Good Samaritan Village 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

1:30-3:30 pm October 12th, 2023
Executive staff will meet 30 minutes early.

Agenda

Call to order, welcome new members, and discuss accomplishments (there are many!)
Membership and financial reports
Discuss dues
December book signing: George Pintar
Main program: Writing tips by Efrem Carrasco…

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Donnell Ann Bell wins award!

Posted on October 2, 2023October 2, 2023 by Mark Davis

Las Cruces Writer Donnell Ann Bell‘s novel, Until Dead, was awarded Best Thriller Novel at the tenth anniversary of 2023 Imaginarium Convention, a convention for creatives in Louisville, Kentucky. You can see the entire list of winners here.

Donnell will also be discussing writing at the Thomas Branigan Memorial Library on October 16th. Here’s the scoop:

The Friends of Thomas Branigan Memorial Library present:

The Small World of Writing

According to Toner Buzz, approximately four million books are published every year. Writers, then it would seem, are everywhere, including here in Las Cruces. Perhaps you know a writer living nearby. But what are the odds that two mystery authors would live catty-corner to each other? What’s more, after making this discovery, the two would become fans of each other’s work.

At 1:30 p.m., Monday, October 16, 2023, join authors Bailey Herrington and Donnell Ann Bell for a fun and lively conversation as Bailey “Skip” Herington interviews Donnell about research, the writing process, contests, critique groups, beta readers and more. We just might squeeze in a few questions about her award-winning romantic suspense novels and FBI Cold Case Series.

…
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Desert Exposure Winners!

Posted on September 30, 2023September 30, 2023 by Mark Davis

Southern NM’s Desert Exposure arts and culture magazine just selected LCW’s own Karen Ray for Grand Prize for her poem “Flying with Sheets” that recollects the idyll of youth growing up in the desert. It reminded me of hitching those spring winds with a sheet fashioned into a sail and attached to a ten speed, all part of my own crazy, experimental youth.

Multiple winner Efram Carrasco won Prose Honorable Mention for “The Desert Girl,” and many other local writers won awards as well.

Finally, LCW’s Charmayne Samuelson’s new biography Spencer MacCallum Memories – Mystique – Mata Ortiz is discussed in the same issue.

To check out all these great works, you can read the PDF or pick up a copy locally.…

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Visit the LCW 2023 Booknanza!

Posted on June 13, 2023June 13, 2023 by Mark Davis

Las Cruces Writers sign and sell their magnificent books twice per year at the Mesilla Valley Mall. Come check it out from noon to 3 PM near the Barnes & Noble. Here’s the poster:

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LCW June Meeting

Posted on June 1, 2023June 1, 2023 by Mark Davis

Where

Good Samaritan Village 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

1:30-3:30 pm June 8th, 2023
Executive staff will meet 30 minutes early.

Agenda

  • Call to order, welcome new members
  • Membership and Financial Report
  • Discuss the future meeting place for LCW
  • Hear from members about their successes, accomplishments, new books, etc
  • Update on Writing Contests
  • Discuss electing new officers for the fiscal year beginning August 1
  • Member Readings:
    • Arnold
    • Eva
    • Gretchen
    • Frank
…
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Still Life Musings: A Small Haiga Collection

Posted on May 31, 2023May 31, 2023 by mark

Las Cruces Writers author Fenton Kay publishes again! His book of poetry, Still Life Musing: A Small Haiga Collection is now available on Lulu Press.

A haiga is like a haiku but combines images or paintings with the text of the poem. Fenton’s work, which I had the pleasure of critiquing and editing last year, builds imagery around people, places, plants, and creatures in his world.…

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Dear Jennifer: The Jenny Princess Letters by Fenton Kay

Posted on May 25, 2023May 31, 2023 by mark

Fenton Kay’s new children’s book, Dear Jennifer: The Jenny Princess Letters, is now available at the Lulu Bookstore (Ebook version, here). Fenton will be selling inscribed copies on June 10th at COAS Bookstore as well!

Here’s the lowdown on the highborn:

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A Legacy of Service

Posted on May 14, 2023May 14, 2023 by Mark Davis

Las Cruces Writers recently learned of the death of Bob Worthington, our long-time member, contributor, and a former president of the organization. Bob’s obituary will be a testament to his service to his country as a veteran Army officer who served in harrowing combat and published at least three award-winning volumes about his military service.

Bob was a font of interesting stories. One evening while on the phone discussing an upcoming LCW meeting, Bob mentioned that he had met Marylin Monroe and I prodded him for the details. It seems that when he was a teenager in Connecticut he delivered groceries to Ms. Monroe when she lived there during her marriage to Arthur Miller. He said she would perch in cigarette pants and an oversized man’s collared shirt, just like her image from the era, while he put the groceries away in the kitchen, chatting with him about nothing in particular.

I asked Bob if his exposure to the arts community that swirled around Miller at the time influenced him in his interest in commercial art as an undergraduate, but he didn’t see the connection there, instead suggesting that his early work in the studio of a yet-to-be-famous Alexander Calder might have been more influential. But that path then transformed into his long military service that he has written so extensively about.

May he rest in peace with thanks for his service to all of us—even Marilyn Monroe’s groceries.…

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LCW May Meeting

Posted on May 3, 2023May 3, 2023 by Mark Davis
black and red typewriter

Where

Good Samaritan Village 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

1:30-3:30 pm May 11th, 2023
Executive staff will meet 30 minutes early.

Agenda

  • Call to order, welcome new members
  • Discuss the July book signing. This will be the last day to sign up as a participant. Bring $30 (cash or check) to secure your table or table half.
  • Discussion on plot development and/or round-robin discussion from the membership on helpful hints concerning writing, cover selection, interior design, blurbs, self-publishing etc.
…
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Recent Posts

  • Southern New Mexico Book Festival
  • Charmayne Samuelson at Reader’s Favorite
  • Eva Nevarez St. John on Friendship, Healing, and Murder Most Foul at Branigan!
  • Karen Ray in the Gila Centennial Anthology!
  • Fenton Kay in ENMU’s Ridgeline Review 2025!

Recent Comments

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  • Diego Salazar on October 2024 Meeting
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