#SalaSundays with Sandra Proudman

Sandra Proudman hosted our Instagram, on July 15, 2023 for our weekly #SalaSundays series. Below are a few questions that we asked Sandra.

Latinx In Publishing (LxP): What do you do?

Sandra Proudman (SP): I am a literary associate at Gallt & Zacker Literary Agency, assisting the incomparable, Marietta Zacker. I also have a small list of wonderful author and illustrator clients. In my writing life, I am debuting in 2024 with young adult projects.

LxP: How did you get started?

(SP): I started writing at a young age and minored in creative writing in college. I didn’t write my first full manuscript until I was in my twenties, though. After that, I couldn’t stop writing and doing everything I could to become a published author. Getting started in agenting was an entire leap of faith. I was already in a career path that paid well and offered the stability I wanted to give my family. But with my husband’s full support and some enormous luck at landing an internship at my dream agency, I was able to transition into working in publishing full-time.

LxP: What do you wish you knew before getting into the industry?

(SP): I wish I knew how much you have to learn to let things go because rejection truly comes at all levels. And a way to steel yourself and your heart from disappointment, is learning every single thing in publishing is subjective. Accepting that is invaluable and once you do, it lessens (though, of course, doesn’t eliminate) imposters syndrome tremendously.

LxP: What book are you currently working on or reading?

(SP): I just wrapped up reading Certain Dark Things by Silvia-Moreno Garcia and absolutely loved her take on vampires. In my writing life, I am working on everything from a co-written YA thriller project to a post-apocalyptic retelling of Romeo & Juliet to an MG fantasy to a new anthology proposal and trying to figure out the best next steps. In my agenting life, I’m working on getting client projects ready for submission, from an adorable all-animal picture book to a badass YA fantasy with Black girl magic.

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Sandra Proudman (she/her/ella) is a Mexican American author of unabashed Latinx stories and a literary associate at Gallt & Zacker Literary Agency. She is the author of the YA fantasy, Salvación, out fall 2024 from Wednesday Books and the editor of the anthology Relit: 16 Latinx Remixes of Classic Stories, which is being published by Inkyard Press on February 6, 2024. When not busily immersed in all things publishing, you can find her spending time with her amazing husband and adorable preschooler, catching up on all her shows, and taking care of her garden. Connect with her on Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok @SandraProudman and on her website sandraproudman.com.

Matt Sedillo: His Book Tour in Italy and translated work

Matt Sedillo is a Chicano political poet, essayist, and activist, based in Los Angeles, who is also starting his own press called El Martillo Press. Sedillo recently had an international book tour in Italy, after his work was translated into Italian. In this interview, he tells Latinx In Publishing Communications Co-Director Ruddy Lopez about Vite derubate, Terra derubata, how this tour came about, and his experience having his work translated.

This interview has been edited for clarity and brevity.

Ruddy Lopez (RL): Tell me about your book tour in Italy and how it came about.

Matt Sedillo (MS): The book tour came through my publisher, Ensemble. They set up all the readings. When I say my publishers, it really was chiefly the effort of Edoardo Olmi, who was instrumental in the entire process. The trip included stops in Rome, Florence, Bitonto, Molfetta, Bari, Turin, Bologna, Venice, Varese, and finally Colleferro. It really was like several different trips all in one, each deserving its own careful retelling. I am still processing so much of what happened as this all was in the course of around three weeks.

I arrived in Rome two days early, planning to get over the jet lag. No such luck. Flamina Cruciani, a poet that David A. Romero and I are publishing, lives in Rome, so I figured it a good idea to meet up with her. Flamina is an incredible poet whose work has been celebrated all over the world. At dinner, we discussed the possibilities of readings in Colombia, the U.K. and what El Martillo would set up for her once she came stateside. On the day of the reading, I met Edoardo at the train station and we headed over to meet with Mateo, one of the owners of Ensemble Press, who had a box full of the books. It was an incredible feeling to open the box and see my translated work. I handed Mateo copies of El Martillo publications and we discussed a world of possibilities. That night I read at the famed Lettere Caffe with close to two dozen poets as the book made its debut. Many of these poets are noted on the national stage of Italy, as I am coming to understand. This was a great honor and I am still in the process of following up with the many doors and opportunities that appeared to have opened that night.

In Florence, I read at the University in a student-occupied center as part of a larger festival. While there I struck up a fascinating conversation with noted choreographer Cristina Rizo and we discussed her approach to dance and my approach to poetry and found some fascinating points of overlap and differences.

For the readings in Bitonto, Molfetta, and Bari, I spent three days living in an Antifa compound called Ex Secerma, meaning former barracks. The space was once a military barracks and now it was an anarchist co-op of some sort. The readings were set up by Edoardo, through our mutual friend Mark Lipman and their friend Pipo Marzulli, organizer of the poetry festival held there every other year. Pipo is a member of the Revolutionary Poet’s Brigade, an international organization founded by Hirschman, over a decade ago. Its proud legacy continues. Mark had invited me last year to Elba, where I first met Edoardo, alongside Anna Lombardo. They both loved my work so much that they committed to a translation and a publication.

In Turin, I met up with Mateo and David, the owners of Ensemble. I commented what a strange twist of fate as I was starting my own press with my friend David A. Romero. We had a great laugh about this. The festival itself was massive. It was such an honor to be there at the booth with the publisher and to see the size and scope of all the incredible writers that are housed by Ensemble. The translation branch of the press, Affluenti, has also published Dianne Suess. Meeting the Italian book-buying public all happened so fast. We sold quite a few books and we met the public head-on as literally thousands of people were at the event. There was a great deal of interest in the American political landscape. And I answered as best I could through Edoardo.

