January at the Narrow Gauge

Jean Alger
Dec 26, 2025
7 min read

Letters swallow themselves in seconds.

Notes friends tied to the doorknob,

transparent scarlet paper,

sizzle like moth wings,

marry the air.

So much of any year is flammable,

lists of vegetables, partial poems.

Orange swirling flame of days,

so little is a stone.

Where there was something and suddenly isn’t,

an absence shouts, celebrates, leaves a space.

I begin again with the smallest numbers.

Quick dance, shuffle of losses and leaves,

only the things I didn’t do

crackle after the blazing dies.

Naomi Shihab Nye, "Burning the Old Year"

As the change in the calendar year nears, I'm reflecting on the past year. While I ultimately feel that time doesn't mean much, it's still a natural inclination to think back and look forward.

So much has happened this year on all levels from the personal all the way out to the global. People have shown who they are - through their action and their inaction. There has been grief, but there has also been joy.

As we look forward to a new year, and we all think about our resolutions, mine will be to reflect on what will bring ease to my heart, and to the hearts of those around me. I resolve to find ways to slow down, be present, be attentive, and be intentional about my words, my actions, and my energy. And, of course, to read more books.

Wishing you peace and opportunities to slow down in the days before the new year, and after.

Thank you for reading.

- Jean A.

Non-Profit of the Month:

Food Bank Network of the San Luis Valley

Each month, we feature a local nonprofit that serves the San Luis Valley. This month, you can support the Food Bank Network of the San Luis Valley.

From their website: “The Food Bank Network addresses the immediacy of hunger and malnutrition in the San Luis Valley by providing nutritious food to individuals and families in need. Through a network of 15 food banks spread across 8,000 square miles, the Food Bank Network provides nutritious emergency food to help ensure no one must go to bed hungry in the SLV. More than just a box of food, the Food Bank Network seeks to offer fresh produce and healthy options so individuals and families can make their own choices while getting the most abundant and nutritious options for their budgets.”

When you shop at the NGBC this month, you'll be asked if you want to round up and donate your change. It's a simple and easy way to support local organizations that help make the Valley what it is!

If you would like to learn more about the Food Bank Network, you can visit their website.

If you would like to learn more about food insecurity, check out these titles:

Feeding Each Other: Shaping Change in Food Systems Through Relationship by Nicole Civita and Michelle Auerbach
Reinventing Food Banks and Pantries: New Tools to End Hunger by Katie S. Martin
Translating Food Sovereignty: Cultivating Justice in an Age of Transnational Governance by Matthew C. Canfield

January Artist: Jenni Sheffield

We're excited to have a repeat artist from 2024, Jenni Sheffield!

Jenni has always been an artist. She has her Bachelor of Fine Arts from Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah. Her emphasis was Illustration.

The last semester of college, Jenni took her first plein air painting class, and she was hooked! Jenni also enjoys painting still life and animals. She has taken several painting workshops through the Scottsdale Artist’s School in AZ.

After taking 13 years off from painting to raise her five kids, Jenni began taking classes again from a local artist-Coni Grant. Jenni’s medium of choice is oil painting. She loves bright colors, thick paint and texture, and painting outdoors.

Jenni will have a reception on January 10th from 4pm - 6pm. We hope you'll join us, and take the chance to talk with Jenni about her art!

January Events

Our first book club meeting of the year is a discussion of We Live Here Now by C.D. Rose. For more information, click here.

We're so excited to host Lares Feliciano again for a collage workshop! Bring your 2025 calendar and cut up time, using your calendar for inspiration! Join us on Thursday, January 8th, from 6pm - 8pm! The workshop is free, and supplies will be provided.

Join us for a come-and-go reception for our featured artist, Jenni Sheffield!

Holly Y is starting a monthly story time at the Narrow Gauge! She'll be with us from 11:00am - 11:30am the third Saturday of every month, beginning on January 17th!

