Review: Twin time: or, how death befell me.

Veronica Gonzalez. Boston: MIT. 2007.
ISBN-10:1-58435-048-2
ISBN-13:978-1-58435-048-4

This is a strange story of child abuse, parenthood, and forgiveness, told in three parts. Part one is Mara’s story. Part two Mona’s childhood up to the death of her father, the baker. Part three shows Mona’s grief at her father’s death, and her reunion with her long-absent twin and the unraveling of the lies that controlled and ruined the lives of all these characters: Mara’s lies and half truths to Manuel about his father and sister, the Baker’s lies to Mona about her father, mother and twin. Mona’s fantasies border on truth, but make up one more lie that keeps her in a state of constant unease and torment.

Part one, Mara and the Baker, starts in 1967, when Mara is not yet fifteen. Her mother pimps the daughter around, taking the child for nights on the town with the mother’s current boyfriend, eventually offering the daughter to an older man and cajoling the child to be cooperative. The boyfriend double dates Mara with a graduate student friend who teaches the child about movies and jazz, but doesn’t touch her. When he disappears, the older man laughs at Mara’s broken heart. Then he gets drunk and rapes the child. Mara’s sordid life has put her through terrible experiences with men, but she was probably a virgin the night her mother’s boyfriend rapes Mara.

In Mara’s free time, she’s been sneaking into movies as a respite from school and her hopeless life. She’s wandered into a neighborhood bakery where she catches the eye and sympathy of the young baker. When Mara reveals how she has been used by her mother and what the drunken rapist has done to her, the desperate baker offers to take Mara away from Mexico City. Still in shock over the rape, she agrees, and the baker abandons his shop and drives Mara north to Los Angeles.

Mara is pregnant and uncommunicative, shutting out the baker from any meaningful interaction. Her cruelty to the baker grows as his own love for her grows. When she gives birth to twins, a girl and a boy, the baker lavishes affection on them as if they were his own children. The cold-hearted Mara rewards the baker by throwing herself at her hairdresser when the twins are not yet a year old.

In her ultimate act of hateful cruelty, Mara abandons the baker and Mona, to move to London where the hairdresser has a new job. The choice of the son comes as the result of a lie. The hairdresser cajoles Mara to leave the loveless home with the baker and bring her child. Mara doesn’t correct his assumption that she’d had a single infant, so when she decides to leave the baker, she covers her lie by choosing to take one child.

Part 2 takes place in Los Angeles in 1997. Mona tells her story in her own voice, such as it is. A difficult child, Mona is tormented by her imagination and her father’s distance and weakness. She is an out of control adolescent, smoking, drinking, and playing with casual sex. Mona acts out of a submerged rage and guilt that comes of her father’s lie that Mara and the twin brother died during childbirth.

The lie doesn’t take hold, however. Mona’s imagination creates a fantasy world that is not too far from the facts of Mara’s and Mona’s actual experience. Once, a friend taunts twelve-year old Mona that the friend’s mother has said how Mara abandoned the baker and the daughter, leaving in the middle of the night with the son and the hairdresser. Mona beats the friend bloody for the story, but its truth worms its way into Mona’s imagination, however hard Mona struggles to make up an alternative story.

Part 2 rambles into surreality after the baker’s death. On his deathbed, he reveals most of the truth. Her mother did not die giving birth to Mona. She has a twin brother who lived. It drives Mona to abandon her home, to wander into a strangely twisted story involving forest dwellers, almost-twins, sex, and madness. When Mona recovers from her grief and anger at what she’s learned, she hires a detective to track down her mother and twin.

Part 3 continues events of 1997. The gruesome cover of the broken body of a woman killed by a car is explained in this third section. This is how Mara dies, only a few days before the baker dies. Mara is walking a London street, probably in a reverie of Mexico City. She crosses the street and looks the wrong direction. Mara’s life has been a constant wrong step in the wrong direction, and in London death has come barreling at her from the wrong side of the street. Just like Mara’s life has been one wrong step after another. But Mona begins to put the pieces together.

Mona finds Manuel in New York City. Mara has whispered truth to the boy, usually while recovering from drunken fights with the hairdresser. Manuel knows of his sister, knows the baker is not their father. Because this is Mona’s story, Gonzalez leaves unspoken why Manuel has not been driven to find the sister whose existence he well knew. Mara has lied, telling Manuel the graduate student is the father, leaving the ugly rape and pimped upbringing unspoken. When Mona travels to NYC to meet her brother, he tells her what truths he knows, driving up Mona’s anger at all she suspected, fantaciszed, but could not know. She finds the revelations calming. The brother and sister walk the streets hand in hand, finding communion and resolution to many of Mona’s torments in their twinness. Mona begins to make sense of the lies and from there forgiveness for the liars. What else could she do?

Twin Time is an oddly perverse, difficult, first novel. Gonzalez draws richly from elements of Mexican culture, surrealism, and popular culture, giving the book a grounding in familiar material as the writer explores forgiveness for unforgivable, beastly acts. Readers can look forward to Veronica Gonzalez' next outing so see if fantasy is her métier or this strange account part of that variety that spices up a writer’s life.


La Bloga welcomes your views on this novel, or related issues. Please, leave a comment as the mood strikes you. We always welcome guest columnists. For example, last Saturday we welcomed Corina Carrasco's moment of catching fire. If you'd like to be La Bloga's guest, leave a comment or click here to declare your interest. See you next week.

mvs

Spotlight on Stella Pope Duarte

Stella Pope Duarte was born and raised in la Sonorita barrio in South Phoenix. She began her writing career in 1995 after a dream in which her deceased father related to her that she was destined to write.

She holds a B.A. in education from Arizona State University, and an M.Ed in Educational Counseling. Duarte has been awarded two creative writing fellowships from the Arizona Commission on the Arts for Fragile Night (Bilingual Press, 1997), her first collection of stories, and for a novel, Let Their Spirits Dance (HarperCollins, 2001). In 2000, she was nominated for the Pushcart Prize in Literature.

In 2004, she received the Barbara Deming Memorial Fund Award for an excerpt from her new novel, If I Die in Juárez (University of Arizona Press, 2008 Spring release), and in 2005 she was honored with the Outstanding Alumni of the Year Award by the American Association of Community Colleges.

Governor Janet Napolitano appointed Duarte as a member of the Arizona Commission on the Arts in 2006 for a three year term. She is a highly sought-after inspirational speaker for audiences of all ages, on topics related to her work, as well as on issues related to: women's rights, culture, diversity, leadership, education, literacy, Chicano/Latino history, writing, and storytelling.

I soon will be reviewing Duarte’s new novel for the El Paso Times. In preparing my review, I posed several questions to Duarte to give me some insight into her writing process. I will be using some of her comments in my review but she kindly agreed to allow her complete responses to be published here on La Bloga.

First, some background. Her new novel, If I Die in Juárez, concerns the maquiladora murders, the horrible crimes against young Mexican women who worked at the factories in Ciudad Juárez, the city that borders El Paso. These factories sprang up in the wake of NAFTA and held the promise of plentiful jobs. Duarte uses three young women to tell the story.

