April at Bookworks Features Ava Dellaira, Laini Taylor, and More

April is teeming with events at Bookworks, with both nationally-touring and local authors reading at the store.

Young adult authors Ava Dellaira and Laini Taylor visit the store with new novels. Ava Dellaira is an Albuquerque native and Albuquerque Academy alum, who currently works in the movie industry and lives in Santa Monica. She will be reading from her new book Love Letters to the Dead at Bookworks Saturday, April 5th at 5pm. The book features Laurel, who writes a love letter to Kurt Cobain as part of a school assignment and in remembrance of her deceased sister. In doing so, Laurel learns about herself and about navigating high school and a splintered family. Then on April 8, the author of the popular YA trilogy Daughter of Smoke & Bone, Laini Taylor, will read from the latest in that series,Dreams of Gods and Monsters. All teens and the general public are encouraged to attend the free events with Dellaira and Taylor.

April also brings new adult fiction to Bookworks with Anthony De Sa visiting April 10 for his new indie favorite, Kicking the Sky. Kicking the Sky tells the story of the dark side of Toronto, where a shoeshine boy was murdered in 1977. Twelve-year-old Antonio Rebelo explores the murder, his city, and his Portuguese neighborhood with new eyes and frightening realities. De Sa is a Canadian Portuguese writer and the author of a story collection, Barnacle Love. Albuquerque writer Ana Castillo has a new novel out, Give It To Me, published by Feminist Press, from which she'll read at Bookworks April 17. The novel features a 43-year-old Latino who stumbles her way to spiritual self-rescue through sexual adventures and small-time hustles. Mystery writer Stuart Woods returns to Bookworks with a new Stone Barrington Mystery, Carnal Curiosity. Woods is the author of fifty novels, many of them New York Times best-sellers. Mystery readers and book clubs are encouraged to attend.

April is National Poetry Month, and Bookworks hosts poetry readings throughout the month and a youth writing workshop on April 28 at 5:30pm. On April 3, Deanna McMain and fellow poets read from a Route 66 poetry anthology; on April 4, poet Kate Gale reads from her new UNM Press book, The Goldilocks Zone; April 15, Jessica Helen Lopez presents her new chapbook, Cunt. Bomb.; April 27, New Mexico poetsRenny Golden, Ann Hutchins, and Mitch Reyes perform, and on April 29, Carlos Contreras launches his debut, Time Served.

World Book Night is April 23, and dozens of givers signed up through Bookworks to distribute books throughout the city. Authors David Wroebel and Slim Randles will be at Bookworks on World Book Night. The night after, on April 24, 7pm, Bookworks will host a reception for World Book Night givers with a special performance and refreshments. Givers will have the opportunity to talk about their giving experiences.

Also in April-April 13 at 4pm-Bookworks and ArtBar team up to try a new concept: A Sit & Sip Silent Reading Date at ArtBar. The idea came from a bar and restaurant in Seattle that opened its doors to readers to come read in the quiet with one another for a few hours. Bring a book, preferably, or your favorite reading materials to the bar to enjoy reading with others.

To round out April, Albuquerque native Allison Moore talks about her new memoir, Shards, which recounts her time as a police officer and meth addict, April 30, at Bookworks.