Review: Nuyorican, Growing Up in Brooklyn

Nuyorican: Growing Up in Brooklyn by Nilda Estrada (Cortes) is one of those rare books where the author succeeds in pulling you into her world with heartfelt memories and honest, thought-provoking experiences that resound with the reader.

The narrative follows the author from her care-free childhood in Puerto Rico, to her struggles adjusting to her new life in the mainland USA.

The reader rejoices with her as she  triumphs over prejudices and injustices in reaching for her goals in higher education and career, and also empathizes with her as she raises her children and goes through various tumultuous marriages and relationships.

It is a book that is worthy of being read, and that will resonate with many readers, such as myself, that grew up Puerto Rican in Brooklyn, New York, during the 1970's.

Nuyorican: Growing Up in Brooklyn is available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble.com, and on the shelves of the Barnes & Noble store in downtown Brooklyn.

I recommend it.

Nuyorican: Growing up in Brooklyn

Rejections

Today I received my umpteenth rejection letter.  Was I surprised? Not really. Was I hurt? Sure. But I learned a long time ago that writing is subjective, and what one agent or editor absolutely despises, another may love.  That's just the way it is.  In fact, I have a drawer at home packed with books and envelopes loaded with most of the rejections that I have received over the years.  There's also another drawer packed with publications that my accepted writing has appeared in, as well as various writing awards and letters.  So one more rejection isn't going to stop me from doing this thing I love called writing, and it shouldn't stop you either.  Rejections are part and parcel of being a writer.  If you've never received a rejection letter, email, or text ...more power to you!  However, most writers, including many of the most successful ones, have found their work rejected at one time or another.

"You have to know how to accept rejection, and reject acceptance" - Ray Bradbury.

And there you have it in a nutshell.  Although this most recent rejection stung, I learned a long time ago not to take it personally, pick myself up, dust myself off, and get back to writing.  And you have to do the same.  I'm not saying that you shouldn't feel hurt, or disappointed, or even upset or angry.  What I am saying is that you accept it for what it is, basically one person's opinion, and then get back to the business of writing.

  "I discovered that rejections are not altogether a bad thing.  They teach a writer to rely on his own judgement and to say in his heart of hearts,'The hell with you.'" - Saul Bellow.

Right on.

American Dirt

Jeanine Cummins is the author of the now best-selling and controversial novel, American Dirt. American Dirt is about bookstore owner, Lydia Quixano Pérez and her family, who live and work in Acapulco, Mexico. They live a pretty comfortable life until her husband writes and publishes a story about an up-and-coming cartel boss named Javier.  

Soon, Lydia and her eight-year-old Luca, are on the run for the U.S. border and the unknown.  Will they make it to the "safety" of El Norte?  The scenario is one that North American audiences have become more intimate with since President Trump started separating families at the border and putting children in cages.  For families south of the border however, these draconian measures are hardly new  or surprising, going as far back as the Obama administration.  And that may be what part of the controversy is ...that the hands-off experiences of persons at or north of the border do not and can not match up with those of the persons that exist south of the border.  

Cummins, who until recently identified as white, now claims to be half-Puerto Rican, and tried to use that bit of Latinx blood to justify her ability to identify with the subjects of her novel.  Unfortunately, that's a problem too.  Although many Puerto Ricans have their own unique stories of migrating to the mainland U.S.A., Puerto Ricans have been American citizens for 100 years, and even though they may sympathize with their Latinx brothers and sisters who are trying to make it to the relative safety of the U.S. from Central and South America, and Mexico, the vast majority of Puerto Ricans do not have the intimate knowledge of the type of migrant experience that would qualify them as true experts on the subject.  And that is just one of the reasons why Cummins, and American Dirt, fell short.

Now, don't get me wrong, American Dirt is as well written as Cummins' other novels, "A rip in time," and "A crooked branch," but as with any work that describes or includes the lives and lands of anyone other than your own, your research must be impeccable.  You MUST take great pains to not slide arrogantly down the slippery slope of stereotyping characters based on the lives and experiences of real people.  Because, after all, these are real people.  The majority of North Americans know very little about the daily lives of their fellow Americans south of the border.  They tend to rely mostly on second and third-hand information, movies, books, and even television shows to teach them about their southern-most neighbors.  Even Jeanine Cummins said that, “I wish someone slightly browner than me would write it,” when referring to the book in question. 

So, should Cummins not have written American Dirt at all?   As a writer myself, I have to say that no one should be able to tell you what and what not to write.  The freedom to express yourself is part of what being a writer is all about.  That said, as an artist of any type, you have to be prepared for criticism.  Jeanine Cummins and American Dirt will both weather this storm of controversy, and move on.  It's been said that there's no such thing as bad publicity, and despite or because of, the negative publicity surrounding this book, it has been propelled to the best-seller lists.  Do people have a right to be outraged or disappointed with the way certain characters or even places are portrayed in this book?  Oh, absolutely!  Do other people have a right to like it as it's written?  Again, oh absolutely!  After all, we ultimately write for ourselves, and if our audience "gets it" we feel ecstatic and vindicated!  If we miss the mark as far as our readers are concerned, we will feel the complete opposite.  Jeanine Cummins missed the mark because she is obviously operating under the same belief system that enabled North American media to improperly, negatively, erroneously, and stereotypically depict Latinx people and People of Color for decades!

I actually wish Jeanine Cummins good luck with her next work of fiction, although I doubt that she will need it after the success of American Dirt.  But I would like to offer her a small bit of writing advice that many new and beginning writers hear, and that I usually disagree with vehemently ..."write what you know."

