TAKE A LOOK AT MY NEW BLOG: "THE LITERARY SELF"
In an effort to better use my time and to stay focused on my abiding interest in literacy, I have terminated one of my former blogs ("LatinaWriter99") and have created a new one that speaks more directly to how writing impacts our everyday lives. I'm calling this new blog, which I instituted tonight, "The Literary Self" (http://www.theliteraryself.blogspot.com/). I will continue writing "American Latina/o Writers Today," since my deep interest in the works of fellow Latina/o writers is very much a part of my own writing life...or my "literary self." Stay tuned, and thanks for reading my blogs!
Saturday, August 28, 2010
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
NO SHORTAGE OF LATINA/O LITERARY TALENT TODAY!
The increasing depth and breadth of Latina/o literary talent in America today was on display at a recent Los Angeles event co-sponsored by a vaunted group called Latino Literacy Now, among many other supporters. Approximately 20 Latina/o writers were introduced and honored for their work. The onstage ceremony was filmed and broadcast by the LatinoGraduate.net Global Broadcasting.
This all occurred on August 7 at "An Evening of Literature and the Arts" held at the Pan American Bank in East Los Angeles. The authors, part of a contingent of over 130 Hispanic writers, are scheduled to appear at one of the biggest Latino literary events in the nation, the 13th Annual Latino Book & Family Festival (LBFF) to be held at California State University, Los Angeles, on October 9 & 10, 2010. The event at the bank was a preview of sorts.
This year's LBFF boasts the largest number of authors in the history of this festival, which has also been held in Chicago, in addition to L.A., in prior years. For the entire weekend in October this year, many of these authors will present panel discussions and workshops on literary topics, read from their works, and answer their audience's questions about their writing.
The festival is attended by thousands of people from diverse cultures, ages, and backgrounds and is a joyous event that includes food, music, and dancing. Renowned actor, James Edward Olmos, a major sponsor and supporter, is often the master of ceremonies on opening day. Two of the leading organizers and coordinators of this event are author Reyna Grande and Cal State LA professor, Roberto Cantu.
You'll hear more on this blog about this major literary event as we approach October. Stay tuned!
THE AUTHORS HONORED AT PAN AMERICAN BANK
The writers at the special event received special commendations and certificates from the California Senate, the County of Los Angeles, U.S. Congresswoman Grace Napolitano, and Speaker of the California Assembly John A. Perez. Each author was also interviewed onstage by Armando Sanchez, founder and head of Global Broadcasting. Armando is also leader of the Raise Literacy Campaign.
Here are the honored authors:
I was also happy to see other authors in the audience, including emerging writer Vanessa Libertad Garcia, author of The Voting Booth After Dark: Despicable, Embarrassing, Repulsive (2009); and Roberta H. Martinez, author of Latinos in Pasadena (2009). Both of these very talented authors have previously been profiled and their books reviewed in this blog.
The types of writing represented by this group of authors covers the gamut from poetry, short stories, novels, young adult books, "chick lit," children's books, memoirs, and scholarly nonfiction, to social commentary/political cartoons. All of these authors write in English, so their literature is widely accessible to all cultures. Some of their works--such as that by Reyna Grande--are indeed taught in school settings. Several of these authors write in Spanish and bilingually as well as in English.
Many, if not all, of the authors honored at Pan American Bank have author websites. See the LBFF site for a full listing of these sites. Visit them, enjoy, and read the works of these dedicated writers!
The increasing depth and breadth of Latina/o literary talent in America today was on display at a recent Los Angeles event co-sponsored by a vaunted group called Latino Literacy Now, among many other supporters. Approximately 20 Latina/o writers were introduced and honored for their work. The onstage ceremony was filmed and broadcast by the LatinoGraduate.net Global Broadcasting.
This all occurred on August 7 at "An Evening of Literature and the Arts" held at the Pan American Bank in East Los Angeles. The authors, part of a contingent of over 130 Hispanic writers, are scheduled to appear at one of the biggest Latino literary events in the nation, the 13th Annual Latino Book & Family Festival (LBFF) to be held at California State University, Los Angeles, on October 9 & 10, 2010. The event at the bank was a preview of sorts.
This year's LBFF boasts the largest number of authors in the history of this festival, which has also been held in Chicago, in addition to L.A., in prior years. For the entire weekend in October this year, many of these authors will present panel discussions and workshops on literary topics, read from their works, and answer their audience's questions about their writing.
The festival is attended by thousands of people from diverse cultures, ages, and backgrounds and is a joyous event that includes food, music, and dancing. Renowned actor, James Edward Olmos, a major sponsor and supporter, is often the master of ceremonies on opening day. Two of the leading organizers and coordinators of this event are author Reyna Grande and Cal State LA professor, Roberto Cantu.
You'll hear more on this blog about this major literary event as we approach October. Stay tuned!
THE AUTHORS HONORED AT PAN AMERICAN BANK
The writers at the special event received special commendations and certificates from the California Senate, the County of Los Angeles, U.S. Congresswoman Grace Napolitano, and Speaker of the California Assembly John A. Perez. Each author was also interviewed onstage by Armando Sanchez, founder and head of Global Broadcasting. Armando is also leader of the Raise Literacy Campaign.
Here are the honored authors:
- Lalo Alcaraz, renowned cartoonist for the Los Angeles Times and author of 3 books, including the iconic La Cucaracha (1976, 2004); Cartoon History of Latinos in the United States (1999); Latino USA (2000); and Migra Mouse: Political Cartoons on Immigration (2004).
- David Bueno-Hill, an Honorable Mention Winner of the 2009 Latino Book Awards and author of the young adult novels, Mr. Clean in the Barrio and Mr. Clean's Familia.
- Daniel Cano, Associate Professor at Santa Monica College, and longtime author, most recently of Death and the American Dream (2009).
- Victor Cass, a decorated police officer in Pasadena, CA, and author of 3 books, including the novels Love, Death, and Other War Stories (2005), and Telenovela (2009).
- Philip Victor Colon
- Kathleen Contreras, author of the children's books, Braids/Trencitas and Pan Dulce.
- Randy Jurado Ertll, a community activist and civic leader in Pasadena, CA, and author of Hope in Times of Darkness: A Salvadoran-American Experience (2009).
- Montserrat Fontes, a teacher of literature and journalism in Los Angeles, and a much-praised author of the novels First Confession and of Dreams of the Centaur.
- Reyna Grande, whose first novel, Across a Hundred Mountains, won the venerable Premio Aztlan Literary Award (2006) and an American Book Award (2007); and who also wrote the celebrated novel, Dancing With Butterflies (2009).
- Javier Hernandez, cartoonist and creator of comic books including El Muerto and Weapon Tex-Mex; also the Associate Producer of the award-winning film adaptation, El Muerto (1997), starring Wilmer Valderrama and Tony Plana.
- Laura Lacamara, author of children's books, including the newly-released Floating on Mama's Song (2010).
- Rene Colato Lainez, author of several children's books in English, Spanish, and bilingual, including The Tooth Fairy Meets El Raton Perez (2010); My Shoes and I (2010); and Rene Has Two Last Names (2009).
- Rolando Ortiz
- Mike Padilla, who won a Chicano/Latino Literary Prize and a California Arts Council artist fellowship; who wrote the short story collection, Hard Language; and author of the recently-published novel, The Girls from the Revolutionary Cantina.
- Melinda Palacio, whose poetry chapbook, Folsom Lockdown, won Kulupi Press' Sense of Place Competition in 2009. Also, she is a PEN USA Emerging Voices 2007 Fellow. Her debut novel, Ocotillo Dreams, will be published this Fall.
- Amada Irma Perez, author of several English, Spanish, and bilingual children's books, including My Very Own Room (2009); My Diary from Here to There (2007); and Nana's Big Surprise (2007).
- Michele Serros, popular "chick lit" (or, as it's sometimes called, "chica lit") writer; author of books in English and Spanish, including Honey Blonde Chica (2007), How to Be a Chicana Role Model (2000), and Chicana Falsa: And Other Stories (1998).
I was also happy to see other authors in the audience, including emerging writer Vanessa Libertad Garcia, author of The Voting Booth After Dark: Despicable, Embarrassing, Repulsive (2009); and Roberta H. Martinez, author of Latinos in Pasadena (2009). Both of these very talented authors have previously been profiled and their books reviewed in this blog.
The types of writing represented by this group of authors covers the gamut from poetry, short stories, novels, young adult books, "chick lit," children's books, memoirs, and scholarly nonfiction, to social commentary/political cartoons. All of these authors write in English, so their literature is widely accessible to all cultures. Some of their works--such as that by Reyna Grande--are indeed taught in school settings. Several of these authors write in Spanish and bilingually as well as in English.
Many, if not all, of the authors honored at Pan American Bank have author websites. See the LBFF site for a full listing of these sites. Visit them, enjoy, and read the works of these dedicated writers!
Monday, June 28, 2010
NEW BOOKS BY TWO AWARD-WINNING AUTHORS: CARIDAD PINEIRO & REYNA GRANDE
There is no shortage of Latina literary talent in America today!
One of my aims in this website is to highlight the writings of Latinas who came to the United States from different origins—often from families, and with families, who spoke little or no English. Yet these Latinas not only learned their adopted land’s tongue, but they mastered it in ways that reveal their giftedness, their artistry, and that set them apart as literary leaders in a nation that values creativity and innovation.
These Latina authors have contributed, and continue to contribute, greatly to the richness of our American literature—and they should be acknowledged as examples of newcomers to our nation who enrich our lives and our society with their intellectual gifts. Two such amazing authors are Caridad Piñeiro and Reyna Grande. These Latinas are widely different in their genres and backgrounds, yet both are masters of their art. These talented writers are the first to be honored in this section.
MEET CARIDAD PIÑEIRO: PARANORMAL ROMANCE WRITER
Caridad was born in Havana, Cuba, but was raised in Long Island, New York, where she quickly distinguished herself as a scholar, academic leader, and pioneering attorney (first woman partner in the Abelman, Frayne & Schwab law firm). Caridad recently said: “My family and I always watched scary movies, so the paranormal element always intrigued me. I was a science major in college and decided to blend that love of science with the paranormal.”
Luckily for all of us readers!
Author of 24 paranormal/suspense romance books, Caridad is often considered one of the superstars of this writing genre, distinguishing herself as a bestselling author on the New York Times and USA Today lists. In one year alone (2007), Caridad published six books and was honored with the Golden Apple Author of the Year by the New York City Romance Writers association. Other awards and honors bestowed upon her include: the Best Short Contemporary Romance of 2001 in the NJ Romance Writers Golden Leaf Contest; the Top Fantasy Books of 2005 and 2006 by Catalina magazine; and Top Nocturne of 2006 by Cataromance.
One of her newest romance novels is Sins of the Flesh (2009), in which a beautiful, terminally-ill musician, Caterina Shaw, who is of mixed ethnic heritage, becomes a guinea pig for medical experimentation that turns deadly. After she escapes from the tortures she’s being subjected to in the lab, she is targeted for death. Lonely, sardonic bounty hunter Mick Carrera is hired to kill her, but—as he learns more and more about Caterina—Mick switches his loyalty...and goes on a different mission. His loving Latino family, especially his physician sister, play a pivotal role in the plot. Caridad’s skilled weaving of mystery and suspense, spiced with scientific, futuristic possibilities of the medical world, keep the reader in suspense throughout.
Caridad’s dialogue is very realistic, and her descriptive prowess in depicting Caterina’s other-worldly transformations due to the drugs forced into her system fill the pages with excitement. Each character reminds us of someone we know, or of someone we could know; yet each character is unique in his or her presentation. Mick is a detective who rivals the classic good guys of commercial fiction for many decades past, yet Mick’s Latino heritage distinguishes him from other heroes.
At last, Latino readers have romantic heroes and heroines we bond with, we admire and root for, and these Latinos are, ultimately, the universal heroes everyone can relate to. Caridad reminds us that—even as we celebrate the cultural uniqueness of ethnic heroes—in the end, we are all the same, striving for the same dreams, feeling the same emotions, fighting the same fears.
