Tucson Weekly: Literature (April 19

LITERATURE
Events This Week
ARMCHAIR ADVENTURES. Wilmot Library. 530 N. Wilmot Road. Explore the world without leaving the library every Thursday at 1:30 p.m. An experienced traveler presents a slide show that takes you on a journey back through time or around the world. Call 791-4627 for more information.
BILINGUAL FESTIVAL OF POETRY. Desert Vista Campus. 5901 S. Calle Santa Cruz. The festival of poetry, music and dance begins April 20 at 6 p.m. All are welcome and admission is free. Call 206-5068 for more information.
DAVID LEVY/EARTH DAY CELEBRATION. Barnes & Noble at Foothills Mall. 7325 N. La Cholla Blvd. 742-6402. Astronomer Levy discusses and signs copies of his books Shoemaker by Levy and Starry Night: Astronomers and Poets Read the Sky April 21 at 2 p.m. In celebration of Earth Day, landscape and desert gardening expert George Brookbank, author of The Desert Gardener's Calendar: Your Month-by-Month Guide, along with Wendy Hodgson, author of Food Plants of the Sonoran Desert, and Jane Eppinga and Jean Gietzen, contributors to Chicken Soup for the Gardener's Soul, will discuss and sign copies of their books April 22 from 2 to 4 p.m.
DEANNE STILLMAN/MARI ULLMER. Clues Unlimited. 123 S. Eastbourne. 326-8533. Stillman discusses and signs copies of Twentynine Palms, the true story of a troubled Marine who murdered two girls in the Mojave desert, April 20 at 5 p.m. Mari Ullmer signs copies of Carreta de la Muerte/Cart of Death, the second in her Taos Festival mystery series, April 21 from 3:30 to 5 p.m. Admission is free.
FENG SHUI MASTER. Barnes & Noble. 5130 E. Broadway Blvd. 512-1166. Nancilee Wydra discusses and signs copies of Feng Shui for Children's Spaces: A Parent's Guide to Designing Environments in Which Children Will Thrive April 19 at 7 p.m. Learn how to design space to improve your child's quality of life, inspire creativity and promote learning.
GRADUATE POETS PERFORM. UA Modern Languages auditorium. Graduates of the creative writing program in poetry read from their work April 25 at 8 p.m. Featured poets include Julian Billups, Allison Moore, Periel Aschenbrand, Jesse Seldess, Carolyn Hembree and Matthew Shenoda. An informal reception follows the reading. Admission is free.
JAIME CLARKE. UA Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering auditorium. 1130 N. Mountain Ave. UA alumnus Clarke reads from his novel We're So Famous, in which he pulls off a sympathetic act of sustained male imagination: entering the minds of innocent teenage girls dreaming of fame, April 19 at 8 p.m. An informal reception follows the reading. Admission is free and open to the public.
LOUISE BOBROW/MUTANT ALIENS. Barnes & Noble. 5130 E. Broadway Blvd. 512-1166. Bobrow, author of History in the Making: the Easiest Way to Preserve Your Family History, outlines how to record and preserve your treasured stories April 21 at 1 p.m. Animation cartoonist Bill Plympton signs copies of and discusses his novel Mutant Aliens April 22 at 1 p.m. Admission is free.
MARK ZEPEZAUER. Northwest Neighborhood Center. 2160 N. Sixth Ave. 622-5743. Zepezauer, editor/writer/publisher and co-author of Take the Rich off Welfare, presents Who Is Running the Show? Corporate Influences in Public Policy at the Women's International League for Peace and Freedom's April 21, 2 p.m. meeting. Admission is free and all are welcome. Childcare is also provided.
MEDITATION AS MEDICINE. St. Francis in the Foothills. River Road just west of Swan Road. Dr. Dharma Singh Khalsa discusses his new book Mediation as Medicine--Activate the Power of Your Natural Healing Force April 22 from 2 to 4 p.m. Participants experience a sample of focused meditation and there is a question-and-answer period. Admission is $15 at the door.
