New Books for a New Year

Here we go -- new books from new authors and an old favorite.  These tales have everything from magical realism to love among Greek ruins to a Sherlock Holmes wannabe. Reading is Resistance.

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Flower Moon Runner
Nancy Viera

de Colores Publishing - November 11, 2025

[from the publisher]
Flower Moon Runner by Nancy Viera is a multi-generational novel about three women gifted with the healing powers strong enough to challenge the drug cartels gripping a small town nestled in the mountains of Chihuahua. Blending magical realism with history, the story traces their lineage from colonial settlers in the Sierra Madre, to the early 1990s when Ana Soledad returns home after years in the United States. At the heart of their power is the enchanted camellia flower, passed down through generations of this mixed-culture family.

Will Ana Soledad embrace her gift and free her town from the cartels? Is the destiny of the town and perhaps the nation in her hands?

Nancy Viera and Patricia McCrystal at West Side Books
Mon, 11/24/2025
6:30pm - 8:00pm
West Side Books
3434 West 32nd Ave
Suite A
Denver, CO 80211

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The Lust Crusade

Jo Segura
Berkley - January 13, 2026

[from the publisher]
Daniela Guiterrez has been in love with her brother’s best friend for as long as she can remember—until he went missing a year ago during an archaeological expedition. But on a solo trip to Greece, the intrepid librarian discovers that Theo is very much alive, although judging by the criminals holding him hostage, he is not doing well.

An expert in Ancient Greek archaeology, Dr. Theo Galanis has been abducted by artifact smugglers in search of a priceless gemstone—the Eye of the Minotaur. This ridiculous assignment was supposed to get Dani out of his system, not keep her tied up next to him. But when a little white lie spirals into his captors believing Theo and Dani are engaged, they must utilize her research skills and his expertise to solve the centuries’ old Minoan mystery, all while feigning a romance to keep each other alive.

Now with less than six days to find the jewel, underground societies, mythological beings, and pesky abductors are only half the battle. Because among the ancient ruins and temples they explore is an even bigger danger: falling in love for real.

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The Final Problem

Arturo Pérez-Reverte

Mulholland Books - February 10, 2026

[from the publisher]
June, 1960. Rough weather at sea leaves a group of strangers stranded on the idyllic Greek island of Utakos, all guests of the only local hotel. Nothing could prepare them for what happens next: Edith Mander, a quiet British tourist, is found dead inside a beach cabana. What appears at first glance to be a clear suicide reveals possible signs of foul play to Ormond Basil, an out-of-work but still well-known actor who in his glory days portrayed the most celebrated detective of all time. Accustomed to seeing him display Sherlock Holmes’ amazing powers of deduction on the big screen, the other guests believe that the actor is the best equipped to uncover the truth.

But when a second body is discovered, there is not a doubt in Basil’s mind: a murderer walks among them. What’s more, the killer is staging each crime as a performance, leaving complex clues that bear an eerie resemblance to those found in the pages of Conan Doyle stories. This is a criminal who knows every trick in the book and is playing a deadly literary game. As the storm rages, Basil must become the genius detective he has only pretended to be.

Later.

Manuel Ramos writes crime fiction.

Chicanonautica: 2025: Another Year, Another Odyssey

 

by Ernest Hogan

I’m back from another annual family road trip through parts of Aztlán and Sasquatchlandia in search of America, States . . . United? Altered? And I’m still Chicano AF, as the kids (gimme a break, I’m almost 70, everyone under 40 looks like a child, and most of my friends are dying) say these days.

It’s great to be back, and yeah, it was an odyssey. Homer’s Odyssey was about a guy coming home. So, in 2001: A Space Odyssey, just who is going home to where, Mr. Kubrick? 

Anyway, I’m back, and the world is different, again.

Alvin Toffler was right, future shock is the new normal . . .

So, what’s a Chicanonaut to do?