Chickenhawk Book Trailer

Outbursts of Horror - by authors Manuel Melendez & El David

Anyone that really knows me, knows that I LOVE the horror genre.  Not so much the straight up slasher flicks (even though I occasionally delve into these as well), but the type of horror stories and movies that needle their way into the soft base of your brain and force their way malevolently into your dreams.  You know what I'm talking about.  There are some movies that disturbed me so much that I will probably never watch them again (ahem, The Exorcist), and novels or stories (ahem again, Event Horizon).

Now, I know what you're thinking... how can this guy call himself a horror aficionado while he admits to shying away from some horror?  Especially what many consider classic horror at that!  Hey, all I can say is that we all have our foibles...

I still adore the horror genre however, as can be evidenced by the majority of what I have on my bookshelves, my movie collection, and even what I write myself.  Horror is a genre that can only properly affect the reader if it is well-written enough, subtle enough, and - dare I say? - vicious and/or evil enough to suspend the reader's belief in the mundane and ordinary, and plunge them headlong and screaming into a place that defies logic, sanity or rescue.  I found this in an unusual book entitled, "Outbursts of Horror" by Manuel Melendez and El David.  This book is different from other contemporary horror novels by being a compilation of not just prose, but poetry as well.  I found myself captivated by the authors' ability to capture the part of my imagination that hungers for darkness, while feeding my almost visceral need for excellent writing.  Outbursts of Horror is, of course, also a treat for fans of Latino literature.  Manuel Melendez and El David have lavished nuggets of their Puerto Rican heritage throughout the book, making it that much more personal and passionate.  I thoroughly enjoyed Outbursts of Horror, and I can honestly say that it holds a place of honor on my bookshelf.

Authors need reviews!

Swiss-born British philosopher and author, Alain de Botton, once said, "Writing a book is like telling a joke and having to wait two years to find out whether or not it was funny."

A lot of authors, especially indie and self-published authors, feel this way.  Authors basically pour their heart and soul, not to mention time and talent, into a project only to wait in frustration to find out the honest opinions of their readers. I mean, don't get me wrong, a positive and supportive email, text, or call from someone telling you that they enjoyed your book is GREAT!  But reviews are different.  Reviews can be read by anybody and everybody!  Reviews can increase an author's readership and fanbase, especially reviews on Amazon. Yet many readers, even if they profess to love the author's work, do not go the extra step of leaving a review.  It's possible that the reader is intimidated by the idea of leaving an opinion of an author's work in a public forum.  Well, they shouldn't be.  The person writing the review should understand that they are doing the author a tremendous favor!  Reviews can even wind up being an author's bread and butter in a way, by letting potential readers know about their work before they make up their mind about purchasing or reading it themselves.  And a review doesn't have to be an essay, far from it!  Three simple words are all that's needed, "I loved it!" "I liked it!" or even, "Not that good."  Three little words can bolster an author's confidence, keep them informed, help them make future writing choices, or just let them know what you thought of their work.

Author Jan S. Gephardt stated recently in an article titled, "Have you thanked an author today?"
"The truth of the matter is, it's really hard for any author - traditionally published or indie - to help more people find his/her book, especially when he/she is just starting out.  Traditional publishers set an author loose upon the world with a stamp of approval - somebody already thought this was good.
But a new author is allotted no advertising budget by his/her publisher, and no promotional help.  So once the book is produced, they're in the same boat as the Indie (just making less money on each sale).
No matter how it's published, readers need to now about new books that they might like.  And author's careers, and their future as producers of more excellent books may absolutely live or die by how many people find, enjoy, and share the information about their book.
One excellent way to get out the word about a good new book is through reviews that readers write and post on Amazon (definitely!), but also on Goodreads, other review sites, on social media, on one's own blog - anywhere possible.
Reviews don't have to be long either, most people won't read past 50 - 100 words.  A review short enough to Tweet is better than no review at all."

So, reviews are important.  Besides, a nice review can help bring a smile to your favorite author's face.  So next time you find yourself with a couple of extra minutes on your hands, please write a review... that hardworking author will be glad you did!

The Ant Men test

When I was a kid, I read everything that I could get my hands on.  It got to the point that I started reading the labels on our canned goods at the dining room table.  My teachers, in an effort to feed my voracious appetite for words, gave me old textbooks and readers to take home... all of which I promptly and greedily studied and scrutinized.  By this time I had also read every book in the school library.  Now, along with my love of reading, I also longed for adventure (as if living in East New York, Brooklyn during the '60's & '70's wasn't adventure enough!).  I loved westerns, Sci-fi, action-adventure, horror... anything that involved danger and feats of derring-do!  I loved the idea of adventure in faraway lands, with an element of danger to spice things up! 

One day while at the school library, the librarian recommended a book that had just arrived in their collection, it was titled, "The Ant Men" by Eric North.  The colorful cover immediately caught my attention, and I spent the rest of the school year reading the entire book over and over, from cover to cover, at least ten times!  It wasn't that the book was particularly that great, but it contained all of the ingredients necessary to keep me thoroughly engaged!  I loved it (imagine, more than 50 years later and I still remember it vividly)!  When the next school year started, the first thing I did was to rush to the library and checked this same book out of the library.  Then, as I leafed through it's pages looking for all of the great illustrations that I remembered, I was dismayed to find that the drawings were all gone!  When I reported this to the librarian, she told me that the book never had those illustrations.  Apparently my imagination, coupled with the vivid storytelling in the book, had been enough for my mind to make up a bunch of artwork that didn't really exist!

