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| Reyna Grande's Los Angeles Book launch benefits HOLA |
In two weeks, Reyna Grande will
launch the publication of the young adult version of her memoir, The DistanceBetween Us. This
book is already gaining critical acclaim, a starred review from Booklist, as well as acclaim by the Junior Library Guild. Join this event in Los Angeles on
September 10, 2016 at noon. All the proceeds from this event will benefit HOLA (Heart
of Los Angeles) and fund programs for underserved youth. Space at the Heart of Los Angeles' Gallery & Art Studio is limited, RSVP to Anna Martin, amartin@heartofla.org. Also, if you can't
make this limited-seating book launch, Reyna has over 25 events scheduled for
this Fall. Check out her website, for an event
near you. Reyna took time out of her busy schedule to answer some questions
about this new book for La Bloga.
La Bloga:
How does the adult edition to your memoir differ?
Reyna Grande:
The young adult version is 35,000
words shorter than the original. I took out content that is not appropriate
for middle grade readers, like my crazy uncle who used to masturbate
before me and my sisters or the chapter where I lose my virginity.
However, even though I was adapting the book for young readers I didn't
want to sugar coat the story or dumb it down. I think young readers are
very smart and perceptive and they don't need to be protected from the
realities that exist in the world. The issues that I write in the book are
issues that affect them too, some more than others of course. Also even
though I write about the immigrant experience, I also write about
something that is universal, something young readers can relate to -- the longing for a home, a family, a place to belong.
La Bloga:
Are you happy with the changes?
Are you happy with the changes?
RG:
I'm happy with the changes I made to
the book. I had never had to worry about a word count until now,
and it was great to be forced to look at my manuscript line by line and make
each word count. This version is tighter than the other one.
Because I did such a good job paring the chapters down, I was able to add
new scenes that are not in the original.
La Bloga:
You are working on a sequel to your
memoir. Will there eventually be two versions as well?
RG:
The new memoir I'm working on will
not be for young readers, at least I don't think it will be. I'm
exploring issues that I experienced as an adult, like jobs and bills, my
crazy love life, the challenges of motherhood, the pursuit of my writing
dream--in short, my struggles with being a grown up. Hopefully youth will be
interested but my target audience is college age and up.
La Bloga:
The sequel covers more recent events
in your life. What are some of the challenges writing about more recent events
of your life or is it easier? Is non-fiction easier for you to write?
RG:
The sequel is easier to write because
I remember more of what happened to me as an adult. When I wrote the
Distance Between Us I relied on the memories of my older brother and sister and
my parents, other relatives. This time I can get through a first
draft with my own memories. On my second draft I will interview my
relatives just to add details I might have forgotten. I'm also excited to
say that the first draft of my new memoir is in much better shape than the
Distance Between Us was! Now I know how to write memoir. That
said, I do worry that this book can't compare in terms of the intensity
and emotional level of the Distance Between Us. This is a more quiet book. The
subject matter and the themes are different as well. The Distance Between Us
has really resonated with so many people, young and old. The new
memoir might be more limited in terms of appeal. When I told my mother-in-law
about this new book her first question to me was, "Do you have
enough to say in this book?" That was the wrong thing to ask me
because now I live in fear that the answer is no! However, isn't
that the fear for every book a writer writes? I'm just going to keep on
writing and hopefully the book will be what it needs to be.
La Bloga:
What future books do you have in mind or are you working
on?
RG:
For the past few years I've been working on a novel that
is set during the Mexican- American war. That novel has really kicked my
butt because it's a 'first' book for me--first historical fiction, first
book written from a male perspective, first book about a culture not my
own (Irish!). I'm two hundred pages into it and by the looks of it, the
book will be closer to 450 pages. I'm horrible with research so the writing has
been slow because as much as I want to write, I can't write anything
unless I do the research first. This is going to be a long term project
but I will certainly get it done. It means so much to me! The Mexican-
American war has been practically erased from American textbooks and
consciousness. I want to bring it back.