Spadefoot Story Slam: January 17th, 6pm

Each month, we host the Spadefoot Story Slam community, sharing stories based on a theme, selected at the previous month’s Slam. While inspired by the Moth Story Hour, our monthly meetings are not a contest but instead are a way to come together and practice sharing and deep listening.

On January 17th at 6pm, the theme is Regret. Bring your stories about misadventure, about roads you shouldn't have taken - or the roads you didn't take, and wish you had.

Share stories about missed opportunities, and opportunities you wish you had missed.

Or, dip into the mischievous and talk about those choices you should regret, but that were absolutely worth it anyway. We encourage creative interpretation of the theme, so feel free to think outside the box!

Stories should be true as remembered by you, and spoken from the heart, instead of read from the page. We don’t have an official time limit, but encourage stories that take 10 minutes or less, especially if we have a large group. We look forward to seeing you on January 17th at 6pm.

Adam Gaffen: January 30th, 3:30pm & 6pm

We're pleased to announce a book signing and a reading with Adam Gaffen, creator of the Cassidyverse!

Adam will be at the Narrow Gauge on January 30th for a signing from 3:30-5:30pm, followed by a reading and Q&A at 6:00pm. Come for one, or come for both! The signing will be informal with plenty of opportunity to chat with Adam, while the reading will be a little more structured.

Adam Gaffen is an award-winning author and the creator of the Cassidyverse, a vast, interconnected story world spanning science fiction, fantasy, thrillers, and romance. His work blends genres while remaining deeply hopepunk—inclusive, character-driven stories centered on found family, rebellion, love, and the cost of choosing hope in broken systems.

With more than 30 published novels, Gaffen’s work ranges from intimate origin stories like The Spark Before the Fire to sweeping, long-arc capstones such as The Eternity Protocol. His books feature fierce women, emotionally complex characters, and relationships that challenge power structures and expectations, all grounded in deeply human stakes.

A frequent convention guest and panelist, Gaffen is known for engaging readers in conversation, making genre fiction accessible, and helping new readers find the perfect entry point into a shared universe where every story matters—and every act of hope counts.

We're excited to have Adam in store and hope we'll see you!

Other News

Featured Artists for 2026

We have a fantastic lineup of talented San Luis Valley artists for 2026! We have one spot left open, in July. If you're interested, or know someone who might be, find our application here. Email us with any questions at narrowgauge.coop@gmail.com.

Indie Press Book Club Feature

We've made our selections for the 2026 year, for presses and books. We're kicking off the year with We Live Here Now by C.D. Rose, from our November and December featured press, Melville House Books.

The rest of our year's lineup is here, and you can find more information throughout the year at our website, here.

Many Ways to Shop the NGBC

Shop In Store

You can shop with us in store and browse the shelves. Find the book you're looking for, or find a book you didn't know you were looking for! Our booksellers are happy to help you find the title, make recommendations, or order a book if we don't have it in stock.

Shop Online

We have an indie commerce website, through IndieLite, that allows customers to place orders online. Just go to narrowgaugebooks.com and click on the "Shop Online" button. Then, click "order a book" and you'll be redirected to our indie commerce site. You can search for the book you want, and then place your order from wherever you are! There are options to have your book shipped to you, or to pick up your book in store! You can even have your book shipped to someone else, if you're looking to skip the hassle of shipping the book yourself.

Call Us!

You can call us at 719-589-3464 to see if we have a book on the shelf. We'll be happy to put it aside for you! We can hold books for up to one week, so you can be sure that title is ready and waiting next time to stop in!

Preorders

You can preorder your next greatly anticipated book! Preorders help us know what our customers are excited about, and help us more effectively judge how many copies we should order. Often, we get new releases ahead of their publishing date, so when publishing Tuesday rolls around, we'll have your shiny new book ready and waiting for you to dive into the pages!

Be sure to check out this week's Shelf Awareness newsletter. Don't miss releases by your favorite authors, what's going on with your preferred genre, or find an obscure gem. NGBC can order any title referenced, and we can ship it direct to your house.

Happy Book Hunting!

Thank you for reading, thank you for supporting us, and thank you for being our community! - Jean A.