In Bologna, we took part in a festival of books put on by Seven Foxes, a bookstore that had a strong working relationship with Ensemble. The festival was held in a public park and my reading was followed with a Q & A. The audience was very curious about how I became so politically outspoken and what the dangers were in the U.S. of being as strident as I am. I answered to the best of my ability.

Venice was incredible, really truly one of the most surreal experiences for me. At this point in my life, I can say I have read at the University of Cambridge, at UNAM, at Casa De Las Americas, and now at an international poetry festival held in Venice, Italy. I have the great Anna Lombardo to thank for this. Anna has organized this festival for many years. Anna was a great friend and colleague to Jack Hirschman and working with Anna, for me, it really begins to cement my own legacy as a poet whose work is celebrated on an international level. At the festival, I ran into my old friend, the beat poet laureate of Hungary Gabor Gyukics, who translated and got my work published in three Hungarian literary journals; one of them right next to Sylvia Plath. What an honor that is. I also ran into my great friend Serena Piccoli, one of the best political poets I have ever met, and we talked about the doors that get closed when you speak out in an unapologetic fashion.

In Varese, I caught up with Gaetano and Maria Elena. While there I stayed in Maria Elena’s family home that was built in the 1300’s. That blew my mind. At the house there was a printing press, a work station and a painting studio. Maria Elena and Gaetano are maybe the most natural artists I have ever met. Also would you believe they got us incredible press for their event. In one paper I was compared to Amiri Baraka and Jack Hirschman. What an incredible honor to be compared to such legendary poets in print in another country.

Finally, I made my way to the last show in Colleferro. I was exhausted but it was a different kind of exhaustion. It was an exhaustion informed by a career and legacy-defining trip. It was a satisfied exhaustion. On the train it was announced there was a WWII unexploded bomb on the tracks and the train was delayed. We rushed onto the subway, and rushed from there to the bookstore. We were 15 minutes late to the reading and my head was pounding. The audience was mostly composed of radical teachers who asked the most insightful political questions of the entire trip. I did my best to answer the questions and that was that.

(RL): How did you feel seeing your poems translated into Italian for the first time?

MS: It was incredible to get a hold of the book for the first time. I really do feel as though my life is about to change in a big way. I feel as though all my work, over the years, is beginning to really pay off. I feel as though I am just getting started. To be honest, the biggest feeling I feel right now is relief. It is a confirmation of what those who believed in me have always said about me. I may not have the biggest fanbase but I do have an incredibly passionate one. I have felt pressure over the years to live up to what my biggest supporters have said about me. I have articles in print comparing me to Brecht and Dalton, and others comparing me to Ginsberg. That is a lot of pressure. It is a lot to live up to. I feel like this is a step in the right direction and more than anything, I feel relieved to finally be headed in the right direction.

(RL): Tell us more about the Turin International Book Fair and your experience participating in it.

MS: The Turin International Book Fair is the largest most important book fair in Italy. To have been an invited guest is the stuff dreams are made of. I really hope to do more things like this across the world. I have my eyes set on Guadalajara, Berlin, and Medellin.

(RL): What advice do you have for writers hoping to have their work translated?

MS: My advice to writers wanting to have their work translated, especially speaking to an audience based in the U.S., is first to reverse your thinking on what it means to write. Here in the U.S. we are constantly told that writing is about healing or therapy or something that edifies the author. Writing can be all those things. But if you want people to care about your work, write about things that matter to more people than just yourself. Write not as a matter of personal expression but as a public service. Do that often enough and you will gain international attention. Write about things that matter and write well. Seek international stages. Do those two things at the same time and it may just happen for you as well. Right now I have been translated into three languages and there is talk of a fourth and a fifth. This happened because of both my content and my skill. Work on both.

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Matt Sedillo has been described as the "best political poet in America" as well as "the poet laureate of the struggle." Sedillo was the recipient of the 2017 Joe Hill Labor Poetry award, a panelist at the 2020 Texas book festival, a participant in the 2012 San Francisco International Poetry Festival, the 2022 Elba Poetry Festival, and the recipient of the 2022 Dante's Laurel.Sedillo has appeared on CSPAN and has been featured in the Los Angeles Times, Axios, the Associated Press, and La Jornada among other publications. Matt Sedillo is the author of Mowing Leaves of Grass (FlowerSong Press, 2019) and City on the Second Floor (FlowerSong Press, 2022) as well as Terra Derubate, Vite Derubata (Ensemble Press, 2023). His poetry has been translated and published in Spanish, Italian, and Hungarian. Sedillo is the current literary director of The Mexican Cultural Institute of Los Angeles.

Ruddy Lopez is an Executive Assistant and Editor at Community Literature Initiative and Communications Co-Director with Latinx in Publishing. She lives in Inglewood, California, and attended California State University, Long Beach, where she obtained a BA in English Literature and English Education. In her spare time, Ruddy enjoys reading, writing poetry, and exploring what her city has to offer.

