Book Reading and Signing in Los Angeles

I Survived La Charla

My book for sale at Kel's stand

A pretty exciting experience for me: my first book reading! I wasn't that great at it, as I get too emotional. But it was a fabulous experience in all--especially because so many friends showed up in support.



The International Book Fair in Buenos Aires has grown to be second only to the Frankfurt Fair, and is the largest one of course in Latin America. It takes place for three weeks every year in the huge Palermo fairgrounds, La Rural, where Ruben and I danced in the tango championship finals in 2006.

Four big pavilions house the many stands of publishers and bookstores from all over the world. Strange to see stands from Cuba and Paraguay, and not from the U.K. (Politics play a part in everything, unfortunately in books and information as well.) It was great to see so many people not only interested in books, but buying them too, even mine!

The U.S. Embassy stand is quite impressive with its sleek white curves and changing colors via spotlights. It is simple, elegant and clean at the same time. There are several iPads in the lobby area with games and puzzles having to do with the U.S. And then a circular room with white poofs for the presentations.

Leave it to the U.S. to have a living Liberty!
Later when Liberty was off duty, Elvis took her place.

My charla announcement in Castellano

Here I am doing my thing. You can't see the plasma screen that showed photos of the book cover, France, Mexico and the Milonga de los Consagrados

Is this ironic? I hope he gets a visa one day!

Celebrating in the VIP Salon

Many of my colleagues from the Buenos Aires English Writers Group were there (not pictured are Stephen Page and Donigan Merritt who also did presentations) Friends Beatrice Murch and Karla Freeman also attended, and several more left messages that they tried but couldn't manage the 90 minute wait in line for tickets.

We all wanted to celebrate, so we stood in line at one of the many cafes and ordered a bottle of Champagne, and another of malbec, while Ruben and Daniel were trying to arrange a table for six in the crowded cafe. Every time I looked over at Ruben, he was carrying a plastic chair over his head through the crowd.

The young man at the register told us we couldn't seat us there, and we said, no problem, our guys are arranging it over in the corner. He called someone on his cell phone while we were anxious to order some munchies to go with the drinks. The line behind us got longer and longer, but he was unflappable. Finally all was paid for, and instead of letting us go to our corner table, a waitress appeared and, opening a velvet rope, ushered us upstairs to the VIP Salon! We sat on purple and cerise velvet chairs and had our wines served in appropriate crystal far away from the bustling and noisy crowd downstairs. It was like a serendipitous miracle. And so much fun. If this is the author's life, then it's for me! But now I've got to get back to work on my prequel.

Happy book signing

Thanks so much to Holly Murten and the U.S. Embassy for inviting me to share my book with the public in such a lovely way.

My Book Reading at the Fair

U.S. Embassy Booth at the International Book Fair

I'm very proud and honored, as well as nervous, to have been invited by the U.S. Embassy to read from The Church of Tango at the International Book Fair.

The reading will be this Monday, April 30 (which is a holiday here in Buenos Aires), at 6:00 p.m. Following my presentation will be Donigan Merritt reading from his novel, Blossom, at 7:00 p.m.

Like many writers who are used to working alone in silent rooms, it's a bit traumatic to read aloud one's own work and in this case, about myself as well. I've always been afraid of public speaking, and for that reason joined International Toastmasters when I first arrived in BsAs, where I met some fabulous folks and got some experience but never conquered my fears. Still, it's a chance for personal growth, as they say.

So if you're around and enjoy books, come to the Fair, the largest book fair in Latin America, and give me some moral support while you're there.

Copies of my book will be available at KEL Books, close to the Embassy stand, for 100 pesos, and I will be delighted to sign it for you.

Hope to see you there!

For complete directions, go here.

38th International Book Fair in Buenos Aires Opens Today

Today begins the 3 week run at the huge fairgrounds in Buenos Aires, La Rural. Don't miss it if you are here and love books. And if possible, please attend my reading of The Church of Tango at the U.S. Embassy booth on Monday, April 30 (a holiday), at 6 p.m. If you go at 5:00 you can hear Ian Mount speak on the wines of Argentina, watch my presentation, and then stay to hear Donigan Merritt read from his novel, Blossom. Another American writer, Stephen Page, will be reading his poetry on Friday, April 27, at 5:00 p.m.