So why am I telling you this story?  Because my question to you today is... does your writing pass the "Ant Men" test? 

Now, I'm not saying that your work must have the power to conjure up non-existent illustrations in the minds of your readers, but your work must still have the ability to capture your reader's attention - if not their imagination.  A reader must be able to momentarily suspend their existence in their world in order to immerse themselves totally in yours.  Your reader must be able to trade places with the characters in your book.  Your protagonist's concerns must become their concerns, the things that make up their world and their life experiences, must for the time that your reader is involved with your work, become what they see, hear,taste and feel.  If not, then sorry but you have failed your reader.

Katie Oldham, author of the "Love of your Life series, once said, "Have you ever realized how surreal reading a book actually is? You stare at marked slices of tree for hours on end, hallucinating vividly."

And that's pretty much the gist of it.  You want your readers to forget about the reality of things, and instead choose to believe in the reality that you have created for them.  You want your writing to be vivid enough for them to believe in it as much, or even more, than you do.  You want your words to form the artwork in their mind that brings them back for more.

Does your writing pass the Ant Men test?

Haters Gonna Hate (Reprinted from 2015)

Writers write. Painters paint. Knitters knit. Haters hate. Yes, unfortunately the phenomenon of various people disliking you for no real or obvious reason exists. I hope you're not shocked... or even dismayed. That's just the way it is and always has been. Remember the story of Cain and Abel? Joseph and his brothers? Haters gonna hate.

  Why am I bringing this up? Because I talk to a lot of writers and artists, and one common topic of discussion is how often a person's creative work is met with negative comments, open derision, or even outright hostility. Unfortunately, especially among aspiring and new writers and artists, this can be devastating. At the very least the actions of a "hater" can cause someone to second guess their work or even their career choice.

  Don't let this happen to you. The vast majority of people in the world are not only not creative, but don't understand the creative process. Some of these folks, not all but some, even feel that it's their duty to "offer" their version of they think of as "constructive criticism."  It is much easier for these folks to pick out real or imagined flaws with your work than it is to say something encouraging. I remember that right after my first novel was published, I excitedly handed out free copies to family and friends.  To my dismay, I learned that most of them never bothered to read it, and the only comment I received from the one person that claimed that they actually did read it was, "It has a lot of grammatical errors."  Do folks do or say these kind of things out of some sort of bias? Jealousy? Anger? Actual hate?  Do they actually believe that they're helping somehow? Who knows? But what I do know is that the subtle or not so subtle poison they so willingly offer to a creative person can have the effect of discouraging a creative soul and in extreme circumstances even sabotaging a budding or existing art or writing career. And that's a doggone shame.

Now don't get me wrong, I'm not talking about folks that offer up actual insight concerning your work, or truly constructive criticism, or sincere feedback. I'm talking about those folks that casually toss you negative remarks about your work (or writing in general); sometimes in an off-handed, I can't be bothered kind of way. I remember one person telling me that he placed my book in his bathroom since that's where he does most of his reading... was I too sensitive in feeling mildly insulted?  Was that his way of telling me what he thought of my novel?  I know that I would never tell someone that I keep his/her work in my bathroom.  I know an extremely talented and creative person whose work was constantly disparaged by an art professor to the point where this artist was on the verge of giving up.  The artist however stuck it out and is now much sought after in the art world... including by that same professor who, having forgotten his negative haranguing of this artist, now praises those same exact works of art he once ridiculed and tries to get her to attend his conferences or exhibitions.  The thing is that this person's actions show that his initial disapproval was triggered by something other than simple artistic opinion. Was racism involved? sexism? Did he have a knee-jerk dislike for this person's lifestyle? Either way, he was willing to destroy this person's self-esteem and budding artistic career.

  So what can be done? Well, there's not much you can do about the hater other than staying away from them or just not including them in your creative process. But there is something you can do about YOU. Creative people are notoriously thin-skinned. You have to toughen up and realize that some people will just never support you or see what you do as being a worthy enterprise. In that case, suck it up, dust yourself off, and get back to work. Not everyone is going to be a fan. Just like not everyone can write or paint or play the cello or crochet a capelet. You have something special to say via your art so get to it, that takes precedence over the negative mewlings of any naysayer.

  And haters? Well, they're just gonna hate.

Louis Reyes Rivera

“Always there is need for song… And every human has a poem to write..." - From the esteemed essay “Inside the River of Poetry,” by Louis Reyes Rivera.

Louis Reyes Rivera (1945–2012) was a fellow Puerto Rican born in Brooklyn, New York, and already a legend when I reached out to him and asked him to speak at my organization's first writer's conference.  In 1969, it was Mr. Reyes Rivera that fueled the CCNY student movement that led to the creation of the Ethnic Studies Department, he also cofounded "The Paper," the first newspaper run by Puerto Rican and African American students at the school.

Louis Reyes Rivera’s well-known devotion and work in matters of social justice led to his extremely active role as a union organizer.  He was also instrumental in helping to establish the Freedom Party, and was also involved in the Writers for Mumia initiative.

Affectionately referred to as the "Janitor of History", Rivera’s many honors, and awards included a New York Foundation for the Arts Fellowship, a Special Congressional Recognition Award, and the CCNY 125th Anniversary Medal. Committed to the progressive and political power of jazz as well as poetry, Rivera appeared at dozens of jazz clubs and festivals and was inducted into the Brooklyn Jazz Hall of Fame.