Book Review: For a Just and Better World by Sonia Hernández

In For a Just and Better World: Engendering Anarchism in the Mexican Borderlands, 1900-1938, Sonia Hernández takes us on a historical journey utilizing archival documents related to the transnational labor and anarcho-syndicalist movements of the early 20th century. By applying a feminist perspective, Hernández develops a gendered history that highlights the contributions of women in the global labor movement. Hernández also explores various topics such as Revolutionary Motherhood and motherhood as a rhetoric; the significance of media in identity labeling; the circulation of news during the 20th century; the inequalities women activists faced within and outside labor unions, and lastly, the power of global organizing. Weaved throughout each chapter, Hernández forefronts the significance of the anarchist movement: the fight for freedom and the freedom to envision a just and better world.

“By centering on female anarchists and organizers, Hernández brings to the forefront their marginalized voices, ideas, goals, and contributions, thus providing a gendered and more inclusive history. ”

The book begins by focusing on the type of revolutionist environment that gave rise to the feminist and anarchist Caritina Pina in Tampico, Mexico. In its exploration of Pina’s role as the head secretary of the Comité Internacional Pro-Presos Sociales–essentially the role of a global labor broker and organizer—Hernández traces global contributions made by Pina and other prominent women within the labor movement. By centering on female anarchists and organizers, Hernández brings to the forefront their marginalized voices, ideas, goals, and contributions, thus providing a gendered and more inclusive history. Through Hernández’s archival research, they string together documents from archives around the globe that portray the significant  contributions of Pina and other women. Hernández states that through their utilization of the press, Pina and others—without moving from their hometowns—operated at a global level, disseminating their intellectual ideas on the anarcho-syndicalist movement in a transnational, or borderless, world. Through the expression and circulation of their ideas about labor inequalities, women like Caritina Pina fought for a seat at the table in a male-dominated labor movement. Furthermore, the women’s borderless operation and impact shaped 20th century Mexico into a renowned intellectual hub. In a world that reproduces colonial hierarchies and seeks to make global south contributions invisible, Pina and other women’s establishment of (and Hernandez’s reclaiming of) Mexico as a place of radical and forward moving intellectual ideas, is revolutionary. Despite these contributions, however, Hernández ruminates on the dead-end they were met with—a dead-end that often met many female and female activists like Caritina Pina within the archives.

Hernández moves on to specifically examine the transformation of anarchist labor movements in Mexico. They claim that anarchism, due to its foundation on freedom and equality, produced opportunities for women to express their own interests and contribute to the “lucha”. Essentially, anarchist theory, when put in practice, lead to direct action, possibilities for women, and transnational organizing. Hernández claims that the women who were first involved in these labor organizations, such as Pina and the women who came before her, experienced more freedom than was common in the religious state that often oppressed them through the politicization of motherhood and morality. However, as labor movement organizations transformed, they began to adhere to state politics and adopted similar oppressive attitudes towards women. Thus, women who had initially found refuge and freedom within the labor movement, were gradually disillusioned and pushed out.

“[Hernández] reminds us about unity, female emancipation and empowerment, and about the fight for freedom. . . Hernández calls us to envision a free world rooted in equality. ”

Hernández establishes a historical pattern: once an organization was union-backed, they started following state-led policies meant to curve prostitution through the control of female bodies and female labor. Female waitresses were most affected, experiencing the strictest surveillance and control through the regulation of sexuality and morality. These discriminatory regulations eventually forced many waitresses to make the difficult decision of letting go of their benefits in a union-backed organization that did not have their best interests at heart and instead collectively organize for each other through a grassroots organization known as the meseras libres, or free waitress movement. This, Hernández claims, was an act of Feminist Anarchism. (1) However, despite the success in establishing the meseras libres, their organization ultimately did not experience the same amount of success as other unions due to the brutal repression they experienced from the state. (2) By examining this history, Hernandez portrays how women were active participants within the fight for equal labor rights but ultimately not given the same outcomes as their male counterparts. The disproportionate outcomes lead many women to “leave unions to the men” (3) and instead adopt disengaged attitudes about organizing, freedom, and equality.

Although achieving a provocative description of the inequalities that feminist labor activists faced in the 20th century, Hernández does not leave readers helpless. Instead, she reminds us about unity, female emancipation and empowerment, and about the fight for freedom. In conclusion, Hernández calls us to envision a free world rooted in equality. 

1 Hernandez, Sonia. 2021. For a Just and Better World: Engendering Anarchism in the Mexican Borderlands 1900- 1938. Pg 112

2 Ibid 112

3 Ibid112.

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Dr. Sonia Hernández earned Bachelor and Master's degrees in History from the University of Texas-Pan American as well as a PhD in Latin American History from the University of Houston. She is a former UT Board of Regents Scholar and Fulbright scholar. Dr. Hernández's research focuses on the intersections of gender and labor in the U.S.-Mexican Borderlands, Chicana/o history, and Modern Mexico. She is the author of Working Women into the Borderlands (Texas A&M University Press, 2014) and For a Just and Better World: Engendering Anarchism in the Mexican Borderlands, 1900-1938 (University of Illinois Press, 20121). A highly awarded scholar, her works have won the Sara A. Whaley Book Prize (NWSA), the Liz Carpenter Award (TSHA), and the Philip Taft Labor Book Award (Cornell & LAWCHA). Dr. Hernández is currently an Associate Professor of History at Texas A&M University.

Genesis Mazariegos is a graduate student in UC Irvine's School of Social Sciences. As a Guatemalan immigrant and life-long Orange County resident, Genesis' research is rooted in her lived experiences. Her current research focuses on tourism's effects on Latino neighborhoods in Orange County. As a McNair Scholar at UC Berkeley where she studied Anthropology, Genesis' research also examined Guatemalan transnational identity/culture and immigration law/policy.  Currently, Genesis is focused on pursuing both JD and PhD programs in order to become a transformative force and resource for her Latinx community.