OLIVAS: Why did you decide to use fiction rather than non-fiction to write about the dead women of Juarez?

DUARTE: This story is a very painful one not only for victims, but for their families and friends as well. It continues to occur in our midst, so it is something very present. Several documentaries, books and films, and numerous articles have been written, however, a story told from the perspective of three young girls has not been done in this way. I also was cautious about protecting the identity of the women as I know there are retaliations from police and investigators. With these things in mind, I felt a creative story built around the facts would be best.

OLIVAS: In your extensive research for the novel, was there a moment when you felt simply overwhelmed by the subject matter?

DUARTE: Absolutely, lots of times. The worst was when I read details of the mutilations. Knowing what had been done to the bodies, and seeing photos of remains, mummified faces -- that was the worst ever. I would have run away from it all, but the story haunted me, held me fast. Books look for me. Since the dream of my dad, telling me to write, I tell you stories are searching me out.

OLIVAS: Why did you decide to use three females of different ages and backgrounds as your protagonists?

DUARTE: Good question. I struggled to find out who would best tell the story. I can't tell you how many drafts I wrote, as I lost count! I had to have a woman in the maquiladora, then I had to have one who lived on the streets, and then I wanted to show the extreme poverty of Juárez, and so was born Mayela Sabina, my Tarahumara. I couldn't let any of them go, they were meant to be there together, young, fragile and targets for abuse and murder. I had to go back and forth to Juárez as I couldn't believe the poverty. Anapra, is "Los Tres Magos," in the novel -- one of the poorest of the poor areas in Juárez. Also, as an omniscient storyteller I was able to get into the minds even of the cartel, Hilo, the bodyguard, and the hideous "Cucuy." I believe the lives of the working poor come alive in different layers through the three girls.

I'd like to add that dreams are very important to me. I had a dream of a dark, red room where terrible things were happening, the night before my first interview with a reporter from El Diario. I woke up disturbed over this dream. During the interview, the reporter related to me that she was sure the girls were taken somewhere and tortured, perhaps "snuff films" were made of them. Forensics showed that in many cases, if a girl was abducted in say March, body tissues showed she had not been murdered until April or later. When the reporter said this to me, I knew one of the places where they had been taken…the dark, red room I had seen in my dream. You will read about Petra de la Rosa in the dark, red room. In another coincidence, Petra's name "appeared" in my mind before I saw it on a list of murdered women (first name...she was the ONLY Petra). I knew she would guide the story, and she did!

◙ Rigoberto González recently reviewed David Hernandez’s young adult novel, Suckerpunch (Harper Teen, $16.99 hardcover), which he calls “an exciting thrill ride of a novel about a 17-year-old trying to bring hard-won closure to his complicated adolescence.” He notes:

“Hernandez's swift and dynamic storyline will keep young people turning the pages of this hard-edged novel that captures fully the modern teenager's explicit and complex world of drugs, sex and dysfunctional families. The characterization of the endearing teenage artist Marcus Mendoza is a splendid achievement that should have readers clamoring for another chapter of his life.”

◙ Daniel Alarcón, author of Lost City Radio (HarperCollins), tells us that Etiqueta Negra's collaboration with n+1 continues with a profile of Keiko Fujimori, daughter of former Peruvian dictator Alberto Fujimori, written by the journalist Paula Dongo. You can read it in English here, or in Spanish here.

◙ The National Book Critics Circle Award: Every year the NBCC presents awards for the finest books and reviews published in English. Below are the 2007 winners. Of particular note for La Bloga readers is the winner for the prize for fiction: Junot Díaz, for his novel, The Brief and Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao (Riverhead Books).

Here is a complete list of 2007 NBCC finalists, as well as submission guidelines, all past winners and finalists, and a detailed description of how the NBCC selects titles for the awards. For more information about the 2007 awards, see NBCC’s blog series, "The 2007 NBCC Finalists - 30 Books in 30 Days," for links to reviews and more information, as well as board commentary on each title chosen as a finalist, and online videos of the 2006 NBCC Finalist Readings and Awards Ceremony. The winners:

Fiction:

Junot Diaz, The Brief and Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao (Riverhead Books).

General Nonfiction:

Harriet Washington, Medical Apartheid: The Dark History of Medical Experiments on Black Americans from Colonial Times to the Present (Doubleday).

Biography:

Tim Jeal, Stanley, the Impossible Life of Africa's Greatest Explorer (Yale University Press).

Autobiography:

Edwidge Danticat, Brother, I'm Dying (Knopf).

Criticism:

Alex Ross, The Rest is Noise: Listening to the Twentieth Century (Farrar, Straus and Giroux).

Poetry:

Mary Jo Bang, Elegy (Graywolf Press).

Ivan Sandrof Lifetime Achievement Award:

Emilie Buchwald.

Nona Balakian Citation for Excellence in Reviewing:

Sam Anderson, New York Magazine.

◙ Tu Ciudad magazine, the English-language guide to Latino L.A., is pleased to announce the recent recognition bestowed by The Society of Publication Designers’ (SPD) 43rd Annual Awards. In the categories of Design Feature and Photo Feature, the magazine received two Merit Awards. The winning entries, among 7,000 submissions, include the design for “Powers of Attraction,” a personal account of testing pheromones in the August 2007 issue, and the photograph (by Robert Trachtenberg) of Perez Hilton in the May 2007 article titled “I’m A Shameless Whore!”

Winning entries of the SPD will be showcased in its 43rd Publication Design Annual, as well as featured online and at the SPD Awards Gala held May 9, 2008 at the Hammerstein Ballroom in New York City. Since its launch in June 2005, Tu Ciudad has received a total of four awards from the SPD and recognition from the City and Regional Magazine Association (CRMA) and New America Media Awards.

◙ That loco, Bill Nericcio, let us know that his “little-engine-that-could volume” Tex[t]-Mex (University of Texas Press) was awarded a CHOICE award by the American Library Association as one of the top ten "Outstanding Academic Titles" in Film Studies for 2007. Additionally, it has been nominated for the Modern Language Association (MLA) Latina/o Cultural Studies Award, Arizona State University's Transdisciplinary Humanities Book Award, and, lastly, the 2008 Human Rights Section of the American Political Science Association (APSA) Best Book Award. More info on these is here on the upper right.

◙ I want to thank the Department of Chicano Studies at Cal State L.A. for hosting our “sneak peek” of the forthcoming Latinos in Lotusland: An Anthology of Contemporary Southern California Literature (Bilingual Press), which I had the pleasure of editing. The anthology brings together Los Angeles fiction by 34 Latino/a writers going back to 1947. The contributors who appeared (pictured) were Reyna Grande and Helena María Viramontes (sitting), and me, Danny Romero, Lisa Alvárez, and Melinda Palacio (from left to right, standing). The students, professors and other guests were wonderful and the evening was filled with energy and pride. The book is at the printers and will be out very soon. You may pre-order through any online seller or order through your favorite bookstore. There will be many more events later this year. The photo is courtesy of Melinda Palacio.

