We're wishing a huge happy book birthday to Camille Gomera-Tavarez and her debut collection of short stories, High Spirits. 

Today, e.E. Charlton-Trujillo interviews Camille about her debut which Kirkus Reviews calls, “a labor of love with a dedication of family.”

A Publishers Weekly starred review says High Spirits is, “full of vivid and poetic imagery, settings worthy of drinking in, and thematic material ripe for contemplation about identity, intergenerational memory, and patriarchy and toxic masculinity . . . ”
​
High Spirits is a collection of eleven interconnected short stories from the Dominican diaspora. It is centered on one extended family – the Beléns – across multiple generations.

e.E. Charlton-Trujillo: Camille, I am so excited to be in conversation with you. You've written a collection of rich and vivid short stories that span from the U.S. to the Dominican Republic's fictional town of Hidalpa -- Santo Domingo, Paterson and San Juan. How are you feeling about High Spirits finally coming into the world?
 
Camille Gomera-Tavarez.: First, thank you so much for taking the time to read it, E.! I admire you so much, so thank you! 
 
And, well, I am feeling very anxious about the book launching as it is pretty much the first thing I’ve ever published at all. When I was starting senior year of college and writing the first threads of High Spirits, I couldn’t have imagined I would ever call myself a published author. When I started, I was still working through mixed emotions about my grandmother passing, and by the time I got the book deal my grandfather had recently passed. So, I feel really lucky to have been given the chance to properly finish this project and give it the love it deserved, especially in their honor. I hope that the people that I want to read it – young Afro-Latinx people and Dominican-Americans – will find their way to my stories.

e.E.: Between what is real and what is magical, you explore the intersections of intergenerational loss, love, identity, class, masculinity, femininity, family and more. Can you talk about the choice to intertwine these topics and characters in the eleven short stories?
 
CGT: As I worked through the stories, my methodology was to take a memory from my own life or a story from my family’s life, write it out plainly, and find a central theme that I could then tie back to masculinity and identity in some way. And then I would just layer it beneath this established family and characters I’d created. 
 
At first, I was just writing a couple stories in the same universe, and then after reading Louise Erdrich’s Love Medicine and seeing a family history told in short stories, I realized that this was exactly what I wanted to do and exactly the kind of thing I wanted to read. And at the time I was taking a class on Latin American literature and learning the history of magical realism in the Americas, which also greatly influenced me as I was writing. 
 
e.E.: Why was it important for you to move between what is real and what is magical in this collection?
 
CGT: I love books with just a touch of magic. I think the first book I read like that was Song of Solomon by Toni Morrison and I was just mind blown in high school. I feel like there’s this resurgence of similar touches of magic with TV shows like Atlanta, Rami, and Reservation Dogs. I love getting a little lost and not knowing exactly what is going on and having to figure it out.
 
I really found a piece of myself when I learned about Lo Real Maravilloso and its place in the canon of literature. It felt really powerful to free myself from the rules of western structures of storytelling. I really hate rules and grammar and stuff. And, if you want to get philosophical, what even is reality? Isn’t everything made up? So why can’t a boy be possessed by a demon that pulls him through time? Why can’t that exist alongside reality? If you visit the Caribbean and other places, stories like that are commonplace and taken as truth. Those family stories are what inspired me to write the book. 

e.E.: Barbaro's barbershop culture (and political banter) set a perfect backdrop for ten-year-old Yoanson's first (and unwanted) haircut. Barber Tony and Yoanson's older brother Jose see haircuts and manhood differently. Why is this important for young readers to see?
 
CGT: I wrote that story after a talk with my brother. Initially, I wanted to write something about my experience at Dominican hair salons, where I went at least once a week to get my hair blown out and straightened. And it was often a demeaning experience. But then, we were talking about a time when my father had punished my brother by making him shave his head to the scalp. Then, I was looking through YouTube and I found a similar recent video of a Dominican father taking his 10-year-old son with big curly hair to get a haircut and the boy was not happy about it. So, I was like “Ok, this is a thing.” I wondered why men do this and why this is an issue, especially for young Black boys trying to find joy in the world. I feel like hair is such a personal thing. 
 
There is this hardness, especially with Black and Immigrant parents, that I feel doesn’t have to be there when preparing your child for the world. And a lot of times people are forced to be accomplices in these aggressions that are going on around them because they don’t know how to speak up or stop it from happening. So, I wanted to present someone like Tony as an example of how someone might be able to use the privileges they do have to step in when they see something wrong.

e.E.: Skipping Stones’ unrequited, same sex love story was palpable. My heart was breaking for Ana while also understanding Zahaira's reluctance. Why was this story important to include in the collection?
 
CGT: I felt like I needed to write a love story or just something that wasn’t as heavy as the other stories. So, I figured it may as well be a queer love story (straight ones are so boring). I feel like I had a similar relationship with the first girl I met when I came to America who was also my neighbor and my best friend. I wanted to show a story where there is an absence of men, with these two girls, but the impact of toxic masculinity still manages to creep in, as it often does in queer relationships. So, this is how it turned out. I’m glad you liked it! I feel like it was one of the more fun stories to write, even though, yeah lol, Ana was going through a tough time.
 
e.E.: Life After The Storm transitions the reader from what is real to what is magical, and submerges the reader as Jorge embodies the lives of women from his family over time. Would you share the choice of water, birth, storms and having a man experience womanhood?
 
CGT: For most of the magic throughout the book, I am pulling from Afro-Caribbean traditions and spirituality which is greatly influenced by West African Yoruba culture. So, water and rebirth play a large role in Yoruba religions. I, myself, am a Pisces and a water baby. My mother went into labor with me while she was in a tub. It can be a life-giving and rejuvenating thing but also be scary and cause destruction. Especially with hurricane season every year. 
 
I pulled from several dreams I had, as well – I like to write my dreams down. I had a really impactful dream once where I was just going through my past lives, and I was my grandmother and then my father and then my mother until I got to where I was at that exact moment in bed. I woke up crying from that dream because it shook me so much, but I was also just grateful to be the product of so many choices that came before me. It shifted my perspective.
 
Jorge is in this moment of trying to figure out his identity in a country that seems like it doesn’t want him there. I was thinking about how genealogy is often traced from the mother through matrilineal ancestry and how past trauma is passed through DNA. So, it seemed natural that he would become all the women who had made choices that led to his being in the United States. I also wanted to find a way to mess around with gendered pronouns a bit, especially going back to the theme of toxic masculinity and patriarchy and challenging notions of gender binaries.
 
e.E.: I want to thank you so much for sharing all of this. I cannot wait for this collection to reach young readers. In the meantime, are you working on something new?
 
CGT: I don’t know how much I can say, but yes I’m currently working on my next novel which will hopefully come out Fall 2023 and it’s definitely going to be much lighter and less serious. Whereas High Spirits takes on masculinity, I feel this next one is focused more on femininity and sisterhood. And of course, magic. 
 
e.E.: I can’t wait for your new work! Can you share where people can find you online?
CGT: You can find me on Instagram and Twitter @cgomeratavarez and on my website at www.cgtdesign.net
 
Buy High Spirits today!

M. García Peña: Mayra! So excited to chat. I remember way back when we had the Musas retreat that you read us an excerpt from this book! Could you start us off with the spark for this book? 

Mayra Cuevas: Marie and I have been friends and critique partners since 2012—we actually met at the Moonlight and Magnolias writers conference in Atlanta. You have to love that title!

In 2018 we decided to collaborate on a co-authored young adult novel that explored how school dress codes unfairly target girls, students of color and historically marginalized communities. By writing characters from two points of view—one from a traditional Puerto Rican family, and another from a liberal white upbringing—we hoped to open a dialogue on issues of feminism, intersectionality, white privilege and allyship.

MGP: I have to confess that I love the idea of co-writing books and have been working on a few myself. What's the secret to working with a co-author?

MC: Before we became co-authors, Marie and I had been critique partners for six years. We exchanged our writing every week and gave each other feedback and encouragement. Very early on we developed a relationship based on trust, kindness and mutual respect, which laid the foundation to collaborate on a book.

Creating art together requires a mindset of grace, openness and flexibility. We have established a process of listening to each other’s ideas without shutting anything down, while remaining open to possibilities and also knowing when to change course if that idea is not working. 