One of his best known works is a 150-page epic poem "Jazz in Jail" that he was able to finish just before his passing in 2012. In a Spring 2009 interview with Eric Serrano, Rivera explained its purpose: “This project began roughly seven years ago. What happens if Jazz (personified) gets busted and put in jail? For what? For trying to stand against the exploitation of music by the music industry… For trying to bring together all of the music that comes out of the Diaspora—Reggae, Samba, Mambo, Calypso, Merengue, Hard bop, Cool bop, Be bop, the Blues, Mother Blues (the mother of Jazz), Grandpa Dirge, Grandma Praise Song, Work Song, Birth Song, the Chant—into one huge convention of the music, a family reunion – Let’s discuss our condition… So I had an opportunity to pay homage to poetry and music, to show you the conditions inside a prison and inside the court room, and I could even trace the history of it.”

So it was that this talented, accomplished poet, writer, essayist, historian and activist came to my writer's conference and blew everyone away with his eloquence,  and his mastery over words. I will always be grateful to Mr. Reyes Rivera for his presence at the conference, and many of us should be grateful for his many positive and creative contributions to the people of New York City, and for the community of persons of color in general. Wepa!

The 5-senses of Writing

Good writing is supposed to evoke sensation in the reader - not the fact that it's raining, but the feel of being rained upon. (E. L. Doctorow).

It has often been told to a writer:  "Don't tell me, SHOW me!"  As a writer, it's often simple enough to get totally involved in your writing and thus get lost in the storytelling.  In doing so we forget that we're not simply telling a story, we're asking our readers to believe in it; to immerse themselves in the world that we have created and to invest their five senses in it.  Unfortunately too many writers approach their stories as if their characters, and their readers, are devoid of one or more of these senses: Seeing, Hearing, Touch, Taste, and Smell.  This makes their writing, despite how good the story is, hard to fully invest in. 

When I was a kid, I took a book out of the school library titled, The Antmen.  It was a great story! When the summer ended, I made a beeline to the library and took the book out again.  But I was disappointed when I found that all of the wonderful illustrations had been removed!  When I reported this vandalism to the librarians, I was shocked when they told me that the book had no illustrations inside, except maybe one at the beginning of each chapter!  Apparently, the story had been so vivid that my mind conjured up a bevy of non-existent artwork to go with the story!  That's what you want from your readers.

The characters in your book must not only go through their paces in moving the story forward, but must also allow you to see, taste, feel, smell, and hear what they are experiencing as they live out their lives in your novel. Is that lemon meringue pie tart? Does it melt on the tongue?  Just how crusty is that crust?  Just what does the rain feel like on your protagonist's face? Hands?  Is it just sunny out? Or does your heroine find it uncomfortably warm?  Is it making her sweat?  Does it evoke memories of other times she was hot?  Or uncomfortable? 

Don't be afraid of experiencing the world that you created.  Let your characters walk you through old neighborhoods awash in the scents of fresh baked bread and a recent rain.  Let them invite you to run your fingers through the rough stubble on their chin. 

So go ahead, live a little.  And use all of your senses.

Writers and the daily commute...

One of my favorite authors to follow online is a talented gentleman by the name of Manuel Melendez.  I not only admire his well-crafted stories and heartfelt poetry, but I also admire the sheer volume of his work (11 books and counting!).  He is the type of prolific writer that I, and I'm sure many others as well, aspire to be.  Now, if memory serves me right, I'm pretty sure that I remember him mentioning that he has done plenty of his writing while on his daily commute to and from work.  And if you live and/or work in New York City, that means that your commute probably includes taking the bus and/or subway.  Many, if not most, of us grab our newspaper, bagel and coffee, and make that mad dash for the mode of public transportation that will take us to or from the place where we make our daily bread.  It's just the way it is; heck, it's practically a tradition!  Personally, I live in Queens, NY; and my daily commute to work was almost 2 hours long, with another 2 hours thrown in for the trip back home.  Most of that time was spent riding the subway, where I used to juggle my paper, coffee, and bagel on my lap (if I was lucky enough to get a seat!), while I lamented the waste of time this commute was.  Then one day I brought along a story I was working on and a pencil, and as I delved into writing, the time just seemed to melt away.  The commute seemed to go by faster and much more interestingly, and instead of viewing it as a waste of my time, I was able to see it as an opportunity to write.

  And I'm not the only one.  As I've mentioned earlier, prolific writer Manuel Melendez uses the opportunity offered by his commute to get some writing done.  I actually finished my first novel while commuting back and forth from work.  I also notice lots of folks working on their laptops or other devices while sitting on the train, and I like to think that they're taking advantage of this time to work on their latest poem, novel, or book.  But is this a good idea?  Can someone actually effectively use this sometimes chaotic block of time to work on their writing?  Is it realistic to think that you can concentrate and "get into" your writing while surrounded by hundreds of your fellow commuters; not to mention all of the other distractions that public transportation has to offer?  The answer is, and has been for many of your fellow writers, a resounding YES!

Here are some other examples...

Fiona Mozley, the author of Man Booker shortlisted and Dylan Thomas Prize longlisted Elmet, wrote her debut novel while travelling between Peckham, in South London, and her nine to six job in Central London.

Peter Brett's first novel is a dark, demonic fantasy - the Brooklyn author wrote it while riding on the F train.  Brett, 36, tapped out most of "The Warded Man," which hit U.S. bookshelves last month, on his smartphone on daily trips from the Fort Hamilton Parkway stop near his Kensington home to his job in Times Square.

Gabriel Gambetta, author of the Golden Legacy, says, "It is said that everyone has a book in them. Ask around and you’ll find most people have an amazing idea that would make for a great story — if they only had the time to write it! Having a full-time job, family, friends, and all these annoying “adult” responsibilities leaves little time to write. But I found the time I needed in the otherwise dead time known as “the commute”.

