Taos, New Mexico has long been a haven for the creative soul. Since the arrival of literary notables Willa Cather and D.H. Lawrence in the early twentieth century, literature has played a prominent role in the area’s rich cultural landscape. As the literary arts flourished, the need for formal community support became apparent, which ultimately led to the non-profit incorporation of SOMOS in 1983. Today, it has expanded into its present role as a respected resource center whose outreach extends to the greater community of Northern New Mexico – and beyond. Our live readings, workshops, conferences, and festivals are designed not only to showcase accomplished writers, but also to encourage creativity in novice writers from all walks of life.

SOMOS is a membership organization. The generosity of our supporters allows us to honor our commitment of presenting the very best of the literary arts to the Taos area at no cost, or for a minimal fee. We cordially invite you to join us in answering the call of the Muse of the Southwest.

SOMOS projects are made possible in part by New Mexico Arts, A Division of the Department of Cultural Affairs, and the National Endowment for the Arts; Mag Dimond; The Virginia Wellington Cabot Foundation; The Peter and Madeleine Martin Foundation for the Arts; Healy Foundation; and Taos County Lodgers Tax.

SOMOS FUNDRAISER 2010
Sunday, September 26th
6:00 PM @ the TCA
Tickets:  $20.00 in advance $30 at the door ~ if available
Tickets on sale at the Taos Center for the Arts!!!  575-758-2052 with a credit card

Saturday, September 4    10 – 1 PM

at the SOMOS Office   (across from Smiths)

Lots of new titles!!

The next book for Wednesday, September 1st, is "Lit" by Mary Karr - her
latest memoir on her recovery from alcoholism and drug addiction. We decided
last night that we would like everyone to bring the names of at least 3
books they would like to read in the coming year and we can have a
discussion about what to pick and set up a schedule. The discussion will be
facilitated on a rotating basis.

This Friday, August 27

An Evening of Poetry

Sawnie Morris &

Jon Davis

Morris is a poet and UNM-Taos professor of creative writing and poetry.  She recently won the 2010 Poetry Society of America’s George Bogin Memorial Award.  Morris’ chapbook of poems, appeared, along with those of Espanola poet Michelle Holland and Galisteo poet Catherine Ferguson, in “The Sound a Rave Makes(2006), winner of the 2007 New Mexico Book Award.
Davis is the author of five collections of poetry including his most recent, “Preliminary Report”(Copper Canyon, 2010). He has received numerous awards for his poetry,

including a Lannan Literary Award, two National Endowment for the Arts Fellowships, and the Lavan Younger Poets Award from the Academy of American Poets. For the past twenty years he has taught at the Institute of American Indian Arts in Santa Fe.

7:30 PM
At the RANE Gallery, 214 Ledoux Street
$8 and $6 for SOMOS members

Books will be on sale at the event!!

Will be playing one more week at the CCA Santa Fe.  On September 3 SPOKEN WORD will play in Espanola, NM
at the Storyteller Theatres Dreamcatcher 10. Parts of the film were shot in Espanola, NM
so it is great to have this film truly come back home! 

The film will also open at the Fountain Theatre in Las Cruces, NM on 9/10. 

Melissa Miller
Variance Films
44 West 28th Street, Suite 1427  New York, NY 10001
p: 212.537.6769 / f: 646.964.6569
melissa@variancefilms.com

The SUMMER SERIES wraps up next week ……………

The next book for Wednesday, September 1st, is “Lit” by Mary Karr – her latest memoir on her recovery from alcoholism and drug addiction. We decided last night that we would like everyone to bring the names of at least 3 books they would like to read in the coming year and we can have a discussion about what to pick and set up a schedule. The discussion will be facilitated on a rotating basis.

This Friday, August 13, Novelist Summer Wood

and Poet/Short Story writer James Nave

7:30 PM
At the RANE Gallery, 214 Ledoux Street
$8 and $6 for SOMOS members

Books will be on sale at the event

Friday, August 6^th, 2010, at 7:30 p.m.   RANE Gallery 214 Ledoux Street, Taos

$8/$6 for members/seniors, high school students free

Natalie Goldberg, a long time resident of Taos, now living in Santa Fe, still teaches all her national retreats and workshops at the Mabel Dodge Luhan in Taos. She is the author of eleven books, including, “Writing Down the Bones”, which has sold over a million and a half copies and is translated into 14 languages, and “Old Friend From Far Away”, “Thunder and Lightning” and a novel, “Banana Rose”.

Eddie Lewis also lives in Santa Fe. His first novel, “Ray Had an Idea About Love”, was published by Simon & Schuster in 1995. He is currently working on essays and a novella. Goldberg and Lewis are ‘very old writing friends’ and as Natalie says, “Eddie has read every manuscript I’ve ever written before it goes to the publisher.”  Both will be reading selections from their current writing.

This Friday, 7/30

Melanie Sumner, novelist

Davida Singer, Poet

& Musical Guest Philip Handmaker from the

band Zanagroove

7:30 PM
At the RANE Gallery, 214 Ledoux Street
$8 and $6 for SOMOS members

and hot off the press:

CHOKECHERRIES 2009,

the Annual SOMOS Anthology

Chokecherries will be available for purchase for $14.

UPCOMING READINGS …………………