Sins of the Flesh is available, along with Caridad’s other books, at amazon.com or from your favorite bookstore. Visit her website at www.caridad.com.
MEET REYNA GRANDE: THE HONORS ARE JUST STARTING
California author Reyna Grande was born in Mexico in 1975 and came to the United States as an undocumented immigrant when she was 9 years old to reunite with her parents. In Los Angeles, Reyna quickly flourished in school and bonded with books at an early age. She became the first in her family to attend college, where she earned a Bachelor’s degree in Creative Writing/Film/Video from the University of California, Santa Cruz; and a Master of Fine Arts degree from Antioch University.
Reyna shares her deep love affair with literature with schoolchildren across the state and with college students across the nation, who study her books in their coursework. In addition, she teaches creative writing workshops in Los Angeles and volunteers in other literacy efforts, such as judging prominent literary competitions and coordinating the prestigious annual Latino Book & Family Festival in Los Angeles, which is slated for October 9-10 this year.
Reyna’s first novel, Across a Hundred Mountains (2006), won substantial critical acclaim, resulting in her winning El Premio Aztlan Literary Award (2006) and an American Book Award (2007). Her second novel, Dancing with Butterflies (2009), has also received wide praise and promises to become another literary pick for college course reading lists. It was selected by Las Comadres Book Club for January 2010, and it won a 2010 International Latino Book Award in its Best Women's Issues category.
In Dancing with Butterflies, four very different women, whose commonality is their affiliation with a folklorico dancing company, take turns narrating their lives. The women—Yesenia, Elena, Adriana, and Soledad—represent different generations with distinct challenges: a poignant struggle with middle age and its theft of vigor and beauty (Yesenia); the immense loneliness of widowhood and difficulty of fighting sexual temptation (Elena); the woundedness of growing up ignored and unloved (Adriana); and the sadness of severing cultural and familial roots for the sake of economic survival in a foreign land (Soledad).
Though Reyna’s characters are distinct from one another in their talents, goals, and needs, collectively they represent the suffering that surfaces in everyday life as we tackle demons we don’t always know we carry inside us. Reyna also underscores the interconnectedness of our lives, the webs that join us to one another to bring us solace, to heighten our pain, or to remind us that, for better or worse, all humanity is one.
Reyna’s language sweeps us from wherever we are while reading her book. We suddenly find ourselves on the edge of the stage as the swift, fluttering movements of butterflies, in all their color and grace, are recalled in the movements of folklorico dancers. Reyna writes: “Your feet seem to float over the floor as you twirl and twirl around and around before jumping into the arms of your partner....The stage is a flurry of dancers whirling and stomping. The audience breaks into a rhythmic clapping as they follow the lively song in 2/4 beat.” The fluidity and beauty of this iconic dance ultimately contrasts with the starkness and gracelessness of issues that litter our day and force our attention away from the grander things in life, away from love, serenity, confidence, and hope.
Reyna Grande is just getting started in making a memorable mark in our literary world. She is currently at work on a memoir. Both of her books can be purchased at your favorite bookstore or through amazon.com. Visit Reyna’s website at http://www.reynagrande.com .
[This blog was originally posted on my other blog, LatinaWriter99, in June, 2010.)
There is no shortage of Latina literary talent in America today!
One of my aims in this website is to highlight the writings of Latinas who came to the United States from different origins—often from families, and with families, who spoke little or no English. Yet these Latinas not only learned their adopted land’s tongue, but they mastered it in ways that reveal their giftedness, their artistry, and that set them apart as literary leaders in a nation that values creativity and innovation.
These Latina authors have contributed, and continue to contribute, greatly to the richness of our American literature—and they should be acknowledged as examples of newcomers to our nation who enrich our lives and our society with their intellectual gifts. Two such amazing authors are Caridad Piñeiro and Reyna Grande. These Latinas are widely different in their genres and backgrounds, yet both are masters of their art. These talented writers are the first to be honored in this section.
MEET CARIDAD PIÑEIRO: PARANORMAL ROMANCE WRITER
Caridad was born in Havana, Cuba, but was raised in Long Island, New York, where she quickly distinguished herself as a scholar, academic leader, and pioneering attorney (first woman partner in the Abelman, Frayne & Schwab law firm). Caridad recently said: “My family and I always watched scary movies, so the paranormal element always intrigued me. I was a science major in college and decided to blend that love of science with the paranormal.”
Luckily for all of us readers!
Author of 24 paranormal/suspense romance books, Caridad is often considered one of the superstars of this writing genre, distinguishing herself as a bestselling author on the New York Times and USA Today lists. In one year alone (2007), Caridad published six books and was honored with the Golden Apple Author of the Year by the New York City Romance Writers association. Other awards and honors bestowed upon her include: the Best Short Contemporary Romance of 2001 in the NJ Romance Writers Golden Leaf Contest; the Top Fantasy Books of 2005 and 2006 by Catalina magazine; and Top Nocturne of 2006 by Cataromance.
One of her newest romance novels is Sins of the Flesh (2009), in which a beautiful, terminally-ill musician, Caterina Shaw, who is of mixed ethnic heritage, becomes a guinea pig for medical experimentation that turns deadly. After she escapes from the tortures she’s being subjected to in the lab, she is targeted for death. Lonely, sardonic bounty hunter Mick Carrera is hired to kill her, but—as he learns more and more about Caterina—Mick switches his loyalty...and goes on a different mission. His loving Latino family, especially his physician sister, play a pivotal role in the plot. Caridad’s skilled weaving of mystery and suspense, spiced with scientific, futuristic possibilities of the medical world, keep the reader in suspense throughout.
Caridad’s dialogue is very realistic, and her descriptive prowess in depicting Caterina’s other-worldly transformations due to the drugs forced into her system fill the pages with excitement. Each character reminds us of someone we know, or of someone we could know; yet each character is unique in his or her presentation. Mick is a detective who rivals the classic good guys of commercial fiction for many decades past, yet Mick’s Latino heritage distinguishes him from other heroes.
At last, Latino readers have romantic heroes and heroines we bond with, we admire and root for, and these Latinos are, ultimately, the universal heroes everyone can relate to. Caridad reminds us that—even as we celebrate the cultural uniqueness of ethnic heroes—in the end, we are all the same, striving for the same dreams, feeling the same emotions, fighting the same fears.
Sins of the Flesh is available, along with Caridad’s other books, at amazon.com or from your favorite bookstore. Visit her website at www.caridad.com.
MEET REYNA GRANDE: THE HONORS ARE JUST STARTING
California author Reyna Grande was born in Mexico in 1975 and came to the United States as an undocumented immigrant when she was 9 years old to reunite with her parents. In Los Angeles, Reyna quickly flourished in school and bonded with books at an early age. She became the first in her family to attend college, where she earned a Bachelor’s degree in Creative Writing/Film/Video from the University of California, Santa Cruz; and a Master of Fine Arts degree from Antioch University.
Reyna shares her deep love affair with literature with schoolchildren across the state and with college students across the nation, who study her books in their coursework. In addition, she teaches creative writing workshops in Los Angeles and volunteers in other literacy efforts, such as judging prominent literary competitions and coordinating the prestigious annual Latino Book & Family Festival in Los Angeles, which is slated for October 9-10 this year.
Reyna’s first novel, Across a Hundred Mountains (2006), won substantial critical acclaim, resulting in her winning El Premio Aztlan Literary Award (2006) and an American Book Award (2007). Her second novel, Dancing with Butterflies (2009), has also received wide praise and promises to become another literary pick for college course reading lists. It was selected by Las Comadres Book Club for January 2010, and it won a 2010 International Latino Book Award in its Best Women's Issues category.
In Dancing with Butterflies, four very different women, whose commonality is their affiliation with a folklorico dancing company, take turns narrating their lives. The women—Yesenia, Elena, Adriana, and Soledad—represent different generations with distinct challenges: a poignant struggle with middle age and its theft of vigor and beauty (Yesenia); the immense loneliness of widowhood and difficulty of fighting sexual temptation (Elena); the woundedness of growing up ignored and unloved (Adriana); and the sadness of severing cultural and familial roots for the sake of economic survival in a foreign land (Soledad).
Though Reyna’s characters are distinct from one another in their talents, goals, and needs, collectively they represent the suffering that surfaces in everyday life as we tackle demons we don’t always know we carry inside us. Reyna also underscores the interconnectedness of our lives, the webs that join us to one another to bring us solace, to heighten our pain, or to remind us that, for better or worse, all humanity is one.
Reyna’s language sweeps us from wherever we are while reading her book. We suddenly find ourselves on the edge of the stage as the swift, fluttering movements of butterflies, in all their color and grace, are recalled in the movements of folklorico dancers. Reyna writes: “Your feet seem to float over the floor as you twirl and twirl around and around before jumping into the arms of your partner....The stage is a flurry of dancers whirling and stomping. The audience breaks into a rhythmic clapping as they follow the lively song in 2/4 beat.” The fluidity and beauty of this iconic dance ultimately contrasts with the starkness and gracelessness of issues that litter our day and force our attention away from the grander things in life, away from love, serenity, confidence, and hope.
Reyna Grande is just getting started in making a memorable mark in our literary world. She is currently at work on a memoir. Both of her books can be purchased at your favorite bookstore or through amazon.com. Visit Reyna’s website at http://www.reynagrande.com .
[This blog was originally posted on my other blog, LatinaWriter99, in June, 2010.)
Wednesday, June 02, 2010
NEW CALIFORNIA WRITER TO WATCH: SANDRA LOPEZ
Sandra Lopez, the author of the newly published young adult novel, Beyond the Gardens (2009), is a literary force to watch. She has been precocious for most of her life: reading books at the age of two, being the first in her family to graduate from high school and college, being one of the youngest emerging authors today. She recently received her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from California State University, Fullerton, and is ready to take on the literary world.
Her first novel was published before Sandra graduated from college. This debut book, Esperanza: A Latina Story (2008), depicts a teenager from a poverty-stricken home marked by domestic abuse, alcoholism and other drug abuse, gangland connections among her father and other relatives, and a saddening absence of hope for the future. Her barrio, Hawaiian Gardens in Los Angeles, could easily defeat her, as a friend tries to tie her down to early marriage at the cost of her education. When Esperanza enters high school, she faces bullies, peer pressure to meet low expectations, and the tremendous possibility that she, too, will become just another Latina dropout. Esperanza has no role models, no home support, but she finds strength she did not realize she had and fights against obstacles to fulfill her dreams.
In her new book, a sequel, Esperanza is now 18 years old and enrolled in an art college, pursuing her dreams with financial aid. Her life is upended when friends from her past re-enter: Carlos, who is now interested in her romantically, and his sister, Carla, who had urged Esperanza to marry her brother while in high school. Esperanza also contends with her roommate, a rich Chicana; and with Jake, a hunky mechanic who seems to be her soulmate. Life becomes complicated for Esperanza as she constantly wonders what is “beyond the gardens” of her barrio, and what life can possibly hold for her.
Both of Sandra’s books are available through amazon.com. You can visit her website at http://www.sandralopez.com .
Sandra Lopez, the author of the newly published young adult novel, Beyond the Gardens (2009), is a literary force to watch. She has been precocious for most of her life: reading books at the age of two, being the first in her family to graduate from high school and college, being one of the youngest emerging authors today. She recently received her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from California State University, Fullerton, and is ready to take on the literary world.
Her first novel was published before Sandra graduated from college. This debut book, Esperanza: A Latina Story (2008), depicts a teenager from a poverty-stricken home marked by domestic abuse, alcoholism and other drug abuse, gangland connections among her father and other relatives, and a saddening absence of hope for the future. Her barrio, Hawaiian Gardens in Los Angeles, could easily defeat her, as a friend tries to tie her down to early marriage at the cost of her education. When Esperanza enters high school, she faces bullies, peer pressure to meet low expectations, and the tremendous possibility that she, too, will become just another Latina dropout. Esperanza has no role models, no home support, but she finds strength she did not realize she had and fights against obstacles to fulfill her dreams.
