Steven Torres

Wanted to say thanks to Steven Torres, who has run a few posts about my books over on his blog, the Crime Time Cafe. He says some nice things and I get the idea that he liked the books.


I've got his first published novel, Precinct Puerto Rico: Book One, on my leaning tower of books to read, and the little bit I've skimmed tells me that I will like this book. Muchisimas gracias, Steven.

Latinas Honoring Latinas

Friday, July 29, 2005
5:30pm - 8:00pm
Denver Botanic Gardens
1005 York Street

The Latina Safehouse Initiative is proud to announce the Latinas Honoring Latinas 2005 event to honor Josefina Lopez, author of Real Women Have Curves. Award winning actress, screenwriter, filmmaker, playwright, activist and poet, Josefina Lopez has devoted her life to empowering women. She co-wrote the screenplay for the critically-acclaimed film Real Women Have Curves, based on her play, which won the Audience Award and a Special Jury Award for Acting at the 2002 Sundance Film Festival. One of the country's preeminent Latina artists, she also teaches playwriting and screenwriting to local youth and Latino adults. The event will also honor local survivors of violence.

Tickets are $50.00 per person and include entrance to the Botanic Gardens for the day, buffet, and beverage. There will be a cash bar and opportunities to win fabulous prizes. All proceeds from this event will benefit the Latina Safehouse Initiative.

Contact Ana Soler at 720-913-9260 if you would like to receive more information or to purchase your tickets.

Chicano Music Festival

August 3 - 7, 2005.

Summer Pachanga. Dr. Loco And The Rockin' Jalapeño Band. Mariachi Tardeada. Art Auction. Food.

Inductions Into the Chicano Music Hall of Fame including the posthumous honoring of our friend Chico Martinez.

Go to El Centro Su Teatro for complete schedule.

Denver Accepting Applications for Poet Laureate

The following is from Denver's official website -

Honorary post promotes an awareness and appreciation of poetry and literature.

Related Links
Denver Poet Laureate Web Site
Denver Office of Cultural Affairs
News Archive: Mayor Names Denver's Poet Laureate

JULY 07, 2005 -- The Denver Office of Cultural Affairs is currently seeking applicants for the honorary post of Denver Poet Laureate. This post was established in September 2004 with Mayor John Hickenlooper’s posthumous appointment of Abelardo "Lalo" Delgado as Denver’s first Poet Laureate. Delgado’s special appointment was made for a period of one year with a new Poet Laureate to be named in the fall of 2005.

Abelardo Lalo Delgado

The honorary post of Denver Poet Laureate is meant to increase the general awareness and appreciation of poetry in Denver and to provide support to the fields of poetry and literature. In addition to other activities that the Poet Laureate may choose to undertake, he or she may occasionally be called upon to read from his or her body of work at official city functions.

To be eligible, applicants must (1) be a legal resident of Colorado and have lived in the Denver metropolitan area for at least seven of the last ten years, (2) have authored at least one published volume of poetry of 48 pages or more (non self- or vanity-publication), or published at least three poetry volumes of 16 pages or more (non self- or vanity-publications) in the last ten years and (3) be recognized by peers in the literary community as having made a significant contribution to that community.

The basic term of the Denver Poet Laureate is two years, renewable for a maximum of eight years in the post. The Poet Laureate serves at the pleasure of the current mayor.

A Poet Laureate Selection Committee has been set up to review all applications and will submit up to three candidates to the mayor for consideration. The Selection Committee is composed of representatives from Denver’s literary community, poetry organizations, related businesses, local colleges and universities and other individuals interested in the field of poetry, and is chaired by a member of the Denver Commission on Cultural Affairs.

The complete guidelines and application form may be obtained from the Denver Poet Laureate website at http://www.denvergov.org/poetlaureate/default.asp, or by calling 303-640-6952.

The deadline for applications is August 31, 2005.

Posted by Betsy Kimak, Internet Site Administrator, Customer Information Services. Source: Denver Office of Cultural Affairs

¡Qué Calor!

Wishful Thinking

Coalition to Address Anti-Immigrant Sentiment

I'm reprinting an invitation to an upcoming meeting here in Denver that is planned to address the issue of anti-immigrant hate-mongering.

