Postscripts

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Texas Writers Month

The eighth annual Texas Writers Month begins in a few days and, as usual, a wealth of readings, panels, and parties are planned. First we have to finish up April, however:

° UT Press' annual book sale takes place on the grounds of the press (I-35 & Manor Road) on Friday, April 27, from 10am-6pm, and on Saturday, April 28, from 10am-3pm. There will be discounts of up to 90% on all kinds of regional interest books (like gardening titles) and scholarly books from Cinema Studies to Multicultural Studies. Free parking in the UT Press parking lot. Call 471-7233 for more information.

° Legendary mystery matriarch P.D. James will be at Barnes & Noble Arboretum on Friday, April 27, at 7:30pm, to read from her new Adam Dagliesh mystery, Death in Holy Orders.

° Patricia Wynn, an Austin writer who has written 10 romance novels through traditional outlets, found herself frustrated by the "the restrictions placed upon … creativity by the mass marketing strategies of the major publishing houses," so she did something about it. In 1997, she founded The Authors Studio (www.theauthorsstudio.org), a community of published genre writers who own and operate their own small presses. The point is to make direct author-to-reader sales. Her new book, The Birth of Blue Satan, is a historical mystery set in 1715. She'll be at BookPeople on Friday, April 27, at 7pm.

° Borderlands Texas Poetry Review has found a new home, a multi-use warehouse in Lockhart and they're throwing a party to help raise funds. On Saturday, April 28, current Dobie Paisano fellow Craig Arnold, the Austin Poetry Slam Team, and a host of other poets will be at the warehouse (702 Wichita) celebrating; John Beauchamp and the Duquaines will perform and barbecue will be served. See www.borderlands.org for directions; admission by donation; BYOB. Doors open at 6pm.

° This year, the Texas Writers Month Kick-off Party takes place at the Texas State Cemetery (909 Navasota), so although there will be lots of living writers in attendance (Liz Carpenter, Elmer Kelton, etc.), a few dead ones will be there, too: Fred Gipson (Old Yeller), J. Frank Dobie, and Walter Prescott Webb, for example. Rob Moag will be performing Western swing music, and a portion of the sales from books by authors in attendance benefit the Austin Public Library. Free food; free and open to the public. Sponsored by Barnes & Noble and the Texas Writers Project. Tuesday, May 1, from 6-10pm.

° Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni (Arranged Marriages, Sister of My Heart) has a new collection of short stories, The Unknown Errors of Our Lives. She'll be at BookPeople on Wednesday, May 2, at 7pm.

° Mystery Week, a special program of Texas Writers Month that, obviously, celebrates mystery writing, kicks off on Saturday, May 5, from 12-2pm, with authors Arlene Gause-Jackson, Evelyn Palfrey, and Darryl Wimberley participating in a panel discussion called "Black, Blue, and Thrilled" at Mitchie's Fine Black Art & Gift Gallery (5706 Manor Rd.).