{"id":262769,"date":"2026-04-11T15:34:12","date_gmt":"2026-04-11T15:34:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/262769\/"},"modified":"2026-04-11T15:34:12","modified_gmt":"2026-04-11T15:34:12","slug":"the-winners-of-poetrys-tufts-awards-are-coming-to-southern-california-orange-county-register","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/262769\/","title":{"rendered":"The winners of poetry\u2019s Tufts awards are coming to Southern California \u2013 Orange County Register"},"content":{"rendered":"

Jennifer Chang, the author of\u00a0\u201cAn Authentic Life,\u201d<\/a> won the 2026 Kingsley Tufts Award<\/a>. The honor, which comes with one of poetry\u2019s largest cash\u00a0prizes of $100,000,<\/a> was announced by Claremont Graduate University.<\/p>\n

Eduardo Mart\u00ednez-Leyva, the author of the debut collection,\u00a0\u201cCowboy Park,\u201d<\/a> won\u00a0the\u00a0Kate Tufts\u00a0Discovery\u00a0Award, which comes with a $10,000 prize.<\/p>\n

Chang and Mart\u00ednez-Leyva will be\u00a0honored at a reading and reception at 6 p.m. April 15<\/a> at Lyman Hall, Pomona College, in Claremont. The event is free and open to the public.<\/p>\n

\"(Courtesy(Courtesy of the publishers)<\/p>\n

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A new bookstore is opening in Claremont. TBR Books<\/a> is having its grand opening on Saturday, April 11.<\/p>\n

The shop is the brainchild of two sisters, Liana Col\u00f3n and Lariza \u201cLolli\u201d Rigor, and Liana\u2019s husband, Daniel.\u00a0The store is scheduled to open at 11 a.m. with\u00a0drinks, baked goods and, of course, books.<\/p>\n

\u201cFor the grand opening, we are going to have goodie bags for the first 50 people,\u201d says Col\u00f3n during a call yesterday, adding that they have plans for\u00a0a cart selling iced coffee and matcha until\u00a02 p.m. and a complimentary mocktail bar\u00a0from 2 to 5 p.m.<\/p>\n

As for the kind of books they\u2019ll be stocking, she says they\u2019ll be largely romance-focused, but with a range that should have something for\u00a0every\u00a0kind of reader.<\/p>\n

SEE ALSO:\u00a0Where\u2019s the nearest bookstore? See our map of 80+ SoCal bookshops<\/a><\/p>\n

\"(L-R)(L-R) Liana Col\u00f3n and Lariza \u201cLolli\u201d Rigor, along with Liana\u2019s husband, Daniel,, are opening TBR Books in Claremont. (Photo courtesy of TBR Books)<\/p>\n

\u201cA little bit of everything. We want to try to have something for anybody that comes in,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n

Though they will have plenty of contemporary romance, they have something special planned for their dark romance, romantasy and other similar-type books.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe also have a whole separate room we\u2019re calling The Dark Room. It has a chandelier, so when you walk in, it\u2019s a total vibe.\u201d<\/p>\n

If you want to bring your kids while you shop, she\u00a0understands. \u201cMy sister and I both have small children,\u201d she says, and so the kids\u2019 area will have books, beanbags, LEGO items and more.<\/p>\n

I\u00a0wish\u00a0them much success. Years ago, I used to live in downtown Claremont, and at that time, there was a children\u2019s bookstore as well as a few used bookshops I\u2019d visit on lazy afternoons. I remember finding up nice, inexpensive editions of Graham Greene, Albert Camus, and a 1930 \u201cThe Travels of\u00a0Marco Polo\u201d with wonderful,\u00a0modern\u00a0woodcut illustrations by Withold Gordon.<\/p>\n

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More recently, I\u2019ve enjoyed stopping in at The Claremont Forum<\/a> bookshop when I\u2019m back. But the town \u2014 or any town \u2014 can always use another bookstore.\u00a0I won\u2019t be at the opening, but I do plan to check it out next time I\u2019m in the area.<\/p>\n

987 W Foothill Blvd, Suite 104, Claremont, (909) 541-5002<\/p>\n

This week\u2019s bestsellers at Southern California\u2019s independent bookstores<\/a><\/p>\n

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