 Join us in celebrating The Moonlit Vine book birthday! We sat down with Musa Elizabeth Santiago to learn all about the inspiration behind this book. But first, a little bit about this novel: Despite her name, Taína Perez doesn't know anything about her Taíno heritage, nor has she ever tried to learn. After all, how would ancient Puerto Rican history help with everything going on? But life takes a wild turn when her abuela tells her she is a direct descendant of Anacaona, the beloved Taíno leader, warrior, and poet, who was murdered by the Spanish in 1503. Abuela also gives her an amulet and a zemi and says that it's time for her to step into her power like the women who came before her. But is that even possible? People like her hardly make it out of their circumstances, and the problems in her home and community are way bigger than Taína can manage. Or are they? A modern tale with interstitial historical chapters, The Moonlit Vine brings readers a powerful story of the collective struggle, hope, and liberation of Puerto Rican and Taíno peoples.
0 Comments
 Book Cover art by illustrator Alexandra Beguez
Join us in celebrating Hispanic Star: Selena Gomez book birthday! We sat down with Karla Valenti to learn all about the inspiration behind the book! But first, a little bit about this biography for young readers: Meet Selena Gomez—actress, singer, producer, social media mogul, activist, and a powerful voice raising awareness on mental health struggles in young people. Launched into stardom at a very young age, Selena knows all to well the challenges of navigating the world’s expectations while staying true to who you are. In this biography, readers will gain insights into the often-turbulent life of this remarkable Hispanic star who not only found a way to face (and overcome) numerous personal and professional challenges, but became an inspiration to millions around the world. This book is part of the Hispanic Stars biography series, in collaboration with Claudia Romo Edelman and Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group, featuring groundbreaking Hispanic and Latinx heroes who have made remarkable contributions to American culture and have been undeniable forces in shaping its future. Spanish version translated by fellow Musa, Terry Catasús Jennings.  Join us in celebrating RUBI RAMOS's RECIPE FOR SUCCESS book birthday! We sat down with Musa Jessica Parra to learn all about the inspiration behind her book. But first, a little bit about this novel: Graduation is only a few months away, and Rubi Ramos’s “recipe for success” to get into prestigious Alma University is already off track.When Alma waitlists Rubi’s application, Rubi will need to be distraction-free to make the grade and keep her parents―who have wanted this for her for years―from finding out. Which means falling for her cute surfer-slash-math tutor, Ryan, definitely won’t work. And neither will breaking her mother’s ban on baking―her parents didn’t leave Cuba so she could bake just like them.But some recipes are begging to be tampered with. When the First Annual Bake Off comes to town, Rubi’s passion for baking goes from subtle simmer to full boil. Add to the mix her crush on Ryan may be turning into a full-fledged relationship and Rubi’s life is suddenly so different from what it was. She’s not sure if she has what it takes to win the Bake Off, or where the relationship with Ryan is going, but there’s only one way to find out―even if it means going against her parents’ priorities. Now Rubi must differentiate between the responsibility of unfulfilled dreams she holds and finding the path she’s meant for. What 3 words would you use to describe your book? Joyful, Yummy, Love. Because the story does deal with meatier issues such as diaspora, classism, and honoring familial legacy, it was very important for me to keep joy at the center of Rubi’s journey. As daughter of immigrant parents, I know how difficult it is to navigate life between the hyphens. I also know how honoring the sacrifices our parents made for us can sometimes come at the cost of our own dreams. So I was very intentional of always centering joy in exploring how a teen could find a way to combine duty and passion instead of choosing one over the other. Again, being a diaspora kid, I’ve never been to Cuba. Cuban cuisine has been the main way for me to connect with that part of my heritage. I don’t know when—or if—I’ll ever get to visit the island, but I can access part of it through food. Writing the food scenes, I often pictured baking with family members I’ve never met, or remembered cooking with my dad as a teen. I tried to pour the feeling of longing, love, and hope into each of those scenes. So far the reception on the baking has been great, and the book will feature several of Rubi’s recipes! While so much of Rubi’s story is about expressing and sharing parts of your history and honoring legacies through food. And it’s also about love. First love, the love of friends, and the love for family (no matter how complicated it is).  