When Marie and I are brainstorming/writing/editing in the same space, we feed off each other’s creative energy. This process requires a lot of trust and respect. We engage with an appreciation for our individual insights, experience, backgrounds and talent. We also know when to push and when to give each other space. The work is stronger because of what each of us brings to the table.   

MGP: Do you work on each other’s chapters, particularly when your characters are involved? 

MC: Okay so this takes us into the mechanics of collaborating, which many people are curious about. Here is a step by step: 

• First, we will have an initial conversation about “the idea,” asking questions like:
  • Is this a “whole book” idea? Can it support an entire novel? 
  • Are we passionate/excited enough about this topic to spend 3-4 years on this project? Because that is the time authors normally spend on a given book from idea to release year. 
  • Are there two naturally contradicting points of view to support each of our characters and maximize tension?

We use this worksheet from Lisa Cron’s Story Genius to get us going.

• After we have settled on the big idea, we each work on our character development based on that same worksheet and do some initial research. We also make notes on plot and scenes in preparation for our plotting retreat. 
• Next, we will go away for a long weekend to outline and plot the entire book. These two plotting forms have been helpful: Save the Cat! Writes a Novel by Jessica Brody and Larry Brooks’ Story Engineering method. We also eat a lot, go on random clear-your-head walks and waste a lot of notecards with ideas that get trashed.
• Now we start writing! We create a deadlines calendar to complete the first draft. I will write a chapter, then pass the manuscript to Marie. She will read my chapter, make notes, comments and suggest edits on that chapter, then write her own. When she is done, she passes the manuscript back to me and I do the same. If we are writing in the same space, we usually write simultaneously because we can practically read each other’s minds—this is not a joke.
• Once we have a finished first draft we both go through it carefully, again editing, commenting and making lots of suggestions. This is where you have to let go and trust. We work on each other’s chapters equally so there is one cohesive voice throughout. We will also work on our characters' dialogue and body language in each other’s chapters to make sure they remain authentic.
• Once we are happy with the manuscript, we will send it to our agents or our editor for their feedback. When we receive the feedback, we have a meeting to go over the editorial letter, split the work and decide how we are going to approach edits in terms of our calendars and the work itself. And so it goes for the following rounds of edits.             

MGP: There’s a lot of love for Puerto Rico in this book (we’re both Boricuas, so that’s not surprising), but was there anything that was difficult to write? This story takes place very soon after Hurricane Maria hit the island and I remember reading your mention of the Arecibo Observatory and getting this pang because of its current state. 

Can you talk a bit about that pressure to write about something that’s still so very raw to many of us? 

MC: Hurricane María was a turning point for the history of Puerto Rico, and it left a deep trauma for both the residents of the Island and the diaspora.

Like so many other Puerto Ricans living in the States, I spent the months after the hurricane agonizing about my inability to reach my family and figuring out how to get involved in aid efforts. It took over a month to get any news from home. Blessedly, everyone was alive and doing ok considering the circumstances.  
 
I poured those emotions into the relationship between Malena and her dad, who is still on the Island, while Malena and her mom have relocated to Florida. Like Malena, I was struggling with how to go on with my life in Atlanta when so many of my compatriotas were suffering. I organized a supplies drive in my town of Norcross but I soon learned that the truckloads of materials would be probably stuck in a warehouse for weeks if not months. Getting aid to the Island was a slow and complicated process, which I also mention in the book. 

I hope in some small way, the book brings attention to both the plight and enormous resilience of Puerto Ricans and the immense pride we all feel for our homeland.       

MGP: I can tell there was a lot of care and research that went into the dress code plot line which of course feeds into the conversation of consent and bodily autonomy. 

Can you talk a bit about that research and also how you approached Malena’s journey and relationship to her body through this? 

MC: One of the best parts of writing this book is that I got exposed to books like Bad Feminist by Roxane Gay, Sister Outsider by Audre Lorde, and the writings of Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie including We Should All Be Feminists. I also read multiple academic books on the history of women in Puerto Rico, which helped enlighten the conversation of our bodies as a part of our ancestral history and heritage, as part of the land in which we are born into, which Malena later expresses in her poem towards the end of the book. 

At the beginning of the novel, Malena struggles with a sense that her body has become public domain. Many young people can identify with this feeling, since on a daily basis they experience a barrage of body image messages from social media. A recent Wall Street Journal investigation found that 32% “of teen girls said that when they felt bad about their bodies, Instagram made them feel worse.” Continued exposure to TikTok can result in the development of tics and neurological disorders, body harm and eating disorders. 

It is clear that we have to fundamentally shift how we are relating to our bodies in ways that are affirming and empowering. We have to look closely at the stories that shape our reality—the stories we tell ourselves. Instead of looking outward, we need to look inside to find our own stories of strength, confidence and love. 

MGP: Thank you so much, Mayra. Can you let us know where you’ll be virtually and in-person talking about Does My Body Offend You? If someone wants to get a signed copy, what indie should they check out? 

MC: Mercifully, we are BACK with in-person events! And I am sooooo excited to connect with readers and educators everywhere. 
Marie and I will have a super fun, picnic book release event on Saturday, April 9 at 5pm ET at Thrasher Park in Historic downtown Norcross. 

Everyone can pre-order a signed copy of our book via Little Shop of Stories. I will also be attending the LA Festival of Books and YALLWest in April. And of course, the Latinx Kidlit Book Festival in October. For more details for to my website: MayraCuevas.com 

Purchase Does My Body Offend You? today!

Even when she’s turning roja, Stella Díaz is so full of heart, a character you can’t help but cheer for as she finds her voice and realizes she is más valiente than she realized. Today, Las Musas Madrina Jennifer Torres is thrilled to interview author-illustrator and Las Musas Madrina Angela Dominguez about the latest book in the Stella Díaz series, Stella Díaz to the Rescue. 

Jennifer Torres: When this latest chapter in Stella’s journey opens, her mom is preparing to take the naturalization test, one of the last steps toward the family becoming United States citizens. And, at the heart of the story seems to be an exploration of what it means to be a good citizen. What do you hope readers take away as Stella grapples with this big question?
 
Angela Dominguez: That is such a great question. On one hand, I would hope it would encourage kids to think about their communities and how they can help. Whether it’s caring for the environment or simply sharing with others. It’s easy to get caught in our own problems and forget that there are other people in the world, especially in these past two years where we have spent more time alone. 
 
At the same time, it’s also a conflict for Stella because she takes the idea of being a good citizen to the extreme. She tries to solve other people’s problems who really aren’t looking for help. I hope the book provides an opportunity for kids and adults to have conversations about ableism. Stella makes mistakes so hopefully we don’t make as many. 
 
Jennifer: In all of the Stella Díaz books, and this one especially, I love that the illustrations give us an extra glimpse into Stella’s world and her perspective. How do you decide what to illustrate in each chapter?
 
Angela: I always like an excuse to draw sea creatures. Not only are they fun to look at, some of the ones I mention in the books are not as common so it’s helpful to have illustrations of them. The rest of the drawings are typically big moments where Stella meets someone new or has a strong emotion. Although it is exciting to draw historic figures and imaginary moments, too, like a zombie eating take-out or Stella running to the rescue. 
 
Jennifer: Maybe because I was a shy kid, I’m drawn to stories about quiet courage and bravery that doesn’t look the way we typically expect it to. That’s a big part of why I love Stella so much! Can you share a bit about how you’ve approached showing Stella’s growing confidence and sense of her own voice from book to book?
 
Angela: I was very much a shy kid, and I’m still an introvert. I spent half of my childhood roja like Stella. In some ways, Stella’s growing confidence has mirrored my own as an author. Seeing readers respond and relate to Stella, encourages me to keep writing. However, Stella has become her own person too beyond my own experiences. I’ve been inspired by young, motivated women like Greta Thunberg and AOC who are determined to solve big problems. I believe Stella might grow up to be like them one day.
 
Jennifer: The relationship between Stella and Nick is one of my favorite parts of this series. In this book we see them grow together, but also in their own individual directions. Where do you draw inspiration for the sibling relationship and especially its changes over time?
 