I carried my virgin passport sandwiched between my wallet and phone, but nobody asked for proof of my citizenship, ICE, National Guard, Border Patrol, whomeverlachingada . . .

Though the country (the world, actually) was ablaze with political turmoil, it was a rather calm trip. There were the occasional Charlie Kirk posters and pro-Trump manifestations, but they seemed more like desperate acts of defiance rather than the cresting of a successful movement. There were No Kings protests, but no violence. I watched it on TV screens in hotel breakfast rooms.

Is politics really the entertainment divisions of the military industrial complex, Mr. Zappa?

What I saw was a number of different cultures. Southern Arizona is different from Northern. Utah–Mormonlandia, and the possible historic location of an historic Aztlán, is undergoing changes as the Mexica return. Nevada is more like a post-Apocalyptic Mars colony every day. California is still another country–going from futuristic, multicultural Mexicoid to Pacific Northwest Hobbiton. Oregon is even more Hobbitish. Washington gets a little more subdued, but cannabis is everywhere. Idaho and Wyoming are more conservative, cowboy, but once you get to Colorado it’s getting artsy-fartsy again . . .

Sort of a continuum, no definite borders, blending into one another. What language do they speak here? Is that legal here? Where are we? What is this, a geopolitical Heisenberg Uncertainty Principal? Dare I be Chicano and say there’s some kinda rasquache going on here? Or should I say Xicanxfuturism?

How can they say if I belong if they don’t know who they are?

My notes tell a strange story with overtones of sci-fi and gonzo. I’ve got some transcribing to do. Did all it all really happen? I do have photos, but they’re a bit surreal.

So, watch for my travelogue, over at Mondo Ernesto and here, depending on how it all sorts itself out.

At least the Mexican restaurants I keep finding everywhere are getting better. I’m gonna need some tacos, beans and rice to get me through this.

Ernest Hogan’s new story “Doula” is in the Center for Science and the Imagination’s Sound Systems: The Future of the Orchestra, which is available as a free ebook. His new Paco Cohen, Mariachi of Mars story will be in Codex II of Xicanxfuturism: Gritios for Tomorrow, meanwhile buy and read Codex I.

Los Niños Mariachis / The Mariachi Kids

Written by Mario Bencastro

Illustrated by Robert Casilla

*Publisher: Arte Público Press

*Imprint: Piñata Books

*ISBN: 979-8-89375-019-5
*Format: Hardcover
*Pages: 32

*
Ages: 4-8

Bilingual picture book depicts the importance of practice and persistence while introducing kids to a popular musical form.

Joselito knew he wanted to be a mariachi the first time he heard a group perform the traditional Mexican folk music. He and his sister Lupita wanted to wear the fancy outfits—big hats, colorful bowties and shiny boots—and sing just like them!

Their mother said they were too little; their dad said the hats were too big for them and their grandfather said their voices weren’t strong enough yet. When the boy sang at school, the other kids laughed at him, but his teacher encouraged him to “Keep on singing, Joselito. One day you will be a great mariachi.” So he and Lupita practiced and practiced.  Finally, their parents thought they were ready and bought them the special outfits—black with silver details for him, and white with gold trim for her. “They were the best presents ever!” The siblings began performing at parties and soon they were known as “the Mariachi Kids.” Not only did their classmates quit making fun of them, but they won an important competition too!

This bilingual picture book about kids who persist in chasing their dream also shares information about a beloved musical genre. Containing the lyrics for the iconic Mexican birthday song, “Las mañanitas,” in Spanish and English, this book will familiarize young readers with a popular art form while reminding them that “practice makes perfect!”

“This bilingual book about children pursing their dreams is a buy for libraries with a large Latinx community and an additional purchase for those with a smaller Spanish children’s collection.”—School Library Journal

MARIO BENCASTRO is the author of numerous award-winning books, including two bilingual picture books, Un tren llamado Esperanza / A Train Called Hope (Piñata Books, 2021) and El niño de maíz / The Boy of Maize (Piñata Books, 2022), which was named a 2023 Américas Award Commended Title and to the Bank Street College of Education’s Best Children’s Picture Books in Spanish. He lives and works in Florida.