Book Review: The Luis Ortega Survival Club by Sonora Reyes

The Luis Ortega Survival Club follows a young teenager, Arianna Ruiz or Ari, and her trauma after getting raped by Luis Ortega at a high school party. Ari is autistic and has selective mutism. At their high school, Ari is known as being a quiet person and therefore is pretty isolated from many of her peers. On the other hand, Luis is well known for being a “ladies’ man” and is often celebrated for it. When rumors start spreading about Ari hooking up with Luis, Ari is sexually harassed by her male peers, which continues to isolate and hurt her. Ari begins to receive notes that say #MeToo along with a tumblr username. She begins talking to the tumblr user and finds an unexpected friend through this experience. She is told to meet in room 205 if she is interested in getting back at Luis. At first, she isn’t interested but decides to go, after being frustrated with her experience. Room 205 reveals a support group of other people that have survived abuse from Luis. Suddenly, Ari has the opportunity to find friendship through her trauma and grow as a survivor.

“There are so many layers that were beautifully woven together to deliver such an important story. . . Reyes’ is extremely talented in developing characters that have an in-depth background. ”

It’s no surprise that this is a five star read. There are so many layers that were beautifully woven together to deliver such an important story, especially for younger audiences. Reyes’ is extremely talented in developing characters that have an in-depth background. Ari’s autism and selective mutism is often discussed along with the discussion of consent. Ari does not like being touched, without warning, therefore, consent for any physical touch is often asked for by her friends and family. I loved that discussions of consent were included in this book because I have not seen much representation on how deep consent can go. It is often talked about in worst case scenarios, but it is important to keep in mind that consent is necessary for any physical interaction, such as touching someone’s shoulder.

Ari’s family also play a key factor in the story. Although her parents live together, they are experiencing trust issues, after her mother cheated on her father. The different family dynamics are illustrated through Ari’s relationships with each of her parents. With her mother, she is often frustrated as she relies on Ari as her “friend” and treats her like a therapist. This is extremely difficult for Ari as she is not a professional therapist and is experiencing her own difficulties. Meanwhile, her relationship with her father is completely different as he is hesitant to discuss his emotions. This depiction of family dysfunction is so important because most of the time, families are depicted as a perfect and harmonious relationship but child/parent relationships can be difficult.

Ari’s friends warmed my heart the entire way. Although she had a rough start with Shawni, she quickly becomes an ally that supports Ari no matter what. She always asks for permission to touch her and always has a pen and paper ready for Ari to use. Even though their friend group revolves around exposing Luis, I love that early on there is a moment where they all state that they want to have friendships outside of their shared trauma. This made the friend group extremely heartwarming and made me so happy that Ari had a new support system.

Due to their talent of telling stories from such important perspectives, Sonora Reyes has become an auto-buy author for me. This book reminded me of the movie, John Tucker Must Die, but with an enormous amount of depth and layers that made it even better!

Content warnings: bullying, slut shaming, sexual harassment, rape culture, and the aftermath of an off-page rape.

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Sonora Reyes is a queer second-generation immigrant who attended a Catholic high school. They write fiction full of queer and Latinx characters in a variety of genres. Sonora is also the creator and host of #QPOCChat, a monthly community-building Twitter chat for queer writers of color. They currently live in Arizona, in a multigenerational family home with a small pack of dogs who run the place.

Mariana Felix-Kim (she/her) lives in Washington, D.C. with her lovely cat, Leo. When she is not working in the environmental science field, Mariana is constantly reading. Her favorite genres include non-fiction, thrillers, and contemporary romances. Mariana is half Mexican and half Korean. You can find her on Instagram: @mariana.reads.books

June 2023 Latinx Releases

ON SALE JUNE 6

Saint Juniper's Folly by Alex Crespo | YOUNG ADULT

For Jaime, returning to the Vermont town of Saint Juniper means returning to a past he's spent eight years trying to forget. After shuttling between foster homes, he hopes to make something out of this fresh start. But every gossip in town already knows his business, and with reminders of his past everywhere, he seeks out solitude into the nearby woods—Saint Juniper's Folly—and does not return.

For Theo, Saint Juniper means being stuck. He knows there's more out there, but he's scared to go find it. His senior year is going to be like all the rest, dull and claustrophobic. That is until he wanders into the Folly and stumbles on a haunted house with an acerbic yet handsome boy trapped—as in physically trapped—inside.

For Taylor, Saint Juniper is a mystery. She tries to practice the magic her dad banned from the house after her mom, an accomplished witch, suddenly died. But without someone to guide her, she's floundering. Then a wide-eyed teenager barges into her life, rambling about a haunted house and a trapped boy. He needs a witch.

The Folly and its ghosts will draw these three teenagers together. But can they each face their demons to forge a bond strong enough to escape the Folly's shadows?

Pedro & Daniel by Federico Erebia | Illustrated by Julie Kwon | YOUNG ADULT

Pedro and Daniel are Mexican-American brothers growing up in 1970s Ohio. Their mom doesn't like that Pedro is a spitting image of their darker-skinned father, that Daniel plays with dolls, that neither of the boys love sports like the other kids in their neighborhood. Life at home can be rough—but the boys have an unshakable bond that will last their entire lives.