Angela: Like Stella, my parents divorced when I was young, so I grew up mostly with my mom and brother. Mi hermano became a surrogate father to me in many ways and I still look to him for fatherly advice. That said, Nick is sort of an idealized version of him. Nick steps in like a dad would or my brother would. However, he’s still a teenager and forming his own identity. In the books, Nick offers advice, support, and the occasional eye roll. He just fights less with Stella than my own brother did. (Don’t tell him that.)
 
Jennifer: Stella and her and her art club classmates have a special new project: portraits of school staff and faculty members, inspired by pieces at The Art Institute. Do you create many portraits or self-portraits? Do you have any advice for young artists on how to begin a portrait?
 
Angela: I love portraits. I used to draw many of them growing up and even more at art school. In fact, when I was trying to improve my skills in college, I decided to complete a 100-portrait project in my sketchbook.
 
For aspiring artists who want to try their hands at portraits, I recommend the blind-contour exercise that Stella does in her art club. It is a great way to have fun and practice your observation skills. To start, you either use a mirror or have someone sit for you, while you draw. Next, draw slowly what you observe without looking at the paper. Take the time to notice all the details. It’s freeing and you’ll be surprised how great it can look. On top of that, try different art mediums. Sometimes it takes a while to find the one you love.
 
 
Jennifer: Stella’s shaky Spanish has her worried that she’s not Mexican “enough” (something I’ve definitely related to). This feeling seems to deepen when she thinks about what it will mean to become a U.S. citizen, all leading to one of my favorite moments in the book, when Stella says, “I love that I can be so many things at once.” To what extent are Stella’s thoughts about citizenship and identity inspired by your own immigration experience, which you share in an author’s note?
 
Angela: As you may have noticed, much of the book is inspired by my experiences, but this one really hits close to home. As a child, I felt caught between cultures and not feeling Mexican “enough.” I still struggle with this today to a degree. One offhanded remark about how I pronounce something in either English and Spanish today can trigger some painful feelings or insecurities. But what I have been amazed to realize as I have gotten older is that many people from all types of backgrounds feel this way too! What I perceived as a singular feeling is not that at all which is partially why I write about it today. I hope it will help kids feel less alone to know they have a character they can relate to. More importantly, I hope it might inspire kids to have pride in all parts of their identity as well. 
 
Jennifer: Here’s a question from my daughter Soledad, who is a 9-year-old aspiring artist and major Stella Díaz fan (They were the first books she called her favorites!): Does Stella ever make decisions that are different from what you would have done?
  
Angela: Great question, Soledad! I think the biggest difference between Stella and myself is she thinks coffee is gross while I’ve been drinking it for quite some time. Truthfully, most of her decisions are similar to what I would have done in those situations. In fact, my boyfriend jokingly says WWSD (or What Would Stella Do) when I’m nervously trying something new.
 
I think Stella is perhaps braver than me. She’s been able to speak up to bullies, for example. She’s probably a little more superstitious than me, too.
 
Jennifer: Stella Díaz to the Rescue is just one of many beautiful books you have releasing this year. Can you tell us a little about what else has been in the works for 2022? Would you say there are any common threads that run through these projects?
 
Angela: I’m happy to have more Stella out in the world, including the paperback edition of STELLA DÍAZ DREAMS BIG (the third book in the series.) I also had the privilege of illustrating JUST HELP! by Sonia Sotomayor which came out in January. That shares some overlapping themes of civic duty and stepping in to help our communities.
 
I also have two additional picture books that I both wrote and illustrated. One is called I’M HUNGRY/¡TENGO HAMBRE! It’s about a dinosaur who is hungry, but he’s a picky eater. That is a very silly book that was such a complete joy to illustrate. It’s in the same vein as some of my other early bilingual picture books like HOW ARE YOU? or HOW DO YOU SAY?
 
Lastly, I have a picture book called ME GUSTA. With this book, I wanted to celebrate Latino families and the joys and issues that go through today. 
 
With all my books, I hope to share a bit of myself and celebrate my heritage in different ways. 
 
While I have to say while the pandemic has been stressful, it has allowed me more time to be at home and luckily, work on more books. I’m grateful and excited to be able to share them with readers this year. 
 
Find Angela and her amazing books online!

​Here’s a huge extended Happy Book Birthday to our Madrina Jennifer Torres on the release of her latest chapter book series—in hardcover and paperback!--Catalina Incognito!
 
Alexandra Alessandri interviews Jenifer Torres, but first, a little about the first book of the series, Catalina Incognito, which The Southern Bookseller Review says is “sure to be a charming new chapter book series”!

Alexandra Alessandri: I’ve been a big fan of yours since I read Stef Soto, Taco Queen a few years ago, so I was incredibly excited to read Catalina Incognito! It’s such a charming, character-driven story that made me very much wish I could have a magic sewing kit! But I loved that it was also a story about not being afraid to fail and try again, a message I think is very important for young readers. (I was also tickled to see a main character with the name Catalina; it’s my cousin’s name and growing up, I didn’t know many Catalinas.)
 
Jennifer Torres: Oh, thank you so much for such kind words! And especially for reading Catalina. The series is so special to me, and I’m thrilled to finally be able to share it!
 
AA: I’m always so curious about a story’s origins. Did you start with the character first, a first line, an image? How did you decide to include a magical sewing kit?
 
JT: My grandmother taught me to sew when I was in elementary school. I can remember watching her work and thinking it was a little like magic the way she could take a piece of fabric, a needle, and thread and turn it into something completely new. The image and the thought stayed with me over the years until I wondered, “Wait, what if it really was magic?” And that was the first spark of the story. So, the magical sewing kit was there from the beginning! Just as importantly (to me), the intergenerational piece was there too.
 
I’m also interested in celebrating forms of creativity and self-expression that aren’t always—or at least haven’t always—been seen and respected as such. In The Fresh, New Face of Griselda, it was makeup. In the Catalina Incognito series, it’s home-sewing. I’m so lucky to have grown up with grandmothers who made things. I don’t think they would call themselves creative, but they absolutely are. That’s something they gifted me the way Tía Abuela gifts Catalina the sewing kit.
 
AA: I love this so much! So what was your creation process like for the first book and, by extension, for the rest of the series? Are you a pantser or a plotter? Did you go in knowing it would be a series and what would happen?
 
JT: Oh, I plot for sure! I really struggle writing anything until I think I understand how all the puzzle pieces are going fit together. That’s not to say it’s a rigid process. Stories evolve, especially in revision, but it helps me a lot to start with an outline. For Catalina Incognito, I had a feeling it would be a series because I knew, based on the premise and the voice I had in mind for the main character, that I wanted to write a chapter book. That said, I didn’t plot the whole series at once. I took it book-by-book (there are four), but I knew there were some common threads (sorry!) I wanted to pull through each one—the sibling story, for example, Cat’s Stitch and Share community, Pablo’s latest telenovela obsession. And, of course, I wanted every book to have an amazing magical disfraz!
 
AA: I can’t wait to see what other disfrazes are in the rest of the series! They say we put a little bit of ourselves in our stories and characters, and I love the whole cast of characters in Catalina Incognito—from persnickety Catalina to her siblings Coco and Baby Carlos to her parents and glamorous Tía Abuela. They were all so great. With that in mind, which character is most like you and why?
 
JT: I love them too and am so glad I had the chance to write this big, warm family! While I wish I was as fabulous as Tía Abuela, I can’t even pretend. I’m an older sister, so there’s definitely some of me in Coco (We also share a bit of a clutter problem). Even though Coco knows exactly how to get on Cat’s nerves, she’s also the family member who pushes Cat hardest and believes in her most. I hope I’m that kind of sister.
 
And, of course, Cat’s frustration at her own mistakes, her impatience to get through the clumsy beginnings of learning something new are very deeply familiar.
 
AA: Oof, yeah. I think Cat’s impatience and frustration are going to be really relatable for readers. I love the nod toward childhood nicknames, and how we tend to outgrow them as we age (usually lol). It made me think of my own nickname—la maquinita—given to me by my Tía Abuela Beatriz because I would get into all her drawers and closets. So of course, that made me curious: What was your childhood nickname? Or, if you didn’t have one, what would you have wanted it to be?
 
JT: I LOVE that nickname and the story behind it! I think I’ve been called every possible variation of Jennifer. And you can tell which period of my life someone met me in by the one they use. I don’t mind any, but it does throw me a little when someone from the Jenn days calls me Jenny for example.

