C.M. Mayo's Podcast (Marfa Mondays & More)

Marfa Mondays 21: Great Power in One: Miss Charles Emily Wilson

C.M. Mayo — Mon, 20 Apr 2020 18:40:36 +0000

C.M. Mayo reads her longform essay about Miss Charles Emily Wilson, the Texas borderlands educator and oral historian of the Black Seminole scouts.

M.M. McAllen: A Conversation About "Maximilian and Carlota: Europe's Last Empire in Mexico"

C.M. Mayo — Tue, 05 Jan 2016 07:38:51 +0000

As part of the occasional series "Conversations with Other Writers," C.M. Mayo talks with historian M.M. McAllen about her book, Maximilian and Carlota: Europe's Last Empire in Mexico. Recorded in the Twig Bookstore in San Antonio, Texas, October 2015. Visit McAllen's website at www.mmmcallen.com

C.M. Mayo is the author of several books on Mexico including the novel The Last Prince of the Mexican Empire, which was named a Library Journal Best Book of 2009. Her website is www.cmmayo.com

>> The transcript of this interview will be available shortly.

C.M. Mayo Reads Agustín Cadena's "Café San Martín," ALTA 2015

C.M. Mayo — Mon, 14 Dec 2015 18:20:19 +0000

For the American Literary Translators Association (ALTA) annual conference in Tucson, Arizona, at the Café Latino bilingual reading series at the Café Passé, C.M. Mayo reads "Café San Martin" by Mexican poet Agustín Cadena, together with her translation into English. This poem originally appeared in Cadena's collection Caceria de brujas, and the translation in Sarah Cortez's anthology, Goodbye Mexico. The MC is Alexis Levitin. Recorded on October 30, 2015.

For more about ALTA www.literarytranslators.org

For more about Agustín Cadena http://elvinoylahiel.blogspot.com

For more about C.M. Mayo's translations http://www.cmmayo.com/pubs-translations.html

Marfa Mondays 20: Raymond Caballero on Mexican Revolutionary General Pascual Orozco and Far West Texas

C.M. Mayo — Sun, 08 Nov 2015 09:57:32 +0000

An interview with Raymond Caballero, author of Lynching Pascual Orozco: Mexican Revolutionary Hero and Paradox.

> Complete show notes and transcript

> MARFA MONDAYS PODCASTING PROJECT

> C.M. Mayo's home page (books, articles, and more)

For Banned Books Week: A Reading From Francisco I. Madero's Secret Book, Spiritist Manual

C.M. Mayo — Sat, 03 Oct 2015 04:17:05 +0000

An excerpt from C.M. Mayo's translation of Francisco I. Madero's Spiritist Manual, originally published in 1911 as Manual espírita. Madero was the leader of Mexico's 1910 Revolution and President of Mexico from 1911-1913.

The complete translation is included in C.M. Mayo's book, Metaphysical Odyssey into the Mexican Revolution: Francisco I. Madero and His Secret Book, Spiritist Manual (Dancing Chiva, 2014), which won the National Indie Excellence Award for History.

> More about this title at www.cmmayo.com.

Marfa Mondays 19: Pitmaster Israel Campos in Pecos

C.M. Mayo — Tue, 08 Sep 2015 18:35:54 +0000

An interview with Israel Campos, award-winning pitmaster and owner of Pody's BBQ. Recorded in June 2015.

> Transcript

> MARFA MONDAYS PODCASTING PROJECT

> World Waiting for a Dream: A Turn in Far West Texas

> C.M. Mayo's home page (books, articles, and more)

Mentioned on this podcast:

Pody's BBQ on Facebook

Pody's BBQ on TripAdvisor

Texas Monthly on Pody's BBQ

Smokestack Lightning by Lolis Eric Elie

The 100 Best Barbecue Restaurants in America by Johnny Fugitt

The Prophets of Smoked Meat by Daniel Vaughn

Legends of Texas Barbecue Cookbook by Robb Walsh

Chimney (Weber Chimney) Charcoal Starter

Hatch New Mexico Chiles

Extracto de Odisea metafísica hacia la Revolución Mexicana

C.M. Mayo — Mon, 27 Jul 2015 19:45:17 +0000

C.M. Mayo lee un extracto del primer capítulo de su libro, Odisea metafísica hacia la Revolcuión Mexicana, Francisco I. Madero y su libro secreto, Manual espírita, Traducción de Agustín Cadena (Literal Publishing, 2014). Mayor información sobre este libro en la página web www.cmmayo.com

Marfa Mondays 18: Lisa Fernandes, Barrel Racer at the Pecos Rodeo

C.M. Mayo — Thu, 23 Jul 2015 19:44:18 +0000

An interview with barrel racer Lisa Fernandes, recorded at the Pecos Rodeo, June 2015.

> Transcript

> MARFA MONDAYS PODCASTING PROJECT

> World Waiting for a Dream: A Turn in Far West Texas

> C.M. Mayo's home page (books, articles, and more)

> Official page for the West of the Pecos Rodeo

Historia en Vivo: El nuevo libro de C.M. Mayo sobre Francisco I. Madero, Odisea metafísica hacia la Revolución Mexicana

C.M. Mayo — Sat, 23 May 2015 01:47:27 +0000

Para el programa de radio "Historia en vivo" de Radio Ciudada IMER en la Ciudad de México, la Maestra Bertha Hernández entrevista a C.M. Mayo sobre su nuevo libro, Odisea metafísica hacia la Revolución Mexicana, Francisco I. Madero y su libro secreto, Manual espírita.

> Acerca de este libro (reseñas, extractos, bibliografías, artículos y más recursos para investigadores)

Historiadores mencionados en esta entrevista: Manuel Guerra de Luna, Enrique Krauze, José Mariano Leyva, Alejandro Rosas, Yolia Tortolero.