◙ Agustin Gurza, staff writer for the Los Angeles Times, comes to us each Saturday in his “Culture Mix” column (Calendar section). This Saturday, he told us about a new reality show involving U.S. Latinos who battle their Mexican counterparts for “national pride” and a “few bucks”:

It's tough to watch featherweight Brian Ramirez facing one of the biggest challenges of his 21 years. He clutches his hands together, takes deep breaths and closes his eyes, as if to steel himself for what he's about to do.

But it's not a championship fight he's facing. It's the taping of an endorsement for the sponsor of a new reality TV show, "Retador Azteca," or "Aztec Challenger," that pits teams of Latino boxers from both sides of the border against each other. Ramirez, a Mexican American from El Monte, sits at the edge of a leather-and-suede sofa donated by a furniture company and reads from a short pitch written on a sign board.

To read the entire piece, click here. Remember, if you have story ideas for Agustin, email him at agustin.gurza@latimes.com.

◙ All done. So, until next Monday, enjoy the intervening posts from my compadres y comadres at La Bloga. ¡Lea un libro!

A Superball on Island Time

First, don’t hate me. As I type this entry I’m sitting on the balcony of my uncle’s condo in Luquillo, Puerto Rico. I would tell you this is just your typical get-me-the-hell-out-of-subzero-Vermont-and-on-to-the-beach type vacation, but this yearly sojourn has become so much more to me, my husband and my son Carlos. We need to come to the languid pace of my mother’s island to regroup and recharge. And it helps me to recognize certain qualities in me that I share with my familia Boricua, as well as those that I don’t but should. It always takes me several days to slow my heart rate down with the temperature’s rise, to not get uptight when my cousin Tere is a half an hour late for our kayaking trip (“Didn’t you know? I meant 11:30 Puerto Rican time!”). By the time the second weekend rolls around I’m moving slower, the bright sun burning off the dreary thoughts of a winter of captivity, and I feel more at home here. But I can’t help but wonder: how I can hold on to this feeling when I return to the great white north? Can a neurotic, displaced New York Latina-Swede bottle some of the peace this culture has to offer?

The week before vacation I had a lunchtime revelation while dining with some colleagues. Someone was talking about how he feared change, avoided it all costs. I listened politely, quietly chewing my caesar’s salad though his words were scurrying around in my mind. I was measuring his self reflections against myself, wondering if I shared this quality. Finally I spoke, the words coming out of my mouth before I had time to process them, “The thing I fear above all else is stagnancy.”

Silence.

Nothing kills a conversation like an intensely personal and just basically intense comment, but as I reflect on this now, I realize it is not only true, but it also represents the antithesis of who I am down here on my mother’s island, and it is a quality I thought I had left behind me years ago, one I thought I had grown beyond.

At thirty years old I found myself in the city I had grown up in, walking around New York hating people: the guy who pushed ahead of me on the token booth line, the man who leered at me from his stoop, the woman who stole my cab. That year I moved to Vermont to slow down, because in Vermont I can leave my car running in front of the store and it’s still there when I come out. Clothes are casual, the outdoors rule and life is laidback. But in that one revelation-filled lunchtime moment, I realized that after fifteen years of living there I’ve managed to once again over commit my life so that I am going at full speed all the time. No, I don’t hate people and I’m calmer in many ways, but I still work myself hard, always moving, always planning. So I seek my release valve.

Every few weeks I call down to my family in Puerto Rico, just to hear their voices. We talk about how life in Vermont is: Carlos’ sports, Doug’s work, my latest novel. And during every call I ask the same question: “What’s new down there?” The answer is always the same. “Nothing, everything is the same and everyone’s fine, thank God.” And it’s true: very little changes with my family in Puerto Rico, and they seem to cherish that. But as I sit here on my perch with the Atlantic on one side and El Yunque the rainforest on the other, I realize that I call here and come down here at least once a year because I find that constancy, and yes, that stagnancy, comforting. But why is it okay here and not anywhere else?

When I was talking about this with my brother John, he pointed out that our Puerto Rican family actually works a lot, 50-60 hours a week, that the stores are a constant buzz of shoppers and loud Reggaeton blasts from passing cars, rattling the glass of the condo’s windows. He’s right, but somehow the island’s culture is still tranquil in its vibrancy. Though our family members work a lot, they don’t scurry or stress about things. When someone cut us off on route 3, making a right on red turn from the far left lane, no one cursed at him or shook their fist like we would have in New York. And on line at those very stores people are willing to stand there forever, chatting, while things moved along slower than sap in winter. Though there is the stereotype surrounding “island time” it is a way of life where one lives in the moment, sucking the marrow out of life piece by piece, and being grateful for what life brings you. It still forces me to move slower, to quell my anxiety as I move with the local tides.

I don’t know, but I think this is yet another bridge I find myself on between the two shores of my identity: the Swedish, type-A, anxiety-ridden Gringa and the leisurely, fried-plantain loving Puertoriqueña, But perhaps one side would balance the other, if I allow them to even when I’m away from the island. I will probably always be the kind of person who pushes the elevator button continuously even though it is already lit (it makes it come faster, I swear!) but also one who is able to drop everything and sit on a sandy beach and do nothing but watch the waves sweep on to shore. It is on this Caribbean afternoon that I realize that if my life were limited to one side or the other, I would bore myself with intensity or conversely, serenity. During my most recent physical, my doctor and friend Mike Sampson said, “Ann, sometimes being in the same room with you is like being in the room with a superball. Some of that is who you are and I wouldn’t change a thing, but some of it is anxiety and that we have to deal with.” Next time I see Mike, I will tell him that I’ve realized that it is staying in touch with my Caribbean blood that will occasionally slow down the superball’s kinetic bouncing long enough to be warmed by the setting Luquillo sun or be lulled by the coquis’ evening serenade. That I have to consciously remember the comfort of the sea’s salt drying on my skin and occasionally drink out of a coconut’s shell even when the temperature reaches below zero.

Or if that doesn’t work, we can always up my meds.

*

Guest columnist: Corina Carrasco. Catching Fire.

La Bloga welcomes Corina Carrasco as our first guest columnist of 2008, sharing one of those captivating moments that last a lifetime.

"Every one of you has inside of you the power to catch fire. Right now, with your writing, you are simmering. But at some point in your life, at least one time, you will catch fire. My hope is that you will do it some time during this course."

We listened to his hushed, gentle, captivating voice as he spoke to us, becoming almost inaudible, when he spoke the words "catch fire." We had been brought together on that hot day in late September of 1975, in the basement of Casa Zapata, the Chicano theme house, to take a course in Chicano Writing from Arturo Islas, the first Chicano in the United States to earn a Ph.D. in English and who would, later that year, become the first tenured Chicano professor at Stanford University.

Arturo's teaching in the English Department was legendary and his Chicano Writing course was extremely popular. Students dreamed of getting in then feared that they'd fall short of Arturo's expectations once they got in. The class, taught only one quarter per year, had a maximum enrollment of ten students.

