‘Member when your Mama told you ‘be careful to be nice, you’ll never know who you’ll impress?’ She was being straight with you. A while ago, Kathy Cordova of El Prado, New Mexico kindly wrote me a nice review for my novel ‘Snap Me a Future.’ She published it in the Silver City Press, Silver City New Mexico.

Silver City’s an old mining town in Southern New Mexico, now turned arts hub. The editor and now owner of the Silver City paper, Tiny Ely. liked the review. She and I are both in the New Mexico Press Women and the National Federation of Press Women. But all Tina knew of me at the time of the review was that I was the NMPW Communication Contest Director, and foolhardy (chuckle) enough to be for the umpteenth year.

That got her to thinking about my career in New Mexico as a writer, journalist, and broadcaster. It’s been a joy ride, folks. She decided this year to nominate me for 2007 New Mexico Press Women Communicator of Achievement. This fall, I get to compete for the title at the National Federation of Press Women. I about fell out of my chair when my name was announced for the beautiful award.

When Tina gave me the award–the person submitting the nomination always gives the award at the annual NMPW Banquet–Tina talked about my novels as important in her decision to suggest I get recognition. Of course my books are ‘Snap Me a Future’ about a publicist turned arts reporter in the beautiful Four Corners Area of New Mexico. And ‘A Mouth Full of Shell,’ about a college professor in Pennsylvania and her struggles to get tenure. DLSIJ Press publishes them. See dlsijpress.com for details.

So big thanks to Tina Ely at the Silver City Press, and if you get to Silver City New Mexico, stop by and tell Tina hello for me. Read Kathy Cordova’s reviews if you can get to the paper on line or in print. Silver City’s a great town to visit if you’re planning a New Mexico Vacation, or a Southwest Vacation, and the Press is a neat paper.

El Prado, by the way, is right near Taos. Kathy Cordova is a teacher and a recent PhD. Yeah Kathy. She’s native to New Mexico and does historic walking tours of Taos besides teaching and writing her own articles and books.

Taos, of course is a neat New Mexico spot, as is El Prado.

And remember, Mama is usually write, (or right) even 50 some years after the fact.

Posted on April 29th, 2007 by Connie Gotsch
Filed under: News