In her new book, a sequel, Esperanza is now 18 years old and enrolled in an art college, pursuing her dreams with financial aid. Her life is upended when friends from her past re-enter: Carlos, who is now interested in her romantically, and his sister, Carla, who had urged Esperanza to marry her brother while in high school. Esperanza also contends with her roommate, a rich Chicana; and with Jake, a hunky mechanic who seems to be her soulmate. Life becomes complicated for Esperanza as she constantly wonders what is “beyond the gardens” of her barrio, and what life can possibly hold for her.
Both of Sandra’s books are available through amazon.com. You can visit her website at http://www.sandralopez.com .
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
MEET NEW LOS ANGELES AUTHOR, VANESSA LIBERTAD GARCIA
Sometimes "new writers," or those who have not yet attained name recognition, have been writing for years. Such is the case with Los Angeles native Vanessa Libertad Garcia, who has been filling journals with poems, stories, and screenplays since she was 11. She now has over 30 of those journals and is mining them for her second book, which will be a collection of poetry.
Vanessa's first book, The Voting Booth After Dark: Despicable, Embarrassing, Repulsive (Fiat Libertad Co., 2009), is a slim volume of 23 short pieces, some of them poems, many of them first-person or third-person vignettes that capture a few minutes or hours of a given character’s “despicable, embarrassing, or repulsive” life.
Gritty and unflinching, the tone of the book is one of desperation and starkness as each character depicted—Marta, a young, disenchanted lesbian; or Diaz Diaz, a gay fashion designer, for example—speaks to us of their heartbreak, alienation, and sometimes of suicidal plans. The personas that Vanessa invokes are products of a society that is too fast-paced, too materialistic, and too shallow for twenty-somethings or thirty-somethings trying to find a meaningful niche in life, as they struggle simultaneously to pay bills, be successful in a career, find true love, or simply forge a connection to someone or something outside of themselves that can make their lives fulfilling. Welcome to the underbelly of Los Angeles.
The voices of each persona is poignant and heart-wrenching. Vanessa describes “sweet-scented one-dimensional images that pop out at you like an early Warhol painting” (in “Longing”). There is little self-pitying though, no sugarcoating of the raw emotions that spill from her characters, many of whom are gay addicts who have seemingly accepted their sex orientations but nevertheless struggle to navigate life.
Matter-of-fact language, which contributes to the non-judgmental tone of the book and its authenticity, is often balanced against poetic descriptions or observations that catch the reader by surprise. For example: “Parasites of the night, dressed to the 9[‘s]/living off the small pints of love/stored in our words” (from “The Dead End Days”). Or: “The sun shuts its lids and the moon clocks in.” “Sadness already home invites guilt in for coffee” (both from “Lament”).
Yet, amidst the jadedness and sadness are subtle beams of hope for these young lives. In “Compassion,” toward the end of the book, Vanessa writes: “We are curious children/ with adult powers/that clumsily break the china.” She ends her book thus: “The crumbling world/ is always pieced together by time/and space....Justice eventually finds its place in line.”
Vanessa gives us a glimpse of lives in torment but also reminds us that lives are not frozen in time but are forever evolving, and we must stay open to the possibilities of change.
This book is available at amazon.com. I'll let you know when Vanessa Libertad Garcia's second book is published.
Sometimes "new writers," or those who have not yet attained name recognition, have been writing for years. Such is the case with Los Angeles native Vanessa Libertad Garcia, who has been filling journals with poems, stories, and screenplays since she was 11. She now has over 30 of those journals and is mining them for her second book, which will be a collection of poetry.
Vanessa's first book, The Voting Booth After Dark: Despicable, Embarrassing, Repulsive (Fiat Libertad Co., 2009), is a slim volume of 23 short pieces, some of them poems, many of them first-person or third-person vignettes that capture a few minutes or hours of a given character’s “despicable, embarrassing, or repulsive” life.
Gritty and unflinching, the tone of the book is one of desperation and starkness as each character depicted—Marta, a young, disenchanted lesbian; or Diaz Diaz, a gay fashion designer, for example—speaks to us of their heartbreak, alienation, and sometimes of suicidal plans. The personas that Vanessa invokes are products of a society that is too fast-paced, too materialistic, and too shallow for twenty-somethings or thirty-somethings trying to find a meaningful niche in life, as they struggle simultaneously to pay bills, be successful in a career, find true love, or simply forge a connection to someone or something outside of themselves that can make their lives fulfilling. Welcome to the underbelly of Los Angeles.
The voices of each persona is poignant and heart-wrenching. Vanessa describes “sweet-scented one-dimensional images that pop out at you like an early Warhol painting” (in “Longing”). There is little self-pitying though, no sugarcoating of the raw emotions that spill from her characters, many of whom are gay addicts who have seemingly accepted their sex orientations but nevertheless struggle to navigate life.
Matter-of-fact language, which contributes to the non-judgmental tone of the book and its authenticity, is often balanced against poetic descriptions or observations that catch the reader by surprise. For example: “Parasites of the night, dressed to the 9[‘s]/living off the small pints of love/stored in our words” (from “The Dead End Days”). Or: “The sun shuts its lids and the moon clocks in.” “Sadness already home invites guilt in for coffee” (both from “Lament”).
Yet, amidst the jadedness and sadness are subtle beams of hope for these young lives. In “Compassion,” toward the end of the book, Vanessa writes: “We are curious children/ with adult powers/that clumsily break the china.” She ends her book thus: “The crumbling world/ is always pieced together by time/and space....Justice eventually finds its place in line.”
Vanessa gives us a glimpse of lives in torment but also reminds us that lives are not frozen in time but are forever evolving, and we must stay open to the possibilities of change.
This book is available at amazon.com. I'll let you know when Vanessa Libertad Garcia's second book is published.
Sunday, February 21, 2010
Introducing: Some New Names and Books
The goal of this blog is to recognize the literary work of current Latina/o authors, most of whom were born in the United States.
MEET SANDRA ALONZO
Sandra Alonzo is the author of a new young adult novel titled Riding Invisible: An Adventure Journal, to be officially released on March 2. I'm looking forward to reading it and talking about it on this blog. Just for you to know, however, this will be Sandra's second book. Her first, Gallop-O-Gallop, was published in 2007 and has received warm praise from her readers, who laud Sandra's "very accessible verse" and "wonderful and evocative picture book," which was illustrated by Kelly Murphy. The lovely, lyrical poems are brief enough for young readers to understand and enjoy, yet equally delightful for adults. One educator praises Gallop-O-Gallop thus: "This book is excellent for the classroom! ...The author weaves a beautiful tapestry of equine tales that's soothing for both young and old." Read more reader reviews of Sandra's book on amazon.com.
Sandra, who grew up near Los Angeles, always loved horses and had them as a child. As an adult now living in Central California, she still owns a horse and relishes nature by exploring the mountains near her home on horseback. Get in line for your copy of Riding Invisible, which is actually already posted on amazon.com for sale. Both books are available through that website. Sandra's website is http://www.sandraalonzo.com/ .
UPDATE ON DANIEL A. OLIVAS AND HIS NEW BOOK
Daniel A. Olivas, another fellow Californian, is an example of an author who has made a mark on the literary scene. His five books have received wide praise from other renowned authors, and his writing is studied and analyzed in classrooms across America. He has just released his fifth and newest book, a collection of short stories titled Anywhere but L.A. This work includes stories Daniel wrote earlier in his career ("Gordon," a whimsical story about a talking dog, e.g.) as well as new ones ("Blue" and "The Jew of Dos Cuentos," e.g.).
Daniel's effortless writing style and ability to capture a character in broad, descriptive strokes engage readers as they switch from story to story in his new book. No two stories are the same stylistically or rhetorically, and this diversity of presentation keeps the reader on his or her toes. Consider "Let Me Tell You a Story," which is told in first-person narrative by an aggressive, rough-talking young man whose family is destroyed by his carelessness. The story's language is raw and effective, and readers can "hear" the urgency of this character as he defends what he did. On the other hand, "Blue" is told cryptically by a young woman in ten distinct little segments that describe, in her words, certain seemingly innocuous events and people in her life, but these anecdotes are highly nuanced and poetic; and the reader must be careful not to miss anything between the lines. The events are not chronological, and the non-linear telling of her life story makes "Blue" mystical, poignant, and fragile.
At a recent book reading in Pasadena, California, Daniel explained how he often uses music as a means of stirring up his creativity. "Blue," he said, was inspired by Joni Mitchell's music. Daniel also discussed the challenge of balancing his everyday profession as an attorney with his great love of writing. He also visits public school classrooms and advocates for all children's literacy. Daniel Olivas is an important presence in our literature, and his works touch all people, from all backgrounds, because he portrays men, women, and children with simple but complex authenticity. Buy his books through amazon.com, and visit his award-winning blog, La Bloga, at http://www.labloga.blogspot.com/ .
SPEAKING OF ACCOMPLISHED AUTHORS...
If you want to read a lot of Sandra Cisneros' work in one place, check out Vintage Cisneros (Vintage Books, 2004). Though this is not a new book, it is exceptionally handy and inspiring. Readers not familiar with Sandra's writing can get satiating doses of her talent in this slim paperback volume. It includes excerpts from five of her books, such as The House on Mango Street, her seminal work; and from her newest one, Caramelo. Poetry, short stories, and novel excerpts are alternated through this book, keeping the pace lively and totally engaging. This book, like almost all the ones mentioned in my blog, is available through amazon.com.
STAY TUNED, AND STAY IN TOUCH!
Have you heard about Reyna Grande yet? You should, because her fame is spreading, and her talent is increasing quickly. I'll discuss her and her new book, Dancing With Butterflies, which was published a few months ago, in my next blog. Her star is on the rise!
Tell your friends, family, colleagues, neighbors, and anyone else you can grab about this website. Tell them they need to keep up with what our American Latinas/os are writing about and teaching us. There are many insights to gain, much wisdom to absorb!
The goal of this blog is to recognize the literary work of current Latina/o authors, most of whom were born in the United States.
- In my early blog posts a few years ago, I discussed some "pioneers" of modern Hispanic American literature, authors such as Richard Vasquez, Rudolfo Anaya, Estela Portillo de Trambley, and Tomas Rivera. It's vital that our country recognize and honor the writers who led the awakening of this modern literature in the 1960s and 1970s and paved the path for generations of Latina/o authors to contribute to the greatness of American literature in all its genres. (See my archived posts.)
- I've also enjoyed writing about prominent authors and their continuing achievements, folks such as Sandra Cisneros, Pat Mora, Daniel Olivas, and Gary Soto. The present cadre of accomplished Latina/o authors are changing the literary landscape; are making their presence and influence felt in literature classrooms across America; and need our support and attention so they may continue thriving.
- At other times, I introduce writers making their debut on the literary scene, or folks who have not yet attained name recognition...but their merits and efforts warrant our recognition and discussion of their work.
MEET SANDRA ALONZO
Sandra Alonzo is the author of a new young adult novel titled Riding Invisible: An Adventure Journal, to be officially released on March 2. I'm looking forward to reading it and talking about it on this blog. Just for you to know, however, this will be Sandra's second book. Her first, Gallop-O-Gallop, was published in 2007 and has received warm praise from her readers, who laud Sandra's "very accessible verse" and "wonderful and evocative picture book," which was illustrated by Kelly Murphy. The lovely, lyrical poems are brief enough for young readers to understand and enjoy, yet equally delightful for adults. One educator praises Gallop-O-Gallop thus: "This book is excellent for the classroom! ...The author weaves a beautiful tapestry of equine tales that's soothing for both young and old." Read more reader reviews of Sandra's book on amazon.com.
Sandra, who grew up near Los Angeles, always loved horses and had them as a child. As an adult now living in Central California, she still owns a horse and relishes nature by exploring the mountains near her home on horseback. Get in line for your copy of Riding Invisible, which is actually already posted on amazon.com for sale. Both books are available through that website. Sandra's website is http://www.sandraalonzo.com/ .