AA: I loved the nuances we get into Catalina’s family right from the first chapter that reminded me of my own family and customs: the politeness Catalina exhibits, the nod to telenovelas, the family dynamics, the full name warning. How much of these nuances were based on your own family and your own experiences?
 
JT: I’m so glad those details resonated! They have made the books so special to write. My editor, Alyson Heller, was also committed to the family story, and I love that we were able to keep the Castañedas at the heart of the series.
 
They are very much based on my own family and experiences. Like Catalina, I’m Mexican-American, and grew up with two working parents, and with grandparents, tías and tíos, and cousins who have always been very present in my life. When we see Catalina with her family, there’s always a lot going in the background—someone cooking lunch, someone chasing after the baby, someone getting ready for their shift at work. That was rhythm of my childhood too, while the mix of English and Spanish Catalina hears around her was its sound.
 
AA: That’s beautiful! I recognized some of that rhythm, too, and it reminded me of my own family and childhood.
 
You’re the author of several other middle grade novels and chapter books, including Stef Soto, Taco Queen; Flor and Miranda Steal the Show; Twins Vs. Triplets; The Fresh New Face of Griselda; and the upcoming The Do-Over. How is the process different between writing standalone novels and those in a series?
 
JT: I love that middle grade books meet readers at a time when their worlds are getting bigger. And I love that chapter books meet readers when they are just beginning to explore their worlds on their own terms (reading independently, making their first best friends, exploring hobbies.) I feel so grateful that I’ve gotten to write both!
 
One important difference for me in writing a series like Catalina Incognito versus a standalone novel was in needing to think about how Catalina would grow and change within each story as well as across all four books. The way she responds to challenges is different (I hope!) in Book 4 than in Book 1, yet there has to be enough consistency that readers recognize her as the same character.
 
Another big difference was in working with an illustrator, the amazing Gladys Jose, who brought Catalina and her world to life with so much warmth and charm. Knowing the books would be illustrated made me think about them in more visual terms than I might have with an unillustrated middle grade novel.
 
AA: I loved Gladys Jose’s illustrations! Fun question: If you could have one magical object, what would it be?
 
JT: This is fun. Lately I’ve been wishing I had a time-travel device. Or even a time-freezing device! Just to linger a little while longer in cozy moments with my family. Though a magical sewing kit like Catalina’s would be pretty great too. 
 
AA: A time-freezing or time-travel device would be SO useful! I would get so much more done. Lol What advice do you have for writers wishing to write and publish chapter books?
 
JT: Read lots of chapter books! There are so many excellent ones, and it’s really a joy. When I first shared a draft of what would become Catalina Incognito with my agent, she said there was a lot she loved about it, but that I had more work to do. The voice, the structure—all of it was reading a little too old. And she was right! I had just finished writing two middle grade novels, and I needed to recalibrate. She suggested I read and study more chapter books, and I did. It made a huge difference. I don’t think anything helped more than that.
 
I also think it can be valuable to get to know chapter book readers. Not necessarily personally, but to understand what they’re experiencing from a child development perspective. They’re often navigating new independence and the dynamics of new communities—teams, classrooms, friend groups. (That’s so exciting, but it can also feel sort of perilous at times!) They’re compassionate and curious. And also very funny.
 
AA: That’s such great advice! What do you hope readers will take away from the series?
 
JT: Tía Abuela shares a dicho—a saying, or bit of wisdom—with Catalina in each book. In the first book it’s this: “Coser y cantar, todo es empezar.” To me, it speaks to the importance of just starting when approaching something new. Coco puts it in her own words: “You won’t start to get better until you … start.”
 
That’s a lesson I have to learn every time I begin a new book, or really anything new. I hope it’s one that stays with readers and inspires them to push through those worries about messing up or just not being as good as you want to be. It’s all about starting.
 
I also hope readers take away they knowledge that creativity—to put something new in the world—is a very powerful kind of magic.
 
AA: I love that so much. Can you tell us what we can expect from you next?
 
JT: I get to share six new books this year! Three are part of the Catalina Incognito series. The others are The Do-Over, a middle grade novel about family and change set in the pandemic; the second book in the Twins vs. Triplets chapter book series about poor David Suárez and his prank-loving neighbors; and the picture book Lola Out Loud, inspired by civil rights activist Dolores Huerta and my own family’s history of farm and cannery work. I also have a couple of new projects that haven’t been announced. I can’t wait to say more soon!

Purchase Catalina Incognito today!​

Jennifer Torres is the author of Stef Soto, Taco Queen, the Catalina Incognito series, The Do-Over and many other books for young readers. She writes stories about home, friendship, and unexpected courage inspired by her Mexican-American heritage. Jennifer started her career as a newspaper reporter, and even though she writes fiction now, she hopes her stories still have some truth in them. She holds a doctorate in education and lives with her family in Southern California
​

Alexandra Alessandri is the award-winning author of FELIZ NEW YEAR, AVA GABRIELA! (Albert Whitman) and the forthcoming ISABEL AND HER COLORES GO TO SCHOOL (Sleeping Bear Press). The daughter of Colombian immigrants, she is also an Associate Professor of English at Broward College and a poet, with some of her work appearing in The Acentos Review, Rio Grande Review, Atlanta Review, and Young Adult Review Network. Alexandra lives in Florida with her husband and son. 
​

Hilda Eunice Burgos: Congratulations on the release of your beautiful debut book! Could you tell us what inspired you to write this story?

Vanessa L. Torres: I could easily say, my love for Prince and his music. And yes, that would be totally true. I’ve been “Prince-obsessed” like my main character, Rosa, since I was twelve years old. After Prince died, I couldn’t stop thinking about my time as a dancer at The Minnesota Dance Theatre. It was 1983, and word traveled fast around the studio that Prince was taking dance classes under our roof.

I found every opportunity I could to sneak upstairs and watch him perfect his pirouettes. So, yeah, those memories were the initial spark for the book. I grew up in Minneapolis, as one of the few inner-city kids dancing on financial assistance for MDT’s Children’s Performing Arts Division. I came of age in downtown Minneapolis. I hung out in places I probably shouldn’t have been hanging out in. So many of those places, people, and experiences made it into the book. But moreover, as I wrote, the story also became about my own identity, and how growing up, I never felt like I fit in any one space. I am from a wonderful, close, Mexican American family—one that did not pass down speaking Spanish to the younger generations. For my grandparents, it was about assimilation and being protective of their children, knowing the obstacles being mixed race often brings.
I never really feel I belong anywhere, one hundred percent of the time. I could not have written Rosa’s story about her finding forgiveness and self-love, without including my own struggles.  

Hilda: Yes, I agree that our best stories come out when we dig deep into ourselves. And when we really know what we’re talking about, as you obviously did when you wrote the ballet studio scenes in your book. Are you a trained ballerina?

Vanessa: Yes! As I mentioned above, I am a former dancer. And my sister is a retired professional ballet dancer. I leaned on her a lot for the dance scenes because I don’t take class nearly as often as I used to. 

And I also loved streaming classes from professional ballet companies while I was writing TTP. A lot of companies go live with their classes, and anyone can observe, or follow along. Sometimes, I’d have a tab open to stream The Royal Ballet and play it behind my working document. Just the sounds of the ballet class pulled me in and were super helpful while writing the complex ballet scenes.
 
Hilda: That’s a great idea! We can find a lot on the internet to inspire us and to help with research as well. I love how you bring back the 1980s in this book. Why was it important to set the story in the 1980s and not in the present? What was it like to write about a real place during a time in the (not too distant) past? Do you have a really good memory or did you have to do some research?

Vanessa: I love this question! Several years ago, when I was new to writing novels, I attended a writer’s conference. There was a session about finding your voice. And something the presenter said has stuck with me until this day.
She said, write the story only you could write. Your experiences are unique. There isn’t another person on this earth who can tell your story the way you do. Once you tap into that, you’ve found your voice, and your book.

Once I discovered this within myself, I had my muse for The Turning Pointe. Aside from the fact that my book centers around a real event in music history, the Prince concert at a club called First Avenue, where he first played songs from his iconic album, Purple Rain, I also wrote about the 80s because they were totally rad! And yes, I did have to do some research. It was important to me to get the details right. I wanted the inner-city neighborhood in the book to become a character. All of the shops, bars and clubs in the scenes were real establishments at one time. 