What was the most challenging part of the publication process with this story? The most challenging part of publication was reconciling Dreams becoming Deadlines. While there are a lot of artistic components of publication, pursuing publication is very different than “writing.” Pursuing publications means engaging in a corporate, commercial enterprise and as such, I could no longer enjoy long stretches of discovery writing, or fully indulge my cravings to pants my way through revisions of RUBI—let alone drafting and revising book 2. Learning how to draft and revise fast was challenging, but I’m glad I stuck to it because I proved to myself that I could became a better plotter and draft faster than I have in the past. What message are you hoping readers will take take away from this story? I created Rubi when I needed a reminder that I could change the “recipe of my life.” No matter how hard it’d been for my parents to obtain some of the “ingredients" for me, no matter how much time I’d invested in “baking” them, it was okay for me to adjust it. Or even start from scratch. This is the heart of the book, and one I wish I could say to every young person (and those simply young at heart)—life is what you bake it. I wanted this book to be a testament to that, but also to how wherever there’s a whisk, there’s a way. Honoring your legacies while also finding your own path is possible—writing Rubi, her parents, and her friends finding theirs was one of the sweetest moments of my life. I hope readers will enjoy the ride of these characters finding love, expressing and sharing parts of themselves and their history through food, and of sifting through dreams in order to learn not just to survive but to thrive; I hope they’ll laugh, reach for an extra slice of cake; but mostly I hope they’ll be reminded that they can always tamper with the recipes their lives—and that there is never an expiration date for creating new ones. What comes next for you as an author? I’m finishing up revisions on my next YA contemporary, out next summer with Wednesday Books. I can’t share too many details yet, but it’s about a Latinx teen event planner who unexpectedly finds love—and herself—after loss. I had a blast diving DEEP into my love of Disney Princesses and Star Wars with that one! While there is a romance thread, the heart of the book revolves around two sisters, Castillo and Mariposa, and Cas’s journey of going from planner to participant in her own life. She may or may not be inspired by one of favorite J Lo characters btw! 👀 I can’t wait to share more later this year!  What books are on your to-be-read list? Angela Montoya’s Sinner’s Isle. On my Goodreads review reads: Come for the pirates, stay for toppling the patriarchy!!!! With lush writing and swashbuckling (& swoony) adventures, Sinner’s Isle had me singing: Yo ho, yo ho(e), a pirate's life for me! I read a very early draft and I’m sooo excited to see the final version. Romina Garber’s Castle of the Cursed. Romina’s worlds are so beautifully crafted and I can’t wait to lose myself in her next series. I also am so thrilled for Gretchen Schreiber’s Ellie Haycock is Totally Normal. I know it will rip my heart out and then patch it back up again! As a lawyer and daughter of Guatemalan and Cuban bakers, Jessica C. Parra never objects to an extra slice of cake. She’s a Los Angeles native who loves to write about Latinas with big hair (and even bigger dreams), complicated families, cats living their best lives (all nine of them), and the healing magic of acceptance. When she isn’t drafting books you can find her sipping kombucha, cuddling with her kitties, or co-piloting the Millennium Falcon at Disneyland’s Galaxy’s Edge. You can visit Jessica at jessicaparra.com and on Instagram at @jessicatparra.  As a lawyer and daughter of Guatemalan and Cuban bakers, Jessica C. Parra never objects to an extra slice of cake. She’s a Los Angeles native who loves to write about Latinas with big hair (and even bigger dreams), complicated families, cats living their best lives (all nine of them), and the healing magic of acceptance.