ROBERT CASILLA was born in Jersey City, New Jersey, to parents from Puerto Rico. He has illustrated many children’s books, including one he wrote, Mariano’s First Glove / El primer guante de Mariano (Piñata Books, 2023), which received Honorable Mention in the Academia Norteamericana de la Lengua Española’s Premio Campoy-Ada; Pat Mora’s The Remembering Day / El día de los muertos (Piñata Books, 2015) and First Day in Grapes (Lee & Low Books, 2014), which received a Pura Belpré Honor Award. He lives in New Fairfield, Connecticut, with his wife Carmen.

Anfitrion's Best Secret: Make-Ahead Feast

The Gluten-free Chicano Cooks and Entertains
Anfitrión At the Ready

Michael Sedano, The Gluten-free Chicano

This is that time of year when people behold autumn leaves hanging loosely from bare ruined choirs, when winter and holiday time approach. Celebration time.

The Gluten-free Chicano enjoys entertaining gente and especially serving delicious gluten-free food without complicating the preparation. Inevitably, los guests will bring breads and birongas for themselves and I make sure when I lay out the tables to keep ingredients and serving spoons well separated. Cross-contamination is danger number one of party foods.

One holiday party, the only safe food for me was a bowl of candied pecans. A friendly guest inquired how I liked her nuts—she’d made them—and I enthused without a risqué remark, noting the nuts being stuck in hard clumps. The woman picks up a pretzel stick and smashes it into the candied pecans to separate them and walks away triumphantly. I stare glumly at bits of wheat pretzel embedded in the only gluten-free food at the holiday party.

When you host a pachanga, safe eating at a party is assured. One secret to enjoying a holiday party is planning easy-to-fix-ahead good food, lots of it, and a suitable choice of main comida, like carne asada and pollo; call it a barbeque! 

In fact, that’s what we did when The Gluten-free Chicano recently hosted a housewarming party. The weather held, so we did the entire thing outside next to the grill, Califas style. (The Gluten-free Chicano has friends who barbequed outdoors on a Minnesota winter holiday, Californians to the core!)

Keep It Simple Menu for a Mostly Made-Ahead Celebratory Pachanga

Cheese and salami plate
Pickles
Caprese salad
Charcoal grilled marinated beef and chicken strips
Champagne and Jamaica

Two sharp cheddars and a spicy salami

Cheese and salami plate is finger food but provide napkins and small plates. The larger the guest list the more variety you want; hard and soft cheeses, add fresh fruit, cajeta de membrillo, additional sausages, slivers of carne seca. 

For the Gluten-free Chicano’s recent housewarming Pachanga, we went minimalist with White and Yellow well-aged Cheddars, and a hot salami sausage.

One jar of pickled vegetables for a small gathering is more than enough

Hot garden mix pickled vegetables offer tasty crunchiness that accents the sharp cheese and salami.

Caprese salad with lots of ssliced garlic and yerba buena instead of basil 

Caprese Salad offers elegance and beauty to the table. You can make it four hours ahead and set aside, hasta at room temperature. You need plates and forks for this wonderful salad. An effective serving utensil is essential, wide and flat not spoon.

Fresh mozzarella balls, drain 
best tomatoes possible, slice thick
fresh mint or fresh basil leaves, lots
fresh garlic thinly sliced, 3 or 4 cloves
lime or lemon juice
balsamic vinegar
good olive oil
coarse salt / kosher / sea salt
Romaine lettuce leaves

This salad is easy and fast. Lay lettuce leaves across a flat serving plate. Slice everything, arrange on plate. Sprinkle all over with juice of half a lime or lemon, a scant capful of balsamic vinegar, a TBS of your best olive oil. Sprinkle with coarse salt crystals. Cover and set aside.

