Book Briefs

WRITERS GROUPS SET TO WELCOME SISTER SPEAKERS

The Las Vegas Romance Writers plan to meet at 10 a.m. Saturday in the Wengert room at NV Energy, 6226 W. Sahara Ave. After the general meeting P.I. Barrington and Loni Emmert are scheduled to speak at 10:30 a.m.

After an extended detour through the entertainment industry, Barrington has come full circle to fiction writing. She is the author of an e-book trilogy "Future Imperfect," a science-fiction novella and a mystery co-authored with her sister, Emmert.

Emmert has spent the past 25 years working in the music industry and writing press releases and magazine articles and now has returned to her passion of fiction writing. Her first two novels are "Button Hollow Chronicles No. 1: The Leaf Peeper Murders" and "Lights! Camera! Murder!" She is currently working on her first thriller.

For more information, visit meetup.com/writers-1024/.

The sisters also are set to speak to the Las Vegas Writers Group at 7 p.m. Jan. 20 at the Tap House, 5589 W. Charleston Blvd. For more information, visit meetup.com/las-vegas-writers/.

FORMER MOBSTERS, AGENTS AND AUTHORS TO SHARE SECRETS DURING MOB MONTH

The Clark County Library, 1401 E. Flamingo Road, is hosting a Mob Month series to allow local Mafia enthusiasts to meet their favorite mob authors and hear first-person accounts from mobsters and FBI special agents.

Author Warren Hull and television reporter Jonathan Humbert are set to tackle the question of "Who Killed Bugsy Siegel?" in a panel discussion with mob grandson Meyer Lansky III and former FBI special agent Dennis Arnoldy at 7 p.m. today.

Join former mob men Henry Hill, Frank Cullotta and Andrew DiDonato; actor Craig Vincent; author Dennis Griffin; and Mob Museum curator Kathleen Hickey Barrie as they talk about Hollywood's portrayal of the mob at 7 p.m. Jan. 18.

"Surviving the Mob" will be discussed by DiDonato and Griffin with input from Mayor Oscar Goodman and video clips from DiDonato's documentary film and sneak peeks inside the Mob Museum at 7 p.m. Jan. 25.

Representatives from the Clark County Nevada Genealogical Society will be on hand to demonstrate how to find information on nefarious ancestors in your own family tree at 2 p.m. Jan. 22.

All events are free and open to the public. For more information, call 507-3458 or visit lvccld.org.

'ACHIEVEMENT JOURNAL' AUTHOR TO LEAD LIFE MAPPING WORKSHOPS

Author Judi Moreo plans to host "Campaign You 2011," a set of life mapping workshops, from 9 a.m. to noon Jan. 26 at the Las Vegas Review-Journal's Bonanza Building, 1111 W. Bonanza Road.

The workshop fee is $75, which includes a copy of Moreo's "Achievement Journal." To register, call 387-5260.

LIBRARY TO HOST AFRICAN-AMERICAN LOCAL AUTHORS SYMPOSIUM

An African-American Local Authors Symposium is scheduled from 3 to 5 p.m. Feb. 5 at the Clark County Library, 1401 E. Flamingo Road.

The event is an open house mixer with the authors, guest panelists and book signings. For more information, call 507-3458.

FREE STORYCORPS TOOLKIT HELPS COLLECT MEMORIES

The national StoryCorps' Memory Loss Initiative encourages people with memory loss to share their stories with loved ones and future generations. To make that task easier, a free step-by-step toolkit is available to download at storycorps.org/mli. The Commemorate toolkit offers an individual reminiscence program that family members can initiate or memory loss care facilities can add to activities. For more information, visit storycorps.org or call (646) 723-7027.

Writers of Southern Nevada To host memoir workshop

Writers of Southern Nevada's first public event, a one-day writer's conference titled "Telling Your Story: The Craft & Business of Memoir Writing," is scheduled for March 5 at the Gold Coast, 4000 W. Flamingo Road.

Linda Joy Myers, author of "The Power of Memoir," plans to share tips on how to craft a marketable manuscript. Jack Sheehan and Mary-Ann Tirone Smith plan sessions on research, interview techniques and style. Oksana Marafioti, author of the upcoming memoir "American Gypsy," has agreed to speak on organization, details and how to captivate an audience. Literary agent B.J. Robbins is scheduled to deliver a keynote address on the special challenges facing biographers and memoirists in today's market. The conference will conclude with a networking reception for faculty, attendees and published memoirists.