A MOTHER'S CRUSADE. Congregation Bet Shalom. 3881 E. River Road. 888-8010. Rhoda Berenson reads from and discusses her book Lori: My Daughter, Wrongfully Imprisoned In Peru April 20 at 12:30 p.m. There is also a buffet luncheon reception, which costs $5. Call for reservations.
MYSTERY BOOK GROUP. Barnes & Noble. 5130 E. Broadway Blvd. 512-1166. The group discusses A Test of Wills by Charles Todd April 25 at 7:30 p.m. All are welcome.
MYSTERY WRITERS. HomeTown Buffet. 5101 N. Oracle Road. The Arizona Mystery Writers meet the second Saturday of each month. The next meeting is May 12 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Workshop, lunch and guest speaker is included in the $14 admission fee. Newcomers are welcome. Call Marci at 544-4173 for information.
NANCILEE WYDRA. Reader's Oasis. 3400 E. Speedway Blvd. 319-7887. Feng shui expert Wydra reads from and signs copies of her books Feng Shui for Children's Space and Feng Shui in the Garden April 20 from 7 to 9 p.m. Admission is free.
OPEN MIC POETRY NIGHT. Barnes & Noble at Foothills Mall. 7325 N. La Cholla Blvd. 742-6402. Bring your poetry to read April 19 from 7:30 to 8:30 p.m. Poets of all levels are welcome. Admission is free.
PIMA POETRY SERIES. PCC West Campus Recital Hall. 2202 W. Anklam Road. 206-6851. A poetry reading to inaugurate Loft and Range, an anthology of poems sponsored by the Pima Poetry Series, takes place April 20 at 7 p.m. A reception and book signing follows the reading. Admission is free and open to the public.
POETRY READINGS. St. Philip's in the Hills Episcopal Church. 4400 N. Campbell Ave. Charles Alexander and Jane Miller take the stage for an evening of poetry April 20 at 7 p.m. Admission is free.
RHODA BERENSON. Antigone Books. 411 N. Fourth Ave. 792-3715. Berenson reads from and discusses her book Lori: My Daughter, Wrongfully Imprisoned In Peru April 20 at 7 p.m. The reading is followed by a question-and-answer period and refreshments. Admission is free.
RHYTHMIC WORKBOOK. Metaphysics World. 2559 E. Broadway Blvd. 327-7449. Russell Buddy Helm signs copies of Drumming the Spirit to Life April 19 from 5 to 7 p.m. Helm also discusses the effects of drumming as a tool for healing and joy. In addition, Helm conducts a drumming workshop from 7 to 9 p.m. Drummers of all persuasions are invited to take a rhythmic journey into their souls. The workshop costs $20. A second drumming workshop, which costs $15 for drummers, $10 for dancers and $5 for observers, takes place April 20 from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Unitarian Universalist Church at 4831 E. 22nd Street. Call 790-4333 for more information.
SARAH LOVETT. Clues Unlimited. 123 S. Eastbourne. 326-8533. Lovett discusses and signs copies of Dante's Inferno, the latest from her mystery series featuring Dr. Sylvia Strange, April 19 at 5 p.m.
STEPHEN SCALESE. Barnes & Noble at Foothills Mall. 7325 N. La Cholla Blvd. 742-6402. Scalese discusses and signs copies of The Whisper in Your Heart, a guide to listening to and confidently living by inner wisdom, April 25 at 7 p.m.
STUDENT POETRY READINGS. Main Library. 101 N. Stone Ave. 791-4393. Local high-school students present original poems and the works of noted poets April 21 at 3 p.m. College students present their work April 28 at 3 p.m. Teens take the mic at the annual teen poetry program April 22 at the Nanini Branch Library, 7300 N. Shannon Road. Call 791-4626 for more information.
YOUNG PEOPLE'S POETRY WEEK. Wilmot Branch Library. 530 N. Wilmot Road. 791-5647. Teens get a chance to be poets through April 22 with a mini-fridge interactive display during regular library hours.