BBQ and Beverages

If you don’t have a favorite carne asada or chicken marinade, leave a comment to add urgency to future cooking column plans. La Bloga-Tuesday’s current cooking focus is cold weather caldos and guisados. Soups are winter victuals, perfect for familia and small gatherings. Today’s preparations fed under a dozen and could easily upscale to feed dozens of more.

Jamaica is wondrously easy. Put a handful of dried flowers in a quart of water. Cover and set in sunshine for two hours. Drain, sweeten to taste, chill.

Cooking question? Gluten-free food story? La Bloga welcomes Comments and Guest Columnists. Click the mug fotos at the top of the page to email the editor. Click "Post a Comment" at the bottom of this page.

Gluten-free Provecho, gente!

“Los anillos de la serpiente / The Rings of the Serpent” by Xánath Caraza

“Los anillos de la serpiente / The Rings of the Serpent” by Xánath Caraza

 

Los anillos de la serpiente

 

Xanath Caraza

Asciendo los anillos de la serpiente.

Pasos verdes en las iridiscentes escamas,

la columna vertebral lleva a las fauces.

Jaguar me guía en este silencioso andar,

marca el ritmo de las pisadas.

 

La primera imagen es jade puro.

Oscuridad húmeda y piedras blancas,

turquesa es la bóveda celeste.

La telaraña vibra al escuchar mi voz.

Unidos viento y música.

 

Escaleras blancas al infinito azul,

coronadas por los recintos sagrados

y voces en los templos,

donde el jaguar abre sus fauces

para hacer suya esta selva.

 

Serpiente, sisea en mi oído la bienvenida

que tu lengua absorba mi húmedo canto

que la araña cornuda vuelva a su telar

que me entregue seda tejida con tiempo

y se adhiera a mi bronceado cuerpo.

 

 

The Rings of the Serpent

 

I ascend the rings of the serpent.

Green steps on iridescent scales,

the backbone leads to the jaws.

Jaguar guides me in this silent procession,

marking the rhythm of my steps.

 

The first image is pure jade.

Damp darkness and white stones,

turquoise is the celestial dome.

The spider web vibrates upon hearing my voice.

Wind and music united.

 

White staircase to the infinite blue,

crowned by sacred enclosures

and voices in the temples,

where the jaguar opens his jaws

to make this jungle his own.

 

Serpent, hiss greetings in my ear,

let your tongue absorb my damp song,

let the horned spider return to its loom

and give me silk woven with time

clinging to my bronze body.

Xanath Caraza

 

“Los anillos de la serpiente / The Rings of the Serpent” están incluidos en el poemario Balamkú (2019) de Xánath Caraza. Traducido al inglés por Sandra Kingery.

 

Xanath Caraza

In 2020 Balamkú received second place for the Juan Felipe Herrera Best Book of Poetry Award by the International Latino Book Awards.

 

Balamkú significa: el templo del jaguar

 

  

Poetry Connection: Connedting with Students from La Cuesta Continuation High School

 

With students at La Cuesta Continuation High School

Melinda Palacio, Santa Barbara Poet Laureate 2023-2025

Last week, I visited La Cuesta High School. La Cuesta is a continuation school and part of Santa Barbara Unified’s alternative education program. If you didn’t know about La Cuesta, you are not alone, I almost went to the wrong school. Luckily, I had to drop off some books earlier in the week and found the correct address. The continuation program provides support for students age 16 or older who are at risk of not graduating high school. With an average teacher to student ratio of one teacher for about fifteen students, each student is paired with a mentor and is given a second chance to succeed and graduate high school.

