Don't You Love Good News!

Melinda Palacio

Patricia Spears Jones and Melinda Palacio at AWP 2016

Earlier this week, Poets & Writers announced the winner of the Jackson Poetry Prize of $50, 000. It went to Patricia Spears Jones. If you don't know her work, consult some past La Bloga issues. Linda Rodriguez did a thorough review of her most recent book A Lucent Fire: New & Selected Poems. I've also featured her poetry as she is a fellow Tia Chucha Poet and someone whose work I admire. I'm super pleased to hear the news of her award. Patricia Spears Jones is the 11th winner of this award, Elizabeth Alexander was the first. The panel of judges describe her poetry as 'made of fever, bone, and breath' and as a poet who 'has steadily and quietly enriched the American poetic tradition with sophisticated and moving poems. More of us should know who she is, and even more should read her.' The full citation is on the Poets&Writers website. This announcement comes on the heels of La Bloga's Amelia Montes receiving a Fulbright for next year in Serbia. Read the interview with La Bloga's Amelia and Xanath on Monday.

A Lucent Fire by Patricia Spears Jones

The next day, Dr. Cristina Herrera, professor of Chicano and Latin American Studies at CSU Fresno and author of (Re)Mapping the Latina/o Literary Landscape New Works and New Directions, (Re)Writing the Maternal Script, and Reading/Speaking/Writing The Mother Text, received the Provost Award for Research, Scholarship and Creative Accomplishment. Her reward consists of a stipend, a reception, honors during the next graduation, and she will be invited to participate in the following year's Provost's Lecture Series. Dr. Cristina says: "It's a huge deal for me because I'm the first Chicana to win in this category, an award usually given to faculty members in math, science, or engineering. It's such an honor."

Dr. Cristina Herrera

That famous Honda Element with CA Plates NOLA.

There's more good news for me and Steve. Our stolen car was recovered and this means more ease to travel to the next literary event. April may be National Poetry Month, but the poetry continues into the rest of the year. Next month, I will be reading at Core Family Winery in Santa Maria May 13 and as part of Tia Chucha's new Anthology: Wandering Song at Beyond Baroque May 27.

My Wonder Woman Button 

Although the thieves cleaned out the car and took everything inside that could be hawked or given away, including my yoga mat and eye pillow, there was one small item they missed, a Wonder Woman button that I made when the All Wonder Woman Walking Krewe welcomed me into the group last Mardi Gras in New Orleans. The thieves missed this button. They did some damage to the car, slashing the ceiling fabric and steering wheel, leaving a bullet hole scuff on the hood and leaving a bullet shell in the car, along with food trash, random keys, and a strong ashtray stench. Steve and I are glad to be reunited with the green Honda Element. The car was taken to a tow yard by Midas Touch Towing. According the NOPD reports, it is unclear whether the thieves abandoned the car or simply parked it in a spot that allowed the towing company to identify it as stolen and thus haul it away. The Wonder Woman pin and a voodoo doll, made by my friend Karen Kersting, proved to be powerful car charms.

Karen Voodoo Doll

Since much news happens on Facebook, Karen wrote an open post to the thieves back in February when we didn't think we'd see the car again:

"To those heartless thieves: my voodoo dolls have a good track record in recovering stolen cars. This doll is made from a scrap of fabric that was used as part of a prison work program. The Mardi Gras beads are specifically positioned to give you the greatest discomfort and the feathers are from a bird that was attacked by a cat. Save yourself, and return that car -- or at least call-in an anonymous tip. Bad Karma is floating your way."

New Orleans Poetry Festival 2017

Good news about the Honda's recovery in April meant that I am in New Orleans this week and able to attend the 2nd Annual New Orleans Poetry Festival, something I hadn't planned on earlier in the year. It turns out many friends from California are in town for the festival, including Xochitl-Julissa Bermejo, Michelle Detorie, and Lee Herrick. Thanks to having the trusty, ten year old Honda Element back, I was able to pick up Xochitl-Julissa Bermejo and Soraya Membreno at the airport. Xochitl-Julissa and Soraya are presenting a panel, SGV Food Club, on building community, Saturday at 10 am at the 2nd annual New Orleans Poetry Festival, hosted by Bill Lavender and Megan Burns. Festivities began yesterday with an opening party and event featuring poets who play in bands. The readings and panels continue throughout the weekend and culminate in a reading at the Maple Leaf Bar on Sunday at 3pm. For a complete list of events see the NOLA Poetry Festival Website.