> Extractos de Odisea metafísica hacia la revolución Mexicana por C.M. Mayo, traducido por Agustín Cadena

> Extractos del Manual espirita de Francisco I. Madero El libro original en inglés, Metaphysical Odyssey into the Mexican Revolution: Francisco I. Madero and His Secret Book, Spiritist Manual

> Conseguir el libro (pasta blanda o edición digital Kindle)

> Escuchar un podcast en inglés, la presentación del libro en inglés, Metaphysical Odyssey into the Mexican Revolution, en la Universidad de California San Diego

Marfa Mondays 17: Lonn Taylor in Fort Davis

C.M. Mayo — Thu, 30 Apr 2015 07:46:04 +0000

An interview with historian Lonn Taylor, the "Rambling Boy" columnist for the Big Bend Sentinel, and author of several books, most recently, Texas People, Texas Places. Recorded in Fort Davis in March 2015.

> Transcript

> MARFA MONDAYS PODCASTING PROJECT (ALL PODCASTS)

> World Waiting for a Dream: A Turn in Far West Texas

> C.M. Mayo's home page (books, articles, and more)

C.M. Mayo at the Center for U.S.-Mexican Studies, UCSD: Metaphysical Odyssey into the Mexican Revolution: Francisco I. Madero and His Secret Book

C.M. Mayo — Thu, 05 Feb 2015 18:50:08 +0000

Recorded January 29, 2015 in La Jolla, CA, at the University of California San Diego Center for US-Mexican Studies: C.M. Mayo discusses her new book, Metaphysical Odyssey into the Mexican Revolution: Francisco I. Madero and His Secret Book, Spiritist Manual.

NOTES: This talk is substantially similar to the talk given for PEN San Miguel, however, some of the reading selections differ, as do the Q & A at the end.

For more information about some of the many works, places, and individuals mentioned (more or less in order as mentioned):

+ A Note on the Burned-Over District

+ Enrique Krauze's biography, Francisco I. Madero: Mistico de la libertad

+ Yolia Tortolero Cervantes' El espiritismo seduce a Francisco I. Madero

+ A Note on the works of Mexican historians Manuel Guerra de Luna and Alejandro Rosas Robles

+ Dr. Arnold-Krumm-Heller (Madero's doctor, a German intelligence officer, artillery expert and author of numerous esoteric works)

+ Figures in the esoetric world: Papus; Rudolph Steiner; Aleister Crowley

+ Dr. Peebles

+ Madero's La sucesión presidencial en 1910 (goes to archive.org)

+ Francisco I. Madero's Commentary on the Baghavad-Gita

+ Instituto Mexicano de Investigacion Síquica, Una ventana al mundo invisible (and the role of Plutarco Elias Calles)

+ Zavaleta, Antonio, and Alberto Salinas, Jr., Curandero Conversations: El Niño Fidencio, Shamanism, and Healing Traditions of the Borderlands

+ Luis Alberto Urrea's novel The Hummingbird's Daughter (about the healer Teresa de Cabora)

+ Helios, October 1911 issue announcing the Manual espírita (Mexican Spiritist Magazine)

+ Ambassador Henry Lane Wilson (link goes to brief biography and inventory of his papers)

+ Belén de Sárraga

+ Victoriano Huerta (link to PBS documentary biography)

+ Heribert von Feilitzsch's In Plain Sight: Felix Sommerfeld, Spymaster in Mexico

+ Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's The History of Spiritualism (archive.org)

+ A Note on the 1924 Barcelona edition of Madero's Manual espírita ("The Secret Life of a Secret Book")

+ Resources for Researchers page on the home website for Metaphysical Odyssey into the Mexican Revolution

C.M. Mayo at PEN San Miguel: The President of Mexico's Secret Book

C.M. Mayo — Mon, 26 Jan 2015 07:43:05 +0000

On January 13, 2015, as the first speaker of the 2015 PEN San Miguel series in Bellas Artes, San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, C.M. Mayo reads from and discusses her new book, Metaphysical Odyssey into the Mexican Revolution: Francisco I. Madero and His Secret Book, Spiritist Manual.

(Yes, this book is available in both paperback editions and in Kindle .)

For more about this book, visit www.cmmayo.com

Rose Mary Salum: A Conversation About Making Connections with Literature and Art

C.M. Mayo — Mon, 12 Jan 2015 17:52:16 +0000

As part of the occasional series Conversations with Other Writers, C.M. Mayo talks with Rose Mary Salum, founding editor of Literal Magazine and Literal Publishing, and editor of the visionary anthology Delta de las arenas: cuentos árabes, cuentos judíos, a collection of Jewish and Arab stories from Latin America. Recorded in Mexico City, November 2013. Visit her website at www.literalmagazine.com

C.M. Mayo is a literary journalist, novelist, and translator. The author of several works on Mexico, her most recent work is Metaphysical Odyssey into the Mexican Revolution: Francisco I. Madero and His Secret Book, Spiritist Manual. www.cmmayo.com

>>Read the transcript of this interview

Marfa Mondays 16: Tremendous Forms: Paul V. Chaplo on Finding Composition in the Landscape

C.M. Mayo — Fri, 02 Jan 2015 08:27:01 +0000

An interview with photographer Paul V. Chaplo, author of Marfa Flights: Aerial Views of Big Bend Country. Recorded at the Texas Book Festival in Austin, October 2014. This is #16 in the 24 podcast series Marfa Mondays: Exploring Marfa, Texas and the greater Big Bend region www.cmmayo.com/marfa

"These stunning images of one of the most sparsely populated and least visited regions of North America are not your typical coffee table book pretty pictures. In Marfa Flights: Aerial Views of Big Bend Country, Paul V. Chaplo, a classically trained visual artist who also happens to be a professional photographer, found and composed out of this swirlingly violent and bone-dry landscape something wondrous and haunting. Photographed from a single engine airplane, at various times of day, the land and sky and jewel-like ribbons of water come alive with form, muscle, and color."