Anthony Trollope commissioned a knee-mounted desk to extend his morning writing session into the train journey. John le Carré squeezed in his first novel en route to his office. Jeffrey Deaver used the trip to his Wall Street law firm to crack one of the few things that pay better than a Wall Street law firm: bestselling crime novels...

And there are so many others!  And really, there is no reason why you can't join them.  So next time you're lamenting about what a waste of time your daily commute to your daily grind is, whip out that story or poem that you've been working on or thinking about and make that time productive.  Who knows, it could be the next commute-driven best-seller!

Making Pasteles

There's a traditional Puerto Rican dish that outgrew its humble beginnings to earn the status of culinary legend.  Pasteles, a tasty compilation of yuca, plantains, and various other ingredients, often occupy a place of honor at the tables of millions of Americans.several times a year.  If you've ever had one (or more!), or prepared them, then you know that not only are they delicious, they're also quite labor intensive. In fact, they take so much work to produce that they're usually relegated to the role of "holiday" food. Writing can also be labor intensive, but unlike the aforementioned (and delicious!) pasteles, you want your writing to be the opposite of holiday fare.  Just realize that if you want to produce writing that is enjoyed by your readers (delicious!), it will take more than just the casual rattling of those figurative pots and pans, you have to make pasteles...

Jane Trombley, a well-known travel writer, gives you 5 reasons why writing is so labor intensive:

 1. Writing requires focus
It sounds simple, right? But here’s the first catch: topics don’t fall from trees. You have to think them up. And think them over. It’s one thing to say, “here’s a topic”….and quite another to say, “Here’s what I have to say about this topic that is interesting, fresh, and authentic.”
Writing is hard.

2. Writing requires practice
The pros, the charlatans hawking writing e-courses, they all say you’ve got to write practice, a lot. And post frequently, here on Medium or a platform of choice. Practice your craft, they all advise.
The first week or so, that’s easy. The second week, not so much. By the third week the only thing that’s easy is to say, “not today”.
Writing is hard.

3. Writing requires diligence.
If you’re serious about writing you have to be all in. Or don’t bother. It’s too hard to be half-assed about it.
That’s where diligence comes in.
Diligence is not quite like focus, not quite like practice. Even worse, diligence is like commitment.
It’s about being dedicated. You’ve got to do it every day. You’ve got to be committed to getting better, to wrestling this tiger to the ground. It’s hard, the diligence thing.
Writing is hard.

4. Writing requires courage
Writing requires exposing your most vulnerable and insecure self…and that my friends, takes courage.
Taking up the mental exercise of focus, gingerly attempting to practice with diligence until the practice is a practice, you’ve revealed something essential about yourself.
You’ve revealed you have the courage to step outside of your comfort zone.
Writing, whether as a rookie or a veteran, requires the courage to be emotionally susceptible. Writing the courage to put your own insecurity — that uncertainty and anxiety that comes with the new and unfamiliar — aside in the service of the endeavor.
Writing is hard.

5. Writing requires humility
There are days when you’re just humming along. “Oh, I’ve got this,” as the focus is crystal clear, the muse is bouncing on your shoulder spewing garlands of poetic prose. The sense of accomplishment may be a bit premature or it may be valid, but it is probably short lived.
Writing not only requires humility, it demands humility.
To be good at writing is to take your ego out of the story, or at out of least the headline and certainly out of the lead. And that’s hard because at the same time, as confidence grows, the ego is encouraged as well.
There is a fine line between your creativity, the fruit of your ideas, your communications skills and your self-importance. It’s not about you. You, as the writer, are the vessel, probably not the source. Your gift is one of expression. Ideas themselves, most good ones at least, are also timeless.
Writing is damn hard.

So, now we're sure that writing is hard.  Does that mean you should give up?  Find something easier to do?  No, not at all.  It just means that you square your shoulders, hunker down, and get the job done!  As Stan Lee would say... "Excelsior!"

Best Halloween Reads.....

Hello all, just a reminder that the scariest season of all, Halloween, is almost upon us.  So as a way of celebrating the season in a literary fashion, I'd like to introduce you to works of horror with a Latino touch.  All of these books are available on amazon's and barnes & noble's websites.  I urge you all to treat yourselves to at least one this Halloween season, or who knows... you may be in for a trick!
Happy reading, bwah-ha-ha-ha!

Manuel A. Meléndez was born in Puerto Rico and came to the United States when he was ten years old.   He was raised in Spanish Harlem, better known as El Barrio.  His stories are gritty dramas of life that capture the flavor and the rawness of the everyday people that he sees or meets on the streets of New York. His novel, Wicked Remnants, dares you to walk with him on the dark side and enter into the macabre in this collection of 16 bone-chilling stories that will take you to the place your nightmares begin. From an old Gypsy curse to a serial killer at large to a whining tree possessed by old secrets to a diabolical enigmatic vampire, there is something here bound to scare you into the holiday spirit!

Mariana Enriquez is an Argentine journalist, novelist and short story writer. This year saw her English-lanaguage debut in the form of a short story collection called “Things We Lost in the Fire.” The collection serves as a great example of how horror can be a powerful vehicle for social commentary. Macabre and disturbing, the collection features stories that will chill you to the bone while also offering an insight into Argentina as experienced by the author.

Edgar Cantero originally hails from Spain. His English-language debut, “The Supernatural Enhancements,” is part classic ghost story, part mystery, as the two protagonists uncover the secrets of the haunted house they inherited.