The conference price is $115 through Jan. 31 and $125 after. The price includes breakfast, lunch and afternoon tea. For more information, visit nevadawriters.org.

SUNRISE COFFEE CO. ON SUNSET ROAD HOSTS OPEN MIC NIGHT WEDNESDAYS

Sunrise Coffee Co. welcomes poets and poetry fans to participate in its open mic night starting at 7 p.m. every Wednesday at 3130 E. Sunset Road.

ACCESS RECORDED BOOK PROGRAMS ONLINE

Too busy to get out to book programs? Don't fret. The Las Vegas-Clark County Library District has started posting videocasts and podcasts of many of its programs online. Selections available so far include: "An Afternoon with Tony Curtis," John L. Smith's presentation "Amelia's Long Journey: The Challenge of Writing What You Know," "Batman" movie producer Michael Uslan's presentation at the 2009 Vegas Valley Comic Book Festival, Jami Carpenter's "ABCs of Editing" workshop and Brian Rouff's "Getting Published: A Long Strange Trip."

To access the programs, visit lvccld.org, select "Books, Movies & More" and then "Video and Podcasts."

The Black Mountain Institute has offered recordings of its programming since 2006. To access recordings of a gamut of writers from E.L. Doctorow to Kay Ryan, visit blackmountaininstitute.org and select "multimedia."

LIBRARY DISTRICT BEGINS PAPERLESS PUSH

The Las Vegas-Clark County Library District wants your e-mail address.

On July 1, the district will discontinue the mailing of hold and overdue notices. After that date, notifications will only be provided electronically. But patrons can elect to receive notices electronically now.

Advantages include: a courtesy notice via e-mail three days before your items will be overdue, prompt notices when held items are available and a library newsletter and events notices via e-mail.

E-mail addresses can be submitted online at lvccld.org, at any library customer service desk or by phone at 507-3595.

'The Utopian' webcomic released as book

Local writer/artist Pj Perez's serial webcomic "The Utopian" has been compiled into a 109-page mass-market paperback available at theutopiancomic.com.

The story follows disillusioned high school senior James Douglas' attempt to change the world around him hiding behind the identity of the "Utopian."

The book features a digitally painted cover by Hernan Valencia. Perez also has included eight pages of annotations, detailing the history and process behind the graphic novel, which he bills as "America's most emo comic strip."

'BENEATH THE NEON' AUTHOR TO SIGN COPIES OF 'MY WEEK AT THE BLUE ANGEL'

Matthew O'Brien, author of "Beneath the Neon: Life and Death in the Tunnels of Las Vegas," is scheduled to sign copies of his newest title, "My Week at the Blue Angel: And Other Stories from the Storm Drains, Strip Clubs, and Trailer Parks of Las Vegas," at 1 p.m. Feb. 5 at the 8915 W. Charleston Blvd. Barnes & Noble.

For more information about O'Brien and his books, visit beneaththeneon.com.

FREE READ TO ME PROGRAM OFFERS STORIES ONLINE AND BY PHONE

Celebrity storytellers Oscar Goodman, Rita Rudner, Clint Holmes, Terry Fator, Carrot Top, The Scintas and others have donated their talents to the Clark County Education Association Community Foundation's Read To Me program. Children can view more than 15 videos of celebrities reading books on the website at readtomelv.com. Stories also can be accessed by calling 240-2665.

Both databases are frequently updated with fresh stories. Parents and teachers can download lesson plans for each book on the website.

DOWNLOAD BOOKS and MORE FROM YOUR PUBLIC LIBRARY

Virtual Branch websites make it easy to browse, check out and download digital books and more to a home computer for free. All patrons need is a valid library card and an Internet-connected PC.

Virtual Branch download websites feature a digital catalog of downloadable audio books, eBooks, music and video titles.

Each site is meant to look and feel like the library's main site, and it has many easy-to-use features similar to an online store.

Digital book downloads are borrowed just like print materials. Once patrons select the title or author they want, they follow the steps to check out and then download the title to their home computer.