Read about it in Spanish on the official website.

And in English here.      

Here's a complete list and biographies in Spanish of the speakers at the U.S. Embassy booth during the Feria.

Schedules and BIOs 11 Apr 12

For The Kindlephiliacs

I'm happy to announce that due to popular demand, my memoir The Church of Tango is now available as a Kindle download from Amazon.

Also, for those who are reading it or just otherwise curious, photos from the times and places of the book are visible on the Facebook The Church of Tango page.

The Church of Tango: a Memoir, published January 21, 2012

Finally.

I started writing this story at the time it began--in February of 1992, when I was so depressed after my husband's death I wanted to swallow all of his left-over meds and follow him into the beyond. So what began in a way as a journal or diary became the chronicle of my road to survival in four countries. And once I made that decision to live no matter what tragedy came my way, I plugged on, through one tremendous loss after another, by dancing. No, not yet had the tango found me, but whatever dance there was at the time came to my rescue. I had always been a dancer, and now I knew dance could save me from despair.

As my adventures unfolded, the manuscript grew and grew. I had to make cuts in events, characters, reflections and realizations. That was the hardest part of bringing this story to fruition. There is so much left out. Who knows, maybe I'll write The Daughter of the Church of Tango, or a prequel one day.

Our students come from all over the world: China, The Philippines, Australia, Viet Nam, New Zealand, Hawaii, South Africa, India, Nepal, Finland, Russia, Israel, Scandinavia, all over Europe, Chile, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Mexico, Canada and the U.S. And one question almost all ask me is, how did I end up teaching tango in Argentina?

This book is my answer.

Lots of women have come to Buenos Aires for tango, stayed a while, and went home and wrote about their experiences. There are a couple of tango histories available in English, as well as a couple of Buenos Aires milonga guide books. There are self-help books using tango as a way to better interpersonal relationships. There are some novels about tango in Buenos Aires.

My memoir is not like any of them; it is not a "tango book," but a story of survival that cuts across death, cancer, Alzheimer's, loss of home and homeland and cherished heirlooms and possessions, loss of shared histories, of hope for one's children, of hope for the future, of love. But it's also about finding love and unexpected joy. And about listening to the music and dancing.

It can be ordered from the printer online: https://www.createspace.com/3733773

Now available on Amazon and soon as an ebook for Kindle.

Critique the Beginning of My Memoir

Painting of my tango shoes by Mexican artist Santiago Corral

Please help me by critiquing the beginning of my memoir, The Church of Tango:  Death, Dance, Destiny

by reading the first chapter here and commenting:
Create Space Preview
https://www.createspace.com/Preview/1085242

Be honest. I appreciate it.

Una Tanda Mas

Yesterday is history. Tomorrow is a mystery. And today? Today is a gift.
That's why we call it the present.
--Babatunde Olatunji, founder of Drums of Passion


I never think of the future. It comes soon enough.
--Albert Einstein


I hate to leave a milonga. I say to my friend, or to myself, Una tanda mas. Let’s not go yet--let’s see what will happen next.

I don’t want to leave the place where I feel most at home. I don’t want to leave the place where I know the rules, where I feel in control, where my skills are recognized and appreciated. In my heart I am always waiting to dance La Cumparsita, the traditional final tango, but I’m not in any hurry.

The tables of men who look like a casting call for The Godfather, the rows of sultry women smoking cigarettes with their legs crossed, the man who rhapsodize on the reasons you are so exquisite when you dance, the endless discussions of the music and orchestras, the men who “love” you and press their phone numbers into your hand, the teacher who tries every trick in his repertoire in order to make his partner want lessons with him, the elegant Maitre’ds who remember where you like to sit, the men who show off their fanciest steps in front of the tables of their friends and the other man who “loves” you, the waiters and waitresses who tirelessly kiss you hello and goodbye while serving you until dawn in the smoky salons, the women in the bathrooms who sell sexy tango clothes, the taxi drivers who sing tangos on the way to the milonga, the collective intake of breath with the first notes of Pavadita or the Pugliese tanda—this is my world now. And I love it.

I hope there will always be Una tanda mas for you and for me.


--from my unpublished memoir, The Church of Tango