UPCOMING BOOK PRESENTATIONS/BOOK SIGNINGS:

Belmont High School – Wednesday, December 16, 2009 at 12:30 p.m.
1575 W 2nd St., Los Angeles, CA 90026
Location of presentation: Library

Friday, January 08 (2010), 12:00 PM
La Pintoresca Public Library
1355 North Raymond Avenue, Pasadena , CA 91103-2235

Clinica Monsenor Romero – Friday, January 15, 2010 at 12:30 p.m
123 South Alvarado Street
Los Angeles, CA 90057
Location of presentation: Conference Room

The Good News Is That “Hope in Times of Darkness: A Salvadoran American Experience” Makes It To The VROMAN’s Bookstore Bestseller List (paperback non-fiction).

The book has run out at VROMAN’s bookstore but they are ordering more. Therefore, it should arrive in a week or two. Sorry about that. Books are available at Barnes & Noble at the Glendale AMERICANA or Tia Chucha’s Centro Cultural in Sylmar, CA.
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Vroman’s Bestsellers – HOMETOWN PASADENA

Posted By Colleen Dunn Bates On November 16, 2009 @ 5:00 pm In Vroman’s bestsellers |

Paperback Non-Fiction

Hope in Times of Darkness, Randy Ertll
Clean Energy Common Sense, Frances Beinecke
Loving What Is, Byron Katie
Zagat Los Angeles 2010, Zagat Survey
Thousand Names for Joy, Byron Katie
Nightlight, a Parody, Harvard Lampoon
Los Angeles Then & Now, Rosemary Lord
L.A. Bizarro, Anthony Lovett
Family, Jeff Sharlet
Music Lesson, Victor Wooten

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Article printed from Hometown Pasadena: http://hometown-pasadena.com
URL to article: http://hometown-pasadena.com/books/vromans-bestsellers/vromans-bestsellers-11162009/

Please join me Thursday, November 19, 2009 at 5:30 p.m. (tomorrow) at Taix French Restaurant:

taixfrench.com
1911 W Sunset Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90026-3288
(213) 484-1265

The presentation at VROMAN’s bookstore was great. We had around 60-70 people show up and we had a great discussion. My book is a bestseller at VROMAN’s.

Please view the Hometown Pasadena news link:

http://hometown-pasadena.com/books/vromans-bestsellers/vromans-bestsellers-11162009/

Sincerely,

Randy Jurado Ertll

http://www.progressive.org/

Twenty years after Jesuits’ massacre, future more hopeful for El Salvador
By Randy Jurado Ertll, November 15, 2009

We cannot afford to forget the brutal murders that occurred in El Salvador 20 years ago.

On Nov. 16, 1989, the Salvadoran military carried out a savage and cowardly murder of six Jesuit priests, their housekeeper and her daughter. Some of the soldiers in the Atlacatl Battalion, which did the deed, had been trained at Fort Benning, Ga.

Here’s the background: The Farabundo Marti National Liberation Front (FMLN) had undertaken a massive offensive to defeat the Salvadoran military, which was heavily funded by the United States.

The military was obsessed that the guerrillas would gain more popular support within the capital of San Salvador. So it decided to slay these leading priests, and by so doing, instill terror among the Salvadoran population. The message was clear: Don’t support the FMLN — or else.

These six Jesuits were superb researchers and writers. They had denounced social injustice in El Salvador, speaking out against huge social disparities and the lack of educational and job opportunities.

Their religious collars did not protect them.

In 1992, the civil war official ended, and the FMLN became an official political party.

Fast forward to today. In March, the FMLN won the presidency of El Salvador. President Mauricio Funes vowed to make sweeping changes to help reduce socioeconomic disparities.

Salvadorans expect him to deliver.

If he does, the priests may not have died in vain.

Randy Jurado Ertll is the author of the recently published memoir “Hope in Times of Darkness: A Salvadoran American Experience” (Hamilton Books). His website is www.randyjuradoertll.com.

Yesterday was crazy. I had a presentation at USC with El Centro Chicano at 5:00 p.m. and one at VROMAN’s Bookstore in Pasadena at 7:00 p.m.

I had a great discussion with USC students. Thank you to Billy Vela (Director of El Centro Chicano). It was quite an adventure to find parking within USC. It is a maze there.

Then, I had to fight traffic heading back to Pasadena. It was frustrating and crazy. I was stuck in traffic and the entrance to the 110 N. was blocked and to top it off – their was an event at the Staples Center. I was to incredibly arrive in Pasadena at 7:00 p.m. and to VROMAN’s at 7:05 p.m. Talk about cutting it close. It was an amazing discussion with my Pasadena and Los Angeles friends. Over 60 people showed up to VROMANS. Which I am very grateful. Oh yes, just to share I had an interview with KPFK (thank you to Maria Armoudian). We talked about the 20 Year Anniversary of the six Jesuit Priests that were murdered in El Salvador.

Thank you to all of my friends who have accompanied me in this wild journey of book presentations and book signings. I have had a blast. Meeting and talking to so many amazing and awesome friends! Blessings to you.

Moving forward and onward – adelante.

Gracias to Professor Douglas Carranza and Profesora Beatriz Cortez. I had a great presentation and discussion with Professor Carranza’s class at Cal State Northridge. The students had great questions and we had a profound conversation of what it means to be a Salvadoran American? what does it mean, anyway?

Can you join me at VROMAN’S Bookstore this Thursday at 7:00 p.m.? yes, no, or maybe?

http://www.vromansbookstore.com/randy-ertll

Randy Jurado Ertll discusses and signs Hope in Times of Darkness: A Salvadoran American Experience
www.randyjuradoertll.com

Start: Thursday November 12, 2009 at 7:00pm

Location:
Vroman’s Bookstore
695 E. Colorado Blvd
Pasadena , California 91101

I had a great experience at Tia Chuchas Centro Cultural. I had a young salvadoreno 3rd grader, high school students, CSUN alum, and some support from local artists from Tia Chuchas. Also, Francisco Rivas attended – who is a future Salvadoran American leader. Thank you to my Chicano/Mexican American brothers and sisters that attended the book presentation. This was first presentation in the Los Angeles Valley. Tomorrow I will be at CSUN at 10:00 a.m. in Professor Douglas Carranza’s class.

TIA CHUCHA’S CENTRO CULTURAL LOCATION OF BOOK READING/PRESENTATION
13197-A Gladstone Ave. Book Reading by Randy Jurado Ertll
Sylmar, CA 91342 This Saturday November 7, 2009
(818) 528-4511 1:00 p.m.
Fax: (818) 367-5600 www.randyjuradoertll.com
info@tiachucha.com

Author Reading with
Randy Jurado Ertll
Hope in Times of Darkness: A Salvadoran American Experience
SATURDAY Nov. 7th 1pm-3pm