Pedazos y Pedacitos

Manuel Ramos

Opportunities for Writers
We've heard about a couple of places offering opportunities for Chicano/a writers. First, a friend forwarded this post from the Freelance Writing website:

"Looking for writers and material ASAP - Posted by Tereso Caspa , Aug 22,2005
One of the largest Latino Lifestyle magazines in the country. #2 to be exact. Searching for creative edgy, artsy material dealing with Latino issues. We explore politics, art, current issues, etc. with, about, or by a Latino perspective. We are looking for material and writers. Please contact by the email above or call 323-344-1239 and speak with Fernando. Pay varies depending on experience and work. We pay .10 a word for most new writers, yet if we like the work we will consider more. We never pay more than $3000.00 for a feature.
Related link: Bello Magazine."

Second, from another friend, we got this note: "Could you give some press to this online journal by fellow Chicano poet Albino Carrillo? Check it out. He's always looking for Chicano/Latino writers. He says it's gotten a bit political of late because of the horrid times we live in, but decide for yourself." The journal is Maverick Magazine found at this link: http://maverickmagazine.com/default.htm

Third, November is National Novel Writing Month. That means you can join in on the fun of writing 50,000 words in thirty days. There is a website with details.

Cruisin' The Heart of Aztlán
I spent a few days traveling through southern Colorado and northern New Mexico as part of a Milagro Tour sponsored by KUVO radio - great idea and a wonderful chance to see the beautiful country and meet some simpático people. The trip took us from Denver to the Baca House in Trinidad, the plaza in Santa Fe, El Rancho de las Golondrinas, Española, Chimayó, the hot springs at Ojo Caliente, then return over the High Road to Taos and through the San Luis Valley.

Over on the Occasional Blog I have posted a few photos from the trip - of course, they don't do justice to the beauty and grace of the land.

This is Bless Me, Ultima (Rudolfo Anaya) and Milagro Beanfield War (John Nichols) country. Here is where the myths and legends come alive, where the great stories thrive, waiting to be told, and where a writer's imagination can blossom from the inspiration or shrivel from the challenge.


Up on the High Road to Taos a person gets a chance to visit places like Chimayó, home of the miraculous holy dirt and the setting for the book Chiva, by Chellis Glendinning, which is about the heroin scourge in that small village, or Truchas, where the Milagro Beanfield War movie was filmed by Robert Redford (a pretty good movie with an outstanding cast), or Las Trampas, site of the San José de Gracia church built in 1776, or, north of Taos, the D.H. Lawrence Ranch. With a bit of luck and the right timing, a person could attend Cambalache at the Artesanos Center in Questa, where El Kukui is burned along with the past year's pains, ills and other bad stuff.

On the tour we listened to Max Córdova of Los Siete Arts Center in Truchas explain the history of his beautiful valley, from the Aztec village of Quemado to the town's appreciation for but ultimate rejection of Redford's idea to have a "mini-Sundance film festival" in Truchas, to the plague of "social services," to the real fear that the gente in his valley are losing the fight to maintain their lifestyle and homes to unwanted immigrants (trust fund babies from California) whose first acts as Truchas residents are to build fences around their land.

I could have used another week traveling through the mountains, actually seeing the stars and taking stock, as they say. Oh well.

Another thing - the biscochitos and sopapillas in these villages are excellent.