UPDATE ON DANIEL A. OLIVAS AND HIS NEW BOOK
Daniel A. Olivas, another fellow Californian, is an example of an author who has made a mark on the literary scene. His five books have received wide praise from other renowned authors, and his writing is studied and analyzed in classrooms across America. He has just released his fifth and newest book, a collection of short stories titled Anywhere but L.A. This work includes stories Daniel wrote earlier in his career ("Gordon," a whimsical story about a talking dog, e.g.) as well as new ones ("Blue" and "The Jew of Dos Cuentos," e.g.).
Daniel's effortless writing style and ability to capture a character in broad, descriptive strokes engage readers as they switch from story to story in his new book. No two stories are the same stylistically or rhetorically, and this diversity of presentation keeps the reader on his or her toes. Consider "Let Me Tell You a Story," which is told in first-person narrative by an aggressive, rough-talking young man whose family is destroyed by his carelessness. The story's language is raw and effective, and readers can "hear" the urgency of this character as he defends what he did. On the other hand, "Blue" is told cryptically by a young woman in ten distinct little segments that describe, in her words, certain seemingly innocuous events and people in her life, but these anecdotes are highly nuanced and poetic; and the reader must be careful not to miss anything between the lines. The events are not chronological, and the non-linear telling of her life story makes "Blue" mystical, poignant, and fragile.
At a recent book reading in Pasadena, California, Daniel explained how he often uses music as a means of stirring up his creativity. "Blue," he said, was inspired by Joni Mitchell's music. Daniel also discussed the challenge of balancing his everyday profession as an attorney with his great love of writing. He also visits public school classrooms and advocates for all children's literacy. Daniel Olivas is an important presence in our literature, and his works touch all people, from all backgrounds, because he portrays men, women, and children with simple but complex authenticity. Buy his books through amazon.com, and visit his award-winning blog, La Bloga, at http://www.labloga.blogspot.com/ .
SPEAKING OF ACCOMPLISHED AUTHORS...
If you want to read a lot of Sandra Cisneros' work in one place, check out Vintage Cisneros (Vintage Books, 2004). Though this is not a new book, it is exceptionally handy and inspiring. Readers not familiar with Sandra's writing can get satiating doses of her talent in this slim paperback volume. It includes excerpts from five of her books, such as The House on Mango Street, her seminal work; and from her newest one, Caramelo. Poetry, short stories, and novel excerpts are alternated through this book, keeping the pace lively and totally engaging. This book, like almost all the ones mentioned in my blog, is available through amazon.com.
STAY TUNED, AND STAY IN TOUCH!
Have you heard about Reyna Grande yet? You should, because her fame is spreading, and her talent is increasing quickly. I'll discuss her and her new book, Dancing With Butterflies, which was published a few months ago, in my next blog. Her star is on the rise!
Tell your friends, family, colleagues, neighbors, and anyone else you can grab about this website. Tell them they need to keep up with what our American Latinas/os are writing about and teaching us. There are many insights to gain, much wisdom to absorb!
Tuesday, January 05, 2010
What Will 2010--the Proverbial "New Decade"--Bring for American Latina/o Authors?
Here's my wish: inspiration, perseverance, exposure, recognition, and continued melding into mainstream American "publication" in all its manifestations: print, electronic, and entertainment venues.
Of course, dearest to my heart is the literary arena, because this involves schools and classrooms, literature and composition courses from grade school through universities, and this is where quality is presented, analyzed, discussed, and worked with, in projects, plays, panel discussions, role-playing, etc... year after year, decade after decade, and even through centuries.
THE SPECIAL ROLE OF LITERATURE FOR US ALL...
To my knowledge, no American Hispanic (Latina/o born in the United States, which is the focus of my blog) has ever won a literary Pulitzer Prize. They may have been nominated, and they may have won other respectable prizes...but not the Pulitzer. I welcome my readers to correct me. Write me an email and set me straight!
Yet the literary Pulitzer Prize is the strongest affirmation that our country bestows upon its authors. It brings with it the credibility and admiration that authors generally want. It helps to insure the longevity of that author's words, the weight these words carry, the meanings that generations of readers will dissect and reflect upon. The Prize helps authors be inducted into the realm of AMERICAN LITERATURE.
May 2010 be a year in which an American Latina/o writer is not only nominated for a Pulitzer Prize, but the year in which the Prize is won. And if this is not to be, may 2010 be the year in which many American Latina/o authors begin seriously laying the groundwork to deserve and win such an honor.
A CALL FOR AUTHORS TO "GET INTO THE ARENA"!
U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt spoke movingly about "the man in the arena"--a person who has the courage to put himself/herself "out there," to take risks, to take action to pursue his or her dreams, to make things happen. The man in the arena might get knocked down, might fail, but this person continues to actively pursue whatever goals he or she has set, continues striving toward success.
May 2010 be the year in which American Latina/o writers today shed our fears of literary rejection. May it be the year in which we shed our doubts about our abilities to make the written word sing. May it be the year in which we create, create, and create some more and send our writings by the thousands to literary journals, magazines, newspapers, and editors all over America!
May 2010 be the year in which vaunted literary journals like Glimmer Train and Tin House are swamped with story and poem submissions by American Latinas/os in numbers unseen before! May it be the year in which they--and other prominent literary venues that rarely publish Latina/o authors--realize our critical mass and take notice that our literature needs to take its place in mainstream literature...that our writings are highly worthy of being published by the best and read and adored by the best.
May 2010 be the year in which prestigious, highly exclusive annual anthologies--such as Best American Short Stories of 2009, or Best American Poems of 2009, for example--include a respectable number of American Latina/o authors in its pages...or, at least, the year in which our Hispanic authors lay the groundwork for this happening next year.
Let's put ourselves "in the arena." Let's show, in large numbers, what has been hiding in the literary shadows of America. And may it make us all proud!
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
ON ANOTHER NOTE: SOME UPDATES FOR YOU
In a recent blog, I spoke about Pasadena author, Randy Jurado Ertll, who has recently published his first book, a memoir titled Hope in Times of Darkness. Randy is a Salvadoran-American, and his book is doing well, I'm very happy to say. Here is some information about an upcoming reading/discussion that Randy will hold in Pasadena. All are invited.
"HOPE IN TIMES OF DARKNESS: A SALVADORAN AMERICAN EXPERIENCE"
WHEN: Friday, January 8, 2010 12:00 p.m.
WHERE: La Pintoresca Public Library
1355 North Raymond Avenue, Pasadena , CA 91103-2235
Here's my wish: inspiration, perseverance, exposure, recognition, and continued melding into mainstream American "publication" in all its manifestations: print, electronic, and entertainment venues.
Of course, dearest to my heart is the literary arena, because this involves schools and classrooms, literature and composition courses from grade school through universities, and this is where quality is presented, analyzed, discussed, and worked with, in projects, plays, panel discussions, role-playing, etc... year after year, decade after decade, and even through centuries.
THE SPECIAL ROLE OF LITERATURE FOR US ALL...
- Literature endures and forms part of a nation's cultural foundation.
- Literature creates an identity for large groups of people, and helps people understand one another: our histories, our struggles and achievements, our universality and brotherhood across racial, ethnic, religious, and cultural divides.
- Literature is the finest expression in words of our hopes and dreams...of our souls!
- that the literary creations of American Hispanics--men and women, young and old, across all genres, across our nation--shall ever more strongly integrate into the tapestry of AMERICAN LITERATURE;
- that our literary contributions shall not only be recognized and published, but that our creations shall be of such quality, they are respected, quoted, cited, and spoken of in the same breath as are the literary works of other respected "mainstream" authors today;
- that our literary creations shall be read in classrooms across America and will be discussed and analyzed with all the attention and valuing that traditional authors have received in English classrooms throughout time;
- that students of all colors and all ages shall be exposed to the literature of American Hispanic authors so that, in time, our literature will be--quite simply--AMERICAN LITERATURE, with all the cultural respect that term carries.
To my knowledge, no American Hispanic (Latina/o born in the United States, which is the focus of my blog) has ever won a literary Pulitzer Prize. They may have been nominated, and they may have won other respectable prizes...but not the Pulitzer. I welcome my readers to correct me. Write me an email and set me straight!
Yet the literary Pulitzer Prize is the strongest affirmation that our country bestows upon its authors. It brings with it the credibility and admiration that authors generally want. It helps to insure the longevity of that author's words, the weight these words carry, the meanings that generations of readers will dissect and reflect upon. The Prize helps authors be inducted into the realm of AMERICAN LITERATURE.
May 2010 be a year in which an American Latina/o writer is not only nominated for a Pulitzer Prize, but the year in which the Prize is won. And if this is not to be, may 2010 be the year in which many American Latina/o authors begin seriously laying the groundwork to deserve and win such an honor.
A CALL FOR AUTHORS TO "GET INTO THE ARENA"!
U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt spoke movingly about "the man in the arena"--a person who has the courage to put himself/herself "out there," to take risks, to take action to pursue his or her dreams, to make things happen. The man in the arena might get knocked down, might fail, but this person continues to actively pursue whatever goals he or she has set, continues striving toward success.
May 2010 be the year in which American Latina/o writers today shed our fears of literary rejection. May it be the year in which we shed our doubts about our abilities to make the written word sing. May it be the year in which we create, create, and create some more and send our writings by the thousands to literary journals, magazines, newspapers, and editors all over America!
May 2010 be the year in which vaunted literary journals like Glimmer Train and Tin House are swamped with story and poem submissions by American Latinas/os in numbers unseen before! May it be the year in which they--and other prominent literary venues that rarely publish Latina/o authors--realize our critical mass and take notice that our literature needs to take its place in mainstream literature...that our writings are highly worthy of being published by the best and read and adored by the best.
May 2010 be the year in which prestigious, highly exclusive annual anthologies--such as Best American Short Stories of 2009, or Best American Poems of 2009, for example--include a respectable number of American Latina/o authors in its pages...or, at least, the year in which our Hispanic authors lay the groundwork for this happening next year.
Let's put ourselves "in the arena." Let's show, in large numbers, what has been hiding in the literary shadows of America. And may it make us all proud!
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
ON ANOTHER NOTE: SOME UPDATES FOR YOU
In a recent blog, I spoke about Pasadena author, Randy Jurado Ertll, who has recently published his first book, a memoir titled Hope in Times of Darkness. Randy is a Salvadoran-American, and his book is doing well, I'm very happy to say. Here is some information about an upcoming reading/discussion that Randy will hold in Pasadena. All are invited.
"HOPE IN TIMES OF DARKNESS: A SALVADORAN AMERICAN EXPERIENCE"
WHEN: Friday, January 8, 2010 12:00 p.m.
WHERE: La Pintoresca Public Library
1355 North Raymond Avenue, Pasadena , CA 91103-2235
Monday, November 30, 2009
Latina/o Writers Today Are Sharing Their Talents Through Their Websites, Blogs, or e-Zines...Check Them Out!
The more I educate myself about Latina/o writers in the United States today, the more I realize that most of them are making their voices heard in the most accessible medium in the world: the internet. Famous American Hispanic authors as well as up-and-coming writers have established websites, write regular blogs, or contribute to the regular blogs of others. Included in the mix are Latina/o writers of the journalistic mold who write about other writers.
I'm an example of three of these categories: (1) Though I've recently published a book (The Heavens Weep for Us and Other Stories), I'm an emerging author (I first published in the 1970's and 1980's then stopped publishing until recently while I worked on my career). (2) I contribute to the Powerful Latinas blog, which I'll tell more about in just a minute. (3) In this blog, American Latina/o Writers Today, I take the pleasure of writing about other writers.
This use of the internet as a publishing outlet is an exciting scene and offers the general public many avenues for enjoying the thoughts and creativities of Latina/o writers. It also gives exposure to the authors, which is often hard to obtain in today's competitive society. Here are some of the websites and blogs you should check out.
Author's Websites
A prime example is that of famed author, Sandra Cisneros. Go to http://www.sandracisneros.com/and learn about where she gets her inspirations for her writing. It's fascinating. You can also learn about her works and any upcoming book readings. Sandra is one of the most highly-honored Latina authors in America today, starting with her novel, House on Mango Street. She was born in Chicago and presently teaches in San Antonio, Texas.
Another author with a fascinating website is Patricia Mora at http://www.patmora.com/. She's an award-winning author of children's books and of poetry. In 1995, she published the poetry book, Agua Santa Holy Water.