Announcements
BUYING FICTION AND POETRY. The Missing Fez seeks submissions for its Red Felt Award for poetry. The winning poem will receive a $200 cash prize. The contest is open to all genres. Please submit three to five poems along with a SASE by April 30. The entry fee is $5 payable to Red Felt Publishing. Send poems to The Missing Fez, 1720 N. Dodge Blvd., Tucson, AZ 85716. For guidelines, e-mail missing1fez@hotmail.com.
MAKE A DATE WITH A POET. New Life Café. 4841 E. Speedway Blvd. An open reading celebrates National Poetry Month April 20 at 6 p.m. Bring your poems, favorite poems and poets and enjoy some Japanese haiku tea. Everyone is invited to read and listen. Call Christy at 881-5180 for more information.
POETRY CONTEST. Write a poem and win $1,000. Hollywood's Famous Poets Society is sponsoring a poetry contest. There is no entry fee. Send one poem of 21 lines or less to Free Poetry Contest, PMB126, 1626 N. Wilcox Ave., Hollywood, CA 90028, or enter online at www.famouspoets.com. A winners list is sent to all entrants. Deadline for submissions is April 28. For more information contact Mark Schramm at mark@famouspoets.com or call (800) 498-0399.
CALL TO POETS. The Laughing Dog: Strictly Poetry is accepting submissions for its spring issue. Submit up to three poems, no longer than 30 lines each, with a SASE to The Laughing Dog, 4740 E. Sunrise Drive, MBE# 326, Tucson, AZ 85718. No simultaneous submissions or previously published poems.
CALL TO POETS. Better than a Stick in the Eye is seeking submissions of poetry, prose, pen and ink drawings, and black-and-white photographs for its upcoming issue. Submit works with SASE to Stumblin' Tumbleweed Press at 4560 E. 19th St., Tucson, AZ 85711. For more information call 514-0719.
OPEN MIC AND POETRY READING. Hazy Dayz Lounge Cafe. 187 N. Park Ave. This gathering is held on the first and third Wednesday of each month. Participants should arrive at 7 p.m., and guests should show up at 7:30 p.m. For information call 884-0272. Admission is free.
POETRY AT THE RIVER. Dusenberry-River Center Library. 5605 E. River Road, No. 105. Join local poets for an evening of open readings the first Wednesday of each month from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. All forms and abilities are welcome. Admission is free. For more information call Lee at 615-7720 or Frank at 299-3451.
POETRY CONTEST. The Talent Literary Guild is sponsoring an amateur poetry contest. To enter send one poem of 21 lines or less to Free Poetry Contest, 1257 Siskiyou Blvd., PMB 4, Ashland, OR 97520 or visit www.freecontest.com. Poems may cover any subject, using any style. The deadline is April 20.
POETRY WORKSHOPS. Main Library. 101 N. Stone Ave. Four contemporary poetry workshops--Sounding the Poem, Timeshop, Poetry Workshop and Words as Diagrams as Paths: Double Media in East Asian Poetry and Philosophy--take place April 21 and 28 at 1 p.m. Registration is required. Call 791-4391, ext. 216 for more information and to register.
REGIONAL POETRY SLAM. Plush. Fourth Avenue and Sixth Street. 743-8344. Sign up April 24 at 6:15 p.m. to represent Tucson in the Arizona Regional Poetry Slam, which takes place May 26 in Arcosanti. There is a $3 entry free, and a three-minute limit per poem. No props, costumes or music. Admission is free for non-participants.
SERIOUS WRITERS GROUP. A small, ongoing group is seeking serious writers working on novels and/or short stories. The group, which meets the first Monday of each month from 7 to 9 p.m. at a central location, provides honest criticism and feedback on your work. Call Ron at 325-8447 for more details.
STATE POETRY SOCIETY MEETING. Woods Library. 3455 N. First Ave. The Arizona State Poetry Society meets the fourth Saturday of each month from 10 a.m. to noon. Bring one of your poems to share. The next meeting, which takes place April 28, is a scholarship meeting. A deserving student receives a prize and reads for the group. Call Tom Abrams at 296-2449 for more information.
WORKING WRITERS WORKSHOP. The workshop, taught by veteran Hollywood writer/producers Larry and Paul Barber, takes place April 21-22. For fees, location, information and to reserve a space call (888) 433-7800.