Professor Islas did not drown us in theory or lecture. He read excerpts of writing, published and unpublished, then led us in a discussion of the writing. What made it authentic? What grabbed our interest? What held the piece together? How did the point of view drive the piece? He would give us a premise to write about and challenge us to follow it; however we were always free to write what we wanted. Each week, Arturo sent us off and urged us to "catch fire." The following class meeting students would share their work, we would discuss it, and the writer would go away with ideas of how to improve the piece. Arturo's opinion of our writing was gospel. We revered him. We worked hard to make him happy – to "catch fire."

I was usually quiet in that class, more so than in other classes, because six of the other students were "heavy hitters" in our dorm. They thought they knew everything. They had the power to dictate who was in and who would be left on the periphery. They hadn't decided yet if I would be one of the favored ones or if they'd leave me out. This was important because their decision would be followed by the rest of the dorm who was, after all, my family and support at this time in my life. To make things more intimidating, they were all juniors and seniors. I was the only a sophomore that had been granted admission to this elite writing course.

One afternoon late in October, we sat in the basement riveted to the pieces of writing that Arturo was reading to us. He began a discussion about point of view, and then he assigned the week's writing challenge. We were to take a situation and portray it through the honest and unsentimental eyes of a child. He cautioned us that this would not be as easy as it sounded. We would have to reach way back and think of an event and our age at that time. Then we'd have to honestly portray the event in that child's voice. He challenged us to do it.

As we left the basement at the end of class, I overheard a couple of students say that they weren't going to try the assignment. They felt that it wasn't of benefit to them at this point in their writing. I thought about what a challenge it would be, and besides, I always tried the assignments Arturo gave us. I wanted to learn more about my passion – writing, and I would try every exercise I came across in an effort to learn my craft.

During the week that followed, I began to write about my childhood. At first, it was very difficult to break down the language into that of a child and still have it sound authentic. I kept working on it all week. The night before my writing class with Arturo, I finally had it. I had written the entire story. I liked it, but was afraid to like it. The next day, I arrived at class early and nervously waited for Professor Islas to arrive. When he arrived, I approached him and spoke to him.

"Arturo, I have a story that I wrote. It's the one about portraying an event through the innocent eyes of a child."

"Oh, good. I'm glad you chose to accept my challenge, Corina. Will you read the story for us this afternoon?"

"Well, that's the problem. I thought maybe you could read it first. I am not sure about this story. I think it's the best thing I have ever written but then again, it could be the worst. I'm nervous to read it in front of everyone. Could you please read it when you have time and let me know what you think?"

"You really should read it this afternoon." He looked at me and realized that I was shaking. His gentle look softened even more as he smiled and slowly nodded his head. "Alright, Corina. I'm sure it is fine, but if you really don't want to read it today, I will take it and return it to you next time."

Throughout the class I sat in agony, thinking that Arturo now had my story and would see the incredibly difficult job he had ahead of him if I was to become a writer. I waited all week to hear what he had to say. I couldn't concentrate on anything else. I had to know what Arturo thought of my writing. Finally the day of our class arrived. Arturo nodded at me in acknowledgment but gave me no hint of what he thought of my story. I became more nervous, convinced that he had hated it. He began class and one student read a short piece. During the discussion the others were quite harsh in their opinions of the work. I watched as the student squirmed, under attack. Once finished, Arturo asked for more volunteers. No hands went up.

"Corina has a story she wants to read." He handed me the paper with a smile and a nod. As I read, I heard only ringing in my ears. It was difficult to read, difficult to concentrate on my story, but I kept on reading. Finally, when I had finished, there was silence.

"Does anyone have any comments for Corina?" He searched the faces gathered around the long table. No hands went up. No heads nodded. No heads shook. Nothing.

In those few moments of silence, I knew that the story was the most horrible thing ever written in human history. I shrank in my seat, wanting to become invisible. Then Arturo bent toward me slightly, looked me in the eyes, smiled and whispered, "Corina, you caught fire!"

He went on to cite the ways in which I had done an extraordinary job and how I had captured the innocence of the child while staying away from becoming sentimental or judgmental. I missed most of what he said. My heart sang so loud that it rang in my ears, blocking out his words of praise. Then the others joined in. I sat, trying not to jump out of my body through my smile. I had not only caught fire, I had been the first one to do so that quarter.

More importantly, I knew for sure that I was a writer. I knew that I had it in me and that I should not ever stop writing. That day my writing caught fire and I was determined to not ever let the fire go out.

Throughout the years, when I feel like I cannot go on; like I cannot write; like I will not ever get anything published, I think back to that October afternoon so many years ago. I close my eyes and I listen to Arturo's voice as he says to me, "Corina, you caught fire!"

Corina Carrasco is a former public school teacher and a UCLA Writing Project Fellow. She has presented staff development to writing teachers in the public schools. A single mom, she has raised three children. The youngest child leaves for college this summer. Corina is looking forward to finally getting "her turn" and to concentrating on her writing and editing two novels. She currently enjoys blogging and writing.

A genuine pleasure to have Corina Carrasco as La Bloga's guest columnist today. Thank you, Corina. We're looking forward to welcoming you as a guest again, soon. Gente, La Bloga welcomes guest columnists. If you have an idea, or a finished piece, leave a comment or click here to discuss your invitation.

Celebrating Dr. Seuss

Theodor Seuss Geisel - Dr. Seuss was born March 2, 1904, and in honor of that historic occasion numerous events have occurred and continue this week across the country. The good doctor's 104 birthday has been celebrated with readings, parties, classroom activities, art exhibits, and the upcoming release of the latest Seuss movie, Horton Hears A Who!

The Read Across America events (March 3) used Dr. Seuss as the focus point. Here in Denver, everyone from firefighters to local authors to politicians to moms from the neighborhood read to kids from the forty-four books written and illustrated by Seuss. I had the pleasure of trying to do justice to Green Eggs and Ham (voted by the kids as the book they wanted me to read) to a classy group of first graders at Fairmont Dual Immersion Academy in the historic Baker Neighborhood. They knew the book by heart, of course, and certainly appeared delighted with the book's fast-moving tale of Sam-I-Am's persistent efforts to introduce his friend to new experiences and adventures, and the friend's reluctance to think outside the box.

Meanwhile, Librería Martínez invites everyone to a special story time performance by students of the Santa Ana High School Drama Department in celebration of Dr. Seuss's Birthday this Saturday, March 8th @ 1:00 PM. This famous bookstore is located at 1110 N. Main Street, Santa Ana, CA. 714-973-7900 for more information.



One of my all-time favorite books, a book that I still read periodically, is If I Ran The Zoo. It's a book I remember reading very early in life and it stayed with me. I memorized several passages from it's pages, back when I used to do such things, and I always thought that young Gerald McGrew was the kind of kid I'd like to meet one day.