A third example of a good author website to visit is http://www.garysoto.com/. Gary Soto was born in Fresno, California, and has written 11 books of poems, as well as the acclaimed novel, Jesse. In 1993, Gary edited the outstanding collection of other Latinos' short stories called Pieces of the Heart.
Some Outstanding Blogs
I'll talk about two of them today: Powerful Latinas and La Bloga. Their links, respectively, are http://www.powerfullatinas.com/and http://www.labloga.blogspot.com/.
Powerful Latinas was started by an attorney, Aurelia E. Flores, in 2007 to compile and publish stories about prominent Latinas and how they overcame obstacles in order to succeed. Aurelia invites a number of bloggers to contribute articles on diverse topics to her blog and also interviews high profile Latinas. This blog is lively, fresh, and up-to-date with advice, book recommendations, and introspective writings on selected topics. Check it out!
La Bloga includes reviews of books written by Hispanic authors today. One of the reviewers is the well-known author previously profiled in this blog, American Latina/o Writers Today, Daniel Olivas. La Bloga is considered one of the top Hispanic blogs in America today.
Internet Magazines (e-Zines) Are Also Making Their Mark!
One of the most helpful to Latina/o writers is Latinidad: Latino Writers by Marcela Landres, an editor who wrote the e-book, How Editors Think: The Real Reason They Rejected You, which is available through her website, http://www.marcelalandres.com/. Marcela has been consulting privately with authors for many years, providing editing assistance and advice, and has helped them get published. She especially focuses on Latina/o authors, which is the mission of Latinidad. The prominent magazine, Writer's Digest, named Marcela's site "one of the best 101 websites for writers."
A relatively new e-zine is Latin Connection, created and edited by Wayne Zamora, working out of South Carolina. He first started out with a bilingual Hispanic outreach newsletter for the community but went to the digital format in recent years. It's a fulltime, family-run enterprise, with his daughter playing a prominent editorial/photographer role as well. Wayne describes Latin Connection as an "educational entertainment family magazine" that spotlights the various realms of Chicano culture and achievements, such as in music, modeling, acting, and writing. He also gives recognition to military heroes, currently serving and veterans ("We have over 1 million Hispanics in the military," he says). His e-zine is chock-full of photos, and he covers people and events from throughout the nation. He has contacts in the Midwest and the West as well as on the East Coast. His e-zine is growing.
One writer he has recently profiled is Edna Campos Graven-Horst, an award-winning author of 6 children's books who recently moved back to her native San Antonio, Texas. Edna's biographical profiles of prominent Latinas/os have been published in Latin Connections. In addition, the early-Texas historical accounts of historian Dan Arellano have also been published in Wayne's e-zine. Learn more about these acclaimed Texas authors at their websites. Edna's is http://www.ednacamposgravenhorst.com/. Dan's website is http://www.tejanoroots.org/. Wayne, like Marcela, is helping give recognition to Latina/o writers and to foster their recognition in today's literary scene.
Looking to the Future...
May our American Hispanic writers continue showcasing their writing talents on the internet in these various venues! All the recognition they can get is necessary and helpful. We as a collective group, however, need to support these writers and their continuing efforts by doing more than reading their websites, blogs, and e-zines. We also need to purchase their books, attend their public readings/signings whenever we can, subscribe to their e-zines, and, most important of all, spread the word about them!
We care about the role of Latina/o writers in the tapestry of American literature. Our caring must always be translated into direct action to help them become fully integrated into the fabric of our nation's literary heritage.
* * * * * * * * *
My new book, The Heavens Weep for Us and Other Stories, is available through your favorite bookstore, at amazon.com, or barnesandnoble.com. Also, you can read the full text of my book's title story on my blog, http://www.latinawriter99.wordpress.com/.
The more I educate myself about Latina/o writers in the United States today, the more I realize that most of them are making their voices heard in the most accessible medium in the world: the internet. Famous American Hispanic authors as well as up-and-coming writers have established websites, write regular blogs, or contribute to the regular blogs of others. Included in the mix are Latina/o writers of the journalistic mold who write about other writers.
I'm an example of three of these categories: (1) Though I've recently published a book (The Heavens Weep for Us and Other Stories), I'm an emerging author (I first published in the 1970's and 1980's then stopped publishing until recently while I worked on my career). (2) I contribute to the Powerful Latinas blog, which I'll tell more about in just a minute. (3) In this blog, American Latina/o Writers Today, I take the pleasure of writing about other writers.
This use of the internet as a publishing outlet is an exciting scene and offers the general public many avenues for enjoying the thoughts and creativities of Latina/o writers. It also gives exposure to the authors, which is often hard to obtain in today's competitive society. Here are some of the websites and blogs you should check out.
Author's Websites
A prime example is that of famed author, Sandra Cisneros. Go to http://www.sandracisneros.com/and learn about where she gets her inspirations for her writing. It's fascinating. You can also learn about her works and any upcoming book readings. Sandra is one of the most highly-honored Latina authors in America today, starting with her novel, House on Mango Street. She was born in Chicago and presently teaches in San Antonio, Texas.
Another author with a fascinating website is Patricia Mora at http://www.patmora.com/. She's an award-winning author of children's books and of poetry. In 1995, she published the poetry book, Agua Santa Holy Water.
A third example of a good author website to visit is http://www.garysoto.com/. Gary Soto was born in Fresno, California, and has written 11 books of poems, as well as the acclaimed novel, Jesse. In 1993, Gary edited the outstanding collection of other Latinos' short stories called Pieces of the Heart.
Some Outstanding Blogs
I'll talk about two of them today: Powerful Latinas and La Bloga. Their links, respectively, are http://www.powerfullatinas.com/and http://www.labloga.blogspot.com/.
Powerful Latinas was started by an attorney, Aurelia E. Flores, in 2007 to compile and publish stories about prominent Latinas and how they overcame obstacles in order to succeed. Aurelia invites a number of bloggers to contribute articles on diverse topics to her blog and also interviews high profile Latinas. This blog is lively, fresh, and up-to-date with advice, book recommendations, and introspective writings on selected topics. Check it out!
La Bloga includes reviews of books written by Hispanic authors today. One of the reviewers is the well-known author previously profiled in this blog, American Latina/o Writers Today, Daniel Olivas. La Bloga is considered one of the top Hispanic blogs in America today.
Internet Magazines (e-Zines) Are Also Making Their Mark!
One of the most helpful to Latina/o writers is Latinidad: Latino Writers by Marcela Landres, an editor who wrote the e-book, How Editors Think: The Real Reason They Rejected You, which is available through her website, http://www.marcelalandres.com/. Marcela has been consulting privately with authors for many years, providing editing assistance and advice, and has helped them get published. She especially focuses on Latina/o authors, which is the mission of Latinidad. The prominent magazine, Writer's Digest, named Marcela's site "one of the best 101 websites for writers."
A relatively new e-zine is Latin Connection, created and edited by Wayne Zamora, working out of South Carolina. He first started out with a bilingual Hispanic outreach newsletter for the community but went to the digital format in recent years. It's a fulltime, family-run enterprise, with his daughter playing a prominent editorial/photographer role as well. Wayne describes Latin Connection as an "educational entertainment family magazine" that spotlights the various realms of Chicano culture and achievements, such as in music, modeling, acting, and writing. He also gives recognition to military heroes, currently serving and veterans ("We have over 1 million Hispanics in the military," he says). His e-zine is chock-full of photos, and he covers people and events from throughout the nation. He has contacts in the Midwest and the West as well as on the East Coast. His e-zine is growing.
One writer he has recently profiled is Edna Campos Graven-Horst, an award-winning author of 6 children's books who recently moved back to her native San Antonio, Texas. Edna's biographical profiles of prominent Latinas/os have been published in Latin Connections. In addition, the early-Texas historical accounts of historian Dan Arellano have also been published in Wayne's e-zine. Learn more about these acclaimed Texas authors at their websites. Edna's is http://www.ednacamposgravenhorst.com/. Dan's website is http://www.tejanoroots.org/. Wayne, like Marcela, is helping give recognition to Latina/o writers and to foster their recognition in today's literary scene.
Looking to the Future...
May our American Hispanic writers continue showcasing their writing talents on the internet in these various venues! All the recognition they can get is necessary and helpful. We as a collective group, however, need to support these writers and their continuing efforts by doing more than reading their websites, blogs, and e-zines. We also need to purchase their books, attend their public readings/signings whenever we can, subscribe to their e-zines, and, most important of all, spread the word about them!
We care about the role of Latina/o writers in the tapestry of American literature. Our caring must always be translated into direct action to help them become fully integrated into the fabric of our nation's literary heritage.
* * * * * * * * *
My new book, The Heavens Weep for Us and Other Stories, is available through your favorite bookstore, at amazon.com, or barnesandnoble.com. Also, you can read the full text of my book's title story on my blog, http://www.latinawriter99.wordpress.com/.
Monday, October 19, 2009
I live in Pasadena, a beautiful mid-sized city in Southern California known for the world-famous Rose Bowl and Rose Parade, among many other landmarks and claims to fame. We also have the Jet Propulsion Lab, a critical part of our nation's space program, along with Cal Tech, one of the top scientific universities in the U.S., on a par with MIT. Pasadena has world-class museums and art galleries, the mansion where the TV Batman show was shot years ago, historic homes built by famed architects Frank Lloyd Wright and the Greene and Greene Brothers of Craftsman Bungalow fame. Pasadena is a beautiful cultural gem we're proud of!
Another thing Pasadena has that we Latina/o authors in this city are very proud of is a little core group of authors who have recently published books. (The famed police novelist, Joseph Wambaugh, lived in Pasadena, and the classic cowboy writer, Zane Grey, lived next to our city). Here are some of these authors and their books published this calendar year:
ROBERTA MARTINEZ
Roberta published Latinos in Pasadena, part of the nationwide photographic, historical book series called Images of America, issued by Arcadia Publishing. As the back cover of her book states, Roberta's ties to Pasadena are substantial. She is much more besides a writer. She is well-known as a community activist, historian, lecturer, city commissioner, television producer, arts trustee, and advisor for the Pasadena Historical Museum and local school district. In her book, Roberta culled archival photos, newspaper articles, academic research papers, a local history project completed for Pasadena in 1995, and countless oral anecdotes and privately-owned vintage photo collections. She wove all her findings into a beautiful little book that traces "the legacies of Mexican-Americans and other Latino men and women who often worked for Pasadena's rich and famous...for generations."
Each photo is accompanied with historical explanations that help readers understand the impact of Latinos in Pasadena's evolution. Early Pasadena Latino settlers were mostly migrants and immigrants, but Pasadena is now about one-fourth Latino, and Roberta's book explores "the complexity of community and individual identity" that has led to the Latino presence being felt and respected in high levels across our city today, from the superintendent of schools, to school board members, city council members, prominent professionals, and others in leadership roles.
Roberta has left open the possibility of writing and publishing additional volumes in the near future, since "there still is so much more to be shared." We wish her much success!
RANDY JURADO ERTLL
Randy, like Roberta, has made a name for himself in Pasadena, Calfornia, not just for his writing, but for his community activism and leadership. His book, Hope in Times of Darkness: A Salvadoran American Experience, was published by Hamilton Books, an affiliate of Rowman & Littlefield Publishing Group. This is a memoir in which Randy details his personal evolution in America. Born in the U.S., Randy was deported with his undocumented mother to El Salvador when he was a baby. He witnessed much turmoil and violence in El Salvador and eventually was able to return to the U.S. as a young boy. He lived in volatile South Central Los Angeles, where numerous friends and schoolmates were caught up in gang violence and ended up dead, imprisoned, homeless, unemployed, or desperately struggling to make a meaningful life. Through much personal initiative, studiousness, family supportiveness, and help from mentors, Randy achieved academic success, stability, and greater hopes of living the American dream.
Randy's book not only traces his growth into the community leader and successful social activist he has become, it throws a spotlight on many social injustices that plagued our society in recent decades and that continue to create barriers to equality of opportunity for many people living and working in America, primarily immigrant families. Randy contends that elected leaders, along with dedicated community organizations, must work to erase these injustices and build hope in all people.
