You bring in many authors for the annual event. Are they like rock stars with contract riders such as they’ll only eat green M&Ms in the green room?
(Laughs.) Honestly, no. Last year, we brought in John Waters, and I thought he would have more requests for his appearance. He was not only very approachable and accommodating, but he didn’t have a single request. He even got his own transportation from the airport.
What kind of panels can we expect this year?
One of our discussions will include former Sen. Richard Bryan and former Gov. Bob Miller. We are doing a poetry panel with Nevada Humanities and a Spark Youth poetry competition. Our Clark County poet laureate, Ashley “Ms. AyeVee” Vargas, will be there. There will be YA authors and Disney’s “Meant to Be” series authors, which is a retelling of their classic fairytale novels for contemporary times. We have a panel about writing historical Westerns in the digital age. … Our goal was to provide something for everyone.
Does it surprise you that Vegas — a place of endless entertainment choices — likes to curl up with a good book?
Books might not be the first thing you think of when someone mentions Vegas, but that’s the point. Las Vegas is always surprising people, and books are quite a big thing these days. … It feels exciting to be reading. There was a point in time when people weren’t talking as much about books, but I believe the pandemic reminded people that reading is a wonderful way to escape. It’s a quiet entertainment, and that’s OK — even in Las Vegas.
Vegas is a haven for many writers who live and write their novels here. Why do you think desert living sparks all those works?
There is so much context you can pull from our city. What happens on the Strip is just part of it. Look at the mountains and the surrounding area. It’s easy to see how this beautiful landscape can inspire so many interesting things to write about. And I completely understand. I’m a visual artist who creates mixed-media photography and know there is so much to view and interpret in Nevada. Literature is often described as looking at the world and interpreting it, which makes this a wonderful place for writers.
Describe your arts journey in Nevada.
I’m a Silverado High School grad who went to UNLV, where I studied visual arts and art history. Then, I opened an art gallery in the Emergency Arts building. I had a micro gallery there for three years and then helped open the Neon Museum, where I stayed for 13 years before I joined city government.
Are you a big reader? Any recommendations?
Yes, I love to read and stayed up late last night with “The Emperor of Gladness” by Ocean Vuong, which is really good so far. I’m excited to see where it goes. My book group needed something new, and this was a really good choice. ◆
