by Lee Nichols & Margaret Moser
*
THU, OCT 31: Book People will host two book signings on Halloween.
Lebanese-American poet Etel Adnan will read from and sign copies of her poetry
collection, Sit Marie Rose, at 5pm. At 7pm, Jan Waldron will discuss and
sign copies of her Giving Away Simone, her account of giving her child
up for adoption. Waldron is the keynote speaker at the Adoption Knowledge
Association’s conference, Nov. 1 and 2.
* FRI, NOV 1: Book People begins its celebration of the First Congress of Latin
American and Spanish Writers in the United States at 7pm with a group reading
from Grupo Navengante, featuring Mexican writer Leon Gutierrez (Donde la
ausencia, among other titles), Argentinean author Florencia Cortes-Conde
(Mitologi as Herejes), and Honduran-born poet Claudia Torres
(Mariposa Amarilla), plus an open mike poetry reading featuring Congress
participants.
* SAT, NOV 2: Eddie Wilson, owner of Threadgill’s, will sign copies of
Threadgill’s: The Cookbook at 2pm at Book People… Book People
continues its celebration of the First Congress of Latin American and Spanish
Writers at 7pm with a poetry reading by Chilean poet Alberto Fuguet
(McOndo), Bolivian writer Edmundo Paz Soldan (Las mascaras de la
nada), and Mexican novelist David Toscana (Las bicicletas). An open
mike follows… The Austin Writers’ League hosts a nonfiction writing
conference through Sunday, Nov. 3. Included will be 10 national and regional
magazine editors, featuring keynote speaker Art Spikol, nonfiction columnist
for Writer’s Digest Magazine. Various topics will be covered in panel
discussions and small-group roundtables. Cost is $125 for AWL members and $160
for nonmembers. Call 499-8914… Elsa Marston will autograph her new children’s
book, Fox Maiden, and speak about writing at Toad Hall, 1-2:30pm…
Actor Ethan Hawke — no doubt you remember him from Richard Linklater’s
Before Sunrise — appears at Borders at 7:30pm to read from and sign his
debut novel, The Hottest State. There will be a special introduction by
director Linklater.
* SUN, NOV 3: Poet John Gery will read from and sign copies of
The Enemies of Leisure at Book People at 7pm.
* MON, NOV 4: Suzy and Bobby Byrd will host a discussion about the U.S.-Mexico
border at Book People at 7pm. The Byrds are the authors of The Late Great
Mexican Border: Reports from a Disappearing Line.
* WED, NOV 6: T.A. Barron will autograph the children’s book Lost
Years of Merlin at Book People at 6pm.
* THU, NOV 7: Paulette Jiles will autograph copies of North Spirits: Sojourns Among the Cree and Ojibway at Book People at 7pm… T.A. Barron
will autographs Lost Years of Merlin at Toad Hall, 4-6pm.
* ONGOING: Half Price Books has produced a children’s short story collection
titled Say Goodnight to Illiteracy, the proceeds of which, as you might
have guessed, will benefit literacy programs. The 22 stories, selected from
over 1,000 entries in a “Bedtime Story Contest,” includes “The Boy Who Couldn’t
Go to Sleep” by Austinite Lloyd Mardis. Entries for the 1997 volume will be
accepted this fall, due by December 31 of this year. Say Goodnight
retails at Half Price locations for $2.98…
“Post Scripts” is for author appearances and booksignings; the
deadline is two weeks before the issue date. Mail to The Austin
Chronicle, PO Box 49066, Austin, TX 78765; fax 458-6910.
This article appears in November 1 • 1996 and November 1 • 1996 (Cover).