Category: Special Events

Food & Family

The 2023 TREASURE VALLEY READS selection is Madhushree Ghosh’s Khabaar: An Immigrant Journey of Food, Memory, and Family.

A book which received much attention when it was released last year, it was published by University of Iowa Press (further reviews on that page):

Khabaar is a food memoir and personal narrative that braids the global journeys of South Asian food through immigration, migration, and indenture. Focusing on chefs, home cooks, and food stall owners, the book questions what it means to belong and what does belonging in a new place look like in the foods carried over from the old country? 

Join in with Treasure Valley Reads for 2023. Contact your local library for more information on any local events.

Khabaar is available at Rediscovered Books, Barnes & Noble, and Amazon.

Photos courtesy of the author’s website.

QUICK: Do This Survey

If you’re an independent (self-publishing) author who spends more than half their worktime on writing and publishing, ALLI (the Alliance of Independent Authors) is requesting your input.

Like right now. (Survey closes, I believe, in a matter of days.)

Here’s the survey link: SelfPublishingAdvice.org/survey23

If you want a bit more background, here’s more discussion on ALLI’s Self-Publishing News website.

Calling Writers & Readers!

Readers, mark this date: March 4 — And, indies: also February 18.

Nampa Public Library is hosting a Treasure Valley Indie Book Fair. March 4 is the date of the fair. February 18 is the last day for an open call — to all local indie writers, illustrators, and publishers — to submit an application.

Cue: EXCITEMENT!

Note that there’s no tabling fee for participants. NPL will provide 1 table and up to 2 chairs per vendor. There will be 1 hour to set up before the beginning of the fair.  All sales and proceeds go directly to the vendor.

Visit nampalibrary.org/bookfair to sign up and for more information. Be sure to pass this info along to anyone not on the Idaho Writers Update newsletter list!

Give, and Maybe: Get!

The Cabin, in Boise, is giving away three prize bundles. You’re automatically entered if you make a donation at TheCabinIdaho.org/give between now and the end of January. (Multiple donations would seem to indicate multiple entries!)

Each bundle includes a $25 Rediscovered Books gift card, a reusable Cabin tote bag, a comfy and warm Cabin beanie, a bundle of books, a Cabin bullet journal with a pen (trust us, we’re picky about our pens), and a handcrafted ceramic Cabin mug.

Treasure Valley Writer?

We want YOU.

A New Program in the Treasure Valley Solicits Writers

If you’re a writer, you might find it difficult to get your work into potential readers’ hands (and ears). Writers Read, a program in Star, addresses the problem by giving writers a chance to read their work in public.

Mark your calendar

Location: Ada Community Library, Star Branch

Free, starting at 5:30 p.m. MT

  • 17 January
  • 21 February
  • 21 March

Your participation will encourage the organizers to continue!

More about it

Every month we’ll meet, featuring up to four authors per event. Participants can read anything they’re working on:

  • fiction, poetry
  • memoir
  • children’s lit
  • nonfiction
  • graphic novels

Writers Read organizer Tina Johnson is looking for writers to read at upcoming events in January, February, and March. “We’re inviting writers with all levels of experience across the Treasure Valley and beyond. “We’re excited to hear from teen as well as adult writers,” she said.

Be the audience

The program also seeks audience members. “It’s a great event for listeners as well,” Johnson said. The program lasts about an hour and includes time to chat with authors around the refreshment table.

If you have any questions, contact Tina Johnson at: starwritersread@yahoo.com
To sift out spam, please use this subject line — Writers Read Firstname Lastname — for example, Writers Read Jane Smith

Lunch for Literacy 2023

It’s just 90 days (can you believe it?) until 2023’s LUNCH FOR LITERACY “where Learning Lab’s friends and supporters gather to celebrate the successes of students and the generosity of our community”. The guest speaker will be New York Times bestselling author Amanda Turner.

Show your support by purchasing tickets and watch for an upcoming SILENT AUCTION opportunity.

Read all about Lunch for Literacy 2023 on this page.

Events at The Cabin

The Cabin in Boise is an active resource for both writers and readers. You might want to subscribe to their monthly newsletter (nicely not too frequent) to keep abreast of happenings, which this month include:

Scary stuff!

Read Freely vs. Banned Books

  • Success: $10,000 was raised and 1,000 banned or challenged books were distributed by 100 local volunteers

And there’s always more…

Like I said, you may want to sign up for their newsletter. (Scroll toward the bottom of their home page for a form.)

Writers. Caldwell. Food. Talk.

The Idaho Writers Guild (IWG) organizes monthly meet-ups for authors, but this time it’s in Caldwell (hello, Canyon County!) and the locale is the Chop Shop (whose menu makes it impossible to make a choice).

That’s Thursday 11 August 2022 starting at 4:30 p.m. MT.

(Tip: IWG now publishes an Events Calendar that tries to lasso the activities of all Treasure Valley area groups.)

Freeing Banned Books

Rediscovered Books started the Read Freely Project in 2021 to highlight and distribute recent books that are diverse, well-written, and yet vulnerable to censorship in the current social climate. The project is designed to connect readers with authors and stories that are different from our own and often unheard.

The Cabin has joined in the effort – the Read Freely Project.

They’re raising funds now. See how you can help.