The visit was a bit rushed. The school itself is much smaller than most high schools or junior high schools. The room had a podium but no microphone. My visit was on a Thursday, a shorter day for all students. Had I known this ahead of time, I would have tried to give my presentation without a microphone. Also, trying to get anyone’s attention an hour before they know they are about to go home is challenging. When the students sat down, many seemed shut down or tired and or hungry. A few were quietly finishing their snacks. I was a little nervous because they seemed like a tough crowd at first. But they were very attentive and they responded positively when I asked them if they wanted to hear a song I wrote, based on the poem they had been studying, How Fire Is a Story, Waiting. They were very shy about asking questions, most of the questions came from the teachers. As I was reading and talking about my poetry, I could feel the energy shift and the students became more engaged. I was happy to see that two of the students stopped to shake my hand on their way out.

Instructional Support Specialist Lauren Gleason has been at La Cuesta for four years. She was previously at Alta Vista for 12 years. Alta Vista is alternative high school that students can choose to attend. Local poet and teacher James Claffey brought some of his Alta Vista students to hear my presentation. Lauren is very proud of the program. I asked her if there were any particular success stories she could talk about and she beamed and said that there were so many success stories. “I love my position,” she said. She also emphasized the connection between teachers, students, and parents and explained that La Cuesta forms a strong community in order to offer extra love and support to the students. Students at La Cuesta can stay for a second senior year but the goal is graduation, which takes place at the courthouse. For students who need more than 4 years to graduate, there’s a Flex program that makes up the third branch of Santa Barbara’s alternative school programs.

*an earlier version of this column was published in the Santa Barbara Independent

This week’s poem comes from Ventura poet, Danielle Pineda Brown.

Cap and Trade

Danielle Pineda Brown

Dr Oz says this, while Weight Watchers says that.  

They all seem to know how to get rid of fat. 

  

Achieving reductions can happen, you'll see, 

 if daily you drink of some green or white tea.  

 

Measuring, reporting, and verification  

just seems like a source for more humiliation. 

 

 Set limits on intake and earn extra credit: 

 walk, swim or bike. If you don't, you'll regret it.  

 

Fad diets? Oh no! They are out of the question. 

 They are good for two things: heartburn, indigestion. 

 

 I've listened to them and given all a try.  

The result is a credit card bill that’s sky high.  

 

 

But all is not gloom; yes, there's still hope in sight, 

 for instance, the article I read last night.  

 

Scientists discovered an adipose gene  

that decides if your body will be fat or lean.  

 

Accumulate or burn? Asks this master fat switch.  

How we are to control it is still the big glitch. 

 

 The right thing to do is to have Fat and Trade  

Between Roly-Poly and Skinny as a Blade.  

 

Take Jack Sprat and his wife, they could average it out.  

Put a “cap” on the calories of skinny and stout, 

 

Then what he doesn't eat can be put to her use.  

Who cares if her waistline is tight and his loose?  

 

What if she likes to gobble and he likes to taste?  

Bottom line is there’s no food gone to waste. 

 

 It sounded so good that I gave it a try. 

I have to admit with a tear and a sigh.  

 

After caps have been capped and trades had been made, 

 my scale said to me, “Girl, you've been betrayed!” 

A Modern Journey into the Past, Chiapas Beckons

An essay in photos. Remembering a fourteen-hour bus ride across Mexico to the colonial Mayan town of San Cristobal de Las Casas, San Juan Chamula on one side and a challenging bus ride to Palenque on the other. A modern journey into the past. 

A Tzotzil Woman with Child in Chamula

T

European, Mayans Encounter, Streets of San Cristobal de Las Casas

Religious Procession Opening Fiestas at San Juan Chamula

Tradition Adobe Home of Tzotzil Maya

A Reminder of the Zapatista's Presence

Basilica of San Nicolas 1530s, San Cristobal

The Church of Mysteries, San Juan Chamula

Mexico and its Revolutionary Heroes

The Hill to the Mercado, San Cristobal

On the Road to Palenque, the Sacred Falls

Night Falls in San Cristobal