For the month of October, our reporter Samantha Larned will feature new stories each week highlighting books, authors, and literacy in Lubbock with our series, "Read All About It." Stay tuned to 89.1 FM, and radio.kttz.org for more.
Lubbock is home to a number of reading and writing groups that strive to promote literacy and creativity, support the community, and offer ways to connect and engage.
One local nonprofit making efforts in local literacy is East Lubbock Art House. In addition to its artistic endeavors, it has a free library, holds book giveaways, and has its own book club.
The book club began with a grant, according to ELAH’s founder and executive director Danielle Demetria East. She said the community was “very responsive” to the club and ELAH has continued the program as it receives large donations of the same book.
The book club is low-pressure, typically having meetings every other month to discuss the book in its entirety, provided the art house has the time and resources.
With a focus on accessibility, ELAH provides free copies of the book and if she runs out, East said that the chosen book is always available for free elsewhere.
East thought about opening her own bookstore or charging for the books at the art house, but instead opted for a free library, in order to remain accessible to all community members.
East Lubbock Art House’s free library focuses on Black, Indigenous and authors of color, young adult books and books about the arts.
Some patrons come in looking for books on anti-racism or cultural awareness for their children, which East is always happy to recommend.
In addition to books for reading, East has a number of older books in case anyone wants them for an art project, though she keeps them separate from the library books.
Lubbock is also home to One Book LBK, an annual community read hosted by the Louise Hopkins Underwood Center for the Arts.
LHUCA provides free books at the First Friday Art Trail in January and for pickup at the main gallery through February. Participants are encouraged to form their own groups to discuss the book and sign up for the email listing to stay informed about the events and activities that are included in the program.
Literature is part of the organization’s founding mission, according to LHUCA’s executive director Lindsey Maestri, and One Book LBK has been the signature program for the literary arts.
When selecting a book, LHUCA looks at the age range, popularity and reception, regional relevance, like taking place in West Texas or New Mexico, and for artistic elements that they can build events around.
This might include visual or musical art activities, guest speakers, film and opera screenings, stargazing, or other creative events inspired by the book, according to Maestri.
In its five years, LHUCA has had from 500 to 1,200 readers take part in the One Book program.
Along with its dedicated reading population, Lubbock is home to a number of prolific and aspiring authors and illustrators.
Caprock Writers’ and Illustrators’ Alliance is a nonprofit dedicated to promoting and encouraging writing and illustrating in the community. That includes helping teachers with school supplies, taking part in the spring arts festival, partnering with Literacy Lubbock for the Lubbock Book Festival, and offering programs to their members to help in the creative process.
CWIA was originally founded by authors Barbara Brannon and Kay Ellington, according to the current program director, Kim Hunt Harris. But when they were no longer able to keep it going, they asked if anyone was willing to take over.
Harris reached out to other informal writing and critique groups around town to see if they were interested in keeping the alliance going and was met with enthusiasm.
Harris is also the bestselling author of the Trailer Park Princess books, a series of mysteries set in Lubbock.
“Writing and illustrating can be a solitary endeavor,” said Harris. “So it’s great to find your community. That’s what we try to provide– a community of support and education.”
After re-launching in February 2020, the alliance switched to Zoom meetings for about a year, where they continued to meet and took advantage of the online format to bring in speakers from all over the country.
Since resuming in-person meetings, CWIA has met at the garden and arts center the second Saturday of every month.
The main focus of the group is supporting and motivating writers and getting them in touch with resources, according to CWIA president and bestselling author Linda Broday.
CWIA offers programs on the craft of writing, marketing, self-publishing, audiobooks, getting into bookstores, and anything that could benefit its members.
Of CWIA’s approximately 45 members, many are already published, but the programs alternate between being geared toward beginners and toward more advanced authors, with critique groups benefiting writers of all levels.
The membership fee is $40 for the year, more information can be found on the alliance’s website.
Harris and Broday also encourage people to visit a meeting if they’re on the fence about joining.
Lubbock has programs for writers and readers of all ages, but some books have been a particular point of contention for young readers. Next week, KTTZ will take a look at book bans in Lubbock schools and how one local group is standing against it.