If I Ran The Zoo is a classic study of the power of imagination. The reality presented in this book is compelling, as any child's perspective must be, but it also challenges the reader to just sit back and soak it in; for adult readers that's called suspension of disbelief; I think kids simply say it's a good book.

Young Gerald McGrew, the hero of If I Ran The Zoo, suggests that the regular old zoo, although "pretty good," could use "something new."

"But if I ran the zoo,"
Said young Gerald McGrew,
"I'd make a few changes.
"That's just what I'd do. . ."

Who hasn't entertained such thoughts on any gray day when everything is too ordinary and boring? And what changes! No "old-fashioned" lions and tigers. In fact, Gerald would open the cages and let the animals go. Then the fun begins. From one strange land to another: Zomba-ma-Tant and Motta-fa-Potta-fa-Pell and the Far Western part of south-east North Dakota. From one very unique animal to quite another freaky beast: Joats, and Iotas, and the scraggle-foot Mulligatawny; Gussets, Gherkins, a Gasket and a Gootch. And, when required, elaborate contraptions to rein in the animals: the Cooker-mobile; the Bad-Animal-Catching-Machine ("rather expensive to build such a kit, but with it a hunter can never get bit"); and, of course, the Skeegle-mobile. As Gerald says, "If you want to catch beasts you don't see every day, you have to go places quite out-of-the-way."

It seems obvious, to me at least, that young Gerald McGrew exemplifies the writing spirit perfectly. Those of us who aspire to entertain readers with our written words often stare at old-fashioned reality and decide that it could use something new. Then, we go out and find it and bring it back for the readers who are willing to pay the admission charge and take a tour of our zoo. We introduce every strange animal we can capture, from the exotic lands that inhabit our minds, those places quite out-of-the-way, and we use extraordinary measures to bring back the catch: novels and poetry and short stories and essays and bedtime tales and scripts and blog scribbling. And then the payoff.

"WOW!" They'll all cheer,
"What this zoo must be worth!
It's the gol-darndest zoo
On the face of the earth!"

Thank you, Dr. Seuss.

Later.

Teatro Luna 's Shining Light

Teatro Luna Fabulousness!

Teatro Luna has a BRAND NEW SHOW opening on March 6th, but you can catch it now! This Saturday and Sunday see a sneak preview of Teatro Luna's most intimate show yet... SOLO TU, a collection of four interwoven solos all about different women's experiences with PREGNANCY.

One woman thinks she's finally built the perfect family - Mom, Dad, Cute Kid- until an invasion of mice makes her wonder what's really going on. Another woman finds herself caught up in the worst kind of Baby-Daddy-Single-Mama Drama. Meanwhile, a woman in her third year of trying to get pregnant decides her pregnant friends make her want to vomit, and her close friend wrestles with pro-life activists, hospital robes, and how she feels about having an abortion in her 30's.

Saturday @ 7:30 pm and Sunday @ 6pm

SHOW RUN: March 6-April 6 2008 Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays @ 7:30 pm Sundays @ 6pm Chicago Dramatists 1105 W. Chicago Ave, at Milwaukee Tickets $15, Student and Senior Discount on Thursdays and Sundays only, $10 $12 Group Sale price, parties of 8 or more For tickets, visit www.teatroluna.org


Mind, you the company is filled with talented, writers and performers, and it was rough to pair down, but gente, enjoy this interview with three of Teatro Luna's members, Diana Pando, who does administration for the group as well as writing, Tanya Saracho and Diana Herrera, both writers/actors.

DIANA PANDO

Describe your own personal journey as a writer.

Well, I’m trying to catch up to myself in this writer’s journey. I write poems, press releases, blog, snippets here and there of scenes and dialogue. I want to spend more time writing fiction and trying to better understand my creative process. I’ve worked with a lot of people in the arts and enjoy supporting their creative efforts. This year, I’m going to be a little selfish and focus in on my creative pursuits. I’ve always liked journal writing. Just the other day I dusted one off and leafed through the pages and it allowed me to remember myself in another place and time. Writing is so powerful. I think when you write your higher self is revealed.

How did your voice and your message begin to reveal itself?

Voice is so powerful. You either use it or lose it. I think my writer’s voice is still revealing itself in these early stages of my writing life. For me it’s writing bits and pieces here and there. Eventually, coming back to the kladeiscope of writing that I do and putting it all together.

Who were/are important influences for you?

There are a lot of wonderful writers that inspire and influence me. The one that impacted me directly was my mom. She worked long hours at a meat packing plant and at the thrift store on the south side so I can have the luxury of writing. After she passed, I found a lot of notebooks with journal entries, unfinished letters and poems. Every now and then I find a little note that brings a smile to my face.

How does Teatro Luna feed your creative life and vise versa?

Teatro Luna has creative energy spewing out in every direction. The ensemble is such an energetic and hilarious group of talented women. You can’t help but be inspired. They are paving the way for that next generation of Latinas in the arts. I’ve had the opportunity to participate in one of their writing workshops. The piece that I created out of the workshop is called Tía Betty and the Glucose of Doom based on my mom’s struggle with diabetes. The workshop process is definitely a powerful one. It gave me the creative kick in the butt to nudge me a long. As a result, the 20 minute piece I wrote is slowly expanding taking on a life of it’s own. I work on and off on it because it’s a hard and personal piece to write.

What's the significance of working in an all woman-all Latina teatro?

I think it was in 2002 when I first went to see one of TL’s shows when they were at the Pilsen space. I was blown away! I had never seen Latinas on stage before. It was a major discovery for me. By creating new works Teatro Luna is impacting local and national audiences through touring. Teatro Luna is currently the only Latina theatre company producing full seasons. For me there is nothing better than seeing these brilliant Latinas blazing on stage and practicing their art and sharing the stories of Latinas with others. Their communal creativity is really in harmony with each other and adds to their success.

You work in a variety of discplines---playwriting, poetry, performance--
Talk about the differences in each. Is there a genre you feel is your "favorite?"

As an emerging writer, I think my strengths are poetry and fiction writing. I’m dabbling in playwriting because I’m absolutely fascinated by creating dialogue and having actors bring the characters to life. Even though I’ve been doing theatre administration for Teatro Luna they teach me so much about the process.

Talk a little about Proyecto Latina. What do you hope it provides for community writers, and book lovers?

Proyecto Latina is a wonderful community based initiative between Tianguis Bookstore, Teatro Luna and myself. This open mic takes place every 3rd Monday of the month at Radio Arte and it’s a place for Latina’s to come out and show off their talent whether it’s poetry, fiction writing, belly dancers and Hula Hoopers it’s an open mic that brings together emerging and established Latinas in the arts to share, explore and encourage their creative pursuits. We are impacting that next generation by giving them an outlet to show off their creativity. Irasema Gonzales, owner of Tianguis Bookstore, has done an amazing job of lining up some the best features. There’s even a chismé box where you can drop your anonymous chismé and we read them during the open mic. Please drop in and check it out. Log on to http://www.tianguis.biz

What are you sources of inspiration?