Pedro & Daniel is a sweeping and deeply personal novel—illustrated with beautiful linework throughout by Julie Kwon—that spans from childhood to teenage years to adulthood, all the while tracing the lives of two brothers who are there for each other when no one else is. Together the brothers manage an abusive home life, school, coming out, first loves, first jobs, and the AIDS epidemic, in a coming-of-age story unlike any other.

Secret of the Moon Conch by David Bowles and Guadalupe Garcia McCall | YOUNG ADULT

In modern-day Mexico, Sitlali is all alone after the death of her beloved abuela. Targeted by a dangerous gang member, she flees to the United States to find her father. The night before her journey, she finds an ancient conch shell on the beach and takes it with her as a memento of home.

In 1521, Calizto is trapped in the Aztec city of Tenochtitlan, which is besieged by Spanish invaders. He has fought valiantly, but hope for his people is running out. Desperate to escape, he takes up his mother's sacred conch and sounds a plea to the gods.

The conch holds magic neither Sitlali nor Calizto understand, magic that allows them to communicate across centuries--and find comfort in each other as they fight to survive. With each conversation, they fall deeper in love, and as the moon waxes, they become more present to each other. But as danger threatens at every turn, will they ever find a way to truly be together?

The Garden of Second Chances by Mona Alvarado Frazier | YOUNG ADULT

Juana's life has taken a dark turn. Accused of her husband’s death, she's now a seventeen-year-old mother, alone and undocumented in a prison cell. No one believes her when she claims she's innocent, not even the prison staff or the gang leader in her block who torments her relentlessly.

Her only solace is in her baby, but as Juana struggles to survive the dangers lurking in prison, the threat outside grows even more terrifying. Her husband's furious family wants to take the child away.

With no hope in sight, Juana discovers a glimmer of light in a small patch of earth in the prison yard. As she nurtures the plants, memories of her mother's strength and resilience surface, pushing Juana to fight for her freedom and her daughter's future. This is a story of courage, hope, and determination in the face of impossible odds.

ON SALE JUNE 13

Lupe Lopez: Reading Rock Star! by E. E. Charlton-Trujillo and Pat Zietlow Miller | Illustrated by Joe Cepeda | PICTURE BOOK

Famous at Hector P. Garcia Elementary for being the first kid in kindergarten to ever start a band, Lupe Lopez enters first grade seeking a new sort of fame. She's ready to rock and roll straight into the role of Reading Rock Star! But despite her best efforts, the words she thought she knew--now grouped in sentence—only glare back at her. Stuck in Group A with the kids who can't read, she becomes the object of a rival's mockery. Will her beloved band, and her confidence, survive the sting of defeat? Leave it to Lupe to prove that the beat she feels when she taps her pencil isn't so very different from words and sentences—and that a real rock star is someone who doesn't give up. Featuring simple text laced with Spanish words, dynamic illustrations, and a reassuring theme, this sequel to Lupe Lopez: Rock Star Rules! will encourage fledgling readers to keep trying, even if they miss a beat or two.

ON SALE JUNE 15

Untapped Leadership: Harnessing the Power of Underrepresented Leaders by Jenny Vazquez-Newsum | ADULT NONFICTION

Untapped Leadership examines strategies, capabilities, and contributions from leaders of color and marginalized backgrounds from all walks of life and career stages. Highlighting diverse stories and strategies, this groundbreaking book reveals a different kind of leadership, one that requires an advanced understanding of situational awareness, organizational dynamics, and sound decision-making. Far from being a book only for leaders of color, Untapped Leadership shows that the lessons grounded in BIPOC leadership are lessons for anyone and everyone looking to bring a more nuanced and contextual perspective towards navigating life and career—from readers beginning their leadership journeys to those fortunate to lead teams and organizations through complex and fast-changing environments.

ON SALE JUNE 20

Rivermouth: A Chronicle of Language, Faith, and Migration by Alejandra Oliva | ADULT NONFICTION

In Rivermouth, Oliva focuses on the physical spaces that make up different phases of immigration, looking at how language and opportunity move through each of them: from the river as the waterway that separates the U.S. and Mexico, to the table as the place over which Oliva prepares asylum seekers for their Credible Fear Interviews, and finally, to the wall as the behemoth imposition that runs along America's southernmost border.

With lush prose and perceptive insight, Oliva encourages readers to approach the painful questions that this crisis poses with equal parts critique and compassion. By which metrics are we measuring who "deserves" American citizenship? What is the point of humanitarian systems that distribute aid conditionally? What do we owe to our most disenfranchised?

As investigative and analytical as she is meditative and introspective, sharp as she is lyrical, and incisive as she is compassionate, seasoned interpreter Alejandra Oliva argues for a better world while guiding us through the suffering that makes the fight necessary and the joy that makes it worth fighting for.

Fresh Dirt from the Grave by Giovanna Rivero| Translated by Isabel Adey | SHORT STORIES

In Fresh Dirt from the Grave, a hillside is "an emerald saddle teeming with evil and beauty." It is this collision of harshness and tenderness that animates Giovanna Rivero's short stories, where no degree of darkness (buried bodies, lost children, wild paroxysms of violence) can take away from the gentleness she shows all violated creatures. A mad aunt haunts her family, two Bolivian children are left on the outskirts of a Metis reservation outside Winnipeg, a widow teaches origami in a women's prison and murders, housefires, and poisonings abound, but so does the persistent bravery of people trying to forge ahead in the face of the world. They are offered cruelty, often, indifference at best, and yet they keep going. Rivero has reworked the boundaries of the gothic to engage with pre-Columbian ritual, folk tales, sci-fi and eroticism, and found in the wound their humanity and the possibility of hope.