So much has changed since then. But there are some things that haven’t changed at all. I really wanted this to resonate with my young readers. 

Hilda: Yes, the neighborhood definitely felt like an integral part of the book, and so did Prince. Why was it important for you to include him in this story?

Vanessa: It was impossible to grow up in Minnesota and not know who Prince was. I can’t think about my childhood without him being part of my memories. I wanted to capture what it feels like when you hear that perfect song–the one that makes you roll down your car windows and belt it out until you forget about everything else going on around you. Coming of age, Prince was that for me. He still is. 

Hilda: I absolutely get that! His songs are true classics. I noticed that you used your knowledge as a firefighter/paramedic to write some compellingly realistic scenes in the book. In what other ways did your personal experiences help you create this story?

Vanessa: Thank you! Well, I was an avid bus rider. And in my book, so is my main character, Rosa. Sometimes, her bus rides were her only refuge. It’s funny, but I didn’t realize how much using public transportation as a kid would come back to give me such awesome material. My mother didn’t drive and my father worked nights, so I started taking the bus alone at an early age. I’d come home from school, grab my dance bag, shove some food in my face and hop on the bus to go downtown. I think I was eleven when this became the norm. I had two younger sisters and my mother worked, so it was my only option. I knew all the drivers and most of the regular riders. They all looked out for me and sometimes, even brought me little treats and crafts. It was tough during the Minnesota winters, but I wouldn’t change a thing. 

Hilda: That sounds like a nice memory! I grew up in New York City and my parents didn’t own a car, so I can definitely relate to this. As a debut author, is there anything you learned during your publication journey that surprised you? Is there one piece of advice you would give to an aspiring writer?

Vanessa: I am continually blown away by the support from my fellow authors. Writers who don’t even know me personally are cheering me on, and this is so wild! Sometimes it really feels like a found family. When you’re in the query trenches, things can get lonely and frustrating. It can feel as though everyone around you is receiving good news, and it’ll never happen for you. I can’t stress enough how important it is to find your people. Join a critique group. Attend a conference. This is how I connected with my invaluable critique partners. We lift each other up when the going gets tough. Yes, you are the one writing your book, but you don’t have to go through the rest alone. 

Hilda: Great advice. I so enjoyed The Turning Pointe and I can’t wait to read more books by you! Do you have any upcoming projects you can share with us?

Vanessa: I have about a thousand potential projects crammed inside my brain. It’s a shame there are only so many hours in the day! Right now, I am working on another young adult book for Knopf, my publisher. I am very excited about it. I can’t say too much, but I will give a hint that it is inspired by my other career, a firefighter/paramedic. It has been quite emotional to draft, but also so much fun!
And when I have moments away from novel writing, I write picture books. I love the challenge of telling a complete story in so few words. Maybe someday, I’ll see my name on a jacket for something like that.

Hilda: I’m sure you will, and I look forward to reading those picture books! Thank you for speaking with me today, Vanessa, and congratulations on your book debut!

Purchase The Turning Pointe today!​

Today on the blog, Musa Jonny Garza Villa interviews Angela Velez about her debut novel, Lulu and Milagro's Search for Clarity! Scroll on to learn more about her book!

Overachiever Luz "Lulu" Zavala has straight As, perfect attendance, and a solid ten-year plan. First up: nail her interview for a dream internship at Stanford, the last stop on her school's cross-country college road trip. The only flaw in her plan is Clara, her oldest sister, who went off to college and sparked a massive fight with their overprotective Peruvian mom, who is now convinced that out-of-state-college will destroy their family. If Lulu can't fix whatever went wrong between them, the whole trip--and her future--will be a waste.

Middle sister Milagro wants nothing to do with college or a nerdy class field trip. Then a spot opens up on the trip just as her own spring break plans (Operation Don't Die a Virgin) are thwarted, and she hops on the bus with her glittery lipsticks, more concerned about getting back at her ex than she is about schools or any family drama. But the trip opens her eyes about possibilities she'd never imagined for herself. Maybe she is more than the boy-crazy girl everyone seems to think she is.

On a journey from Baltimore all the way to San Francisco, Lulu and Milagro will become begrudging partners as they unpack weighty family expectations, uncover Clara's secrets, and maybe even discover the true meaning of sisterhood.

Jonny Garza Villa: I have to start off by telling everyone that this book is so good, Angela! And when I say that Lulu and Milagro's Search for Clarity is honestly one of my favorite young adult contemporary novels that I have ever had the pleasure of reading, I am not hyperbolizing one bit. With that said, I think I'd like to begin with talking about your inspiration. Where did the idea for Lulu's and Milagro's journeys come from?

Angela Velez: Jonny!!!! This means so much coming from you!!!!!!!! Oh my god!!! I still think about the opening pages of Fifteen Hundred Miles from the Sun and how perfect and voice-y and FUN they are!!! 

So much of Lulu and Milagro's Search for Clarity was inspired by my own anxieties around college and thinking about The Future -- so scary! Like Lulu, I had a dream college and very, very big dreams (in my case, becoming an author), but I was afraid to say them out loud, let alone actually act on them, because I didn't know anyone who had ever done those things. 

Once I got into my dream school and made it to campus, I remember feeling so in over my head and wildly behind my classmates, who had gone to prep schools and had won awards for all these amazing competitions I didn't even know existed! So much of Milagro's journey is inspired by those first few months of insecurity, before learning I belonged on campus as much as anyone else did.

Since my high school and college days, I've realized how quickly fear can turn into loneliness, because you're afraid of exposing your most vulnerable feelings with people, and I wanted both Milagro and Lulu to realize they were stronger together, because they could cheer each other on.

JGV: Thinking on each sister individually for a second, Lulu is this level-headed sister who's also so tightly wound. Her goal-oriented character arc is pretty clear from the get go, and I feel like those of us who know what it is to carry the hopes and dreams of our parents, who know the mental health implications of being labeled "gifted and talented" as a child, who grow up having never done anything wrong in our whole life can really connect with her.

What was the thought behind Lulu's conception and her character, especially as the youngest of the sisters, being the one to have it so much more together than Milagro?

AV: As the youngest daughter and a first gen teen, Lulu is always aware that when her sisters leave for college, it's just going to be her and her mom. There can be much pressure as the daughter of immigrants -- you're told, 'we sacrificed so much so you can make a better life for yourself' -- and you're also reminded of how important family is, and how your decisions should take family into account. In Lulu's mind, if she's going to leave her mom all alone, it needs to be for a REALLY good reason, like saving the world or getting into a wildly exclusive program.

And even though these goals are her passion, that pressure to be better than GREAT creates a tunnel vision for her, one that's reinforced by the adults around her -- to the point when she closes herself off from friendship and even romance. And I really wanted to show readers that you there's a way out of that high pressure situation, and you don't have to silo different facets of your personality -- and in fact, it ultimately benefits you to have more than one outlet for your interests!

JGV: With Milagro, we have the chaotic, whimsical, but also severely underestimated sibling. Her character arc feels very fitting as to who she is: sort of falling into these sometimes incredibly messy and other times just as beautiful moments that allow this self-reflection and realizing she's so much greater than anyone has ever let her believe she is. What do you hope to leave readers with --especially young Peruana and Latina readers -- as it pertains to Milagro's story?

AV: I wanted readers to know that they are more than the labels their family or teachers place on them, and that only you know the wild depths of your true potential!!! I think it's very hard for people to celebrate intangible qualities -- there's no room on a resume to write 'Great Friend," or fancy awards given for 'Always Stands Up For Herself' -- but those are absolutely things worth celebrating!  And I wanted to show that it's okay to not have a plan and be figuring things out as you go along, as long as you let yourself be open to new possibilities. 

JGV: I feel like in my teenage years, I was definitely closer to a Lulu, but, the minute I moved away to college I immediately turned into a Milagro. Is there a sister that you feel more connected to?

AV: I don't know if I can pick a favorite!!! Lulu is hands down what I was like as a teen -- I had the dream school, I was convinced if I did enough research, I could do anything, and I was also deathly afraid of messing up. There are elements of Milagro that definitely come from my real life -- especially her frenetic energy and curiosity around sex! -- but her confidence, style, and savviness was definitely aspirational teen Angela. I think I feel closest to Milagro's journey of self-love, because it's the one that I think is so, so important, whether or not you have a romantic partner!

