Next Meeting—Holiday Party
Next lunch meeting of the New Mexico Book Co-op is Friday, December 16. 2011, at the Golden Corral on Alameda & Coors in Albuquerque. It is no host, no program but we will talk. Come as early as 11am.
Hats off to Florentin Smarandache
We have said it many times – the New Mexico Book Awards are for you to make something of it. Florentin Smarandache has had info of his award go to people all over the world and UNM has a story about him on their website. We like to see someone go full tilt. He is a math/physics professor and his natural inclination is to promote. If it is good for math people you should take something from his playbook!
Speaking of the New Mexico Book Awards
We are asking all Co-op members to think of someone who would like to judge in the New Mexico Book Awards next year. We will start sending out books to judges in February. They have at least two months to read their books, have a one sided score sheet to fill out on each book, and can pick the categories and the number of books they like. If you have someone in mind email us with their email. We anticipate that there will be more entries in 2012. We take care of getting them books and picking up books. There is no compensation for judges but if we are able they can request books they like and we will give them their choices.
Need Your Feedback
The Arizona Book Publisher’s Association has gone out of business and will cease all operation before December 31, 2011. This means that the major book award program in Arizona will cease as well. We think it is a shame and want to invite them to enter our Book Awards. If this happens we will have to rename the Book Awards to reflect their involvement. We would also create some categories just for Arizona publishers and authors and keep ones for just New Mexicans. Our schedule would stay the same. If they get back on their feet they can reclaim their awards. This may give our awards even greater visibility since we are covering two states. What do you think? Email us ASAP so we can make a decision. Timing is good for us.
Sad News
Richard K. Harris died at home on November 24 after a short illness. Richard was the author of more than 30 books, mostly travel related; and editor or designer/producer of some 250 books. Richard was a founding member and past president of New Mexico Book Association and continued on the board until the end. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be sent to Ambercare Hospice, www.ambercare.com, Santa Fe.
Excellence in Communications Context Includes Books
New Mexico Press Women (NMPW) invites entries for the 2012 Communications Contest, recognizing excellence in print or electronic media, books, photography, advertising, public relations, graphic arts, blogs/websites, and academic journalism throughout New Mexico. You don’t have to be a member of NMPW to participate in this open competition. The contest is meant to improve professional skills with critiques from judges and by rewarding communications that are skillfully executed, well directed to their target audience, and achieve their objectives. Entries must be postmarked by Monday, Jan. 9, 2012. To be eligible, the work must have been distributed, published or broadcast between Jan. 1, 2011 and December 31, 2011. With 81 categories, NMPW offers the largest range of categories for work. Entry fees are $15 for the first entry and $10 for each succeeding entry, for members; $20 for the first entry and $10 for each succeeding entry, for nonmembers. Organizations – including media, companies and institutions – can take advantage of the member rate for all its entries. Send submissions to: Sherry Robinson, PO Box 70323, Albuquerque, NM, 87197. All the details on contest categories and submission rules are available online at www.NewMexicoPressWomen.org. Entries will be judged by out-of-state media and communications professionals. All award places, including honorable mentions, receive a certificate. The awards will be announced at the NMPW annual conference to be held in April in Santa Fe. First place winners that are NMPW members as well as members of the National Federation of Press Women, will go on to compete nationally.
Contest for Women Authors of Nonfiction
An outstanding New Mexican writer will be honored for her work in nonfiction next spring when her book receives the prestigious Zia Award. New Mexican women writers are invited to submit their books for consideration for the award, given each year by New Mexico Press Women at the annual spring conference. To be eligible to receive the award, selected winners must read at the award luncheon during the 2012 conference in April. The 2012 Zia Award will be given to the author of an outstanding nonfiction book published in 2009, 2010 or 2011. The contest is open to all subgenres of nonfiction, from memoir to textbook. Submissions can be made by the author or by someone else on behalf of the author, such as a publisher. Membership in New Mexico Press Women is not required, but the writer must be a woman who lives in or has a strong connection to New Mexico. The book may be published anywhere. To submit for consideration for the Zia Book Award, send a brief cover letter including complete contact information, the author’s biography (including her connection to New Mexico) and a description of the book, a copy of the book and a check for the $10 entry fee payable to New Mexico Press Women to:
Sari Krosinsky
Zia Book Award Chair
315 Terrace Street SE
Albuquerque, N.M. 87106
Scholarship Opportunity
Los Alamos Employees Scholarship Fund (LAESF), administered by the Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) Foundation, has established a new scholarship program for non-traditional students. These scholarships are awarded to motivated students returning to a formal education after a hiatus for other pursuits. Candidates may have left formal education for business, the military, or other reasons, possibly for an extended period, and are now seeking to expand their opportunities with a certificate or a two-year degree through a program in the regional area. Applicants must be a resident of the 7 counties of Northern New Mexico: Los Alamos, Mora, Rio Arriba, San Miguel, Sandoval, Santa Fe, and Taos as well as Pueblos in the same region. Additional information as well as the on-line application are available at: http://lanlfoundation.org/Scholarships/LAESF-RCRS-2012/.

Connie Gotsch www.conniegotsch.com Host Write On Four Corners KSJE FM, Farmington NM www.ksje.com Author two award winning youth novels ‘Belle’s Star,’ and ‘Belle’s trial,’ based on the life of a real dog and written from her point of view. Available from Artemesia Press at http://www.apbooks.net and amazon.com, and Anazon,com Belle’s Star was a New Mexico BookAward in 2009 and 2010; First Place for Juvenile Fiction New Mezxico Press Women and National Federation of Press Women Communication Contests 2010’ Silver Mom’s Choice Award 2010.
Belle’s Trial’ won First Place for Juvenile Fiction in the 2011 New Mexico Press Press Women’s Commuication Contest, and a Silver Mom’s Choice Award for 2011. The book received an Eric Hoffer Award nomination for 2011.

Sept. 2011 Casa de Snap Dragon Publishers released a reprint of Gotsch’s novel for adult, Snap Me a Future as an ebook at casadesnampdragon.com