CIPA AWARD
Viva Colorado my first home! My book The Land: Our Gift and Wild Hope has received its second award in one year! This time from Colorado Independent Publishers Association for the enhanced e-book version (text, audio and images) that I enjoyed recording last November with Brook Forest Voices in Evergreen. I am so encouraged and hope many of you will want to read and/or listen to it!
An audio recording and/or the enhanced e-book can be ordered from the ibooks on itunes:
A November Reading in Montreal with Lapalabrava was a real treat. Founded by translator Hugh Hazelton and poet/musician Flavia Garcia, Lapalabrava is a tri-lingual poetry series, so I was moved to be with Mexican and South-American writers and the beauty of the Spanish language as well as that of French, and of course my own mother tongue!
The year came to an end with an enriching and lively writing workshop with Jimmy Santiago Baca in Taos, NM just before the Holiday festivities began. Jimmy is a life-force, and his support is still inspiring me. I did get a chance as well to enjoy the traditional ‘farolitos’ walk with friends, and later, for New Year’s Day, the always enlivening Turtle Dance at Taos Pueblo.
Spring is always a busy time and I was very happy to be invited again in March for La Nuit de la poésie during Le Printemps des poètes events, and for La Muse, an evening of readings in and around town for the International Quebec City Book Fair. I was especially glad to offer some new poems!
In May, there was a new delight; being invited to lead a storytelling and creativity workshop for children at the historic and lively Morrin Centre in Quebec City as one of their writers for their literary festival, ImagiNation.
And then came Ireland! I was invited to the Listowel Writers’ Week by fellow poet and organizer of the festival, John McGrath. I felt fully at home among the Irish writers and their open-hearted, good humoured hospitality. Beyond the great literature and spontaneous dancing that happens, John and his wife Kate made sure I had time in the Gap of Dunloe.
Poet Linda Whittenberg from Santa Fe, who has researched her Irish roots, was also attending. The poetry community is a small and grand world!