Taos loves writers and I rode on a cloud of enthusiasm for my signing and reading at the Somos Salon: Society of the Muse of the Southwest. I was thrilled when Kristina Ortez de Jones, the executive director of Somos invited me to their salon. She smoothed the way and the readers who came to play the Scene Read Game with me had great questions. One even encouraged me to write a story based on historic happenings in Taos.
Click on article to enlarge.
My deepest gratitude to Teresa Dovalpage for this article. She is the author of five novels and most recently A Brief Guide to Taos. Where to Eat, Shop, Work Out . . . and More. Teresa is originally from Cuba and has five novels to her credit. She was generous with her time and enthusiasm and we both love big dogs: We even exchanged pictures of our big babies. Mine was my traveling companion on the drive to New Mexico and return to L.A. Here's one of Joey cavorting at the Kit Carson Park. He's got a back pack on which slows him down slightly.
Since my book launched last October, I've learned not only who my real friends are, but also met people I want to get to know better, like Teresa, and who follow through on their promises.
She's savvy about Taos and suggested I stay at the dog-friendly El Pueblo Lodge where everyone–from the check-in desk to the custodians–was helpful, conversational and seemed . . . happy.
My thanks also to Thelma Reyna for connecting me via email to Teresa. Thelma is an award-winning poet and author. She and I sat on a panel concerning banned books last year. I can only hope that The Sandoval Sisters' Secret of Old Blood will get banned for the outrageous erotica contained within its covers.
Getting your book banned is analogous to an artist becoming famous after death sans the not breathing part. People groan about the sex and revolution in your book to the press and the next thing you know Good Morning America interviews you. That's my dream!
I read and signed in Taos and then Albuquerque, but in Santa Fe I spoke to students at the high school. More on that adventure soon.
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