> Transcript

> MARFA MONDAYS PODCASTING PROJECT (ALL PODCASTS)

> World Waiting for a Dream: A Turn in Far West Texas

> C.M. Mayo's home page (books, articles, and more)

Marfa Mondays 15: Gifts of the Ancient Ones: Greg Williams on the Rock Art of the Lower Pecos Canyonlands

C.M. Mayo — Mon, 08 Dec 2014 04:06:31 +0000

An interview with Greg Williams, Executive Director of the Rock Art Foundation. Though the Rock Art Foundation has been working hard to spread the word, it still seems a well-kept secret that some of the most spectacular rock art in the world is tucked into the nooks and crannies of the Lower Pecos Canyonlands of Far West Texas (and into Coahuila, Mexico). I had the great privilege of being able to view some it, specifically, the rock art at Meyers Springs near the tiny border town of Dryden, Texas, through the tour offered by the Rock Art Foundation. Recorded at Meyers Springs Ranch on August 30, 2014. This is #15 in the 24 podcast series Marfa Mondays: Exploring Marfa, Texas and the greater Big Bend region www.cmmayo.com/marfa

> Transcript

> MARFA MONDAYS PODCASTING PROJECT (ALL PODCASTS)

> World Waiting for a Dream: A Turn in Far West Texas

> C.M. Mayo's home page (books, articles, and more)

Marfa Mondays 14: Over Burro Mesa / The Kickapoo Ambassadors

C.M. Mayo — Tue, 04 Nov 2014 06:45:57 +0000

A hike over Burro Mesa into Apache Canyon in the Big Bend National Park, plus the reading of a brief translation from the memoir of Maximilian's gardener, Wilhelm Knechtel, about the Kickapoo ambassadors in 1865. This is #14 in the 24 podcast series, "Marfa Mondays: Exploring Marfa, TX & the Big Bend." www.cmmayo.com/marfa

> Transcript

> MARFA MONDAYS PODCASTING PROJECT (ALL PODCASTS)

> World Waiting for a Dream: A Turn in Far West Texas

> C.M. Mayo's home page (books, articles, and more)

Marfa Mondays 13: Looking at Mexico in New Ways: An Interview with John Tutino

C.M. Mayo — Wed, 02 Apr 2014 23:01:26 +0000

Interview with John Tutino, professor of the history of Mexico and the Americas in the History Department and the School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University in Washington DC. Professor Tutino is the author of Making a New World: Founding Capitalism in the Bajío and Spanish North America (Duke University Press) and editor of the anthology Mexico and Mexicans in the Making of the United States (University of Texas Press). This is #13 in the 24 podcast series, "Marfa Mondays: Exploring Marfa, TX & the Big Bend." www.cmmayo.com/marfa

> Transcript

> MARFA MONDAYS PODCASTING PROJECT (ALL PODCASTS)

> World Waiting for a Dream: A Turn in Far West Texas

> C.M. Mayo's home page (books, articles, and more)

Marfa Mondays 12: Dallas Baxter, This Precious Place

C.M. Mayo — Tue, 17 Sep 2013 06:16:28 +0000

Interview with Dallas Baxter, founding editor of Cenizo Journal. Recorded in February 2013 in Alpine, Texas. Baxter talks about the flowering of arts in the desert, the aftermath of 9/11, the challenges and delights of living in the Big Bend, and the story of a successful and dynamic print journal in this digital age. #12 in the 24 podcast series, "Marfa Mondays," which has been extended through 2015.

> Transcript

> MARFA MONDAYS PODCASTING PROJECT (ALL PODCASTS)

> World Waiting for a Dream: A Turn in Far West Texas

> C.M. Mayo's home page (books, articles, and more)

Marfa Mondays 11: Cowboy Songs by Cowboys Michael Stevens, Craig Carter, and Doug Figgs

C.M. Mayo — Wed, 20 Mar 2013 10:37:54 +0000

27th annual Cowboy Poetry Gathering at Sul Ross State University in Alpine, Texas: cowboy songs by cowboys Michael Stevens, Craig Carter and Doug Figgs-- and an interview with Michael Stevens. Recorded on February 23, 2013. This is #11 in the 24 podcast series, "Marfa Mondays: Exploring Marfa, TX & the Big Bend, 2012-2013."

> Transcript (excluding song lyrics, however)

> MARFA MONDAYS PODCASTING PROJECT (ALL PODCASTS)

> World Waiting for a Dream: A Turn in Far West Texas

> C.M. Mayo's home page (books, articles, and more)

Marfa Mondays 10: A Visit to Swan House (C.M. Mayo Reads for PEN San Miguel de Allende)

C.M. Mayo — Sun, 17 Feb 2013 05:28:42 +0000

C.M. Mayo reading live for PEN San Miguel in the Teatro Angela Peralta, San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, on January 29, 2013. After a brief consideration of literary travel writing in the digital age, Mayo reads from her article in the winter 2013 issue of Cenizo Journal, "A Visit to Swan House," about the Presidio, Texas teaching house of adobe visionary Simone Swan, which features Nubian vaults, constructed by means of an ancient technique rescued by Swan's mentor, the renowned Egyptian architect Hassan Fathy.

>Visit the Adobe Alliance webpage for more information about Swan House and photographs.

> Transcript

> MARFA MONDAYS PODCASTING PROJECT (ALL PODCASTS)

> World Waiting for a Dream: A Turn in Far West Texas

> C.M. Mayo's home page (books, articles, and more)

Marfa Mondays 9: Mary Baxter, Painting the Big Bend

C.M. Mayo — Tue, 08 Jan 2013 04:15:41 +0000

Mary Baxter came to Marfa years ago for the horses and cattle business and stayed to paint the sky-haunted landscapes in a Sorolla-like play of light: mountains, plains, horses huddling beneath a cliff, a canyon bruised purple with twilight, gold grass, the visual Haiku of a red water tank. Recently returned to Marfa after a decade in (relatively nearby) Marathon, Texas, Mary Baxter talked to C.M. Mayo in her sun-filled studio in October 2012.

> View some of Mary Baxter's works at www.baxtergallery.com
> Read her biography and view more works at Hunt Gallery

> Transcript

> MARFA MONDAYS PODCASTING PROJECT (ALL PODCASTS)

> World Waiting for a Dream: A Turn in Far West Texas

> C.M. Mayo's home page (books, articles, and more)

Podcasting for Writers: Introduction to the Ebook (or, How I Dove Into the Future)

C.M. Mayo — Sun, 09 Dec 2012 09:51:20 +0000

C.M. Mayo introduces her new ebook, Podcasting for Writers & Other Creative Entrepreneurs (Dancing Chiva, 2012). "Naples Dave" and others from fiverr.com are the big voices, along with music clips from istockaudio.com, uniquetracks.com, plus silly sound effects, and more. C.M. Mayo recorded her portion at ye olde writing desk desk (any snoring sounds are from the dog) and edited the whole shebang on her laptop using Apple's GarageBand. As Mayo says, "If I can podcast, so can you."