When she isn’t drafting books you can find her sipping kombucha, cuddling with her kitties, or co-piloting the Millennium Falcon at Disneyland’s Galaxy’s Edge. You can visit Jessica at jessicaparra.com and on Instagram at @jessicatparra. Join us in celebrating the THE WITCH AND THE VAMPIRE book birthday! Francesca Flores, the author, shares with us all about the inspiration behind her story!  But first, a little bit about this young adult novel: THE WITCH AND THE VAMPIRE IS a queer Rapunzel retelling where a witch and a vampire who trust no one but themselves must journey together through a cursed forest with danger at every turn. Today, we're thrilled to reveal the cover for The Moonlit Vine and Claro de luna by Elizabeth Santiago, with cover art by Laylie Frazier and interior art by McKenzie Mayle. This young adult novel (pubbing on May 30, 2023 from Tu Books, an imprint of LEE & LOW BOOKS INC.) places Taíno people and culture into a living, modern-day story—the first of its kind for middle-grade and high school readers. A little bit about the book: Despite her name, Taína Perez doesn't know anything about her Taíno heritage, nor has she ever tried to learn. After all, how would ancient Puerto Rican history help with everything going on? There's constant trouble at school and in her neighborhood, her older brother was kicked out of the house, and with her mom at work, she's left alone to care for her little brother and aging grandmother. It's a lot for a 14-year-old to manage. But life takes a wild turn when her abuela tells her she is a direct descendant of Anacaona, the beloved Taíno leader, warrior, and poet, who was murdered by the Spanish in 1503. Abuela also gives her an amulet and a zemi and says that it's time for her to step into her power like the women who came before her. But is that even possible? People like her hardly make it out of their circumstances, and the problems in her home and community are way bigger than Taína can manage. Or are they? A modern tale with interstitial historical chapters, The Moonlit Vine brings readers a powerful story of the collective struggle, hope, and liberation of Puerto Rican and Taíno peoples.  Cover art by Laylie Frazier Elizabeth says: When I saw the cover, I gasped. What had been in my head all those months had been perfectly captured by Laylie Frazier, the artist. From the way Taína, my main character, looked, to the glare on her glasses, the blue nail polish, the vibrant background colors reminiscent of Borinquén/Puerto Rico, to the moon glowing majestically toward the reader. It is everything I had imagined and more. I am thrilled that The Moonlit Vine/Claro de Luna is making its debut and in awe of the beautiful artwork.  Elizabeth Santiago is a fiction writer, creative writing teacher and narrative coach. She obtained her PhD in Educational Studies from Lesley University, Master of Education from Harvard University, and Bachelor of Fine Arts in Creative Writing from Emerson College. Her first loves remain creative writing and teaching, never losing her desire to create characters based on her beloved community, or support students in leveraging storytelling to be better overall writers. She lives in Boston. Visit her online at theuntoldnarratives.com, or on GoodReads. Follow her on Twitter & Instagram at @LizNarratives.  Cover art by Laylie Frazier Pre-order The Moonlit Vine via the links below:
Pre-order Claro de luna via the links below: Add The Moonlit Vine to your Want-to-Read List on GoodReads! Add Claro de luna to your Want-to-Read List on GoodReads! Las Musas is celebrating the release of Laura Taylor Namey’s brand new young adult novel WHEN WE WERE THEM, which comes out November 2, 2021! WHEN WE WERE THEM has been described as “[a]n intimate portrait of friendship at the cusp of adulthood” by Kirkus Reviews and a “lovely, lush, and poignant story that begs to be read again and again” by New York Times bestselling novelist Kathleen Glasgow. Today fellow musa Reina Luz Alegre interviews Laura Taylor Namey for the blog about her writing process, but first more about this emotional, beautifully written novel:   Like many in our community we've watched the last few weeks in a whirlwind of anxiety, worry, and confusion.