Zoraida Córdova is quickly becoming a rising star in the literary world. “The Vicious Deep,” her mermaid series, is definitely worth a read. Her most recent novel and the first book in her Brooklyn Brujas series, “Labyrinth Lost,” just won an International Latino Book Award, among other accolades, and has been optioned by Paramount. In this book, a teenage bruja tries to rid herself of her powers and accidentally makes her family disappear. This precipitates a journey to an in-between underworld called Los Lagos to bring them back. Dark and magical, this is a fabulous Latino update for “Alice in Wonderland” devotees.

Carmen Maria Machado has been killing it for a long time as a short story writer, critic and essayist. Her stories have been reprinted in “Best American Science Fiction & Fantasy,” “Best Horror of the Year” and “Year’s Best Weird Fiction.” Her debut short story collection, “Her Body and Other Parties,” has already generated a lot of buzz, and is a finalist for the National Book Award. Machado brings women’s issues to the forefront with an approach to horror that will delight fans of the genre and bring those who are on the fence about it on board. It’s original, it’s feminist af and it will blow your mind.

Michael Paul Gonzalez is always busy with a new project. His body of work can best be described as noir with a healthy dose of carnage. His stories have been included in many anthologies, including “Gothic Fantasy: Chilling Horror Short Stories” and “Year’s Best Hardcore Horror.” If you are someone who likes audiobooks or podcasts, his newest endeavor is “Larkspur Underground,” a serialized fictional account of a woman with Stockholm Syndrome who is the sole survivor of a serial killer’s house of horrors. It is not for the squeamish.

Silvia Moreno-Garcia is a Canadian short story writer, novelist and editor. In her short story collections and novels, the real and the magical overlap, often examining contemporary issues like her modern take of La Llorona, “Lacrimosa,” which was printed in the November 2015 issue of Nightmare Magazine. Her second novel, “Certain Dark Things,” was on many best of lists in 2016. Vampires in Mexico City. Need I say more? As an editor, she is unapologetic about championing the work of writers of color, making her a great follow on Twitter.

Samanta Schweblin is an Argentine author who has garnered much attention for her Spanish-language work, being named one of the 22 Best Writers in Spanish Under 35 by Granta in 2010. Her novel, “Fever Dream,” was translated into English and published earlier this year. It’s part ghost story and part psychological thriller that you will find yourself compulsively tearing through, hurtling towards the end. It’s a wave you feel compelled to ride. Fans of David Lynch will find a friend in this book. It’s brilliant and grotesque.

Carlos Ruiz Zafón is a much-celebrated author in Spain. His most popular series, “The Cemetery of Forgotten Books,” is a noir mystery which just saw its final installment late last year in Spanish. However, English language readers have one more year to catch up on the first three books before the translation comes out. His novel, “Marina,” is a cult classic. It features two teenagers who get caught up in the mystery behind a woman who ritualistically comes to the cemetery at the same time every month to leave a rose on a grave. There’s a little creep factor, a little romance and a lot to love in regards to the beautiful writing.

While YA author Guadalupe Garcia McCall is not known for horror, she did write a novel that incorporates the mythology of Mexico into an epic supernatural tale. “The Summer of the Mariposas” takes place on and across the Texas border, and starts as a female-driven version of “Stand by Me” when four sisters find a dead body. From there, the story takes on a hero’s journey where the girls find themselves encountering all the monsters your abuela warned you about.

To Free or not to Free?

(Reprinted from 1 year ago)

It is apparently the nature of humankind to try and obtain the coveted, but ever elusive, freebie. Oh, you know what I'm talking about. It turns out that if you're a person with a skill (doctor, lawyer, plumber, artist, writer, etc.), folks want you to share what you know ...for free (or close to it!).
  I've been guilty of it in the past, and just chalked it up to me getting some helpful tips... which they were. But some folks don't know when to quit and insist on more than mere tips. If you crochet, they want full-blown lessons and even free yarn. If you write, they want free critiques, editing services, or even your *ahem* help in writing their book or novel.
  So what do you do? That's entirely up to you, there's nothing wrong with sharing some knowledge or passing along some helpful hints. But there is something wrong with being taken advantage of. Your hard-earned skillset, whatever it is, deserves to be acknowledged and rewarded. The same way you wouldn't expect a car mechanic to fix your car for free (unless you got the hook-up), is the same way that folks shouldn't expect you to speak, critique, edit, write, or teach without some sort of honorarium or financial remuneration. The late and venerable poet, Louis Reyes Rivera of the National Writers Union, was a strong and outspoken proponent of this. Unfortunately many uninformed people consider those of us that work in the arts to be indulging in hobbies rather than actual "work", so they don't understand why we'd like to get paid.
  Ultimately it's your decision of course, but I'd urge you not to sell yourself, or your art, short.

Editing and Reviewing Services

Latino Authors & Writers Society

Are you working on your latest short story, novel, novella, or non-fiction book? You may want to have it edited and proofread before shipping it off to that agent or publisher!  Or maybe your work has already been published and you'd like an honest review that you can post onto your website or on social media.  Or maybe you can use some help with some basic promotion and marketing.  Well the Latino Authors & Writers Society, an organization dedicated to Latino Literature and literacy, will soon be offering these important services at reasonable prices!  Other companies, agencies & organizations may charge THOUSANDS of dollars for their services, while we provide those same services at prices much more affordable to the beginning, aspiring, or struggling writer (with a special understanding and appreciation for the works of POC). Of course, veteran writers can take advantage of these very reasonable prices as well!