"Dear Friend,

I am writing to you because I know that you, like me, have had enough of the anti-immigrant bashing that has beset this city. I know that many in our community feel the same but don't know how to show support. I think it is absolutely necessary that we take a stand to recognize that immigrants are here and are a part of our communities. They are people and deserve to be treated with dignity, respect and in a humane manner.

On behalf of Latinos Finding Common Ground, I would like to invite you to an organizing meeting to form a broad based coalition effort based on this simple principle.

Come to our coalition kick-off meeting
Thursday, July 21 at 6 p.m.
at the Escuela Tlatelolco, 2949 Federal.

Let’s raise our voices!
We need a community response--a just response--a unified response
to current attacks on immigrants

I hope you can join us. Please feel free to share this invitation with other groups or individuals.
Thank You,
Adrienne Benavidez for
Latinos Finding Common Ground"

Crime Time Cafe

Steven Torres writes police procedurals. He's published three novels plus several short stories, and he also does interviews, articles, etc. His Luis Gonzalo series includes Precinct Puerto Rico, Death in Precinct Puerto Rico, and Burning Precinct Puerto Rico. Folks who attended this year's Left Coast Crime Conference were able to catch Steven as the moderator of at least one panel. You can find out a lot more about Steven and his books over on his website.

Kirkus, well-known for tough reviews, said this about Precinct Puerto Rico:
"A top-notch police procedural whose engrossing details create an authentic feel. Terse, deadpan prose, believable characters, and an offbeat setting add up to a promising series kickoff." --Kirkus Reviews (starred)

Steven also recently started up his own blog - the Crime Time Cafe. In the cafe he reviews books and short stories, provides news from the world of crime fiction, and also offers his stories for sale on what he calls the Menu of Doom. Roll on over there and check out what he's doing. In the last couple of days he posted an article asking why Manuel Ramos isn't at the top of the best seller lists. Good question. I like his reason #5, but the Dr. Seuss book would have to be If I Ran The Zoo.

Verano, 2005

Ephemeral summer markers.
Chicks and Hens in bloom.
Yucca, too.

Denver's KUVO Named Major Market Jazz Station Of The Year

Press Release from KUVO, 89.3 FM -

DENVER--The radio industry is jazzed about Denver's jazz89 KUVO, Celebrating 20 Years of Public Radio.

The station was voted the Major Market Jazz Station of the Year by radio industry peers during the Jazz Week Summit, held last weekend in Syracuse, NY. In winning the prestigious award, the station bested outlets in sizable markets, including stations in New York, San Francisco, Boston and Long Beach.

jazz89's Arturo Gómez, who has been at the station for two years, also was named the Major Market Music Director of the Year for the second straight year. Formerly the music director of WDNA in Miami, Florida, Gómez brought an encyclopedic knowledge of music to the station, surpassed only by his passion for its performance.

"This recognition is long overdue," said Florence Hernández Ramos, jazz89 President and CEO for twenty-two years. "The awards are a tribute to the professionalism of our on-air personnel and our engineers. The ability of our development and administrative staff and volunteers to raise the funds for us to operate at such a high level, and the members and program sponsors whose support sustains our unique multicultural format make this possible."

Celebrating its 20th Anniversary this year, jazz89 KUVO is the only public radio station in Colorado with a 24-hour program format of jazz, Latin jazz, blues. On the weekends, the station expands the format to include culturally diverse musical programming.

jazz89 broadcasts at 25,000 watts serving Colorado's Front Range. Community organizations maintain translators in Breckenridge and Laramie, Wyoming because they want to receive KUVO. The station's current operating budget is $1.3 million and is supported by approximately 9,500 members and over 350 volunteers.

Throughout its history, jazz89 KUVO has become known for community involvement and innovation. Locally, the station has forged partnerships with numerous non-profit organizations, high schools, universities and local artists.

Nationally, the station has been lauded for its state of the art Performance Studio and has earned kudos for becoming the first FM station in Colorado to begin broadcasting in high-definition.

"It's great to get this national recognition as we celebrate our 20th Anniversary," said Program Director of eighteen years, Carlos Lando. "To be recognized by one's peers is a humbling gift and a rewarding experience in a long journey that has been simultaneously exciting and challenging."