Patrons can transfer most titles to portable media players, such as MP3 players, PDAs or smart phones.

Each title that is downloaded has a designated lending period. When the title expires, it is automatically returned to the Virtual Branch, so there are no late fees.

For more information, visit http://search.overdrive.com.

LOCAL AUTHOR'S SELF-HELP JOURNAL NAMED AWARD FINALIST

Local writer Patricia Beckstead's book "The 12 Step Journal" was named a finalist in the Self-Help: Journals & Quotes category for usabooknews.com's Best Books 2010 Awards. For more information about the awards, visit usabooknews.com.

NORTHWEST-AREA BORDERS OFFERS WRITERS GROUP ON TUESDAYS

Borders bookstore hosts a free writers group at 6:30 p.m. Tuesdays at 2190 N. Rainbow Blvd.

HENDERSON WRITERS GROUP MEETS MONDAYS

The Henderson Writers Group meets from 6:30 to 8:45 p.m. Mondays. Meetings are at the Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf at 4550 S. Maryland Parkway on the second and fourth Mondays and at Saxby's Coffee Lounge, 72 Horizon Ridge Parkway, on the first, third and occasional fifth Mondays.

Visit hendersonwritersgroup.com for more details.

Meetings are open to the public.

MADISON TO SHARE SECRETS IN UPCOMING GUIDE TO LAS VEGAS

Holly Madison is scheduled to debut her first book, "The Showgirl Next Door: Holly Madison's Guide to Las Vegas." The star of "Peepshow" at Planet Hollywood promises to reveal her best-kept secrets and provide an intimate peek at some of the exclusive areas of Las Vegas. The book will be distributed by Stephens Press and is expected to launch Feb. 14.

SHARE POEMS AT 'HUMAN EXPERIENCE'

Polish up a poem or two and try them out live at "Human Experience," a free spoken word event, from 7 to 9 p.m. Mondays in The Beat coffee shop at 520 Fremont St. inside Emergency Arts.

For more information or to view the events online as they happen, visit lasvegaspoets.org.

'IN-LAWS FROM HELL' TO HIT THE STAGE

Andrionna L. Williams' book, "In-Laws From Hell," is scheduled to make its stage debut at 7 p.m. Feb. 26 in the showroom at The Orleans, 4500 W. Tropicana Ave. Ticket prices range from $25 to $40.

For more information, visit inlawsfromhell.net.

ZINE LIBRARY OPEN IN EMERGENCY ARTS

Grab a cup of coffee and check out the independently crafted magazines at the Las Vegas Zine Library inside the Beat Cafe in Emergency Arts, 520 Fremont St.

The library is still small, more of a collection on display for reference and on-site reading than a checkout repository. Contributions of zines are appreciated. For more information, visit lvzinelibrary.blogspot.com.

POLICE DETECTIVE SIGNS BOOK DEAL

Christopher Baughman grew up in the projects of Las Vegas. While many of his childhood buddies turned to crime, Baughman took the opposite route and works as a police detective busting former friends.

Baughman shares stories from his work in the Metropolitan Police Department's Pandering Investigation Team and Human Trafficking Task Force in "Anomaly: One Detective's Quest for Justice," set for a March 15 release by Behler Publications.

Baughman is set to go on a 30-city book tour and appear on several network television programs, including "Dateline NBC." For more information about the title, visit behlerpublications.com.

STEPHENS PRESS ANNOUNCES HELEN J. STEWART BIOGRAPHY

Stephens Press plans to publish a long-awaited biography of Helen J. Stewart, the revered "first lady of Nevada," by historians Carrie Townley Porter and Sally Zanjani. The March title will include excerpts from Stewart's diaries.

STEPHENS PRESS SIGNS BOOK DEAL FOR 'VEGAS RAG DOLL'

Wendy Mazaros ran away from home at 15, entertained players at Binion's Horseshoe and hooked up with mob hit man Tom Hanley, who had her write a suicide note as "insurance" should she displease him.

"Silence is the fence around wisdom" Hanley would force her to repeat. Mazaros' fences are set to come down when "Vegas Rag Doll" is published by Stephens Press in 2011.

Mazaros turned to Joe Schoenmann to help her write the memoir about her life among a who's who of Las Vegas mobsters in the '60s and '70s.