1. Editing for Fiction (novels, novellas) - Flat rate of $150.00 for up to 74,000 words, with an additional 5-cents per word after the initial 74,000.

2. Editing for Non-Fiction (Memoirs, Religious, etc.) - Flat rate of $400.00 for up to 80,000 words, with an additional 5-cents per word after the initial 80,000. 

3. Editing for Short Stories (any genre) - Flat rate of $20.00 for up to 3,000 words, with an additional 5-cents per word after the initial 3,000.

4. Book Reviews (any genre) - Flat rate of $40.00 for works of up to 74,000 words, with an additional 5-cents per word after the initial 74,000.

5. Marketing & Promotion (any genre) - Flat rate of $200.00.

Please check out the traditional businesses that offer these services first, and then make up your mind.  We look forward to working with you!

https://www.facebook.com/LatinoAuthors.org/

Who inspired you?

Quite often, at various writing events that I have attended, someone will ask me what inspires or inspired me to write.  My answer is always the same: my parents.

I know that plenty of other writers may find this answer kind of corny, but it's the truth.  I was always somewhat eccentric when I was a kid, if you call having a lot of very varied interests "eccentric."  I read everything that I could get my hands on, built models (usually of the Universal monsters, animals, or scientific subjects), studied most of the sciences (I even had a lab in my parent's basement), practiced boxing and the martial arts, played baseball, I also kept a menagerie in my home that consisted of all sorts of reptiles, amphibians, and birds. And I still found the time and the wherewithal to write.

Throughout all this, my parents always encouraged me and never put me or my ideas down.  When the encyclopedia salesman came to our door, even though money was scarce, they bought me the entire set. I read the whole thing, including the bonus dictionary, that summer.  My father built me a huge terrarium out of 2X4's and Plexiglas to house my burgeoning collection of reptiles. And when some neighborhood kids brought a sick seagull to my house in the hopes that I could nurse it back to health (which I did), my mother didn't say no.

And so it was that through all of the problems regular folks go through like bills, health concerns, etc., my parents still found the strength and patience to encourage me, and thus to inspire me.  I learned more from observing my parent's strength, positivity, support for their kids, hard work ethic, and love, than I ever learned from any books.  I was inspired to be patient, loving, strong, and hard-working. These things in turn inspired me to write, and it's no coincidence that my first published work was titled, "My Mother: Superstar!"  My father and I used to visit used bookstores where I'd buy books and comics, and this inspired me to write a guest column for D.C. comics where I extolled the benefits of reading comicbooks.

So, it was my parents and their truly unconditional love that inspired me most to put pen to paper and share parts of my life with the world.  My mom passed away a few years ago, and took a huge part of my heart with her. I will always miss and treasure her.  My father is still here, and we try to make it to his favorite restaurant, IHOP, about once a month.  His resilience at having lost his best friend is another source of inspiration to me.

Thanks mom. Thanks pop. For inspiring me to live. Love. Write.

So fellow writers, who or what inspired you to write?

The Story of... Me.

  As a writer, you've probably already experienced having someone approach you and mention how they would like to write a book about their life and experiences, but they don't know where to start. These folks are usually earnest about sharing their story, some may even be driven to do so, thinking that this would be a way to exorcise their demons.  Or it's possible that they feel that their story would make for an exciting, worthwhile, or cautionary tale.
  Maybe you're actually that potential author that feels that your life is worth writing about.  Yes, maybe you are and maybe it is.  Let's talk about your life story...

  First you have to realize that just about every person on the planet feels that his or her life story is unique and worth telling.  And they're right.  Which means, of course, that you're right.  Your story is worth telling.  Almost everyone has a story to tell, and if that story has to do with what you have experienced or gone through in your life, then it's probably worth sharing.  Maybe you were (or still are) an arsonist, or a drag queen, or a Walmart's cashier... it doesn't matter.  Your life is unique and different from any other.  You have a unique perspective, and a different way of saying or doing things that other people may not have thought of or experienced.  Some of the best novels, non-fiction books, and movies, are based on people and/or situations that to the casual observer or reader may seem ordinary and mundane at first, but which blossom into full-blown life-altering experiences full of "ah-h-h" moments.  So if you're teetering on the proverbial threshold of whether or not you should write the story of your life, or a chapter of your life, take that step and do it.  It's always a good bet to go with your first mind on certain things.  If for some reason you honestly feel compelled to write about something you and/or your family have gone through, then it's probably a good idea to do so. It can be a cathartic experience that may help answer questions that maybe even you and your loved ones didn't know you had.  "Each of us is a book waiting to be written, and that book, if written, results in a person explained." ~Thomas M. Cirignano, author of The Constant Outsider: Memoirs of a South Boston Mechanic.