Martina Has Too Many Tías by Emma Otheguy | Illustrated by Sara Palacios | PICTURE BOOK

Martina does not like parties. Parties are full of tías with their flashy fashions and boom-and-bellow laughter that's too much for quiet Martina. At least with all that noise, no one notices when she slips away. She finds herself in a magical place: a warm, familiar island where she can finally play in peace and quiet. Martina is home at last--or is she?

ON SALE JUNE 27

Anarchist Popular Power: Dissident Labor and Armed Struggle in Uruguay, 1956-76 by Troy Andreas Araiza Kokinis | ADULT NONFICTION

Araiza Kokinis's study of the Uruguayan Anarchist Federation (FAU) broadens our understanding of the Cold War-era political landscape beyond the capitalism-communism and Old Left-New Left binaries that dominate the historiography of the epoch.

Arguably the most impactful anarchist organization globally in the Cold War era, the FAU viewed everyday people as revolutionary protagonists and sought to develop a popular counter-subjectivity through accumulating experiences directly challenging the market and the state. The FAU argued that everyday people transformed into revolutionary subjects through the regular practice of collective direct action in labor unions, student organizations, and neighborhood councils. Their slogan was "create popular power," and their praxis differed from nationalist strains of Marxism at the time. The strategies and tactics promoted by FAU, ones in which everyday people took on roles as historical protagonists, offered the largest threat to maintaining social order in Uruguay and thus spawned a military takeover of the state to dismantle and deflate their vibrant popular revolt.

Tenacious: Fifteen Adventures Alongside Disabled Athletes by Patty Cisneros Prevo | Illustrated by Dion Mbd | PICTURE BOOK

A downhill skier whose blindness has sharpened her communication skills. An adaptive surfer who shreds waves while sitting down. A young man who excels at wheelchair motocross—but struggles with math. Tenacious tells their stories and more, revealing the daily joys and challenges of life as an athlete with disabilities.

These competitors have won gold medals, set world records, climbed mountain peaks, claimed national championships, and many more extraordinary achievements. Get to know them in Tenacious!

ON SALE JUNE 30

A Night of Screams: Latino Horror Stories | Edited by Richard Z. Santos | SHORT STORIES

This riveting collection of horror stories—and four poems—contains a wide range of styles, themes and authors. Creepy creatures roam the pages, including La Llorona and the Chupacabras in fresh takes on Latin American lore, as well as ghosts, zombies and shadow selves. Migrants continue to pass through Rancho Altamira where Esteban’s family has lived for generations, but now there are two types: the living and the dead. A young man returns repeatedly to the scary portal down which his buddy disappeared. A woman is relieved to receive multiple calls from her cousin following Hurricane María in Puerto Rico, but she is stunned to later learn her prima died the first night of the storm! There’s plenty of blood and gore in some stories, while others are mysterious and suspenseful. Contributors include Ann Davila Cardinal, V. Castro, Ruben Degollado, Richie Narvaez, Lilliam Rivera and Ivelisse Rodriguez.

Review and Author Q & A: Plátanos Are Love by Alyssa Reynoso Morris; Illustrated by Mariyah Rahman

I grew up eating platanos: mangú, tostones and maduros (or fritos as we like to call them in our household,) so you can imagine how excited I was when I learned of a children’s book dedicated to one of my first loves!

Plátanos Are Love by Alyssa Reynoso Morris is a beautiful homage to culture, history, traditions and family. The story starts with a young girl who goes produce shopping with her grandmother. This introduction sets the foundation for the journey in which the little girl takes the reader. As she learns from her grandmother how to cook plátanos, in a variety of ways, she also learns about the importance that they hold in her ancestral history. Ultimately, we find the young girl passing on the knowledge of what her grandmother has taught her, in the kitchen, to her little sister; giving us a full circle heartfelt moment.

The book is filled with wondrous attention to detail, starting with the beautiful bright illustrations by Mariyah Rahman. From the grandmothers hoop earrings, to the array of hairstyles on the characters, I felt seen. The Spanish interwoven throughout the story, welcomes us to a Spanglish filled world; one many of us can recognize. However, it’s the reader care that we see via a glossary, for those unfamiliar with the Spanish words, and the recipes for the wonderful dishes, mentioned throughout the book, that really brings the book together.

I had the opportunity to ask Alyssa Reynoso Morris a few questions about Plátanos Are Love. She spoke about the inspiration behind the book, the importance of knowing our history, what we can expect next from her and of course, how she prefers her plátanos.

““Plátanos Are Love” by Alyssa Reynoso Morris is a beautiful homage to culture, history, traditions and family. ”

Tiffany Gonzalez (TG): What or who inspired you to write this book? 

Alyssa Reynoso Morris (ARM): I wanted to be a writer since I was 7 years old because I grew up with my Abuela—the original storyteller. She had a second-grade education, but that didn’t stop her from telling the best stories that captivated EVERYONE’S attention. I remember looking up to her and wanting to be like her. I think she knew that because she would rope me into “helping” her tell her stories. These are some of my fondest memories as well as the time we spent in the kitchen together. My love of my Abuela, her stories, and the food we made together inspired Plátanos Are Love.