VICTOR CASS
Victor, born in Kingsville, Texas, is nonetheless a "true-blue Pasadenan." Like Roberta and Randy, Vic has devoted most of his adult life to serving our community...in his case, as a police officer, exhibiting fine artist, arts activist, and community volunteer as well as a writer. In 2009, Vic published his third book, a romantic, sexy novel called Telenovela, issued by Outskirts Press. This fast-paced, engaging novel is a story within a story, so to speak. The main plot is set entirely in Pasadena, but occasional flashbacks take us to Mexico. The "telenovela" of the title is actually a Mexican soap opera that some of the book's characters watch occasionally and that, ironically, parallels the events that the main characters are actually experiencing. The book alternates at times between the plot of the telenovela and the events involving the book's characters, so that the melodrama of the former underscores the drama of the latter. It's an interesting, engaging dynamic!
The book's main characters are two beautiful, intelligent young Latina women who are first-generation Americans. The parents of Miriya emigrated from Argentina, and Lorena's parents came from Mexico. Unbeknownst to these protagonists, they have fallen in love with the same man, a situation that threatens the budding, genuine friendship between the two women. There are plenty of romantic scenes in the book to compete with a racy modern movie, but there are also scenes of sadness and pathos, rib-tickling humor, and down-to-earth authenticity in how modern Latinas balance careers, cultures, and their own evolving identities.
Victor has written two other books: Pasadena Police Department: A Photohistory, 1877-2000, issued by Herff Jones in 1999; and Love, Death, and Other War Stories, published by iUniverse in 2005. The first book was commissioned by the city, and the second book was inspired by Victor's police experiences in Pasadena. He is currently working on his fourth book, which he hopes to complete before 2009 ends.
OTHER PASADENA AUTHORS TO BE FEATURED SOON!
Stay tuned. In the meantime, support these outstanding three I've introduced you to. Their books are all available through your local bookstores, or at amazon.com, among other online venues. These authors make our pride in Pasadena even stronger, with their contributions to the reputation Pasadena already has as a culturally, artistically rich city.
Another thing Pasadena has that we Latina/o authors in this city are very proud of is a little core group of authors who have recently published books. (The famed police novelist, Joseph Wambaugh, lived in Pasadena, and the classic cowboy writer, Zane Grey, lived next to our city). Here are some of these authors and their books published this calendar year:
ROBERTA MARTINEZ
Roberta published Latinos in Pasadena, part of the nationwide photographic, historical book series called Images of America, issued by Arcadia Publishing. As the back cover of her book states, Roberta's ties to Pasadena are substantial. She is much more besides a writer. She is well-known as a community activist, historian, lecturer, city commissioner, television producer, arts trustee, and advisor for the Pasadena Historical Museum and local school district. In her book, Roberta culled archival photos, newspaper articles, academic research papers, a local history project completed for Pasadena in 1995, and countless oral anecdotes and privately-owned vintage photo collections. She wove all her findings into a beautiful little book that traces "the legacies of Mexican-Americans and other Latino men and women who often worked for Pasadena's rich and famous...for generations."
Each photo is accompanied with historical explanations that help readers understand the impact of Latinos in Pasadena's evolution. Early Pasadena Latino settlers were mostly migrants and immigrants, but Pasadena is now about one-fourth Latino, and Roberta's book explores "the complexity of community and individual identity" that has led to the Latino presence being felt and respected in high levels across our city today, from the superintendent of schools, to school board members, city council members, prominent professionals, and others in leadership roles.
Roberta has left open the possibility of writing and publishing additional volumes in the near future, since "there still is so much more to be shared." We wish her much success!
RANDY JURADO ERTLL
Randy, like Roberta, has made a name for himself in Pasadena, Calfornia, not just for his writing, but for his community activism and leadership. His book, Hope in Times of Darkness: A Salvadoran American Experience, was published by Hamilton Books, an affiliate of Rowman & Littlefield Publishing Group. This is a memoir in which Randy details his personal evolution in America. Born in the U.S., Randy was deported with his undocumented mother to El Salvador when he was a baby. He witnessed much turmoil and violence in El Salvador and eventually was able to return to the U.S. as a young boy. He lived in volatile South Central Los Angeles, where numerous friends and schoolmates were caught up in gang violence and ended up dead, imprisoned, homeless, unemployed, or desperately struggling to make a meaningful life. Through much personal initiative, studiousness, family supportiveness, and help from mentors, Randy achieved academic success, stability, and greater hopes of living the American dream.
Randy's book not only traces his growth into the community leader and successful social activist he has become, it throws a spotlight on many social injustices that plagued our society in recent decades and that continue to create barriers to equality of opportunity for many people living and working in America, primarily immigrant families. Randy contends that elected leaders, along with dedicated community organizations, must work to erase these injustices and build hope in all people.
VICTOR CASS
Victor, born in Kingsville, Texas, is nonetheless a "true-blue Pasadenan." Like Roberta and Randy, Vic has devoted most of his adult life to serving our community...in his case, as a police officer, exhibiting fine artist, arts activist, and community volunteer as well as a writer. In 2009, Vic published his third book, a romantic, sexy novel called Telenovela, issued by Outskirts Press. This fast-paced, engaging novel is a story within a story, so to speak. The main plot is set entirely in Pasadena, but occasional flashbacks take us to Mexico. The "telenovela" of the title is actually a Mexican soap opera that some of the book's characters watch occasionally and that, ironically, parallels the events that the main characters are actually experiencing. The book alternates at times between the plot of the telenovela and the events involving the book's characters, so that the melodrama of the former underscores the drama of the latter. It's an interesting, engaging dynamic!
The book's main characters are two beautiful, intelligent young Latina women who are first-generation Americans. The parents of Miriya emigrated from Argentina, and Lorena's parents came from Mexico. Unbeknownst to these protagonists, they have fallen in love with the same man, a situation that threatens the budding, genuine friendship between the two women. There are plenty of romantic scenes in the book to compete with a racy modern movie, but there are also scenes of sadness and pathos, rib-tickling humor, and down-to-earth authenticity in how modern Latinas balance careers, cultures, and their own evolving identities.
Victor has written two other books: Pasadena Police Department: A Photohistory, 1877-2000, issued by Herff Jones in 1999; and Love, Death, and Other War Stories, published by iUniverse in 2005. The first book was commissioned by the city, and the second book was inspired by Victor's police experiences in Pasadena. He is currently working on his fourth book, which he hopes to complete before 2009 ends.
OTHER PASADENA AUTHORS TO BE FEATURED SOON!
Stay tuned. In the meantime, support these outstanding three I've introduced you to. Their books are all available through your local bookstores, or at amazon.com, among other online venues. These authors make our pride in Pasadena even stronger, with their contributions to the reputation Pasadena already has as a culturally, artistically rich city.
Monday, September 28, 2009
I've recently had an opportunity to learn more about two contemporary Hispanic authors, both of whom live in California, and who are attaining quite a bit of renown not only for their writing, but for their good work in their professional careers outside of writing for publication. Their names are Rose Castillo Guilbault and Daniel Olivas. Let me introduce you to them.
I have never met them personally, but I've communicated with them via email and have learned more about them from internet postings about their work. As I mention in a previous posting, I recently published a book, The Heavens Weep for Us and Other Stories, which is a collection of 12 new short stories I've written. (See my "weRead" website at http://www.weread.com/authors, and amazon.com/books/authors for more information about my book.) Before going to press, Rose and Daniel gave me some feedback about my writing, and I included their blurbs in my book. I appreciate their support of my efforts.
Rose's memoir, Farmworker's Daughter: Growing Up Mexican in America, describes her life from the age of 5, when she moved with her mother to Salinas Valley in California. Rose faced difficult challenges in school, but she fell in love with the English language and excelled in writing from an early age. She earned a Bachelor's degree in journalism, a Master's degree in writing, and became a successful journalist, also becoming the first Hispanic columnist for the San Francisco Chronicle in the 1990s. She spent 20 years in broadcasting, including TV work at CBS and ABC.
Rose won an Emmy Award for Outstanding Children's Programming as a journalist. She has since left journalism for an executive position, serving as Vice-President of Corporate Affairs and Publishing for CSAA, which is the Northern California/Utah/Nevada division of the AAA. What a role model Rose Guilbault is! Read about a recent talk she gave at a Distinguished Speaker Series at http://www.media.theargonaut.net/media.
Daniel Olivas is another high-achieving Latino author today. He has received outstanding reviews for his last book, Latinos in Lotusland: An Anthology of Contemporary Southern California Literature, which was published in 2008. The book encompasses 60 years of Latina/o writings from some of the top authors in our state. Daniel has written 5 other books. When he is not writing for publication, he is a very busy California state attorney. He has also written for various print media, including The Los Angeles Times. Daniel Olivas is another outstanding Latino author who enriches the tapestry of American literature! Visit his webpage on http://www.danielolivas.com and read his Monday blogs on La Bloga, at http://www.labloga.blogspot.com.
I have never met them personally, but I've communicated with them via email and have learned more about them from internet postings about their work. As I mention in a previous posting, I recently published a book, The Heavens Weep for Us and Other Stories, which is a collection of 12 new short stories I've written. (See my "weRead" website at http://www.weread.com/authors, and amazon.com/books/authors for more information about my book.) Before going to press, Rose and Daniel gave me some feedback about my writing, and I included their blurbs in my book. I appreciate their support of my efforts.
Rose's memoir, Farmworker's Daughter: Growing Up Mexican in America, describes her life from the age of 5, when she moved with her mother to Salinas Valley in California. Rose faced difficult challenges in school, but she fell in love with the English language and excelled in writing from an early age. She earned a Bachelor's degree in journalism, a Master's degree in writing, and became a successful journalist, also becoming the first Hispanic columnist for the San Francisco Chronicle in the 1990s. She spent 20 years in broadcasting, including TV work at CBS and ABC.
Rose won an Emmy Award for Outstanding Children's Programming as a journalist. She has since left journalism for an executive position, serving as Vice-President of Corporate Affairs and Publishing for CSAA, which is the Northern California/Utah/Nevada division of the AAA. What a role model Rose Guilbault is! Read about a recent talk she gave at a Distinguished Speaker Series at http://www.media.theargonaut.net/media.
Daniel Olivas is another high-achieving Latino author today. He has received outstanding reviews for his last book, Latinos in Lotusland: An Anthology of Contemporary Southern California Literature, which was published in 2008. The book encompasses 60 years of Latina/o writings from some of the top authors in our state. Daniel has written 5 other books. When he is not writing for publication, he is a very busy California state attorney. He has also written for various print media, including The Los Angeles Times. Daniel Olivas is another outstanding Latino author who enriches the tapestry of American literature! Visit his webpage on http://www.danielolivas.com and read his Monday blogs on La Bloga, at http://www.labloga.blogspot.com.
Sunday, May 17, 2009
A Family of Writers...Mine!
It's been a while since I've posted a blog here. Let's catch up with some news. Since my last post, I've been fostering and nurturing a particular family of American Latino writers...mine!
My son, Victor Cass, has just published his third book, a novel issued a few months ago called Telenovela. It's set in Pasadena, California, our hometown, and deals with the love lives of two beautiful, young professional Latinas who are first-generation Americans. Miriya and Lorena's immigrant backgrounds could not be more different, yet their similarities help forge a strong bond of friendship and loyalty between the two women. Their love lives are so different from one another, but fate has a way of making paths cross in more ways than we'd like. The book is fast-paced, rich with dialogue and cultural realism, and can be read in two sittings for many people. Check it out on amazon.com. It's getting rave reviews and will put a smile on your face!
I'll talk some more about Vic's other books in another blog. For now, go online and see what this young, handsome Latino (am I a biased mom?) does in his busy life: as a Pasadena police officer, an exhibiting fine artist, a community pillar, and a very busy writer. He's working on his fourth book now.
Who's the second writer in my family? My daughter, Dr. Christine Reyna-Demes, a professor at De Paul University in Chicago. She's a scholar and has had numerous research articles in Social Psychology published in academic journals over the past decade or so. In her teenage years, she also wrote soulful, intense songs and poetry. Her job requires her to "publish or perish," so her keyboard will be warm for many years to come!
