Southwest writers, readers, artists, and book enthusiasts will come together for the biennial The Southwest Word Fiesta will be held in Silver City on October 27-29, 2023.

Among several events, author Kris Neri will be moderating the Genre-Go-Round: Mysteries, Science Fiction, Romance panel. The Genre-Go-Round panel will take place on Saturday, October 28, from 11:30-12:30 pm MDT at the WNMU Global Resource Center in Room A.

Marty Eberhardt will discuss the mystery genre. She is a retired botanical garden executive director who has written two award-winning books in the Bea Rivers botanical garden mystery series: Death in a Desert Garden (2021), and Bones in the Back Forty (2023). Marty and her husband divide their time between Tucson and Silver City, enjoying the wild areas and wild characters of both.

Kate Rauner will examine science fiction. She is an engineer by trade and an ex-Cold War warrior who worked in the copper mines of Grant County, New Mexico, and recently retired as a rural volunteer firefighter. She is a prolific author with over 30 titles to her credit.

Melanie Sweeney, author of Take Me Home (2024), will discuss her process in writing romance. Melanie holds an MFA in fiction from New Mexico State University. Her work has appeared at Babble.com, as well as in several literary magazines. Take Me Home is her debut novel.

Eberhardt, Rauner, and Sweeney will address why they write in their chosen genre, discuss occasional misunderstandings about those genres, and take questions from the audience.

All Southwest Word Fiesta events are free and open to the public. Check our website for updates and registration for this hybrid festival. Home - Southwest Word Fiesta™ (swwordfiesta.org)