On Jan. 26, Cortez writer Curt Melliger will read from and talk about his new book, “Heaven Here on Earth,” published this year by Ozark Mountain Publishing. The presentation begins at 1 p.m. at the Dolores Public Library.

Melliger’s book “is a collection of stories on subjects ranging from water, fire and stars to adrenaline rushes, near-death experiences, and the place where goosebumps originate,” according to a press release.

He writes about skiing powder and climbing high mountains and walking in reverse to the changing of seasons. Other topics include the lessons of night, wild animals, the reason for dreams, plus “unseen visitors, and beings that do not die to the magic of the human touch, beatific ecstasy, and what awaits us on the other side of the veil that only partially separates this golden realm from the perfect one.”

Melliger currently calls Montezuma County home, but he grew up in the very middle of America and left at age 17 to see the rest of it, according to his website.

During and after his travels, he worked a number of jobs including pearl diver, pool cleaner, garbage collector, door-to-door solicitor for the Polish Relief Fund, railroader, bridge builder, engine mechanic, apprentice lineman, night watchman, carpenter, custodian, and caregiver before discovering his true calling – writing – in 2004.

Since then, over 80 of his articles have appeared in a variety of magazines, newspapers and literary journals including “Alaska,” “Bird Watcher’s Digest,” “Catholic Digest,” “Chicken Soup for the Soul,” “Cribbage World,” “Mountain Gazette,” “New Mexico,” “Oregon Coast” and “Snowy Egret.”

“Heaven Here on Earth” is Melliger’s first book and a new take on an ancient, almost forgotten subject: access to the ultimate while still breathing.