A Tribute to Marina Tristán- Part 2

Congratulations, Marina Tristán, on your retirement! This Friday, July 11th, marks the end of your work journey at Arte Público Press. I hope you’re ready to embrace this exciting new chapter of your life. After the first tribute, more authors and friends joined in, showering you with words of gratitude. Enjoy this second tribute. ¡Muchas felicidades, Marina Tristán!

 

 

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Marina Tristan, un ser humano extraordinario.

 

I met Marina in Puerto Rico approximately 20 years ago.  We were introduced by Patricia Kelly, who is a dear friend to both of us.  

 

My story about Marina has absolutely nothing to do with books.  It has to do with who Marina is as a human being.  

 

Years ago, my cousin was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer and was to be treated at M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas. She and her mother were flying to Houston, a place they’d never been to and where they knew no one.  I called Marina in a desperate attempt to help my family. 

 

The very next day Marina went to the airport to pick them up and never let them go.  Marina’s actions towards my family are a testament to her character and her love for people. My cousin is healthy now, thankfully.  Brenda, Carmen Rosa and Marina love one another very much.

 

Marina holds a special place in my family and has met most of them at ALA and TLA  conferences, in Puerto Rico, and most recently in Michigan, my home state.  

 

Marina is without question one of the most generous and loving people I know.  I am blessed to have her in my life and to call her amiga.  ¡Te amo, Marina!

 

Con cariño,

~Ruth Tobar

 

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After Piñata Books published, The Runaway Piggy/ El cochinito fugitivo, I was invited to Houston to do a school reading and present at the Houston Children's Museum. While there, Marina took me to lunch and asked me the question every writer wants to hear from a publisher, "Do you have any other stories for us?"

 

Piggy was my first book, and I knew my chances of publishing another were not guaranteed. Though I had a few picture book manuscripts, I knew they didn't fit with Arte's mission. I don't know why, but an audacity sprung inside me, and I said, "I have a story about a mummy from the museum in Guanajuato."

 

"Tell me more," Marina said.

 

I gave her the synopsis of Flor finding the mummy Rafa in her backpack, of how Rafa wanted to see the United States. When Rafa finds out El día de los muertos is coming, he wants to go back and celebrate.

 

Marina nodded, listening carefully, then said, "Send it to us."

 

I broke all the "rules" of first time authors with my impudence by saying, "I already did. You rejected it."

 

She frowned, but let me continue. "The story is part of a series I have planned called The Custodian's Diary. The custodian writes down the school events and tells the story—."

 

"Stop," she said, holding up her hand. I stopped speaking. She held up her hand. "That's the problem." Then she explained, "You have an adult telling a kid's story. Rewrite it from the child's point of view and send it to me again."

 

Her words turned on a light in the dark room of my brash, ignorant mind. I was so stunned with her response because it was both helpful and inviting that I don't remember how I responded. I do recall that on the flight home, I began my revisions. It took three months to revise. With help and guidance from Marina and Gabi, A Mummy in Her Backpack/Una momia en su mochila was published a year later.

 

I retell this story when I explain revision to elementary school students, and it always grabs their attention. Marina helps them understand that our good writing can get better the same way she helps me.

 

Marina's words and support are with me every time I write. Her voice is the kind editor in my mind encouraging me to continue, to improve, to tell stories to, for and about our Latino kids.

 

Mil gracias y abrazos cada día, Marina.

 

-James Luna, author of Growing Up on the Playground / Nuestro patio de recreo.

 

 

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Marina's friendliness and positive energy were the very first things I noticed when we spoke on the phone, long before we ever met in person. When we finally met, she radiated the same warmth and enthusiasm. 

Through her dedication and belief in my book, it went on to receive two awards, gain placement in library journals, and led to memorable panel presentations. This couldn't happen without Marina.

She has a rare gift for making authors feel seen and valued. She guided me with care and patience as my book made its debut, always answering questions and taking the time to get to know me. I’m so grateful for her support and kindness every step of the way.

I hope her retirement is filled with all the joy, adventure, and fulfillment she has so generously shared with others throughout her career.

-Mona Alvarado Frazier, author of A Bridge Home

 

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Marina is a feisty, no-nonsense woman who cares deeply for and seeks the best for Art Público’s authors. I’m one of those authors. I became a published author almost two years ago. Since day one, she has guided and supported me. She answers my silly questions and leads me in the right direction. She’s totally reliable, and her super-sharp focus gets things done, and done the correct way. I had the fortunate opportunity to hang out with her at the American Library Association author and exhibition event, held at the Pennsylvania Convention Center. Her knowledge and dedication to Arte and its cause are admirable. I will miss her, and I am sure Arte will too, so with a bittersweet farewell, I bid Marina a joyful, healthy retirement. 

Adriana Camacho-Church, bilingual children's book author of Grandma, Where Will Your Love Go? and Grandma's Hair is Ankle Length.