TG: Immediately, I was drawn in by the Spanish words and loved the strong presence that "Spanglish" had throughout the book. It reminded me of my upbringing and of my day to day, in all honesty. Was that always the intention or did that come later on in the process of bringing this book together? 

ARM: I love this question. The Spanglish was intentional. Growing up I spoke Spanish at home and English in school. Then as I got older my English proficiency outpaced my Spanish. I found myself speaking in Spanish and in Spanglish every chance I got to preserve the language. With time I learned to take pride in my Spanglish and my goal with my writing is for it to be as authentic as possible. When I started writing it I had sprinkled in Spanish and fortunately my editor asked me to lean into it more, so I did and I'm proud of what we created.

TG: The history of our ancestors played a very important role in the book. Can you speak on why this was important for you to highlight?

ARM: I'm a political science major and I'm obsessed with how our history affects our present. Growing up I learned about Trujillo and the Parsley Massacre but I didn't learn about slavery and colonization until I was in school. I think it's important for kids to learn where they come from. I think kids should know how resilient their ancestors were so they know they are also resilient and can do anything they set their mind to. 

TG: It's essential for kids to see books that reflect their cultures; that reflect who they are. The one book I read as a child that highlighted Dominican culture has stayed with me till this day. Will you be continuing this work with future projects? Can we expect other aspects of Dominican/Puerto Rican culture or even just latinidad highlighted? 

ARM: I love this question and the answer is YES you can expect more Latinidad to come in my future works. My Dominican and Puerto Rican culture and experiences are such huge parts of my identity and storytelling that I can't tell stories without incorporating it in. My second book The Bronx Is My Home is a love letter to the Bronx from the perspective of a Black Puertorican boy. There are references to Latiné heroes like Sonia Sotomayor and AOC. My third book is called Gloriana Presente: A First Day of School Book and it starts with Gloriana's Abuela soothes her first day of school nerves by telling her stories about their family home in la República Dominicana. Gloriana is uncertain about how to exist between her two homes, or how to make new friends between her two languages. This imaginative picture book celebrates the magic of existing in-between, and the transformative power of self-soothing to build confidence. I think immigrants and particularly the Latiné/x/o community will resonate with the text. 

TG: Okay, if you had to choose one: tostones, maduros or mangú? And why? 

ARM: Asking me to pick one is like asking me what my favorite book is. I just can't choose one because it really depends on my mood. When I want something sweet I go for maduros. When I want something crispy I go for tostones. Mangú is great when I want to feel full and am trying to be healthier as it's not fried. I also love mofongo, pastelon, and alcapurias but we needed to edit them out of the book because the manuscript was getting too long.

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Alyssa Reynoso-Morris is a queer Afro-Latinx Dominican and Puerto Rican writer, wife, mother, and community organizer. During the day she is a chief of staff working with community members, nonprofit organizations, and government officials to make the world a better place. Then she puts her writer's hat on to craft heartfelt stories about home, family, food, and the fun places she has been. Alyssa was born and raised in the Bronx and currently lives in Philadelphia with her partner and daughter. Alyssa is honored to be a Musa with Las Musas Books which celebrates the diversity of voice, experience, and power of Latinx children's authors. She hopes you enjoy her stories. You can visit her website at alyssaauthor.com.

Mariyah Rahman was born and raised in Trinidad and Tobago. She spent her earliest years climbing trees, digging for fossils, and drawing on walls with crayons. Today she is an illustrator for children's books and entertainment but has still never found a fossil.

Tiffany Gonzalez is the Marketing Manager at Astra House and the Communications Co-Director for Latinx In Publishing. She previously worked in Production at HarperCollins Publishers. She has worked on the Publicity and Marketing campaign for Dreaming of You by Melissa Lozada-Oliva and on the Marketing campaigns for Becoming Abolitionists by Derecka Purnell, The Sex Lives of African Women by Nana Darkoa Sekiyamah and National Book Award Fiction Finalist The Town of Babylon by Alejandro Varela. She has earned her Bachelors and Master's degrees from Rutgers University - NB. She is Dominican-American and fluid in Spanish. She is a Publisher’s Weekly 2022 Star Watch Honoree. You can follow her on Instagram @wandering_tiff_ or visit her website at wanderingtiff.com

Four Anthologies to Read in 2023

Anthologies have so much to love about them. They provide multiple stories in just one book where the author can showcase many aspects of their writing style. There are always new characters to meet, new plots to read, and new worlds to lose yourself in. 

Here are four anthologies that you should read in 2023.

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Wild Tongues Can't Be Tamed:
15 Voices from the Latinx Diaspora
edited by Saraciea J. Fennell

This anthology, edited by Latinx in Publishing Board Chair Saraciea J. Fennell, is composed of well-known and up-and-coming authors who challenge the myths and stereotypes that surround the Latinx diaspora. 

“In Wild Tongues Can’t Be Tamed, writers from across the Latinx diaspora interrogate the different myths and stereotypes about this rich and diverse community. From immigration to sexuality, music to language, and more, these personal essays and poems are essential additions to the cultural conversation, sure to inspire hope and spark dialogue.

The bestselling and award-winning contributors include Elizabeth Acevedo, Cristina Arreola, Ingrid Rojas Contreras, Naima Coster, Natasha Diaz, Kahlil Haywood, Zakiya Jamal, Janel Martinez, Jasminne Mendez, Meg Medina, Mark Oshiro, Julian Randall, Lilliam Rivera, and Ibi Zoboi.”

