 Designers: Olga Grlic and Kerri Resnick; Illustrator: Mallory Heyer Today we celebrate the book birthday of The Quince Project. We sat down with Jessica Parra to learn all about the inspiration behind this book. Tell us a little bit about the book:
The Wedding Planner gets a YA makeover in this delightful and heartfelt novel from the author of Rubi Ramos’s Recipe for Success. Castillo Torres, Student Body Association event chair and serial planner, could use a fairy godmother. After her mother’s passing and a disastrous mishap at her sister’s quinceañera, all of Cas’s plans are crumbling. So, when a local lifestyle-guru-slash-party-planner opens up applications for the internship of her dreams, Cas sees it as the perfect opportunity to learn every trick in the book to make sure that things never go wrong again. The only catch is that she needs more party planning experience before she can apply. When she books a quinceañera for a teen Disneyland vlogger, Cas thinks her plan is taking off…until she discovers that the party is just a publicity stunt, and she catches feelings for the chambelán. It’s clear that her agenda is about to go way off-script and that real life is more complicated than a fairy tale. But maybe Happily Ever Afters aren’t just for the movies. Can Cas go from planner to participant in her own life? Or will this would-be princess turn into a pumpkin at the end of the ball? Sounds great! Read more after the link...  Cover illustrated by Valentino Lasso. Today we celebrate the book birthday of RELIT: 16 LATINX REMIXES OF CLASSIC STORIES. We sat down with Musa Sandra Proudman to learn all about the inspiration behind this book. But first, a little bit about the book: Relit features sixteen stories by award-winning and bestselling YA authors center a Latinx point of view in an empowering anthology that reimagines classics through fantasy, science fiction, and with a dash of magic, for fans of A PHOENIX FIRST MUST BURN and RECLAIM THE STARS. In classic stories remixed, Latinx characters take center stage. Pride and Prejudice is launched into outer space, Frankenstein is plunged into the depths of the ocean, and The Great Gatsby floats to an island off the coast of Costa Rica. A shape-shifter gives up her life to save the boy she loves from an evil bruja. La Ciguapa covets a little mermaid’s heart of gold. Two star-crossed teens fall in love while the planet burns around them. Whether characters fall in love, battle foes, or grow through grief, each story will empower readers to see themselves as the heroes of the stories that make our world.  Cover illustration by Cannaday Chapman. Today we celebrate the book birthday of Caught in a Bad Fauxmance. We sat down with Musa Elle Gonzalez Rose to learn all about the inspiration behind this book. But first, a little bit about the book: Caught in a Bad Fauxmance is a fresh, fun contemporary YA rom-com from debut author Elle Gonzalez Rose, about an aspiring artist who agrees to fake date one of his family’s longtime enemies in the hopes of gathering intel good enough to take down their rivals once and for all.  Cover by Artist Zarin Baksh and Designer Trisha Previte. Today we celebrate the book birthday of Sinner's Isle. We sat down with Musa Angela Montoya to learn all about the inspiration behind this book. But first, a little bit about the book: SINNER'S ISLE is a spellbinding YA romantic fantasy about a powerful witch who will do anything to escape the remote island she’s being held captive on, including blackmail a notorious, charming pirate who washes up on shore.  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.  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:  |
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