New & Novel: New Mexico Authors

There is a lot of writing talent here in the Land of Enchantment.  We all know about George R.R. Martin and Rudolfo Anaya; there are libraries named for Ernie Pyle, Erna Fergusson, and Tony Hillerman.  But did you know romance author Jude Devereaux has ties to New Mexico? How about mystery writer Martha Grimes?

If you are looking for books by New Mexicans, we can help! We have a LibGuide (which includes links to New Mexico author groups) and you can also search in the library catalog for the tag "New Mexico authors". If you search by author in the LibGuide, you will find the author's New Mexico connection - Armistead Maupin is now a Santa Fe resident and Michael McGarrity has degrees from UNM and served as Santa Fe County Deputy Sheriff, for instance - and a link to their books in the catalog, as well as to the author's website.

We hope you will check out some of New Mexico's literary offerings!  You might be surprised to find your favorite author listed in the LibGuide - or you might discover your next great read.

Here's a quick roundup of some of the latest New Mexico literature, in a variety of genres, which can be found in the library catalog:

Fiction

The Sleepwalker's Guide to Dancing by Mira Jacob

Night at the Fiestas: Stories by Kirstin Valdez Quade

Eighth Grave After Dark by Darynda Jones

The King and Queen of Comezón by Denise Chávez

The Cane Creek Regulators: A Frontier Story by Johnny D. Boggs

Written In My Own Heart's Blood by Diana Gabaldon

Exo by Steven Gould

Kansas Bleeds: Colton Brothers Saga by Melody Groves

Artemis Awakening by Jane Lindskold

Backlands: A Novel of the American West by Michael McGarrity

The Golden Princess: A Novel of the Change by S. M. Stirling 
  

Non-fiction

Singing at the Gates: Selected Poems by Jimmy Santiago Baca

Hoe, Heaven, and Hell: My Boyhood in Rural New Mexico by Nasario García 

Goin' Crazy with Sam Peckinpah and All Our Friends by Max Evans with Robert Nott

The New Mexico Farm Table Cookbook: 150 Homegrown Recipes from the Land of Enchantment by Sharon Niederman

In the Kingdom of Ice: The Grand and Terrible Polar Voyage of the U.S.S. Jeannette by Hampton Sides


If you are looking for New Mexico history,  library staff recommend the Images of America series.


Links

ABC Library's New Mexico Authors Guide

G. E. Nordell's New Mexico Authors Guide

NM Children's and YA Authors, Poets, and Illustrators [New Mexico State Library]

Books Set in New Mexico [Goodreads]

Wordharvest

"Founded by Anne Hillerman and Jean Schaumberg in 2002, WORDHARVEST is devoted to the art and craft of writing. From our headquarters in Santa Fe, New Mexico, we celebrate the legacy of iconic mystery author Tony Hillerman with the Tony Hillerman Prize for first mystery novel, and the Tony Hillerman Writers Conference, a  three-day workshop offering how-to advice on writing techniques and the business of writing."