  Speaking of loved ones...   Be aware that if and when you do write the story of your life, that there have probably been  many persons that have shared your experiences with you - mom, dad, grandma, the mailman... and not all of them would be happy to have their lives and experiences immortalized alongside yours.  In writing the story of your life, this issue may become a big, glaring one that may cause you more pain and angst if not handled correctly.  One avenue to consider as a way of avoiding trouble is to "change the names to protect the innocent", or guilty, or whatever.  This is okay, but it's by no means the best option.  You can change people's names in your book, but they may still be easily recognizable.  In which case this person or persons can argue in court (yes, court!) that you have used their likeness without their permission, or that you may have actually defamed them if your part of the story that includes them is less than positive.  In this case you may have to go as far as changing their appearance, job, relation to you... all in an effort to keep yourself safe from trouble and possible litigation.  Depending on the story you want to tell however, this may water-down or alter your story in an unsatisfying way.  In this case, it would be a good idea to familiarize yourself with the laws concerning the use of real names, etc. in your written work.  I would also like to recommend Helen Sedwick's wonderful book, The Self-Publisher's Legal Handbook.  The following is an excerpt from her website, http://helensedwick.com/how-to-use-real-people-in-your-writing/
 "Writers face three big risks when using real people in their writing: defamation, invasion of privacy, and misappropriation of the right of publicity. Yet every fiction writer bases characters on real people. Memoirists and nonfiction writers identify people by name. How can writers use real people in their work without risking a lawsuit?
First, a simple rule. If what you write about a person is positive or even neutral, then you don’t have defamation or privacy issues."
  But, that may be the problem.  Rarely do we want to write a life story in which everyone, everything, and every experience is positive or neutral.  So, in that case, read the article on Helen's website and then buy her book.  It's better to be safe than sorry!  Also, be prepared to have family, friends, relatives, and acquaintances tell you how they're not being portrayed correctly, or how their memories of the same events are different than yours.
  Another thing you can do is to have everyone mentioned in your book sign a release form or waiver which absolves you from any litigation for using their name and/or likeness in your book.  Often, that's just not practical however.

  Now let's get to the nitty-gritty, the actual writing!  Many people that want to write about their life experiences just don;t know where to start.  They stare at a blank sheet of paper and get intimidated.  What's the first thing I should say?  Well, I'm going to give you a word of advice that I give most aspiring writers... don't "write."  You see, the part of the writing process that intimidates most new or aspiring writers is the writing process itself.  Many folks get bogged down with grammar, spelling, making sure that their T's are crossed and their I's are dotted.  The process becomes a chore and next thing you know, that manuscript is relegated to the underwear drawer maybe to never see the light of day again.  Write?  No.  What you want to do is tell your story.  Don't sit there trying to give birth to a book that's probably a breach anyway.  It will be all pain, grunting and screaming with an outcome that could have been achieved in an easier, gentler, and more accommodating way.  Just. Tell. Your. Story.  When you're talking to your friends and family about things that really interest you or mean a lot to you, you don't worry about grammar or spelling.  Your words come from your heart and your gut.  That's how you're going to successfully tell your story to that blank sheet of paper.  Disregard the "writing" part for now and just let your words flow from your fingertips, even if you have to speak aloud while you're doing it (a lot of writers do this!).  Forget about spelling, punctuation, grammar, or anything you may have learned in a writing class.  Let your gut and heart do the talking, your brain can fix and clean it up later.  Tell the story as if you are talking to your friend while sitting in your livingroom, or at the bar, or standing around the water cooler at work.  Get comfortable and let the memories and the words flow.  The most important thing is to tell your story.

Tell your story.

'

Latino Reads: Arnaldo Lopez Jr

Summer Reading List!

Summer is officially here, and one of our favorite activities while sitting at the beach or lounging by the pool is, of course, READING!
So below we have compiled some of our best choices to help with your summer reading list. Enjoy!

1. I am not your perfect Mexican daughter- by Erika L. Sanchez
2. Covering the Sun with my Hand- by Theresa Varela
3. Drown - by Junot Diaz
4. The House on Mango Street- by Sandra Cisneros
5. When I was Puerto Rican & Casi una Mujer- by Esmeralda Santiago
6. Battle for a Soul- by Manuel Melendez
7. The Invisible Guardian- by Dolores Redondo
8. How the Garcia Girls lost their accents- by Julia Alvarez
9. Isla Negra- Pablo Neruda
10. Tell me how it Ends- by Valeria Luiselli
11. "97" - by Jonathan Bonhomme
12. The Shadowshaper series- by Daniel Jose Older
13. Wicked Weeds - by Pedro Cabiya
14. City of Beasts - by Isabel Allende
15. Who's Ju? - by Dania Ramos
16. Her Body and other Parties - by Carmen Maria Machado
17. Un Espejo en la Selva- by Silverio Perez
18. Chickenhawk- by Arnaldo Lopez Jr
19. The Education of Margot Sanchez by Lillian Rivera

CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS!

CALL FOR

SUBMISSIONS! - Ellen Aponte

I am very happy and excited to announce that I am putting together an anthology to help Puerto Rico! But I need your help! Please share this post and read through the Call for Submissions I have posted below. If anyone has any questions, just send me a message or contact me at the email below.

Now accepting poetry, fiction, and short essays for Boricua en la Luna, an anthology of work by artists from Puerto Rico or of Puerto Rican descent.

Proceeds from this anthology will go to the Hispanic Federation to assist with Hurricane Maria and Irma recovery relief.

Work may be on any subject, but should reference or relate to Puerto Rican identity. Work may be in Spanish or English or both; we are open to work in translation, but require translated artist or estate permission. We will not consider work that is sexist, racist, or in other ways bigoted.

Submit .pdf or .doc/.docx attachment of 1-6 poems, 1-3 flash fiction or nonfiction, or short story or essay up to 3000 words to LunaBoricuas@gmail.com by September 30th. Please include a brief biographical note of up to 50 words. Please place title(s) of work in a list within the email, and include name and contact information on the first page of your submission.

Acceptance decisions will be made by December 31st, with release of anthology in mid-2019.

Previously published works considered. We acquire one-time print and electronic rights. Simultaneous submissions are accepted, but if a work is accepted elsewhere, please alert us at the above email.

All contributors will receive a copy of the anthology, which will be distributed in both print and electronic forms.