I'm the third writer in the family. Though I've been fortunate to have short stories, essays, other nonfiction, and poems published in newspapers, journals, and books throughout the years, I've also just published a book, my first. It's a collection of new stories and is called The Heavens Weep for Us and Other Stories. It will be out in early summer this year. When it's published, I'll tell you more about it. In the meantime, please hold good thoughts for its success, along with Vic's book.
The title story in my new book was just published in a wonderful academic/literary journal called Chicana/Latina Studies: The Journal of Mujeres Activas en Letras y Cambio Social (Volume 8: Spring 2009). The editors of the journal--Dr. Tiffany Ana Lopez, a professor at University of California, Riverside, and Dr. Karen Mary Davalos, a professor at Loyola Marymount University in California--are themselves well-regarded Latina authors as well as academicians. (Dr. Lopez edited the excellent anthology, Growing Up Chicana/o, in 1993 and its influence is still felt today.) Their support and nurturance of Latina/o authors is tremendous!
My dream is that someday my son, daughter, and I will collaborate on a book. I have three ideas in mind, and I feel that any of them would be a welcome addition to our American literary world. The book would be nonfiction, with a social/historical bent. Its focus would be people: their dynamics, relationships, successes and failures. Why not? People are the most important element of this world.
This blog focuses on Americans who happen to be Latinos and who happen to be writers who are contributing to the literary landscape in our nation. Please pardon my immodesty in writing about my own family this time around, but I do feel satisfaction and joy in the fact that the three of us--Vic, Chriss, and I--share this great love of the written word, and that we have a genuine desire to share our ideas, feelings, experiences, and knowledge with others in the hope that we might bring a smile or chuckle, a flash of insight and understanding, or a bit of new knowledge to the lives of our fellow human beings.
It's been a while since I've posted a blog here. Let's catch up with some news. Since my last post, I've been fostering and nurturing a particular family of American Latino writers...mine!
My son, Victor Cass, has just published his third book, a novel issued a few months ago called Telenovela. It's set in Pasadena, California, our hometown, and deals with the love lives of two beautiful, young professional Latinas who are first-generation Americans. Miriya and Lorena's immigrant backgrounds could not be more different, yet their similarities help forge a strong bond of friendship and loyalty between the two women. Their love lives are so different from one another, but fate has a way of making paths cross in more ways than we'd like. The book is fast-paced, rich with dialogue and cultural realism, and can be read in two sittings for many people. Check it out on amazon.com. It's getting rave reviews and will put a smile on your face!
I'll talk some more about Vic's other books in another blog. For now, go online and see what this young, handsome Latino (am I a biased mom?) does in his busy life: as a Pasadena police officer, an exhibiting fine artist, a community pillar, and a very busy writer. He's working on his fourth book now.
Who's the second writer in my family? My daughter, Dr. Christine Reyna-Demes, a professor at De Paul University in Chicago. She's a scholar and has had numerous research articles in Social Psychology published in academic journals over the past decade or so. In her teenage years, she also wrote soulful, intense songs and poetry. Her job requires her to "publish or perish," so her keyboard will be warm for many years to come!
I'm the third writer in the family. Though I've been fortunate to have short stories, essays, other nonfiction, and poems published in newspapers, journals, and books throughout the years, I've also just published a book, my first. It's a collection of new stories and is called The Heavens Weep for Us and Other Stories. It will be out in early summer this year. When it's published, I'll tell you more about it. In the meantime, please hold good thoughts for its success, along with Vic's book.
The title story in my new book was just published in a wonderful academic/literary journal called Chicana/Latina Studies: The Journal of Mujeres Activas en Letras y Cambio Social (Volume 8: Spring 2009). The editors of the journal--Dr. Tiffany Ana Lopez, a professor at University of California, Riverside, and Dr. Karen Mary Davalos, a professor at Loyola Marymount University in California--are themselves well-regarded Latina authors as well as academicians. (Dr. Lopez edited the excellent anthology, Growing Up Chicana/o, in 1993 and its influence is still felt today.) Their support and nurturance of Latina/o authors is tremendous!
My dream is that someday my son, daughter, and I will collaborate on a book. I have three ideas in mind, and I feel that any of them would be a welcome addition to our American literary world. The book would be nonfiction, with a social/historical bent. Its focus would be people: their dynamics, relationships, successes and failures. Why not? People are the most important element of this world.
This blog focuses on Americans who happen to be Latinos and who happen to be writers who are contributing to the literary landscape in our nation. Please pardon my immodesty in writing about my own family this time around, but I do feel satisfaction and joy in the fact that the three of us--Vic, Chriss, and I--share this great love of the written word, and that we have a genuine desire to share our ideas, feelings, experiences, and knowledge with others in the hope that we might bring a smile or chuckle, a flash of insight and understanding, or a bit of new knowledge to the lives of our fellow human beings.
Monday, October 29, 2007
American Latinos Are Making Themselves Noticed More and More in Entertainment…
Yes, and this is a wonderful thing. Talented female actors such as Jessica Alba, Eva Mendez, Jennifer Lopez, and Cameron Diaz have been turning heads now for a while, not only for their outward beauty but for their charisma, energy, intelligence, and—in some cases—for their entrepreneurship and solid business success (like J.Lo). Male actors James Edward Olmos, Jimmy Smits, Martin Sheen, Benicio del Toro, and Lou Diamond Phillips—five of our modern-day American “pioneers”—have established themselves as solid performers who can definitely captivate an audience. Others, like Esai Morales or Rodrigo Santoro, may not yet have the name recognition or prestige, but their abilities and those of other up-and-coming actors are undeniable as they step more confidently into the national and international spotlight.
Singers? A bountiful harvest that is growing! It was little more than a decade ago that the electrifying Selena, a product of my childhood hometown (Corpus Christi, Texas), grabbed the national spotlight and was “crossing over” from Spanish songs to English. This Tejana met an untimely, shocking death, but she was a beautiful, humanistic beacon to the world that heralded the upsurge of Latino presence in the American music scene. In the past decade, stars like Mariah Carey, Thalia, Marc Anthony, Daddy Yankee, Christina Milian, and a host of others have shown the entertainment world that American songsters have much to give.
Television has been another fertile field for the popularity of American Latinos: “Ugly Betty” America Ferrera, Charlie Sheen, George Lopez, Paul Rodriguez, and many others build on the groundwork laid by folks like Cheech Marin and Erik Estrada. Newscasters today, like Rick Sanchez from CNN, are making their mark, expanding the work done by broadcast journalists such as veteran Californian Laura Diaz. In athletics, of course, Latinos have historically been highly visible and strong elements.
But How About American Latinos in the Realm of the Printed Word?
My prior blogs have cited some major ground-breaking writers like Rudolfo Anaya, Estela Portillo de Trambley, and Sandra Cisneros, among many other worthy writers (see my Archives). However, American Latino writers fall far behind in this category—the printed word—when it comes to making our mark on the literary scene nationally, and especially internationally.
The Latino “soul” has historically been lauded for its depth of emotion. Our culture celebrates a premium on spirituality, family, and connection with life beyond earth: all elements of much fine literature through the ages. So, as our people increase in numbers demographically, as the Latino presence manifests itself more markedly in our American social fabric, the world of “letters” is one that is hardly crossed by any notable mass of Latinos.
So How Can We Tell That Latinos Are “Missing in Action” (to a large extent) When it Comes to Writing?
Consider the following:
--Regularly-published national anthologies, such as The Best American Short Stories, or The Best American Poems rarely, if ever, include American Latino authors. (Throughout my blog, I expediently use the term “Latino” to refer to both males and females.)
--Most prominent, mainstream literary journals currently published and disseminated nationally, such as Tin House and Glimmer Train, hardly ever contain writings by American Latinos.
--Latino authors who have been widely honored for their writing at the international level, such as Nobel Prize winners Octavio Paz and Pablo Neruda, were not from the United States (which is the focus of this blog).
--Regularly-issued American bestseller lists in either fiction or nonfiction categories rarely include American Latino authors.
--The Pulitzer Prize, America’s top writing award, has been won by a Latino fiction writer only once (Oscar Hijuelos, in 1990, for The Mambo Kings Play Songs of Love) since its inception in 1917.
--Other prominent American literary prizes—such as the National Book Award, the National Book Critics Circle Award, the PEN/Faulkner Award—have not been won by a Latino author according to records I reviewed.
This dearth of representation in the American literary landscape is a huge vacuum that saddens me. One might point out that the Latino presence is still woefully lacking in various other areas of intellectual importance: math and science, for example. True. Some others might ask, “Why focus on AMERICAN LATINOS? Why be exclusionary and divisive of this vast world group of Hispanics?” My blog intends no harm, no divisiveness, or insults. In the interest of exploring the realm of Latino letters with a bit more focus, I’ve limited my comments to American Latinos.
To be a Latino in the United States (what I mean by “America” in my blog) is being in a position with great potential to achieve, to develop ourselves as we wish based on our individual hard work and determination. Doors are open to mold ourselves as we dream, despite societal obstacles to equality that still exist worldwide. So why aren’t our Latino people writing more and publishing more and taking our place on the stage of public expression that we deserve to aspire to?
Our society, and ultimately the international community, needs to hear the voices of all its people in matters of the heart and mind. Thus, America needs to hear its Latino voices on a grander scale than at present. Let’s educate ourselves regarding what these voices have said so far in history and what the current voices are expressing. Let’s nurture in upcoming generations the ability and willingness to embellish through literary expression the rich tapestry of diversity that represents the true United States.
* * * * * * *
Thursday, November 09, 2006
Who Were Our Pioneers, Our Trailblazers,
the “Oldies but Goodies”?
First, a disclaimer:
Since the name of my blog is “Latino Writers Today,” the emphasis is on contemporary writers, creators who are among us, still working their magic, still spinning their webs of enlightenment and artistry. There is ample diversity in this group of men and women, and my interest, hopefully along with you, is to watch these writers evolve further and to consider the impact of their work in our American society today and for the coming years.
But who started it all?
Ah, yes. Who paved the literary road? Who “broke out” and inspired followers to take up the pen, to let their voices be heard? These were very special, very courageous and dedicated people. They opened the door for the rest of us in the United States in 1970, starting a wave of Latino writing and publishing that has gathered momentum in the past couple of decades. Many of these pioneers continue to write, continue to show the way. Here are some of those early classics:
--Pocho (1959) by Jose Antonio Villareal:
Though it predates the “birth” of consistent Latino writing by more than a decade, it is mentioned here because it was the first novel by a “Mexican-American” (American-born Latino) published in the United States by a major publisher, a book that was largely ignored in mainstream media and in literary circles but was kept alive in schools as a reading assignment.
--Chicano (1st edition, 1970), by Richard Vasquez, born in Los Angeles:
More successful than Pocho but not a bestseller, this was perhaps the first American Latino’s book that was actively touted by its major publisher. It was re-published in 2003, the 35th anniversary of its initial publication, after Sylvia Vasquez, Richard’s daughter, pushed tirelessly for its reissue.
--And the Earth Did Not Devour Him (1971), by Tomas Rivera, born in Crystal
City, Texas:
A university professor, Dr. Rivera received the National Quinto Sol Literature Award in 1969-70, itself a trailblazing though short-lived literary prize. (Quinto Sol Publications, Inc. was the first wholly-independent “Chicano” publisher in the United States, founded in 1967 in Berkeley, California, and the top publisher of Latino writing in America.) The award was for this novel.
--Day of the Swallows (1971), Estela Portillo Trambley, born in El Paso, Texas:
Trambley is often considered the premier trailblazer for American Latina writers in our country. Her play, named above, was an early success and has been performed throughout the country throughout the years. She has written three books; numerous other plays, short stories, and essays; and has been critiqued and profiled in over 50 reviews, scholarly essays, and doctoral dissertations over the decades.
--Bless Me, Ultima (1972), by Rudolfo Anaya, born in New Mexico:
Winner of the Quinto Sol Literature Award in 1971 for this novel, Anaya is also the author of the novel Zia Summer (1995), The Anaya Reader, and Alburquerque [the original spelling of the New Mexico city’s name].