About the ebook: Based on award-winning writer and avid podcaster C.M. Mayo’s one day workshop at the Writer’s Center, Podcasting for Writers & Other Literary Entrepreneurs provides an introduction and overview of podcasting for writers, from basic concepts to nuts-and-bolts tips. In 10 “easy peasy” steps (along with some “fancy schmancy” for those so inclined), Mayo shows you how to generate and publish your unique podcast—and yes, get that puppy onto iTunes. Read more about this ebook at www.dancingchiva.com

C. M. Mayo is the author of the novel, The Last Prince of the Mexican Empire (Unbridled Books); which was named a Library Journal Best Book 2009; Miraculous Air: Journey of a Thousand Miles through Baja California, the Other Mexico (Milkweed Editions); and Sky Over El Nido (University of Georgia Press), which won the Flannery O’Connor Award for Short Fiction. Mayo started out podcasting in 2009 with a simple recording of her lecture for the Library of Congress about the original archival research behind her novel; since then, it’s just been one podcast after another. Currently she hosts two podcast series, Conversations with Other Writers and, apropos of a travel memoir in progress, Marfa Mondays: Exploring Marfa, TX & Environs in 24 Podcasts.”

Her website is www.cmmayo.com

Marfa Mondays 8: A Spell at Chinati Hot Springs

C.M. Mayo — Mon, 05 Nov 2012 04:58:19 +0000

Elvis. The private art gallery. Lithium. And even better: no email. C.M. Mayo recounts a visit to this remote Chihuahuan Desert oasis in May of 2012. C.M. Mayo is the author of the novel,The Last Prince of the Mexican Empire, which was named a Library Journal Best Book 2009, and the collection Sky Over El Nido, which won the Flannery O'Connor Award for Short Fiction. She is also author of a travel memoir, Miraculous Air: Journey of a Thousand Miles through Baja California, the Other Mexico. She is at work on a book about the Big Bend region of far West Texas, apropos of which she hosts "Marfa Mondays," a series of 24 podcasts exploring Marfa, Texas and environs. For more about these and other books and podcasts by C.M. Mayo, visit www.cmmayo.com

> Transcript

> MARFA MONDAYS PODCASTING PROJECT (ALL PODCASTS)

> World Waiting for a Dream: A Turn in Far West Texas

> C.M. Mayo's home page (books, articles, and more)

Sergio Troncoso: A Conversation with the Author of From This Wicked Patch of Dust

C.M. Mayo — Mon, 24 Sep 2012 21:35:51 +0000

As part of the series of occasional conversations with other writers, C.M. Mayo talks with Sergio Troncoso, author of the novel From This Wicked Patch of Dust. He is also the author of the novel The Nature of Truth; the short story collection The Last Tortilla, which won the Premio Aztlan; and the collection Crossing Borders: Personal Essays. Recorded on Skype, summer 2012. His website is www.sergiotroncoso.com

C.M. Mayo is the author of the novel,The Last Prince of the Mexican Empire, which was named a Library Journal Best Book 2009, and the collection Sky Over El Nido, which won the Flannery O'Connor Award for Short Fiction. She is also author of a travel memoir, Miraculous Air: Journey of a Thousand Miles through Baja California, the Other Mexico. She is at work on a book about the Big Bend region of far West Texas, apropos of which she hosts Marfa Mondays, a series of 24 podcasts exploring Marfa, Texas and environs. For more about these and other books and podcasts by C.M. Mayo, www.cmmayo.com

>>Read the transcript of this interview

Marfa Mondays 7: We Have Seen the Lights

C.M. Mayo — Mon, 23 Jul 2012 16:43:16 +0000

C.M. Mayo recounts her experiences with the bizarre and mysterious phenomena of the Marfa Lights, comments on some of the literature and research, and interviews other witnesses.

> Transcript

> MARFA MONDAYS PODCASTING PROJECT (ALL PODCASTS)

> World Waiting for a Dream: A Turn in Far West Texas

> C.M. Mayo's home page (books, articles, and more)

Marfa Mondays 6: Marfa's Moonlight Gemstones: An Interview with Paul Graybeal

C.M. Mayo — Wed, 20 Jun 2012 20:50:04 +0000

An interview with Paul Graybeal, owner of Marfa's Moonlight Gemstones. It was no exaggeration for historian Walter Prescott Webb to describe the Big Bend region as "an earthwreck in which a great section of country was shaken down, turned over, blown up, and set on fire." In short, there is ample evidence of millions of years of dramatic geological activity, with the craggiest of mountains to rocks of all kinds, from mammoth piles of boulders to pebbles. In this interview with Paul Graybeal, learn about agates, thundereggs, and more. Visit Paul Graybeal's Moonlight Gemstones at www.moonlightgemstones ; and watch the etsy.com video, "There's No Place Like Here: Marfa, Texas" in which Graybeal makes a brief but amusing appearance. For more about C.M. Mayo's Marfa Mondays Podcasting Projects, visit www.cmmayo.com/marfa

> Transcript

> MARFA MONDAYS PODCASTING PROJECT (ALL PODCASTS)

> World Waiting for a Dream: A Turn in Far West Texas

> C.M. Mayo's home page (books, articles, and more)

Marfa Mondays 5: Cynthia McAlister: The Buzz on the Bees

C.M. Mayo — Mon, 21 May 2012 17:05:27 +0000

An interview with Cynthia McAlister about the bees of West Texas, both imported and native to the northern Chihuahuan Desert. McAlister holds a masters degree in biology from Sul Ross University and is the author of several articles on bees, among them,"Our Native West Texas Bees," which appeared in the winter 2012 issue of Cenizo Journal. Recorded in late January 2012.