JGV: When it comes to the difference between liking and loving a book, for me, it's all about voice. And I think this is something you've done perfectly. You've written a dual POV story, centering these two very different sisters, and the way both of them are equally loveable and I felt so in tune with who they are as individuals is truly iconic of you. What was your process with finding Lulu's and Milagro's voice and figuring out what they think of and how they respond to their world?

AV: GAH!!! This is so nice to read and I'm grinning SO big!!!! For each sister, I really had to think about what they wanted in each chapter, and what their strategy would be to get it. For Milagro, it usually involved roping someone in and breaking as many rules as possible, while Lulu was more likely to do extreme research and go it alone.

Sometimes I'd still get stuck, so I'd try to do something each character might do -- play a pump-up song for Milagro, or really nerd out over a tiny detail (lots of wikipedia spirals) for Lulu. Both of those really helped get me in the right mindset for each sister. 

JGV: My favorite trope with young adult novels is the coming-of-age trope. This frame of time we focus on within the character's life where they both feel as grown up as they've ever felt but also going through obstacles that continually remind them how little they have actually figured out and how young they still are. And, as it pertains to Lulu and Milagro (and even their oldest sister, Clara), I think this really is one of the best coming-of-age stories I've read in a long time. What has your own emotional journey been like writing this story centering very brown, first generation girls with very different --- but intertwined -- journeys and different mindsets?

AV: With this book, I really wanted to show all the emotions that latinx girls -- especially the first gen ones -- go through as they try to "make it" in a country that's totally foreign to their parents. For me, so much of my Latinx identity is tied up in being Catholic -- my parents are very religious, and I went to Catholic school for 14 years. For a long time, Catholic Mass was the only place I could hear Spanish spoken by someone who wasn't related to me, but it was also was the source of a great deal of turmoil with the messaging around sexuality, gender, and how relationships should work.

I wanted this story to show Milagro, Lulu, and Clara poking holes in that religious messaging -- particularly the idea that women can't own their sexuality, or that they need to be protected from men, or that they can only be "good" or "bad" with no shades of gray. And I wanted to show that this messaging harms all people --  including the "good girls," because it instills a real fear of failure! Being able to write (* spoiler alert! *) happy endings for these three girls has really been healing and joyful, and then hearing from readers that this speaks to them and their experiences has really magnified the joy. I feel so lucky! 

JGV: Can we talk for a minute about college? Both of our debut novels really get into figuring out where our characters want to be at post-high school (or maybe being fine having no idea), on applications, on finances and paying for college, on their families' opinions of where they want to be. And I think the biggest difference is while my main character's thoughts behind it all center on where he wants to be when he grows up, Lulu and Milagros seem to be more what do I want to be when I grow up and, more so, how do I get there?

You mention your own work in higher education helping you mold their journeys, but was your own high school-into-university years of life also an inspiration for how your characters interacted with their futures?

AV: Yes, absolutely! I was so lucky that my family was extremely supportive and encouraging of my college dreams, but it also meant that we were all figuring it out together. There was no traditional road map for me to follow in the US and no generational knowledge about US higher ed. I also was VERY aware of my dream schools' diversity stats, and how impossible it felt that I could somehow be part of that small percentage. This was compounded by seeing classmates visiting their parents' alma maters and so easily rattling off the schools they would attend. I just remember that time being so anxiety-filled and like I was somehow behind everyone, and I wanted to show that this is a common feeling! 

JGV: Are there any lessons or reflections you've had so far as you hit this huge point in your debut year you'd like to share with everyone reading?

AV: This whole experience has really magnified how grateful I am for people doing book work in the world! The reception that I've gotten from librarians all over the country has been thrilling, the way Las Musas has been SO supportive, the bloggers and bookstagrammers taking gorgeous photos and hyping up these sisters -- I'm so, so full of gratitude for the support. It really does take a village to get books in the hands of teens, and I feel very luck with the people in my  little book village!

JGV: And, to close out this conversation, I'm sure you've gotten this question so many times, but I'd love to hear whatever you can tell us about what's next for you!

AV: Oh gosh, I'm still VERY much in the messy drafting stage, but I'm working on a book that delves into the visual art world, and how all you need to "be an artist' is to create -- which is something I very much believe in!

Purchase Lulu and Milagro's Search for Clarity today!

Angela Velez grew up in Baltimore, under the watchful eye of her Peruvian immigrant parents. She has a BA from Columbia University and an MFA from the University of Pittsburgh. Angela lives in Pittsburgh, with her piles of books, three plastic flamingos, and one wobbly disco ball. Lulu and Milagro's Search for Clarity is her first novel.

Jonny Garza Villa is a product of the Great State of Texas, raised along the Gulf Coast and a decade-long resident of the Alamo City. They are an author of contemporary YA, writing stories that incorporate their own identities as a queer Chicanx and have been known to be equal parts emotional, chaotic, and joyful. Jonny's short story, "Constellations in an Electric Sky," appears in inQluded web magazine's JOY issue, and their debut YA novel, FIFTEEN HUNDRED MILES FROM THE SUN, is set to release in summer 2021.

Today on the blog, Musa Nonieqa Ramos is interviewing Musa Terry Catasús about her newest book, Pauli Murray: The Life of a Pioneering Feminist. Scroll on to learn more about this incredible project!

NoNieqa Ramos: Terry, I’m so honored to speak with you about Pauli Murray: The Life of a Pioneering Feminist, a book for upper elementary, middle, and high school students that needs to be in every social studies curriculum across the country. This work is both a primer and a bible on the intersection of gender, sexuality, and race in America.

Terry Catasús Jennings is an award-winning author of children's fiction, non-fiction, and fact-based fiction. Her chapter book series Definitely Dominguita, described as “Judy Moody meets Netflix’s One Day at a Time,” features a young Cuban American girl who tries to find adventure based on classics she has read with her beloved abuela. In Book 1, Dominguita is on a quest to be a noble knight like Don Quixote. In their starred review, Kirkus called Definitely Dominguita Book 1 “A charming adventure that will encourage kids to become knights in their own communities.” Terry’s book was a School Library Journal Best Book of 2021! ​

Cynthia Harmony: As a big fan of all your books, I’m thrilled to get a chance to chat with you about your newest picture book BEAUTY WOKE hitting book shelves on February 15th, 2022!

Picture books are a long journey in the making, typically two years or more from acquisition to release, plus the time it takes to polish a first draft into a submission ready version. How was BEAUTY WOKE’s journey different from your two previous picture books? 

NoNieqa Ramos: Mil gracias, Cynthia! My family and I are eagerly awaiting the release of your debut MI CIUDAD SINGS, releasing June 14, 2022. 

Kwame Alexander’s imprint Versify sent out a Twitter invitation for writers to submit picture books, and I had my agent jump on the opportunity and send YOUR MAMA. It’s so important to find the right match with an editor and a publishing house. I’ll never forget receiving the call from Kwame with an offer for a two book deal during a staff team meeting at my middle school. I worked with Kwame and Erika Turner through the formative process of the YOUR MAMA before she left for other publishing prospects. Because of the fluidity–and volatility– of the publishing industry, I’ve learned it is typical to work with several editors!

After YOUR MAMA’s acceptance, I had to decide what to submit next. I had the fortunate (and nerve-wracking!) surprise invitation to visit Kwame Alexander in his studio and read my draft for BEAUTY WOKE aloud. He read me a selection from a favorite childhood book and made brilliant suggestions-of course. The book was accepted shortly thereafter. During the editorial process, I worked with Kwame, Weslie–and Boricua Las Musas writers Mia Garcia and Carmen Rodriguez– to ensure factual, respectful, and dynamic Puerto Rican representation. 

Because BEAUTY WOKE deals with such sensitive topics as racism with a young audience, I labored feverishly to ensure I was treating my future readers with tender loving care. While YOUR MAMA was purely a work of joy and exultation, BEAUTY WOKE was a labor of pain and joy. Both are messages of unconditional love to children.

CH: What an amazing journey and thank you for sharing the similarities and differences between YOUR MAMA and BEAUTY WOKE. Can you tell us about the inspiration for this story and any unexpected challenges or fortunate surprises along the way? 

