Starting in mid-November, people can print books from a catalog of more than 3 million titles, or even novels they’ve written themselves, in less than five minutes at the Sacramento Public Library. The library recently acquired an Espresso Book Machine or EBM, which will be available for public use. Printing on the machine is available through the Library's I Street: A Community Writing & Publishing Center project, where the public can join and learn about self-publishing, according to Sacramento Public Library Outreach & Community Services Supervisor Manya Shorr. "The UC Davis extension program for creative writing in Davis is closing, (and) that means there is no center for creative w

“Telling stories without shame” is the goal of a new digital magazine published by Sacramento writer and editor Janna Marlies Santoro. The premiere issue of Under the Gum Tree was released this month, and Santoro said she asked contributors to write creative nonfiction that showcases important moments in people’s lives, as told by them. One writer, Sarah Heffron, wrote about her own unplanned pregnancy. “It’s a snapshot of the days just before and the moments after finding out I was pregnant,” she said. While the “creative nonfiction” genre leaves some question as to how much is true, Santoro said all of the stories are true, but sometimes dialogue is written from memory and timelines

Smart phones. E-readers. Netbooks. Mama sure does a lot of reading these days, but not too much of the paper-and-ink kind. Enter: Kidaround. It was as appealing in a tired mother’s hand as a latte and as likely to induce a welcome perk. Yes, you read that last line correctly, it was. Barbara Hennelly announced on Facebook last month that the November/December 2010 issue of Kidaround would be her last. After publishing the bimonthly magazine for five years, Hennelly decided that the financial stress finally was too much. The magazine was profitable, but cash flowed too slowly. Delays in collecting advertising revenues meant Hennelly scrambled to pay her print bills each issue. “I think

Andy Ihnatko is an amusing, sometimes irreverant, technology journalist for the Chicago Sun-Times. Andy's style is both self-effacing yet knowledgeable with a little theatre like presence in his style of delivering what can be sometimes abstract concepts about new media. He is a contributor to Macworld Magazine as well as a technology commentator on CBS’ Early Show. He also has written some books with his latest offering, Iphone: Full Loaded, available through Amazon. He was a featured speaker at this year's Macworld held in San Francisco. This is the year that Apple previously had decided not to attend leading many to muse as to what impact this would have to this long time event. It is a

Born and raised in Sacramento, Kathy Kieth now lives in Pollock Pines. A musician, music teacher, music therapist, psychologist and poet, her work has been published in many journals, including Atlanta Review, California Quarterly, Main Street Rag, Möbius, Potpourri, Ekphrasis, PDQ, Poetry Now, Slant, and Tiger’s Eye. Kathy has also published four chapbooks: Night Full of Owls from White Heron Press, Keeping Time in the Clock Shop from PWJ Publishing, Why We Have Sternums from Rattlesnake Press, and Sex—For Animals from Rattlesnake Press. She was also nominated for the prestigious Pushcart Prize. In the last six years, Ms. Kieth has published hundreds of Sacramento-area poets in her quart

Sunday, January 17th, 2010, marked the last book signing and presentation by an author at Amicus Books Literary Arts Center and Community Bookstore, located in the older part of Marysville, California, on 413 D Street. Author Michael Don Hubbartt presented his newly published book, The Sutter Buttes (Arcadia Publishing, 2010), to a large turn-out in spite of the weather forecast of a major storm. Mr. Hubbartt offered a comprehensive history of the Sutter Buttes, known as the world's smallest mountain range, a familiar landmark to residents of the Sacramento Valley. Since its inception in 2005, Amicus Books' primary purpose was as a community literary arts center serving readers, writers,