> Transcript

> MARFA MONDAYS PODCASTING PROJECT (ALL PODCASTS)

> World Waiting for a Dream: A Turn in Far West Texas

> C.M. Mayo's home page (books, articles, and more)

Marfa Mondays 4: Avram Dumitrescu, An Artist in Alpine

C.M. Mayo — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 03:44:31 +0000

C.M. Mayo interviews Avram Dumitrescu, an artist and illustrator whose paintings have been featured in "Marfans: Art from the Plateau" at the Nancy Fyfe Cardozier Gallery in Odessa, and also showcased in Cenizo Journal. A native of the Channel Islands and raised in Belfast, he earned a bachelor's degree and Masters in Applied Arts from the University of Ulster at Belfast. He is married to journalist Megan Wilde. For more about Dumitrescu, and to view his portfolio, visit www.onlineavram.com. Recorded in late January 2012.

> Transcript

> MARFA MONDAYS PODCASTING PROJECT (ALL PODCASTS)

> World Waiting for a Dream: A Turn in Far West Texas

> C.M. Mayo's home page (books, articles, and more)

Michael K. Schuessler: A Conversation about Pita Amor, Elena Poniatowska, Sor Juana, and Alma Reed

C.M. Mayo — Mon, 26 Mar 2012 08:55:23 +0000

As part of the series of occasional conversations with other writers, C.M. Mayo talks with Michael K. Schuessler, author of the biographies Guadalupe Amor: La undécisima musa (The Eleventh Muse) and Elena Poniatowska: An Intimate Portrait, and editor of journalist Alma Reed's long-lost autobiography, Peregrina: Love and Death in Mexico. Most recently, Schuessler is co-editor (with Amparo Gómez), of the correspondence between Reed and her fiancé, Yucatan's charismatic first democratically elected governor, Felipe Carrillo Puerto, Tuyo hasta que me muera (Yours Until Death). Recorded in Mexico City on March 8, 2012. (Approx 1 hour and 7 minutes)

C.M. Mayo is the author of the novel,The Last Prince of the Mexican Empire, which was named a Library Journal Best Book 2009, and the collection Sky Over El Nido, which won the Flannery O'Connor Award for Short Fiction. She is also author of a travel memoir, Miraculous Air: Journey of a Thousand Miles through Baja California, the Other Mexico. She is at work on a book about the Big Bend region of far West Texas, apropos of which she hosts Marfa Mondays, a series of 24 podcasts exploring Marfa, Texas and environs. For more about these and other books and podcasts by C.M. Mayo, www.cmmayo.com

Marfa Mondays 3: Mary Bones on the Lost Art Colony

C.M. Mayo — Wed, 21 Mar 2012 01:20:21 +0000

C.M. Mayo interviews Mary Bones, curator of the exhibit "The Lost Colony: Texas Regionalist Paintings," in the Museum of the Big Bend, Sul Ross State University, Alpine, Texas. The Lost Colony refers to the summer art colony at Sul Ross which began in 1932 and ended somewhat mysteriously in 1950. Alpine is 30 minutes northeast of Marfa-- right next door. Of the region, as Michael Duty writes in the introduction to the exhibit's catalog, "It... has long called to artists who have been captivated by its natural beauty, its history, and its people. In recent times, the area has also drawn the attention of writers and reporters who have written numerous articles touting the area's prominence as something of a center, albeit a far flung one, for contemporary art. Those articles focus primarily on Marfa and the influence that minimalist sculptor Donald Judd has had on the town..." Later, Duty adds, that Judd "was certainly not the first artist to be so captivated". Mary Bones explains the inspiration for the exhibit, and shares the stories about and friendships of some of the painters, in particular Texan Julius Woeltz and his teacher Xavier González, a native of Spain, both of whom made trips to Mexico City to study the Mexican muralists, including Diego Rivera and José Clemente Orozco. Some of the other painters discussed are Mabel Vandiver, Anna Keener, Elizabeth Keefer, Coreen Mary Spellman, Harry Anthony De Young, Beatrice Cuming, Otis Dozier, William Lester, James Swann, Ethel Edwards, Alice Reynolds, and Juanita Montgomery. Several of these paintings can be seen in the article by Mary Bones, "The Lost Colony: Texas Regionalist Paintings -Rediscovering an Artistic Past," Cenizo Journal, 4th Quarter 2011.

> Transcript

> MARFA MONDAYS PODCASTING PROJECT (ALL PODCASTS)

> World Waiting for a Dream: A Turn in Far West Texas

> C.M. Mayo's home page (books, articles, and more)

Edward Swift: A Conversation with the Author of My Grandfather's Finger

C.M. Mayo — Sat, 03 Mar 2012 20:57:27 +0000

As part of the series of occasional conversations with other writers, C.M. Mayo talks with Edward Swift, author the memoir, My Grandfather's Finger, and several novels, most recently, The Daughter of the Doctor and the Saint. Recorded in Swift's studio in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, on February 22, 2012.

For more conversations with other writers, visit www.cmmayo.com

C.M. Mayo Discusses Francisco I. Madero's Secret Book of 1911, Spiritist Manual

C.M. Mayo — Fri, 02 Mar 2012 17:29:56 +0000

Recorded at the PEN / Sol Literary Magazine Reading Series event of February 22, 2012 in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico. C.M. Mayo introduces and discusses her translation-- the first into English-- of Francisco I. Madero's secret book of 1911, Spiritist Manual. Madero was the leader of Mexico's 1910 Revolution and President of Mexico from 1911-1913. For more about Madero's Spiritist Manual, including extensive Q & A and resources for researchers, visit www.cmmayo.com/SPIRITISTMANUAL

(Note: this is an abbreviated version of the longer podcast, which is available at www.cmmayo.com/podcasts.html , with fellow author Gerard Helferich, who read from his book, Stone of Kings.)