NR: The inspiration for BEAUTY WOKE came from despair. In the original story of Sleeping Beauty, the parents love their daughter Aurora tremendously. But they don’t invite Maleficent to her christening, and she crashes the party to levy a curse. Aurora will prick her finger on a spinning needle and die on her sixteenth birthday. Her madrinas save her with a counter curse–that she will not die, but sleep, and that a prince can break the curse with a kiss.The King and Queen proceed to burn, destroy, and ban every spinning wheel in the land.

 In BEAUTY WOKE, Beauty’s family loves her tremendously. Despite their nurturing and care, they can not burn all the spinning wheels. They cannot keep racism from entering their household. When Beauty listens to the news, she hears anti-immigrant rhetoric for the first time. She hears brown and Black people stereotyped and denigrated. But the story of BEAUTY WOKE does not end in despair. My mission in writing this book was to provide validation, healing, and hope to children.

CH: With that clear intention you created a powerful and empowering book. Has it also been an intentional decision to maintain a poetic structure through your picture books or does verse happen naturally as part of your voice? Part of this voice and one of the aspects I love about your books is your fresh and authentic use of Spanish words and playful cultural slang. Will there be a full Spanish edition for any of your books? Is this something you are interested in pursuing in the future?
​
NR: It has taken me many moons to develop the poetic structure. It is quite intentional. I occasionally write picture book drafts in prose or with traditional rhyme structures, but they don’t allow me the artistic freedom to flex my wings. Thank you so much for your kind words! My use of Spanish words and slang is intentional, cultural, political. Slang is the jazz of poetry.  But according to my current experiences in publishing, what I do is apparently not easily translatable? 

That said, with my debut picture book Your Mama, Gabriela Benzel, the Family Engagement Coordinator for Excellence in Children's Early Language and Literacy, translated my book when it was selected as a Virginia Great Read. I have the translation available for educators-but it is not a formal translation from the publisher. I’ll be providing this translation to educators who select me for workshops! Alas, BEAUTY WOKE will also have an informal translation as well. Having a book translated into Spanish is a dream on my bucket list! ​

Today, Musa Terry Catasus Jennings is interviewing Crystal Maldonado on her newest novel! Scroll on to read their conversation!

Terry Catasus Jennings: Hello, Crystal! I am so happy to be here with you to shout about your newest book, No Filters and Other Lies, a book that starts with a bang, when Kat Sanchez, the 16-year-old protagonist, tells us she’s a liar—right up front. Her life has some “suckiness,” well, maybe even some major suckiness and it unravels when, in a drunken moment, Kat makes up a new persona on social media. She makes up a persona who has everything Kat does not—beauty, popularity, a just about perfect life. And she is white. And she has followers! Kat has been struggling for her art, her photography, to be noticed on Instagram. But her following is meager. When she posts as her new white, thin, and glamorous alter ego, Kat’s art is finally noticed. And her alter ego’s reach may be able to help the dogs at the shelter to which Kat devotes gobs of time and love. So there is that. And then there is a family life which, through no fault of Kat's, is also full of lies. Kat has to navigate these lies to keep up appearances in her hometown.  The minute you pick up the book, you know you are headed for an epic train wreck, and you have to keep on reading.

I loved what Publisher’s Weekly said: Maldonado’s writing has a warm and relatable feel, full of insight regarding societal expectations, accountability, and the need to belong within one’s own family and the wider world. That was a starred review. And it was a Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection. I couldn’t agree more.
 
Tell us a little about your book and about what brought you to this story. What inspired you to write it?
 
Crystal Maldonado: I was inspired by a combination of my love of connection made on social media and a desire to celebrate nontraditional family structures were big inspirations for this book. Since I was in elementary school, I’ve been making friends online—first via America Online, then on Livejournal, Tumblr, and now on social media. I’ve always heard the friends that you make online aren’t “real” friends, but that’s never been true for me. Every online relationship I created was every bit as meaningful, supportive, and fun as the friendships I have in person, and I think society is finally beginning to understand that more with the pandemic changing how we meet and communicate. Plus, growing up with a nontraditional family structure myself really made me yearn for books that celebrated families that weren’t a mom, dad, 2.5 kids, and a dog. Hopefully others who grew up in similar situations can relate to Kat in that way.
 
TCJ: That is so true, in the beginning, I saw social media as artificial, but I have come to appreciate the connections that I made on line. Thank you for bringing that up. This is your second book, and it’s no secret that we all struggle with that second book. Charlie Vega had me from the very beginning, and I can’t lie, I wondered, as a reader, would you be able to do the same with Kat Sanchez, and YES, you did. From the very beginning you captured me. A person who admits she’s a liar right up front, there’s no way for her life to go anywhere but down, and I knew, right away, that it had nowhere to go but up for the reader. Tell us how you got to this beginning. Was it difficult? Was this always the beginning of the book, or was this an evolution of the story.
 
CM: It was a little difficult! You’re absolutely right that sophomore novels can be tough, and I felt so much pressure with this one for the best reason: everyone was so kind and supportive with Charlie’s story! With No Filter, I wanted to write about a complex character who was a little unlikeable; it took a while to strike exactly the right balance in making her both flawed but someone you could root for. The best way to achieve that, I thought, would be to have this person who can admit right away how they’re flawed.
 
TCJ: Kat Sanchez does get that out right out of the chute! She has a very complicated back story. Where did that come from? Is that something you’re willing to share?
 
CM: Yes! This was personal to me. My familial structure was similar to Kat’s, although not exactly a perfect replica. I was raised by my grandparents, though, and my own parents and brother lived nearby, so the basic structure is the same. Growing up, I was so worried to share this with my peers because I feared it was too unusual, too different. Little did I know families come in all shapes, sizes, and configurations, each beautiful in its own way.
 
TCJ: It’s not surprising for me to hear this. You handle this non-traditional family structure with both care and love. It is an affirmation, as you say, that tradition has nothing to do with it. Family structures can each be beautiful in their own ways, yes. Can you tell us more about the cringe factor. I cringed so many times while reading No Filters! I kept wanting to yell don’t do that! How could you? You know better than that!  Yet, even though we’re reading about fake identities and really outrageous behavior we all know will get Kat in deep trouble, it never feels fake. She is so human. Her decisions are horrible, but they are grounded in Kat’s reality and they feel absolutely normal. Tell us about that. How did that come about? Was that difficult for you?
 
CM: The cringe factor is so real in this story! But I think that’s a good thing. None of us are perfect, ever, and especially when we’re teenagers trying to figure out the world and our place within it. I wanted to highlight how even people who mean well can still make mistakes.
 
I also think there is this expectation put on marginalized authors and their characters to create these perfect people within their stories, and I think our readers deserve to see messy characters. It shows us how we are all flawed and we mess up but we can learn from those mistakes and grow as a person.
 
TCJ: Yes. Here’s raising a … pencil to messy characters. One of the reasons Kat gives her best friend Hari for creating the fake persona on Instagram is “pretending to be a white girl.” And she is successful on Instagram as a white girl where she was not successful as herself. Tell us more about that. In this book, the “fat” vibe is more subdued than in Charlie Vega, and the “brown girl” vibe did not seem to me as prevalent either. Kat and her friends are all “others” but that is more the background, a very normal background. The book is about a girl who made bad choices. Tell us more about your goal in writing the book. Was making a point about color one of your main goals? What themes were important to you? Would you like to share why?
 
CM: With Charlie Vega, I very much wanted her fatness and her Latinidad to be at the forefront of her story. I had so much to say and so many things I wanted Charlie and her characters to experience on the page related to those intersecting identities. But I also think for every story that focuses on identity, there should be another story where those identities are simply part of the character. I remember coming across a reader who said something like, “I love stories that center fatness, but I also love stories that feature fat characters living their lives.” That stuck with me because I’ve felt that way, too. No Filter was my attempt at creating this world where Kat’s body size and brownness are certainly part of what fuels her decision, but they are not the only things that do.
 
Through Kat’s story, I wanted to explore nontraditional family dynamics and the way in which the families we’re born into are sometimes really complicated. How do we make peace with the version of our lives we always envisioned versus the lives we have? That can be difficult and sometimes even require a bit of mourning as we come to terms to what is. I also really wanted to highlight how much pressure young folks deal with on social media. I grew up in a time when you could actually turn the internet off and walk away, and now that’s not really the case. So, I feel for teens now, and I really wanted to make this story to hopefully let readers who have felt like Kat know they’re not alone. (And maybe feel a little superior to her in the sense that they’ve probably never catfished anyone!)
 