Poets Xochitl-Julissa Bermejo, Melinda Palacio, and Soraya Membreno in New Orleans

And more good news comes from poet Jenn Givhan whose third poetry collection, Girl with Death Mask won the Blue Light Book Prize from Indiana Review. Indiana University Press will publish her book next year. 


What's your good news?

Two East Coast Conferences and Two West Coast Professors. Martín Espada Lagniappe.

Next week, on the East Coast, there is an exciting conference happening at John Jay College of Criminal Justice City University of New York (CUNY), March 7-9. I'm not talking about the one that's pricing our hermana Olga out, although I will shortly discuss AWP as well, but the 1st Biennial U.S. Latina/o Literary Theory and Criticism Conference,Haciendo Caminos: Mapping the Futures of U.S. Latina/o. The also has a literature component that would be of interest to non-academics. However, Friday's session is most thrilling because the panel includes scholarly work by Dr. Cristina Herrera at CSU Fresno on none other than a little novel by Melinda Palacio, titled Ocotillo Dreams.

Friday's Session 5 at 3:30 features a panel titled, Chronicles of Transnationalism, Citizenship, and Social Justice in Daniel Alarcón, Melinda Palacio, and Junot Díaz.

The panel came about the way many great collaborations happen, through friends. A colleague of Cristina Herrera's approached her about submitting a panel proposal relating to the themes of citizenship and identity. Herrera's paper is titled, “Constructing Chicana Daughterly Agency: Maternal Activism and Estrangement in Melinda Palacio’s Ocotillo Dreams.”

Cristina Herrera, CSU Fresno

Herrera says she still gets a little nervous when presenting a paper, but like most performers, the feeling quickly disappears.

"I love attending conferences, but I admit that I still get a little anxious just before I'm about to present. I find that once I begin reading my paper, though the anxiety slips away, and I can relax and enjoy myself while I share my work with other conference participants and panelists."

At next week's conference, Cristina Herrera will try to attend as many panels that deal with her scholarly fields of study, including themes of gender, family, and feminism. La Bloga friend, Javier O. Huerta, will also present a paper on Friday titled, 'Hyperdocumentation: Toward a Literature of the Undocumented.' Cristina Herrera's colleague at CSU Fresno, Alex Espinoza, plans on attending both the conference at CUNY and AWP in Boston.

Espinoza has new novel out this month, TheFive Acts of Diego León. At the NY conference, Espinoza will be on the Latina/o Fiction Panel Saturday at 11:00 a.m., along with Helena María Viramontes, Ernesto Quiñonez, Manuel Muñoz, H.G. Carillo , and Angie Cruz. Alex's two panels at AWP include one on writing place and regional fiction with Susan Straight and Stuart O'Nan and a second panel on enthnocentrism and the writing workshop with Nami Mun. His historical novel sheds light on the long and significant influence Latinos have had in Hollywood. "As we witnessed from the most recent Academy Awards show, we've made many great strides in the industry, with Oscars going to "Inocente" and "Searching for Sugarman," said Espinoza, "but have yet to be fully recognized and respected. Here I'm thinking of Lupe Ontiveros' snub from the show's "In Memorium" segment."

Espinoza shared some of his experience with writing his second novel:

Alex Espinoza's new novel, The Five Acts of Diego León




"Writing "The Five Acts of Diego León" was an entirely different experience than writing "Still Water Saints," but I think every book presents its own challenges and opportunities. And that's how it should be if you want to grow as a writer. Because it is historical--tracing my protagonist's evolution as an artist, which begins in revolutionary Mexico, follows him through the Cristero Rebellion of the late 20s, and ultimately wraps up in Hollywood during the nascent days of talking pictures."

Richard Perez, one of the organizers of the 1st Biennial U.S. Latino/a Literary Theory and Criticism Conference said they already have the date for the next conference, March 15, 2015 at John Jay College in NYC.  "We are looking forward to three thought provoking days of panels, papers, and conversations," Perez said.

"Our only wish is that the conference continues to grow and becomes one of the signature events in the field.  A place where scholars, young and old, come to share ideas and celebrate the rich literature we all love."

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Martín Espada reads his poem to Howard Zinn. The entire segment aired on PBS a couple of weeks ago.

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Upcoming Opportunities to hear How Fire Is a Story, Waiting and Ocotillo Dreams :

March 2, Latter Library, Poetry Buffet, New Orleans, Louisiana, 2pm.

March 14, UC Davis, class visit

March 16, UAA Luncheon, Santa Maria, CA

March 17, Hitched,Beyond Baroque, Melinda Palacio and Yago S. Cura

March 24, Avenue 50 Studio, 2pm