A source of inspiration for me is walking through the city. I’m a big fan of long walks despite a toe spur gone amuck. Anyway, too much information. Friends always look at me with suspicion when I tell them we are just three blocks away. Rightfully, so I guess. Three blocks is the equivalent of ten blocks for me. I’m a wanderer. I love to look at people, places and things. Me embobo luego, luego, especially when I’m in Mexico City. There is nothing like being in the Zócalo on a rainy day. Definitely inspires and leaves me drenched. I always forget my umbrella…

What's the role of female friendship in your daily life and as a writer?

Funny you should ask this question. It’s my lifeline! I can’t go back to anything else. In 2002, Irasema Gonzales invited me to see a reading of Sandra Cisneros up at Loyola. I was feeling a little lazy and it was cold out. Thankfully, she dragged me out there anyway. It was an amazing reading and what came out of it was such a blessing. After the reading Sandra was signing her book and answering questions. There was this annoying girl with a red shirt talking and talking to Sandra. “Hurry Up” I wanted to yell “We want to talk to Sandra too!” The line finally began to move and when we got there Irasema asked about writing groups and Sandra told us to connect with the woman in red. The woman in red is now a dear friend and fabulous writer. Our writing group consists of Lizann Acosta, Professor of World Literature & Teatro Luna Artistic Associate, Irasema Salinas, Tianguis Bookstore Owner, Family Dr. Yolanda Cardenas, Magda Banda Ph.d Candidate in Comparative Education and me. Sandra probably has no idea but she’s our writing group madrina.

Where would you like to be creatively and professionally in ten years?

In ten years, I will be producing consistent work in different generes of writing, collaborating with other Latinas on projects, encouraging Latino professionals to support the arts through philanthropy, create the Mariposa Atomica Arts Fund and do advocacy work for the arts. Latinos enrich the arts in the city of Chicago and it’s important that we support and cultivate those efforts.

Tell us something not in the offical bio.

I have an 800 pound Dalmation and he’s more than a decade old, I’m a mascara junkie and my favorite mantra is vision + action = Reality.

TANYA SARACHO
(Courtesy Time Out Chicago)

Describe your own personal journey as a writer.
How did your voice and your message begin to reveal itself?
Who were/are important influences for you?

I am undisciplined and disorganized. My journey is clunky and aimless lately. Ultimamente, I write because projects are due. I haven't written for the joy of it in a while. Well, angry emails and blogs, but nothing of note. Inspiration hits me like a headache, or a stomach ache-it's a painful process sometimes-and it hits at the most inopportune times. Like when I'm driving and talking on the phone, when I'm in a waiting room-with no paper or pen, when I'm in the bathroom. It just hits and runs through my body like diarrhea. It is not a pleasant experience sometimes. It used to be. The little lightning bolt that tingled. Now? It's mostly a painful thing. Maybe it's because of the pieces I've been working on lately. I don't know.

Everyday people influence me. I love how people talk. I love dialogue. I love talking. I sort of like listening. I like talking more. But when I do listen, I love the shifts in cadence and tone, tilts of accents and quirks of the vernacular. I love how people talk. I love how MY people talk. And that umbrella is a large one. I consider most MY people.

How does Teatro Luna feed your creative life and vise versa?
What's the significance of working in an all woman-all Latina teatro?

I would never have been able to explore the topics and styles I've explored during the last eight years, had it not been for Teatro Luna. Who would've produced a half bilingual play about a two young Mexican girls growing up in Texas? Who would have produced three monologues about being a woman of Mexican descent, and let me play them all? Who would have let me show my scars, both physical and emotional, and not judge me harshly for it? No where would I have been able to do that. Teatro Luna is a beautiful thing. It's a sisterhood, it's a womb-I don't care if I sound cheesy-it IS a womb. People feel it when they come around us. Everyone's worked is supported, pero tambien nos jalamos las orejas. It's a beautiful thing. I love women. I love women's stories. I love to give voice to women. I...I just love women.

In a related vein, Teatro Luna has plumbed the Latina experience and pushed the envelope on issues of identity, gender and relationship. Talk about TL's significance as a child of traditional teatro, of post-movimiento social commentary.

It's hard for me to have perspective on this. I'm not objective. Obviously, I think what we do is really interesting. But I don't think we've pushed the envelope enough. What we do is pretty simple. We get up there and tell stories. If that's not traditional teatro, I don't know what is. In form, we are not that...I don't know, we are not that innovative. Episodic, ensemble-built work has been around since the Greeks, since Miracle plays, since Spanish pasarelas and posadas de la colonia and early twentieth century Latin American revistas. I think our uniqueness is found in the sum of our parts, in the combination of how we treat topics, how we build pieces, in our gender and our race/ethinicity/nationalities. It's the sum of all those things that create that special something that is Luna.

You work in a variety of disciplines---playwriting, poetry, performance--
Talk about the differences in each. Is there a genre you feel is your "favorite?"

I'm mostly a writer for the stage. I don't have a talent for poetry. I respect poets immensely. To be able to structure and mold words aurally and rhythmically is a talent I truly admire.

Talk a little about Proyecto Latina. What do you hope it provides for community writers and book lovers?

I can't believe we've been doing Proyecto Latina for two years now. I remember the first time we did it, and how we filled Meztli Cafe and how every one was excited about every performer. You could feel the electricity in the place. Not much has changed, the location perhaps, but people are still excited to hear and support new work by Latina writers-of all genres, not just poetry. It provides a much needed outlet and cocoon to nurture our work.

What are you sources of inspiration? What's the role of female friendship in your daily life and as a writer?

All my plays are about females. I don't think that's limiting in the least; They all deal with a female central character and I can't deny it, each and every one has at least a bit of coloring that I draw from the women in my life. My mother, my sisters, my Teatro Luna sisters (who are more than friends)... I take the ribbons of vernacular from their mouths and plaster them on the stage. Their words are much more brilliant than mine will ever be. They are wise and funny and flawed. It's my friend's Yadira's zinger lines and her obsession with the perfect meal. It's my friend Miranda's struggle for her dreams and the sting failure causes. It's Tatiana's depression and her unwillingness to come to surface, but her attempt at it every day. It's my friends navigating their contradictions. Those things are much more interesting than anything I'd come up with on my own. Now I might piss people off. Make them angry because I just take one tiny little shade of blue here, or a smudge of brown and they think that's definitive of my opinion of them. But that's never the case. I am often in trouble for it though.

Where would you like to be creatively and professionally in ten years?

I'd love to be feeding myself fully with the work. Sharing it with as many people as possible. In whatever form. Whatever that means. Whether bigger stages. More productions. Far reaching publications. I'm not sure what that means, but I'd like to have figured it out and be in a place to open doors for other people. Be on the founding stage of programming that makes sure our voice is being heard. In ten years I would have liked to have gotten out of my myopic state and attempt a period piece about hoodoo in the American South during the late 1800's. Nothing to do with Latinidad. That's just a little project that has been rattling in my brain. But it's a long time for that one. In a decade, I'd like to have a cannon of work I can be proud of, but having the best yet to come. Also, in ten years Teatro Luna will be an institution; financially healthy, administratively strong, artistically excellent. Still doing the work.

