Book marks

By The Daily Progress Staff

Published: December 1, 2008

NPR’s Alan Cheuse will read at New Dominion

New Dominion Bookshop will host a reading and book-signing by Alan Cheuse at 5:30 p.m. Thursday.

Cheuse will present selections from his new historical novel, “To Catch the Lightning.”

The book is the story of a forgotten America, an exploration of the intertwined plights of Edward Curtis, a real-life frontier photographer and the American Indian. The novel is based on the true story of Curtis’s lifelong passion: to photograph and document every Indian tribe on the continent.

Cheuse, National Public Radio’s longtime “voice of books,” is the author of four novels, three collections of short fiction and the memoir “Fall Out of Heaven.” As a book commentator, Cheuse is a regular contributor to National Public Radio’s “All Things Considered.” His short fiction has appeared in the New Yorker, Ploughshares, the Antioch Review, Prairie Schooner, New Letters, the Idaho Review, and the Southern Review, among other places. He teaches in the writing program at George Mason University and the Squaw Valley Community of Writers.

Local writer grabs attention for his poetry

Local writer Keith A. Rahn won the 2008 International Library of Poetry award for his book “Oceans of Emotions.”

The International Library of Poetry’s Editors selects a group of poets for their talent and the artistic foresight in poetic writings.

As one of the Best Poets of 2008, Rahn will receive a limited edition Best Poet Award Medallion.

Rahn also received another award this month. His poem “Angel From Heaven” has been awarded the Editor’s Choice Award for its original perspective and unique creativity.

“Oceans of Emotions” is scheduled to be published in June.

Sam Abell returns for another slide show

New Dominion Bookshop is bringing back Sam Abell at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday for a repeat presentation of his slide show and discussion of his new National Geographic publication, “The Life of A Photograph.”

Abell selected photographs that he has made for National Geographic magazine and books, as well as photographs of daily life. Selections cover geography and wildlife from the Arctic to the Amazon, and cultures from Australia to the American West.

“The Life of a Photograph” is part of National Geographic Books’ new Focal Point imprint which draws on National Geographic’s photographic archive of more than 10 million images and the work of distinguished photographers around the world.

Abell has photographed for National Geographic magazine for almost 40 years. He is the author of the National Geographic book “Seeing Gardens” and “Stay this Moment.” His retrospective “Sam Abell: The Photographic Life” was accompanied by a traveling exhibition that opened at the University of Virginia Art Museum. Abel also collaborated with Stephen Ambrose on two best-selling National Geographic books, “Lewis and Clark: Voyage of Discovery” and “The Mississippi River.”

James River is looking for contest entries

James River Writers and Richmond magazine are partnering to present the third annual Best Unpublished Novel Contest.

The deadline is Jan. 15. First prize is $500, publication of an excerpt in Richmond magazine, a ticket to the 2009 James River Writers conference and feedback from a JRW board member. Two finalists will each receive $200.

Submit the first 50 pages of your manuscript by Jan. 15 to Richmond magazine, Best Unpublished Novel Contest, 2201 W. Broad St., Suite 105, Richmond, Va. 23220.

Full manuscripts will be requested later if the submission passes the first round of judging. Please do not submit duplicates of manuscripts entered in previous years.

Entries must not include the author’s name or will be disqualified. Each submission must have a cover sheet with the author’s name, contact information and the novel’s title. Each page of the manuscript must have the title in the upper left corner, page numbers in the upper right, double-spaced, one-inch margins, Times New Roman or Arial font, size 12. This is a fiction contest. Richmond magazine and JRW employees and board members cannot enter. To submit and entry, the author must be a resident of Virginia, a student at a Virginia college or university, or a member of JRW. The winner will be published in July 2009 issue of the magazine. Submissions will be returned only if accompanied by a SASE. All submissions will receive comments from a professional writer.

Entry fee is $25. Checks should be made out to James River Writers.

For more information, visit http://www.jamesriverwriters.com.

Library is game for a week’s worth of activities

It’s Game Central at 2 p.m. Saturday at the Central Library.

Teenagers in grades six through 12 can test out their skills on Wii and PS2. There also are Boggle, checkers, and more in

between turns at the video games.

Also at the Jefferson-Madison Regional Library this week:

l Monday Evening Book Club will meet at 7 p.m. Monday at the Crozet Library to discuss “Suite Francaise” by Irene Nemirovsky.

l Live Poets Society will meet 7 p.m. Wednesday at Gordon Avenue Library.

People are welcome to share their original poetry.

l The Book Discussion Group at the Greene County Library will meet at 7 p.m. Thursday to discuss “A Judgement in Stone” by Ruth Rendell.

l The Literary Masterpiece Book Group will meet 10 a.m. Friday at Gordon Avenue Library to discuss “Memoirs of Hadrian” by Marguerite Yourcenar.

All events are free and open to the public

.For more information, call 979-7151, Ext. 211.

Two will sign their latest books at Monticello

Charlottesville authors Coy Barefoot and Rick Britton will discuss and sign copies of their recently published books related to Thomas Jefferson.

Both will be in the Monticello Museum Shop in the new Thomas Jefferson Visitor Center at 2 p.m. Saturday.

Barefoot is the author of “Thomas Jefferson on Leadership: Executive Lessons from His Life and Letters.” Britton wrote “Jefferson: A Monticello Sampler.”

Barefoot is director of communications at the Sorenson Institute for Political Leadership.

Britton is a journalist and historical interpreter.

For more information, call 984-9828.

From staff reports