LA Observed contributors Veronique de Turenne, Jenny Price and Denise Hamilton will be heading to Guadalajara in coming days (or are already there) for the big book fair, which has a major Los Angeles theme this year. Mayor Villaraigosa is there now working the room, and I mentioned earlier Zócalo's plans for the fair. I counted about 50 Los Angeles-area authors and residents on the program, including Ray Bradbury, plus performances by Los Lobos, Ozomatli and the Lula Washington Dance Theatre. There are museum exhibitions and scheduled homages to Julius Shulman, Raymond Chandler and Charles Bukowski. From the English program of the Guadalajara International Book Fair:

A natural bridge between Mexican and American culture, Los Angeles is also a city that has been able to acquire a unique identity relating to cultural production, the trademark that distinguishes its delegation, comprised of around 50 authors, 20 academics, 14 artists and theater companies. The program also includes 7 visual arts exhibitions and a film series presenting classic and contemporary films designed to showcase the diverse perspectives on its urban landscape, its culture and people.

Ex-L.A. Times and LA Weekly writer Daniel Hernandez is blogging about going over from Mexico City. He also has an essay in Spain's El Pais on "radical recent changes to the 'vaguely Mexican atmosphere' of Los Angeles."

List of Los Angeles-affiliated authors and others at Guadalajara after the jump:

Chris Abani
Paul Beatty
Ray Bradbury
Sarah Shun-Lien Bynum
Aimee Bender
Greg Benford
Wim de Wit
Mark Z. Danielewski
María Amparo Escandón
Alex Espinoza
B. H. Fairchild
Dagoberto Gilb
Jonathan Gold
Curtis Hanson
Brian Helgeland
Michael Jaime Becerra
Sam Hall Kaplan
David Kipen
Suzanne Lummis
Cheech Marin
Rubén Martínez
Ana Menendez
Yxta Maya Murray
Geoff Nicholson
Larry Niven
Marisela Norte
Laurie Ochoa
Mary Otis
Susan Patron
Jon Peede
Gary Phillips
Salvador Plascencia
Kwei Quartey
Richard Rayner
Josephine Reed
Nina Revoyr
Kim Stanley Robinson
Howard A. Rodman
Luis Rodriguez
Carolyn See
Marisa Silver
Jerry Stahl
Susan Straight
Jervey Tervalon
Scott Timberg
Hector Tobar
Michael Tolkin
David Ulin
Jose Luis Valenzuela
Marcos Villatoro
Bruce Wagner
J. Michael Walker
D. J. Waldie
Sam Weller
Marianne Wiggins
Rebecca Yeldham