Tell us something not in the official bio.

I am addicted to divination and getting my cards read. Every week. Every. Week. My name is Tanya Selene Saracho Armenta, and I am a divination addict.

DIANA HERRERA

Describe your own personal journey as a writer.

I took a new plays workshop class in college as an actor, but the teacher made all of us write these six-line scenes…it was my first time writing dialogue and characters and I had a blast. My teacher thought I had potential, so he kept bugging me to take his Playwriting class. I was like, I'm not a writer but he persisted. I finally took the class and fell in love with writing. I write solo pieces and short plays now, and I'm working on trying to get a full-length completed…kinda hard when you have a 6 month old at home! But I'm trying!

How did your voice and your message begin to reveal itself?

I don't think my voice really revealed itself until I started working with Teatro Luna. I learned a huge lesson "write what you know". I also learned to write from a more honest place—my writing has progressed leaps and bounds since I started working with these lovely ladies!

Who were/are important influences for you?

Important influences—I'm not very well read when it comes to playwrights—I know, I know…it's a shame. But I do have to say that Tanya Saracho has been a huge influence on me. I love how ALIVE her characters seem—she is so good at mapping these journeys for her characters that are interesting and humanizing…you walk away from the show dazed, thinking where did that time go? It just flew by? What's going to happen to that lady now? And you find yourself still wondering about that character weeks later…that's the sign of a great writer. To keep you involved with the story even after you leave the theater.

How does Teatro Luna feed your creative life and vise versa?

Since a lot of the TL projects are ensemble-based, I tend to spark ideas off my fellow cast members. I love that they have workshops where you can bring in your writing and get feedback…I think it's such a great environment for developing new work.

What's the significance of working in an all woman-all Latina teatro?

The all-woman all-Latina teatro is a GODSEND. I worked in sketch comedy for a long time, and the male competitiveness is incredible. And if you are a woman who is a talented and prolific writer, watch out! One time, I actually had one of my cast members call me to tell me to stop writing so much…he was upset that I was constantly "showing him up" because I'd bring in 10 sketches to his 3. It's fine to have healthy competition, but not in an ensemble setting. That conversation ruined the project for me. Another wonderful thing about working with all women is when you're having a bad day, you don't get the "she must be PMS'ing" eye roll…you can be more open with your emotions. It also frees you up creatively because you are more likely to be more open with your work and more willing to accept criticism.

I enjoy the COLLABORATIVE feel of TL, and a lot of it has to do with the all-women role. As for all-Latina…it's like being home. I might not speak Spanish, but I identify as Latina…and it's nice to be in an environment where I don't have to explain why I'm not drinking margaritas on Cinco de Mayo!!! It's also inspiring to have this group of strong, talented women who embrace their heritage.

In a related vein, Teatro Luna has plumbed the Latina experience and pushed the envelope on issues of identity, gender and relationship. Talk about TL's significance as a child of traditional teatro, of post-movimiento social commentary.

Egads…that question feels like an essay test I haven't studied for!!!! I think Coya and Tanya will be able to give you a better answer than what I can give…pass!

You work in a variety of disciplines---playwriting, poetry, performance--
Talk about the differences in each. Is there a genre you feel is your "favorite?"

I don't work too much in poetry, except what I write in my journals that will never been shown to ANYONE 'cause it's really bad poetry! But here we go with the other two. My favorite has to be playwriting because I think I have a God complex. Seriously, it's intoxicating to create this whole world and populate them with these people that use YOUR WORDS to express themselves…then if you're lucky you get a chance to see it LIVE!! How cool is that? Also, though…there is that moment of CONNECTION. When you make a bulls-eye with the hearts of your audience members. There is nothing as gratifying as when someone comes up to me after a show and tells me, you were writing about me. I wrote a piece in "The Maria Chronicles" about visiting my brother in prison, and after shows I had several people tell me about their experiences with family members in prison. One lady told me that after my piece she reconciled with her brother and visited him for the first time in years. That really touched me. It might sound trite, but it's true…writing plays for me is like reaching out and saying "I'm not alone, you are not alone…for this moment we will be taking this journey together". I write because sometimes these feelings I have are so intense it becomes necessary to overflow them onto paper. I chose to share my journey, though, instead of locking it up in a diary (well, except my poems. Those don't need to be shared!).

So where does performance fit in? To me, performance is another level of connection with the audience. It's very cathartic, and it's wonderful because you get instant gratification…laughter during a one-liner delivered just right, silence during a dramatic moment…applause. Oh, the applause! Performing is such a high, because you are on this tightrope wire where any sudden change (even something like the theater being too hot or the seats too uncomfortable) will distract your audience…you have to EARN their attention…but once you've earned it what a RUSH.

Talk a little about Proyecto Latina. What do you hope it provides for community writers and book lovers?

I've enjoyed participating in Proyecto Latina in the past…unfortunately I've been absent from the monthly events for a while. However, I think it's such a wonderful opportunity for new artists…and I LOVE that there is a set limit of people that can perform, that it's a 5 minute time limit and that there is a featured performer. That is key…to be able to enjoy these "tastes" of performance without being overwhelmed by a 4 hour open mike. I know being able to hear various artists has inspired my own writing. I'm hoping I can start attending again…I've missed it!

What are you sources of inspiration? What's the role of female friendship in your daily life and as a writer?

My family is a HUGE source of inspiration for me—we have this carefully honed sense of humor that I use in my writing. They are very supportive of me—I talk a lot about them in my pieces and I haven't been disowned. Yet. I love comedy, so of course I'm all over female writers like Tina Fey—even watching the old episodes of The Carol Burnett Show gives me inspiration as a writer. Currently I'm working on a two-woman show, and we are using "The Search for Signs of Intelligent Life in the Universe" as inspiration…Jane Wagner and Lily Tomlin collaborated on this piece, and it's amazing.

Where would you like to be creatively and professionally in ten years?

Creatively, I'd like to still be writing and getting my work produced…if I can perform occasionally that would be a bonus. It's hard because I do have a family now, and I'm the primary breadwinner…so not only do I have to balance work with family, I have to find time to write and stay involved in projects as well. The good thing is that my husband is VERY supportive—in fact, he's the one that keeps pushing me to take on these projects and he's great about covering the night shifts at home, taking care of our daughter and the house. So it's just a matter of figuring out what the next step is…the point is, I can't figure out next year, much less TEN years from now!!

Tell us something not in the official bio.

I am a HUGE fan of science fiction—my favorite authors include Ray Bradbury, Richard Matheson, HP Lovecraft, Charles Beaumont…and I LOVE TV shows like "The Twilight Zone", "Heroes", "Lost"…anything with a sci-fi edge to it! And yes, I was one of those geeks that stood in line for Star Wars tickets. Han Solo was my first crush.