TCJ: Okay, you had me both in tears and laughing there. One of the themes that I liked was the beauty of the beach. It seemed to bring calm to Kat, it was one of the places where she was the happiest. Is the beach important to you? Why did you want that for Kat?
 
CM: I would live at the beach if I could, and hope someday I can! My husband and I got married on the beach, and we have celebrated our anniversary there every year since we started dating. It’s a place that’s very calm and centering for me, so I gave that same feeling to Kat.
 
TCJ: And it worked. I also have to say that I loved the sentence “’Why’” would be the iron to my wrinkly life.” And your descriptions of the setting, the descriptions of the photographs she takes, are breath-taking. Tell me about your process. Does all that brilliance come out up front, first draft? Or is this something you consciously enhance through revision?
 
CM: You are too kind, Terry! Seriously! I wish my first drafts had such detail, but for me the richness evolves throughout the revision process.
 
I also want to give a shout out to my amazing editor at Holiday House, Mora Couch, because she always knows exactly where a description is needed!
 
TCJ: And along the same note, are you a plotter or a pantser? There are many layers to No Filters and scenes and characters who bring the layers together into a cohesive story. How much did you know about the story when you began? Did you plot it all or did some, or a lot evolve as you wrote?
 
CM: I’ve always traditionally been a panster, starting stories more on feelings and emotions and vibes than real structure. With No Filter, though, I used an outline for the first time and it really helped, especially with the basic plot. But you’re absolutely right that a lot of it evolved as I wrote. I think this probably happens to a lot of writers! Sometimes you get in there and your characters have ideas of their own or you don’t discover a plot hole until you’re deep into the story. For me, I struggled with figuring out how Kat’s secret identity would be discovered. Through writing this book, I discovered I’m not quite a pantser or a plotter, but I fall somewhere right in between!
 
TCJ: I get that. I start as a very loose plotter, but go where the characters and the story take me. I bet more of us are in between writers than one or the other. Now let’s talk about Kat’s possible excuses. Kat actually had many excuses she could have used for her behavior, but she never resorts to blaming her mistakes on others, or her situation. She takes ownership of her mistakes and tries to work herself out of the consequences. Was that a conscious decision on your part? Was there ever a point in which you wanted to use the excuses she had?
 
CM: It was a conscious decision I made for Kat because I wanted it to be clear at all times that Kat had made a bad choice. Of course, the circumstances around her influenced her, but it was always her decision to lie and then continue to lie. She’s a smart girl who got swept up in something. I wanted her choices to be understandable, but not excusable.
 
TCJ: There are so many ways that this book could end. Most of them are pretty bleak. Without divulging any spoilers, can you tell us your goal for Kat?
 
CM: I really wanted Kat to come out on the other side of her journey feeling more secure in herself in nearly every way. I wanted her to embrace everything from her hair to her friends to her vulnerability to the very life she had been given. At the beginning of the story, I think Kat feels a little helpless, like the world around her is making decisions on her behalf; by the end, though, I think she realizes she is the one who gets to make decisions based on her situation. There is great power in that.
 
TCJ: And you accomplished what you set out to do! The apology, to me, is perfect. What was your goal there and did you struggle with getting it on the page? I can imagine it was difficult. Was there a lot of rewriting for that scene and that whole relationship?
 
CM: There was so much writing and rewriting in this scene! It was hard to strike a balance between desperately wanting these two characters to make up and remain friends and knowing that what Kat did was actually quite serious. What I knew going in was that the apology needed to be sincere, honest, and that Kat needed to hear some hard truths. You can’t steal a friend’s photos and come out on the other side completely unscathed. That was a really tough but important lesson for Kat to learn.
 
TCJ: Hear, hear. It was a really tough lesson, and the scene as it is in the book, is just perfect. Brava. Now, this is, of course, your second book. What can you tell us about what writing the dreaded “Book Two” was for you? Would you like to share how writing Kat’s story was the same as and different from writing Charlie’s story?
 
CM: Ha! I am so appreciative that you plainly put it out there that writing your second book can be challenging. It’s so true! For as much as I absolutely loved writing this second story, I experienced quite a bit of imposter syndrome and doubt with it. I worried my first book was a fluke and that I was doomed to fail, which I definitely didn’t worry about so much with Charlie’s story. I was more concerned then with just getting words on the page! I would also say I wanted to prove to myself with this book that I could write another first-person narrative that didn’t feel identical, that I could create another character who was flawed but redeemable. I hope I achieved that!
 
TCJ: I love you saying you suffered from imposter syndrome. It’s so true. I don’t know that we can ever get over that. Now I know that when we first began this conversation, you told us about how positive your experiences with social media are and have been. But No Filter is a commentary on the grip social media can have on a life and the fact, that whether we lie or not, social media, can be an artificial, fake realm which can lead us to believe that we are hated or loved without any link to reality. Why was it important to you to focus on social media and its benefits and pitfalls?
 
CM: I actually appreciate social media quite a bit for the way it brings people together, especially marginalized communities. Social media has brought such deep joy to me personally. I’ve met so many wonderful people through it, like you and everyone in Las Musas, fellow 2021 debut authors (shout out to the 21ders!), and incredible friends throughout the years. But I’m also a lot older than the characters I’m writing.
 
When you’re a teenager and you’re on social media, I think there are so many social media pitfalls. While it can definitely be used for good, it can also be painful to scroll through and see people living lives that seem better than yours or to see a friend post a photo at an event you weren’t invited to. So devastating! I really wanted to emphasize that social media is very much a mirage and we can’t take it at face value. Yet, there is something beautiful about the connections we can forge there, too. Finding a balance with it is key, so I hope that is something readers take away once they finish the book.
 
TCJ: YES!!! Would you like to tell us what your writing day is like and was this different for Kat than it was for Charlie?
 
CM: I’m a very sporadic writer in terms of actually getting words on the page. I work full-time, I’m a mom to a toddler, I have a delightful husband I love spending time with, a cute dog, I volunteer… so really, I have to actively fit in writing where I can. Sometimes that means I don’t write a word for months. But the process for me is a lot of daydreaming and listening to music, reading other books, watching movies, living life (as much as I can during a global pandemic) — all of those things together contribute to my writing. I like to get to the place where I’m longing to write and then it all seems to come out at once. That’s not to say it’s easy. Sometimes I swear getting each word down is like pulling teeth, but I get there, eventually.
 
I would say my process for writing Charlie’s story was much more romantic. It was kind of that dreamy way I’ve always envisioned writing, where I would come to it whenever I felt creative. I wrote in coffee shops and on my lunch breaks and at the park with my laptop, whereas parts of this second book were written with a pen in one hand and holding apple slices for my toddler in the other. Either way, I’ll take it!
 
TCJ: Well, with the wonderful books you write, we will all take whatever way you can do them. I am sure all our readers are dying to know, what’s next for you?
 
CM: I’m so excited to say that I have another book forthcoming from Holiday House in Fall 2023! I can’t quite talk about it yet… but it’s coming, and I promise lots of feelings, romance, and drama.
 
Thank you, Terry, for the most wonderful interview and all of these thoughtful questions. It has been so much fun getting to know you over the last year and I love that we get to root for each other as authors and friends! The Definitely Dominguita series is up next in the reading queue for my daughter, and we’re very excited about it. Thank you again!
 
TCJ: Loved doing this, Crystal!

Purchase No Filter and Other Lies today!​
Add No Filter and Other Lies on Goodreads!

Crystal Maldonado is a young adult author with a lot of feelings. Her debut novel, Fat Chance, Charlie Vega, is a 2021 New England Book Award winner, a Cosmopolitan Best New Book, and a POPSUGAR Best New YA Novel. Her next novel, No Filter and Other Lies, explores teenage life in the social media age—and the lies we tell to ourselves and others.

By day, Crystal works in higher ed marketing, and by night, and by night, a writer who loves Beyoncé, glitter, shopping, and spending too much time on her phone. Her work has been published in Latina, BuzzFeed, and the Hartford Courant.

She lives in western Massachusetts with her husband, daughter, and dog. Find her everywhere @crystalwrote or crystalwrote.com.