PEN / Sol Literary Magazine Reading Series: Gerard Helferich and C.M. Mayo

C.M. Mayo — Sun, 26 Feb 2012 20:44:52 +0000

Recorded in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, February 22, 2012. Gerard Helferich reads from and discusses his new book, Stone of Kings: In Search of the Lost Jade of the Maya, and C.M. Mayo discusses her translation-- the first into English-- of Francisco I. Madero's secret book of 1911, Spiritist Manual. Madero was the leader of Mexico's 1910 Revolution and President of Mexico 1911-1913. Introduced by Eva Hunter, editor of Sol Literary Magazine.

Marfa Mondays 2: Charles Angell in the Big Bend

C.M. Mayo — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 19:28:38 +0000

Interview with Charles Angell, owner of Angell Expeditions, on the Big Bend: how he got here, the rivers, the birds, geology, archaeology, rock art, movies, and much more.

> Transcript

> MARFA MONDAYS PODCASTING PROJECT (ALL PODCASTS)

> World Waiting for a Dream: A Turn in Far West Texas

> C.M. Mayo's home page (books, articles, and more)

Marfa Mondays 1: Welcome and Introduction

C.M. Mayo — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 17:30:50 +0000

Ever since I first heard about Marfa and the remote mountain ranges of West Texas, I yearned to go there. About a decade ago, on a brief visit, I drank in the majesty of the vast spaces, the bluer than blue skies, and at night, stars beyond stars, and— yes, they're real—the Marfa Lights. But the people? Breezing through, I didn't have a chance to talk to many, for I was deep into writing another book, Miraculous Air, about Baja California, Mexico's nearly 1,000 mile long peninsula. Once that wrapped up, I wanted to come back to explore Marfa but first, what I imagined would be a lickety-split project: researching and writing a novel based on the strange but true story of, as the title says, The Last Prince of the Mexican Empire. It seems a pattern with me, that writing a book always takes about seven times longer than I had planned, but never mind, finally, I am returning to Marfa and West Texas. No, not to live: I'm based in Mexico City, but over the next two years, in a series of journeys, I'll be writing a book about Marfa and environs.

So why the podcasts? In the past, as I did while writing Miraculous Air, I would have turned out a series of travel articles for newspapers and magazines. I may still write an article or three, but I am less interested in which is the cheapest / best / coollest bed-and-breakfast & etc., than I am in talking to people and, now that podcasting is possible, rather than stash my notes and taped interviews in the drawer, I can share them widely.

With this series of 24 podcasts, scheduled for the third Monday of each month from 2012 through 2013, I invite you to join me in this adventure in listening. [UPDATE: Through 2016]

> Transcript

> MARFA MONDAYS PODCASTING PROJECT (ALL PODCASTS)

> World Waiting for a Dream: A Turn in Far West Texas

> C.M. Mayo's home page (books, articles, and more)

Sara Mansfield Taber: A Conversation with the Author of Born Under an Assumed Name

C.M. Mayo — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 17:48:34 +0000

As part of the series of occasional conversations with other writers, C.M. Mayo talks with Sara Mansfield Taber, author of the memoir Born Under an Assumed Name: The Memoir of a Cold War Spy's Daughter. For Taber, growing up in Taiwan, Japan, Washington DC, the Netherlands, and Borneo was tough as well as exotic, and she found the experience even more unsettling because, as she learned at fifteen, she was the daughter of a covert CIA agent. In this lyrical memoir, Taber captures the painful journey as she ― and her adored father ― struggle to understand who they are and what it means to be an American. The conversation ranges from her father's work in Asia, including his daring rescue of over a thousand Vietnamese after the fall of Vietnam to the Vietcong, and his disenchantment with the agency while working in Germany; Taber's childhood in Taiwan, highschool years in Washington DC during the Vietnam War; her previous books, including, Bread of Three Rivers and Dusk on the Campo; other travel writers, reading as a writer; writing practice, and teaching writing. Visit Sara Taber at www.sarataber.com

The sensory and emotional detail of this memoir is as delicately wrought as bone china, yet saved from fragility by Sara Taber’s uncompromising journey deeper and deeper inward with every page...a beautiful, mysterious, and unexpectedly suspenseful story of the struggle to find a place in the world.

-William O’Sullivan, features editor, The Washingtonian Magazine

Sara Mansfield Taber has worked magic with this intoxicating memoir of her exotic childhood. With a child’s innocence and sensitivity, Sara composes her family’s haunting story, stroke by exquisitely beautiful stroke. This vibrant family portrait of love and heart-ache also reveals much about America—our passion, confusion, contradictions, and especially, the tragedy we bring upon the world despite our very best intentions.

-Mary Stucky, National Public Radio

CONVERSATIONS WITH OTHER WRITERS
podcast series home page

Read the Transcript of this podcast

Ten Tips to Help You Get the Most Out of Your Writing Workshop

C.M. Mayo — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 12:00:00 +0000

C.M. Mayo, author of several works of fiction and creative nonfiction, long-time workshop leader at the Writers Center and the San Miguel Workshops, and a veteran herself of uncounted workshops (Bread Loaf, Sewanee, Bennington, and more), offers her top ten tips for you to get the most out of your writing workshop. For more resources for writers, and C.M. Mayo's updated writing workshop schedule, visit www.cmmayo.com and click on "workshop."

Solveig Eggerz: A Conversation with the Author of Seal Woman

C.M. Mayo — Sun, 20 Nov 2011 20:31:37 +0000

As part of the series of occasional conversations with other writers, C.M. Mayo talks with Solveig Eggerz, author of the fiercely poetic novel Seal Woman. Inspired by the Icelandic fairytale of the seal woman and the true story of some 300 German war widows brought to Iceland to marry and work on the remote farms, Seal Woman has been widely praised and translated into both Hebrew and Icelandic. The conversation ranges from the author's unusual background (from Iceland to England to Germany to Alexandria, Virginia), Iceland's book culture, fairytales, advice for writers, and more. Visit Solveig Eggerz at www.solveigeggerz.com

How to Break a Writing Block

C.M. Mayo — Mon, 03 Oct 2011 11:00:46 +0000

Award-winning writer and workshop leader C.M. Mayo explains the power of the 5 minute writing exercise. The end of the podcast includes an exercise-- so if you're listening, get out your pen and paper. For more exercises, visit "Giant Golden Buddha & 364 More 5 Minute Writing Exercises," all free at www.cmmayo.com (click on 'workshop").