--The Autobiography of a Brown Buffalo (1972), by Oscar “Zeta” Acosta, born in
El Paso, Texas:
An activist attorney for the Chicano Movement in the 1960’s and 1970’s, Acosta was a self-destructive, controversial, counter-culture figure. He lived life fast and furious, convinced that he’d die at the age of 33. He went missing in 1974, and his body was never recovered, though experts believed he met foul play. Acosta’s autobiographical novel received acclaim and was followed by another book based on his life experiences, The Revolt of the Cockroach People, which was published in 1973.
--Nilda (1973), by Nicholasa Mohr, born in New York City:
This book for young readers received much critical acclaim, including the School Library Journal Best Book Award and the New York Times’ Outstanding Book Award in Juvenile Fiction. In 1975, El Bronx Remembered was published, and Mohr has continued to publish into the 1990’s. She has received numerous awards for her work, including the Hispanic Heritage Award in Literature and the Edgar Allan Poe Award.
--Rain of Scorpions and Other Writings (1st edition, 1975), by Estela Portillo
Trambley, born in El Paso:
This was the first collection of short stories published in America by a Latina writer. Quinto Sol Publications, the pioneering publisher of many Latino writers in the late 1960’s and 1970’s, became Tonatiuh International around 1976. Its national literary journal, Grito del Sol (the reincarnation of El Grito, the pioneering journal published by Quinto Sol Publications for about eight years) also published many Latino authors. Tonatiuh International issued this ground-breaking book. Trambley won the prestigious Quinto Sol Literature Award in 1972.
Some Special Words About RICHARD VASQUEZ…
A first-generation American, Vasquez took ten years to write Chicano, in what Ruben Martinez, in his Foreword to the 35-Year-Anniversary edition of the novel, refers to as “a herculean attempt…to explain his people to others.” Martinez goes on to say:
“Richard Vasquez mapped out an essential territory of
American cultural, social, economic, and political
geography: the relationship between white and brown
in the American Southwest, particularly in the city of
Los Angeles.”
The book was published in the same year that, in a huge Chicano demonstration in Los Angeles against the Vietnam War, noted journalist Ruben Salazar, the first Mexican-American columnist for the Los Angeles Times, was accidentally killed. Salazar was himself a renowned writer and trailblazer in the mass media. Pioneer followed pioneer, as Richard Vasquez was subsequently named to fill Salazar’s position at the LA Times.
Though Chicano has received negative reviews as well as praise, the book is historically significant in the birth of Latino writing in our country as Vasquez sought to create an identity for the Mexican-Americans of his time as well as a dignified identity for his forebears. Vasquez subsequently published two other novels: The Giant Killer and Another Land.
So What Did These “Oldies but Goodies” Accomplish?
What all writers, not just Latino writers, seek to do: to share our humanity. Octavio I. Romano-V, Ph.D., long-time editor (18 years) at the prestigious Quinto Sol and Tonatiuh International Publications discussed above in this blog, and himself a well-regarded Latino author of short stories and other writings, said the following in his Introduction to the notable anthology, Grito del Sol Collection (Winter 1984) :
“[This book] is a sharing of human experience, as well as
a celebration, for in these pages Mexican-American authors
share with the world their own particular vision of the past,
present, and future, memories of childhood, of living today,
of love and many problems overcome.”
Our Thanks…and Maybe a Visit to the Library, Bookstore, or the ‘Net!
Though my future blogs will tell more about Latino/a writers publishing today and will discuss “fresh voices,” I also want to share more with you about these historical people. There are many others who toiled with far less recognition in those early decades. If you haven’t “met” the pioneers above, though, that would be a good starting point for learning about Latino literature in America. Visit your local library or bookstore, or hop on the internet. Look up these folks. See what they’re up to nowadays. Learn about a bit of history that oftentimes is not covered in our schools. Enjoy!
--Thelma T. Reyna, Ph.D.
the “Oldies but Goodies”?
First, a disclaimer:
Since the name of my blog is “Latino Writers Today,” the emphasis is on contemporary writers, creators who are among us, still working their magic, still spinning their webs of enlightenment and artistry. There is ample diversity in this group of men and women, and my interest, hopefully along with you, is to watch these writers evolve further and to consider the impact of their work in our American society today and for the coming years.
But who started it all?
Ah, yes. Who paved the literary road? Who “broke out” and inspired followers to take up the pen, to let their voices be heard? These were very special, very courageous and dedicated people. They opened the door for the rest of us in the United States in 1970, starting a wave of Latino writing and publishing that has gathered momentum in the past couple of decades. Many of these pioneers continue to write, continue to show the way. Here are some of those early classics:
--Pocho (1959) by Jose Antonio Villareal:
Though it predates the “birth” of consistent Latino writing by more than a decade, it is mentioned here because it was the first novel by a “Mexican-American” (American-born Latino) published in the United States by a major publisher, a book that was largely ignored in mainstream media and in literary circles but was kept alive in schools as a reading assignment.
--Chicano (1st edition, 1970), by Richard Vasquez, born in Los Angeles:
More successful than Pocho but not a bestseller, this was perhaps the first American Latino’s book that was actively touted by its major publisher. It was re-published in 2003, the 35th anniversary of its initial publication, after Sylvia Vasquez, Richard’s daughter, pushed tirelessly for its reissue.
--And the Earth Did Not Devour Him (1971), by Tomas Rivera, born in Crystal
City, Texas:
A university professor, Dr. Rivera received the National Quinto Sol Literature Award in 1969-70, itself a trailblazing though short-lived literary prize. (Quinto Sol Publications, Inc. was the first wholly-independent “Chicano” publisher in the United States, founded in 1967 in Berkeley, California, and the top publisher of Latino writing in America.) The award was for this novel.
--Day of the Swallows (1971), Estela Portillo Trambley, born in El Paso, Texas:
Trambley is often considered the premier trailblazer for American Latina writers in our country. Her play, named above, was an early success and has been performed throughout the country throughout the years. She has written three books; numerous other plays, short stories, and essays; and has been critiqued and profiled in over 50 reviews, scholarly essays, and doctoral dissertations over the decades.
--Bless Me, Ultima (1972), by Rudolfo Anaya, born in New Mexico:
Winner of the Quinto Sol Literature Award in 1971 for this novel, Anaya is also the author of the novel Zia Summer (1995), The Anaya Reader, and Alburquerque [the original spelling of the New Mexico city’s name].
--The Autobiography of a Brown Buffalo (1972), by Oscar “Zeta” Acosta, born in
El Paso, Texas:
An activist attorney for the Chicano Movement in the 1960’s and 1970’s, Acosta was a self-destructive, controversial, counter-culture figure. He lived life fast and furious, convinced that he’d die at the age of 33. He went missing in 1974, and his body was never recovered, though experts believed he met foul play. Acosta’s autobiographical novel received acclaim and was followed by another book based on his life experiences, The Revolt of the Cockroach People, which was published in 1973.
--Nilda (1973), by Nicholasa Mohr, born in New York City:
This book for young readers received much critical acclaim, including the School Library Journal Best Book Award and the New York Times’ Outstanding Book Award in Juvenile Fiction. In 1975, El Bronx Remembered was published, and Mohr has continued to publish into the 1990’s. She has received numerous awards for her work, including the Hispanic Heritage Award in Literature and the Edgar Allan Poe Award.
--Rain of Scorpions and Other Writings (1st edition, 1975), by Estela Portillo
Trambley, born in El Paso:
This was the first collection of short stories published in America by a Latina writer. Quinto Sol Publications, the pioneering publisher of many Latino writers in the late 1960’s and 1970’s, became Tonatiuh International around 1976. Its national literary journal, Grito del Sol (the reincarnation of El Grito, the pioneering journal published by Quinto Sol Publications for about eight years) also published many Latino authors. Tonatiuh International issued this ground-breaking book. Trambley won the prestigious Quinto Sol Literature Award in 1972.
Some Special Words About RICHARD VASQUEZ…
A first-generation American, Vasquez took ten years to write Chicano, in what Ruben Martinez, in his Foreword to the 35-Year-Anniversary edition of the novel, refers to as “a herculean attempt…to explain his people to others.” Martinez goes on to say:
“Richard Vasquez mapped out an essential territory of
American cultural, social, economic, and political
geography: the relationship between white and brown
in the American Southwest, particularly in the city of
Los Angeles.”
The book was published in the same year that, in a huge Chicano demonstration in Los Angeles against the Vietnam War, noted journalist Ruben Salazar, the first Mexican-American columnist for the Los Angeles Times, was accidentally killed. Salazar was himself a renowned writer and trailblazer in the mass media. Pioneer followed pioneer, as Richard Vasquez was subsequently named to fill Salazar’s position at the LA Times.
Though Chicano has received negative reviews as well as praise, the book is historically significant in the birth of Latino writing in our country as Vasquez sought to create an identity for the Mexican-Americans of his time as well as a dignified identity for his forebears. Vasquez subsequently published two other novels: The Giant Killer and Another Land.
So What Did These “Oldies but Goodies” Accomplish?
What all writers, not just Latino writers, seek to do: to share our humanity. Octavio I. Romano-V, Ph.D., long-time editor (18 years) at the prestigious Quinto Sol and Tonatiuh International Publications discussed above in this blog, and himself a well-regarded Latino author of short stories and other writings, said the following in his Introduction to the notable anthology, Grito del Sol Collection (Winter 1984) :
“[This book] is a sharing of human experience, as well as
a celebration, for in these pages Mexican-American authors
share with the world their own particular vision of the past,
present, and future, memories of childhood, of living today,
of love and many problems overcome.”
Our Thanks…and Maybe a Visit to the Library, Bookstore, or the ‘Net!
Though my future blogs will tell more about Latino/a writers publishing today and will discuss “fresh voices,” I also want to share more with you about these historical people. There are many others who toiled with far less recognition in those early decades. If you haven’t “met” the pioneers above, though, that would be a good starting point for learning about Latino literature in America. Visit your local library or bookstore, or hop on the internet. Look up these folks. See what they’re up to nowadays. Learn about a bit of history that oftentimes is not covered in our schools. Enjoy!
--Thelma T. Reyna, Ph.D.
Saturday, November 04, 2006
WELCOME TO THIS BLOG!
You'll meet talented American writers
you've probably not read about before
but who deserve your attention.
You'll read excerpts of poetry and stories
that deserve your attention
and will win your admiration.
WELCOME...AND ENJOY!
######
Who Are These Latino Writers?
First, they are wonderfully-talented men and women--some younger, others mellowed like fine wine--who create with the same passion that has fired literary giants through the eons throughout our world. A glance at Nobel Prize for Literature listings since the inception of the prestigious international Nobel Prizes affirms that writers from throughout the Latin world have been honored for their literary achievements for more than a century. But these aren't the admirable "Latino Writers" about whom I'll write in my blog.
No. Instead, I focus on wonderfully-talented men and women, most of whom were born and raised in the United States but whose voices, for the most part, have not yet earned widespread appreciation. Some of these writers--like Sandra Cisneros, Rudolfo Anaya, Estela Portillo-Trambley, and Julia Alvarez--have rightfully attained national and international recognition for their work.
Others such as Nina Marie Martinez, author of the 2004 novel, Caramba!, have recently entered the American literary arena and are starting to make their marks.
And yet others whom I'll profile in my blogs toil in obscurity or near-obscurity, but their voices are also important, and these writers need to have a spotlight trained on them as well.
Fellow Americans all, but with experiences and perspectives that remind us how our nation relishes individuality, and of how all our diverse groups ultimately, as Rudolfo Anaya wrote, "affect each other." He goes on to say, in Tiffany Ana Lopez' book, Growing Up Chicana/o (1993): "Perhaps learning how 'we can all get along' is one of the most important functions in literature....Chicano literature...now assumes a place in the literature of the United States."
This blog aims to help us all learn more about the dynamic writers who created and are creating this exciting literature and to become more enriched as human beings in the process.
--Thelma T. Reyna, Ph.D.
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