As members of our communities we applaud the decisions to cancel events, festivals, and more for the safety of those around us. As authors it made us wonder, how can we connect with our readers during this time of "social distancing"? In response, Las Musas has launched an exciting webinar series to connect our authors with readers, writers, and educators around the globe. Every month, we will offer a series of free webinars including: Book Journeys... Want to know what it takes to become a published author? Las Musas take you on a unique behind-the-scenes book journey! They will describe in detail how they took their books from idea to publication. They will also answer all your questions about the process of becoming an author. Book Club & Author Q & As... A book club where the authors answer all your questions! ALL YOUR QUESTIONS... OK, within reason. Writing Craft and Publishing Insights... Need help figuring out what is the best method to plot? How to write a query letter? Get a literary agent to represent you? Las Musas share everything they have learned along their journey to publication, from surviving your first draft to signing that first book deal! ANNNND our first event is NEXT WEEK!! (Click Read More to find out when!) The Library of Lost Things is out in the world! It’s a gorgeously written YA coming-of-age debut by Las Musas’ Cuban-American author Laura Taylor Namey. “One reader said that it’s a story ‘about love.’ I think that’s the best description,” Taylor Namey said. The novel follows the life of high school senior and bibliophile Darcy Wells, who has spent most of her life hiding in other people’s stories. Books are her way of coping with her mother’s hoarding disorder. Darcy finds refuge in her best friend Marisol Robles’ family. Marisol’s big, loving Cuban-Mexican family take in Darcy as one of their own. While Darcy is struggling to survive her mother’s mental illness, Asher Fleet, a former teen pilot with a shattered future, walks into the bookstore where she works and straight into her heart. “The idea of Darcy came because I’ve always been a little like she is. I’ve used books as a stress reliever,” said Taylor Namey from her home in San Diego. “When my own happy endings weren’t so happy, I would live vicariously through the characters in the books I was reading.” “For the premise of the book, I thought about someone who wasn’t just escaping in books, but hiding in them. What would that look like?”  It's an honor to introduce to Las Musas blog readers the gifted Natasha Díaz, freelance writer, producer, and screenwriter. Natasha has been a quarterfinalist in the Austin Film Festival and a finalist for both the NALIP Diverse Women in Media Fellowship and the Sundance Episodic Story Lab. Her personal essays have been published in the Establishment and the Huffington Post. On August 22nd, Delacorte Press releases her debut young adult novel COLOR ME IN! COLOR ME IN is a brave, poetic, engrossing coming-of-age and coming-to-wokeness story of 16-year-old Nevaeh Levitz who grew up in an affluent suburb in NYC disconnected to her biracial roots and unaware of her privilege. When her Black mom and Jewish dad split up, she relocates to her mom's family home in Harlem and is forced to confront her identity for the first time.
You Tweeted once that COLOR ME IN is your love letter to NYC. Can you discuss how your love of NY infuses the book?
Aside from being multiracial, Jewish, and a woman, being born and raised in New York City is the next most defining thing about me. I’m sure many people feel this way about the place(s) they grew up, but being a New Yorker is something I take serious pride in. Being raised here gave me a lot of independence at an early age, as well as a no-nonsense, tough exterior. I learned real quick how to watch out for myself and move through the world with confidence, or at least, enough feigned confidence that people believed me enough not to mess with me too much. A lot of the transitions Nevaeh goes through in the book are about coming into herself and finding her voice, so I tried to put her in the middle of very New York moments and experiences to help aid in that growth. COLOR ME IN is not a memoir but the emotional depth of the novel feels very personal - how much did you draw from your own history and where did you draw the line? The book is mostly fiction, but I did pull a handful of my own experiences that I included in Nevaeh’s story and I was also inspired by people in my own life as I crafted some of the characters. In the beginning, it was hard to allow myself to stray from what I had gone through because I was worried it would mean the book was not authentic, but in truth, I needed to separate what I had lived through and what makes a good and engaging story. I did my best to explain in my authors note what was real life and what was fiction to give a reader a sense of my own experience. We have so much information. We have voices on the TV and hot takes on social media. We have photographs that pierce our hearts and haunt our dreams. We have oceans of ink spent on getting the details, the facts – and sometimes the lies – just right. As Dr. Rudine Sims Bishop said, we need mirrors and windows to understand people who are like us (or like our parents or grandparents) and people who are not like us. We need something greater than information. We need story. In my debut YA novel, The Grief Keeper, Marisol Morales crosses borders, sacrifices her physical and mental well-being and endures racism, for the chance of safety for her sister, Gabi, and herself. I can easily understand why someone would risk so much, but I am a daughter of immigrants. The idea of having to flee your homeland, whether because of violence or because of a lack of opportunities does not seem farfetched to me at all. But I know that for some people, it can seem foolish, or downright selfish. My intention in writing The Grief Keeper was to engender understanding and deep empathy—of ourselves and of others who are not like us. Here are 8 books for children that I think do the same.
|
Las Musas SpeakWelcome to our blog! Archives
May 2023
Categories
All
|
RSS Feed