 

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I've known Marina for several years. I've been the recipient of her hard work and commitment to publishing strong, meaningful literature. She supported me when I doubted my writing. She encouraged me to write; she said positive things about my writing; and she never faltered in her duties to me as one of her writers. 

 

She was the face of Arte Público Press -- a face I consistently encountered at book fairs and festivals, at publishing meetings, at academic conferences. Marina was everywhere and I didn't question how it was so; and now, after June 20, she will be gone from the Press. Arte Público will carry on, of course. But for a few minutes today I choose to remember, fondly and with deep gratitude, Marina Tristán, Assistant Director, Arte Público Press.  Perhaps I imagine her explaining Arte Público Press to a visitor to the publisher's booth at a book conference a thousand miles from her home.   And she may have a copy of The Ballad of Rocky Ruiz in her hands.

 

Manuel Ramos, author of Blues for the Buffalo: A Luis Montez Mystery.

 

 

 

To read the first tribute to Marina Tristán click here, https://labloga.blogspot.com/2025/06/a-tribute-to-marina-tristan.html

 

 

 

 

Mona Alvarado Frazier on Writing, Winning, and Feeling Seen

 Guest Post: Mona Alvarado Frazier

 

When I wrote A Bridge Home, I didn’t imagine it would make its way to an award panel, let alone be honored 

as a co-winner of the Paterson Prize for Young Readers and the 2025 Southwest Books of the Year – YA. I 

didn’t even know it had been submitted. My publisher, Arte Público Press at the University of Houston, 

often enters titles into award consideration without notifying authors. So, learning about this recognition 

came as a surprise—one that made me pause and reflect on how far this journey has taken me.

A Bridge Home is my second YA novel, but this world of writing and publishing still feels relatively new. 

My first book, The Garden of Second Chances, was published in May 2023 and was met with unexpected 

acclaim. It received a gold medal for Best Latino-Focused YA Book and a silver medal for Most 

Inspirational. Before A Bridge Home was even released, it received a starred review from the American 

Library Association—an honor that felt like a light guiding the path ahead.

Being retired from my day job has made a significant difference in my creative process. I’m an early riser, 

and the quiet morning hours hold a special kind of magic for me. My writing day begins with a few 

stretches, a half pot of coffee, and some foamed soy milk. As I settle in with my cup, my rescue cat, 

Selena, tells me it’s time for her to go outside. Once she’s content, I carry my coffee to my bedroom, light 

a candle, and write in my pajamas. On a good day, I’ll finish three solid hours of work before stepping into 

the rest of my day. It’s a rhythm that grounds me. I feel out of sorts if I’m not writing Monday through 

Saturday.

Despite the recognition, my writing process hasn’t changed. I don’t chase trends or worry about what 

might win awards. I write what I need to say and what I wish I had read as a teen—stories about identity, 

injustice, hope, and resilience. Stories that center on and explore Mexican American/Chicana heritage. 

My audience is anyone who finds themselves in those pages, whether they’re thirteen or seventy. But I 

always begin by writing for the younger version of myself—the teen girl longing to see her world reflected 

in a book.

Working with Arte Público Press has been a gift. Though small in size, their team is mighty and 

mission-driven. I especially admire the women on the marketing team and feel fortunate to work with them.

With only about twenty books published a year, they are selective and it is competitive. The incoming 

director is Dr. Gabriela Baez, PhD, and I have had the opportunity to hear about her vision for APP’s 

future.

My next manuscript is in the hands of three literary agencies, and it’s a novel I’m excited about: a 

contemporary YA novel that blends magical realism with the Mexican healing tradition of Curanderismo.

Though my name may not be widely known among the general public in Oxnard—perhaps because local 

print media has yet to feature my press releases—my work has found its way to local librarians and fellow 

writers across Oxnard and Ventura. While the city does not have a dedicated bookstore, Heritage Coffee 

(@heritagecoffee805), in the historic Heritage Square downtown, carries my books. Being born and raised 

in Oxnard, California, is something I hold close. It’s where my roots are, and I carry that with pride. I know

my mother, family, and friends are proud of what I’ve written—and their unwavering support means 

everything to me.

Writing has become not only a way to express myself but also a way to give back—to offer stories that 

affirm, challenge, and heal. While I may be the only writer in my family for now, my daughter and I have 

talked about co-writing a novel together—one centered on a young protagonist with an “invisible” 

disability. I imagine us telling that story one day, side by side.

In the end, awards are wonderful and affirming. But what keeps me going is something more personal: 

the ritual of coffee and candles, the silence of the morning, and the hope that somewhere, a young reader 

will find themselves in the pages I’ve written and feel seen.

 

 

 

Thank you Mona for this thoughtful article. 

Mona's website is www.alvaradofrazier.com Her IG is m.alvaradofrazier. Her books can be ordered from Barnes and Noble, Bookshop.org, and Amazon.