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Women and Creativity Conference/Lisa Alvarado Shameless Self-Promotion Department

Gente: I've been blessed enough to have been asked to perform The Housekeeper's Diary at the conference -- Friday, March 7, at 8 PM at the National Hispanic Cultural Center's Roy E. Disney Center for the Performing Arts, as well as a reading for high school students at the Center's Wells Fargo Auditorium, Monday, March 10th at 10 AM.

Conference Info: Women and Creativity 2008 is organized and presented by the National Hispanic Cultural Center in partnership with more than 25 local arts organizations, artists, writers and independently owned-business. This year, we have an inspiring offering of more than 50 exhibitions, performances, workshops, classes, and engaging discussions in Albuquerque and Santa Fe.

Women and Creativity partners invite you to dedicate an afternoon, evening or entire weekend in March to attend events and workshops that awaken and nourish your own creativity and support the creativity of our communities. Although we shine a special light on women’s creativity during this festival, we invite and encourage the participation of men at all events.

The National Hispanic Cultural Center, along with our partners in Women and Creativity 2008, believe that creativity, art and self-expression are central to sustaining healthy individuals, organizations, business and communities – so, join in and celebrate the creative women in your community and the creativity inside yourself.

There will also be a fabulous PEÑA FEMENINA Sunday, March 9th at NHCC's LA FONDA DEL BOSQUE;

Other Artists:
Alma Jarocha,
Leticia Cuevas, Anabel Marín, Otilio Ruiz, Victor Padilla

Jessica López

Bailaora Xicana, Flamenco
marisol encinias, vicente griego, ricardo anglada

Lenore Armijo

Angélica
Cuevas

National Hispanic Cultural Center 1701 4th St, SW Albuquerque, New Mexico


More Conference News from Demetria Martinez

On Saturday, March 8 at 3 p.m. the first-ever Spanish-language anthology of work by women who reside in New Mexico will be unveiled at the National Hispanic Cultural Center in Albuquerque. Titled Metamorfosis, the book was co-founded by Demetria Martinez, Rosalee Montoya-Reed and Maria Nieves de Abajo Bajo. Please join us to celebrate International Women's Day, poetry, the Spanish language and creativity. A reception will follow. Please RSVP at 724-4777.

And Lastly, news from La Divina, Johanny Vasquez

Hola to Everyone:

I will be participating at the Nuestras Voces: Women's Poetry Night at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign this Thursday, March 6, 2008. The event will take place at from Caffe Paradiso7:00 to 9:00 pm. This will be my first time at U of I, so I'm extremely excited.

If you live in the area or know people that live in Urbana/Champaign, please come by or let them know.

For more information got to my blog at:

http://johannyvazquezpaz.blogspot.com/

or to the University Site at:

http://www.mechauiuc.org/ThursdayChicanasLatinasInTtheArts.html

Hasta la vista, Johanny

Lisa Alvarado

On Writing for Children

René Colato Laínez

Tips From Editors and Authors

A Writing Tip from Highlights and Calkins Creek Books Editor Carolyn Yoder

When kids are asked if they like history—or social studies—their answers tend to be a big flat "No." But if kids hear and understand that history involves them—their stories, their parents' stories, their ancestors' stories, the stories about where they live, the stories about what they do—history...becomes personal, and more importantly, relevant.

I strongly encourage authors to investigate their lives in order to discover these "little" (or "big") stories of history. I have met a mother from the Midwest whose mother sewed blankets in the Caribbean during World War II, a ninety-year-old writer who captured the story of her great-great-grandfather moving west to Indiana, and a young girl who discovered dinosaur bones in her backyard.

Think about writing your stories, the stories of your family or the stories about where you live. Capture the human element and the historical element. Together they will help to make your stories universal.

Carolyn P. Yoder is the senior editor of history and world cultures for Highlights and has written numerous articles on research and writing history for children. She spent a decade serving as the award-winning editor in chief of Cobblestone: The History Magazine for Young People; Calliope; Faces; and Odyssey, which led to her position as assistant publisher of Cobblestone Publishing, Inc., overseeing development of its book division.

Carolyn is currently editor of Calkins Creek Books—the history and historical fiction imprint of Boyds Mills Press, publisher of her book George Washington: The Writer and her most recent work, John Adams: The Writer, released in October 2007. She also reviews juvenile history books for the Civil War Book Review and has been a writer and editor for the New Jersey Historical Society.

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A Writing Tip from Philomel Editor Patricia Lee Gauch

Fiction, nonfiction, picture books, easy readers . . . the great books come alive. They breathe. They lament. They stand up and cheer. And, whether I had intended or not, they pull me as editor, as reader, into their living world, allowing me to breathe and lament and stand up with them. The heart of a really good book beats.

Okay then, you might ask, what makes a good book's heart beat? There are more answers to the question than anyone can give in one morning, but I believe you give yourself a leg up in discovering the heartbeat, if as a writer you dare to look at life on a slant.

Readers do not want what is straightforward, understandable, four square, typical, sturdy, easy, predictable. No, I believe character and plot and setting and language—on a slant—is what readers thirst for. They are intrigued with what is odd, aberrant, offbeat, strange—for goodness' sake. And praise be!

Patricia Lee Gauch is vice president and editor at large of Philomel Books as well as a respected author in her own right. She holds a doctorate in English literature, and has taught children's literature on the college level and reviewed for The New York Times. Patti has edited three Caldecott books, including Owl Moon by Jane Yolen and John Schoenherr, and So You Want to Be President? by Judith St. George and David Small. She has worked with many well-known authors, including Jane Yolen, Andrew Clements, and Brian Jacques.

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A Writing Tip from Award-Winning Poet and Author Eileen Spinelli

Here's a beautiful quote that I love. Natalie Goldberg said, "If you love the work, it will love you back." How can you love the work if you're already a mile down the road worrying about whether it's going to be published? The publication will take care of itself. I hate to see writers just cringing and skipping ahead, and worrying about publication. I think it interferes with what you do. It makes you afraid to take risks, for one thing, because you are too afraid. "Is the publisher going to want this?" or "Is the editor going to like this?"—that's the adult in you.

Kids aren't afraid of risks. It's a wonder we're all here alive for all the risks we took when we were younger. You'll be more able to do what you need to do and take risks if you kind of let the other parts go. Let the marketing go. Make the marketing the lower rung on the ladder rather than the top rung. The top rung needs to be the writing and the joy that you derive from it, even if you never get published. Honest.


Eileen Spinelli is an award-winning author and poet whose work includes the 1991 Christopher Award winner Somebody Loves You, Mr. Hatch. Eileen has published more than thirty books for children. Some of her recent titles include Bathtime, Rise the Moon, Moe McTooth, Three Pebbles and a Song, The Perfect Thanksgiving, and City Angel.

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These tips come from workshops given by these authors and editors at the Highlights Foundation Writers Workshop at Chautauqua. If you'd like to learn from them in person, join them for the 2008 workshop. Find out more at www.highlightsfoundation.org.

The Highlights Foundation
814 Court Street
Honesdale, PA 18431
Phone: (570) 253-1192
E-mail: contact@highlightsfoundation.org