Techniques of Fiction: The Number One Technique in the Supersonic Overview

C.M. Mayo — Mon, 19 Sep 2011 11:00:47 +0000

From C.M. Mayo's "Techniques of Fiction" workshop: the number one technique. An explanation with examples-- plus a nugget of advice from Chekhov. For C.M. Mayo's upcoming workshops, and for many more resources for writers, visit www.cmmayo.com

A Traveler in Mexico: A Rendezvous with Writer Rosemary Sullivan

C.M. Mayo — Thu, 01 Sep 2011 17:52:03 +0000

C.M. Mayo reads her article from Inside Mexico about a conversation with Rosemary Sullivan, author of Villa Air-Bel: World War II, Escape, and a House in Marseille, a work of fundamental importance to the history of modern art in Mexico.

Like People You See in a Dream: An Excerpt from Miraculous Air about San Ignacio

C.M. Mayo — Thu, 28 Jul 2011 17:53:43 +0000

C.M. Mayo reads an excerpt from her memoir, Miraculous Air: Journey of a Thousand Miles through Baja California, the Other Mexico (Milkweed Editions paperback; Dancing Chiva e-book). It covers, in part, the history of the Jesuit Conquest. For more about this book, including excerpts, photos, videos, and more podcasts, please visit www.cmmayo.com

"A luminous exploration of Baja California... a work of nonfiction that elides into modern myth" -- Los Angeles Times Book Review

"A sensitive and knowing over-view of a place and a people so near and yet so far from the U.S. or Mexico" -- Harry W. Crosby, author of Last of the Californios and Antigua California

Read more reviews of this book here.

The Arc of Writerly Action (from a panel discussion on writing historical fiction, American Independent Writers Assoc Conference 2011)

C.M. Mayo — Thu, 14 Jul 2011 19:01:54 +0000

From a panel discussion on writing historical fiction, American Independent Writers Conference 2011, held at the Writer's Center, Bethesda MD (just outside Washington DC). For more resources for writers, visit http://www.cmmayo.com/workshop-resources-for-writers.html

www.cmmayo.com

On Decluttering Your Writing or, Respecting the Integrity of Narrative Design: The Interior Decoration Analogy

C.M. Mayo — Thu, 16 Jun 2011 18:38:11 +0000

A reading from the series on creative writing at the Madam Mayo Blog. To read this blog post in its entirely, visit
http://madammayo.blogspot.com/2011/04/on-decluttering-or-integrity-of-design.html

For more resources for writers, visit
http://www.cmmayo.com/workshopnotes.html

Presentación de El último príncipe del Imperio Mexicano, novela basada en la historia real

C.M. Mayo — Thu, 02 Jun 2011 21:15:49 +0000

Presentación El último príncipe del Imperio Mexicano, la novela basada en la historia real, en la ciudad de México 26 de mayo, 2011 con el Dr. Javier Garciadiego, Carlos González Manterola, el novelista Carlos Pascual, Eduardo Turrent, y la autora, C.M. Mayo. La novela, originalmente publicada en inglés como The Last Prince of the Mexican Empire, y nombrado uno de los mejores libros de 2009 por Library Journal, fue traducido por Agustín Cadena y publicado en septiembre de 2010 por Grijalbo Random House Mondadori.

"En México se han escrito novelas históricas que recrean con erudición, maestría y poesía una época, un episodio, una atmósfera y unos personajes. Pienso, desde luego, en Noticias del imperio de Fernando del Paso; también en la obra de Enrique Serna sobre Santa Anna, la de Rosa Beltrán sobre Guerrero o la reciente novela de C.M. Mayo: El último príncipe del Imperio Mexicano, sobre el nieto de Iturbide en la corte de Maximiliano."
Enrique Krauze

"Después de realizar una investigación imponente, Mayo, ganadora del premio Flannery O'Connor para cuento corto por su libro El cielo de El Nido, ha compilado una historia que es a la vez grandiosa e íntima sobre un niño que suscitó un escándalo internacional. La intrigante narración del príncipe de México nos ofrece una excelente lección de historia sobre las razones por las que la aventura paternal de Maximiliano en un país que no lo quería estaba destinada al fracaso".
Latin American Book Review

"He leído algunas novelas históricas fascinantes que han quedado grabadas en mi memoria: La guerra y la paz, de León Tostoi es una de ellas; otra es Historia de dos ciudades, de Charles Dickens y Doctor Zhivago, de Boris Pasternak. Ahora puedo agregar a mi lista El último príncipe del Imperio Mexicano."
James Tipton, Mexico Connect

"Un logro impresionante… una sugerente novela que dista mucho de las aburridas lecciones de historia."
El Paso Times

"Una rica novela histórica donde las ambiciones políticas, las intrigas de la corte imperial y la relación entre países en la cúspide de la colonización europea son el hilo conductor de la intricada trama de la novela, que nos transporta en un viaje vertiginoso desde Washington hasta Veracruz y París, y de regreso a México y Estados Unidos. Las evocadoras descripciones e irónicos comentarios sobre la relación entre culturas hace de ésta una novela importante y disfrutable, de particular relevancia en los tiempos que vivimos".
Literal: Latin American Voices / Voces latinoamericanas

A Banquet of Mexican Literature: A Reading of the Prologue to "Mexico: A Traveler's Literary Companion"

C.M. Mayo — Thu, 17 Feb 2011 20:16:03 +0000

An introduction to Mexico and Mexican literature: C.M. Mayo reads her prologue to her collection of 24 contemporary Mexican writers, MEXICO: A TRAVELER'S LITERARY COMPANION (Whereabouts Press).
Visit www.cmmayo.com to read more, including table of contents, list of contributors, excerpts, and C.M. mayo's interview on National Public Radio, and more.

"It will open your eyes, fill you with pleasure and render our perennial vecinos a little less distante."
Los Angeles Times Book Review

PEN Writers Aloud January 2011 C.M. Mayo Reading, San Miguel de Allende

C.M. Mayo — Thu, 27 Jan 2011 22:49:36 +0000

C.M. Mayo's reading at the PEN Writers Aloud Reading Series in San Miguel de Allende, January 2011, from her novel The Last Prince of the Mexican Empire, with Q & A from the audience.

"Hell, I Knew it was Paradise": Bob Van Wormer on the East Cape (From C.M. Mayo's memoir of Baja California, "Miraculous Air")

C.M. Mayo — Thu, 09 Dec 2010 21:01:43 +0000

C.M. Mayo reads an excerpt from Miraculous Air: Journey of a Thousand Miles through Baja California, the Other Mexico (Milkweed Editions, 2007) from the chapter "The Sea is Cortes", about a visit to the East Cape for the story of Baja California's spectacular sportfishing industry.

"With elegant prose and an artist's eye for detail, Mayo may just have written one of the best books ever about Baja California. Highly recommended"
Library Journal

"Miraculous Air is rich with its own evocative descriptions of the peninsula's raw beauty... Her journey of 1,000 miles is a trip worth taking."
The San Diego Union-Tribune

Read more about this book at www.cmmayo.com

Haunted Historical Fiction: The Curious Coincidences Concerning Senator Claiborne Pell's Mansion

C.M. Mayo — Thu, 11 Nov 2010 18:17:20 +0000

How thin is the veil between our world and the next? C.M. Mayo reads a guest-blog post about the writing of The Last Prince of the Mexican Empire, her novel based on the true story, for the "Hist Fic Chick" blog, October 15, 2010. For more about the novel visit www.cmmayo.com

Read the original blog post at

www.cmmayo.com/last-prince-haunted-fiction.html

12 Tips to Help You Hang in There and Finish (and Sell) Your Novel

C.M. Mayo — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 20:25:43 +0000

Advice from the author of the novel The Last Prince of the Mexican Empire (Unbridled Books). For more about C.M. Mayo's other books, as well as more resources for writers and information about upcoming workshops at the Writer's Center and in Mexico, visit the workshop page at www.cmmayo.com.

My Podcast Alley feed! {pca-a515e1e2e43fe7bdbe752c9104a39bb6}

El último príncipe del Imperio mexicano - lectura de un extracto del primer capítulo "La consentida de Rosedale"

C.M. Mayo — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 18:25:06 +0000

C.M. Mayo lee un extracto de la novela El último príncipe del Imperio mexicano, traducida por el novelista y poeta Agustín Cadena (Random House-Mondadori, septiembre 2010).

El último príncipe del Imperio mexicano es una novela histórica sobre el breve, trágico y a veces surrealista reinado del emperador Maximiliano y su corte. Mientras al otro lado de la frontera se desataba el fragor de la Guerra Civil, un grupúsculo del clero y conservadores mexicanos en exilio convenció a Luis Napoleón de invadir México e instalar al archiduque de Austria, Maximiliano de Habsburgo, como emperador.

Un año más tarde y no teniendo hijos, Maximiliano asumió la custodia y educación del príncipe Agustín de Iturbide y Green, de dos años de edad y mitad norteamericano, convertiéndolo en el heredero del trono.
La reluctancia de Maximiliano para devolver el niño a sus afligados padres, incluso cuando ya el Imperio se tambaleaba y la emperatriz Carlota se precipitaba en la locura, provocó un escándalo internacional.

Esta fastuosa épica se halla basada en la historia real y viene a iluminar tanto las raíces culturales de México como el desarrollo político de las Américas. Pero lo que la hace más cautivadora es la profundidad de la escritura de Mayo y su conocimiento de las presiones e influencias que desempeñaron un papel sobre estos, demasiado humanos, personajes. Su prosa lleva al lector a sentir México: el sabor de la comida, el olor de las especias y las flores, el calor. Mayo escribe para los sentidos, y para todas las épocas.

El último príncipe del Imperio Mexicano es una historia al mismo tiempo arrolladora e íntima, una historia sobre la geopolítica, el glamour de la realeza y las jerarquías militares, sobre la arrogancia del poder, los oscuros laberintos de la ambición y, sobre todo, la historia de un niño que al final no fue un príncipe sino un pequeño que pertenecía a sus padres.

www.cmmayo.com/espanol.html

The Writing Life: A Report from the Field Lit Artlantic panel at the Writer's Center, May 22, 2010

C.M. Mayo — Thu, 08 Jul 2010 18:35:18 +0000

Panel discussion "The Writing Life: Report from the Field" featuring documentary film maker David Taylor; novelist C.M. Mayo; journalist Alan Elsner; and memoirist Kevin Quirk, in a lively discussion about their lives as professional working writers, moderated by Jessie Seigel. Recorded live at Lit Artlantic, a regional three-day festival celebrating cross-currents in the arts, on May 22, 2010 at the Writer's center in Bethesda MD (just outside Washington DC). The panel was sponsored by the American Independent Writers Association (AIW). For more about the Writer's Center, visit www.writer.org and for more about AIW visit www.amerindywriters.org Visit C.M. Mayo's workshop page at www.cmmayo.com

Historical Society of Washington DC Lecture by C.M. Mayo, The Last Prince of the Mexican Empire

C.M. Mayo — Fri, 14 May 2010 18:33:41 +0000

Lecture at the Historical Society of Washington DC by C.M. Mayo October 18, 2009 about the research behind the novel based on the true story, The Last Prince of the Mexican Empire. Includes readings from the novel and details about the Forrest and Green families of Washington DC and the historical country estate on Newark Ave, Rosedale. More information at www.cmmayo.com

Library of Congress Lecture by C.M. Mayo, The Last Prince of the Mexican Empire

C.M. Mayo — Fri, 14 May 2010 17:02:40 +0000

An approximately one hour lecture by C.M. Mayo about the original archival research in the Iturbide Family, Emperor Agustin de Iturbide and Kaiser Maximilian von Mexiko archives at the Library Congress for the novel based on the true story, The Last Prince of the Mexican Empire. Includes brief readings from the novel. Recorded July 20, 2009 in the Library of Congress, Washington, D.C.. For more information about C.M. Mayo and this novel, please visit www.cmmayo.com