The Book of Wanderers
by Reyes Ramirez

If you want an anthology that’s filled with unique worlds and characters across different genres, these short stories by Reyes Ramirez are for you.

“The collection follows multiple characters of Mexican &/or Salvadoran descent in past, present, and future settings inspired by Houston. Readers will recognize many of the landmarks and cultural influences of H-Town in The Book of Wanderers, whether it be pro wrestling, driving on I-45, roadside memorials, the Ship Channel, and even its unique radio DJs. However, as the stories progress, their genres stray further from reality, ranging from hallucinatory realism to science fiction to the post-apocalyptic. Houston is a cosmopolitan metropolis in Texas that’s part of the South, West, and Southwest on the Gulf Coast that encompasses the urban, suburban, and rural while being near the Borderlands with connections to the cosmos through NASA.”

How to Date a Flying Mexican:
New and Collected Stories
by Daniel A. Olivas

This whimsical anthology by Daniel A. Olivas intertwines Chicana/o and Mexican culture and history such as gods, curanderismo, education, immigration, and more.

“How to Date a Flying Mexican is a collection of stories derived from Chicano and Mexican culture but ranging through fascinating literary worlds of magical realism, fairy tales, fables, and dystopHow to Date a Flying Mexicanian futures. Many of Daniel A. Olivas's characters confront—both directly and obliquely— questions of morality, justice, and self-determination.

The collection is made up of Olivas's favorite previously published stories, along with two new stories—one dystopian and the other magical—that challenge the Trump administration's anti-immigration rhetoric and policies. How to Date a Flying Mexican draws together some of Olivas's most unforgettable and strange tales, allowing readers to experience his very distinct, and very Chicano, fiction.”

Her Body and Other Parties
by Carmen Maria Machado

Within these thought-provoking and captivating stories, Carmen Maria Machado presents the reality that surrounds violence against women and their bodies.

“In Her Body and Other Parties, Carmen Maria Machado blithely demolishes the arbitrary borders between psychological realism and science fiction, comedy and horror, fantasy and fabulism. While her work has earned her comparisons to Karen Russell and Kelly Link, she has a voice that is all her own. In this electric and provocative debut, Machado bends genre to shape startling narratives that map the realities of women’s lives and the violence visited upon their bodies.”

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Melissa Gonzalez (she/her) is a UCLA graduate with a major in American Literature & Culture and a minor in Chicana/o & Central American Studies. She loves boba, horror movies, and reading. You can spot her in the fiction, horror/mystery/thriller, and young adult sections of bookstores. Though she is short, she feels as tall as her TBR pile. You can find Melissa on her book Instagram: @floralchapters

#SalaSundays with Ruddy Lopez

Ruddy Lopez hosted our Instagram, on June 11th, for our weekly #SalaSundays series. Below are a few questions that we asked Ruddy.

Latinx In Publishing (LxP): What do you do?

Ruddy Lopez (RL): I am currently the Communications Co-Director for Latinx in Publishing and the Executive Assistant and Editor for a literary nonprofit based in Los Angeles called Community Literature Initiative (CLI), which operates three programs: poetry publishing classes, World Stage Press, and the Sims Library of Poetry. 

LxP: How did you get started?

RL: I started my career as a high school teacher, then became more interested in publishing when I learned that there was a lack of representation and diversity in the field. I applied to the Los Angeles Review of Books Publishing workshop and began networking with other publishing professionals. I had also applied to CLI as a student in their poetry publishing program and volunteered as one of their grant writers, which led me to get hired as the executive assistant. I love editing, so I became the editor of our small press.

LxP: What do you wish you knew before getting into the industry?

RL: When I was younger, I thought authors would finish their manuscripts and it would be ready for publication right away. I never really thought about all the work that goes on behind the scenes and the team needed to get those books in readers' hands. Publishing is such an interesting industry and I wish I had been more exposed to the many different roles in the field when I started off. I've met a lot of amazing folks in the industry who are very passionate about what they do and are open to helping people who are interested in the field.  

LxP: What book are you currently working on or reading?

RL: I just finished reading Rest is Resistance: A Manifesto by Tricia Hersey, which I highly recommend. Up next on my reading list is Our Share of Night by Mariana Enriquez. 

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Ruddy Lopez is an Executive Assistant and Editor at Community Literature Initiative and Communications Co-Director with Latinx in Publishing. She lives in Inglewood, California, and attended California State University, Long Beach, where she obtained a BA in English Literature and English Education. In her spare time, Ruddy enjoys reading, writing poetry, and exploring what her city has to offer.

#SalaSundays with Monica Fernandez

Monica Fernandez hosted our Instagram, on May 21, 2023 for our weekly #SalaSundays series. Below are a few questions that we asked Monica.

Latinx In Publishing (LxP): What do you do?

Monica Fernandez (MF): I'm in charge of media and publicity for Red Hen's books and the company as a whole. I'm also managing all of our events, from local events to our presence at national and international book fairs.

LxP: How did you get started?

MF: I started at Red Hen as an intern in the Media and Publicity department in 2017 and worked my way up from there! Before that, I earned a Masters in Arts Degree in Creative Writing and Publishing and interned at a small press, Head of Zeus, in London for 6 months.

LxP: What do you wish you knew before getting into the industry?

MF: You have to wear so many hats, especially working at a small press! There's never a dull moment, but every minute is rewarding when you can hold these books in your hands after all that hard work!

LxP: What book are you currently working on or reading?

MF: At Red Hen, I'm working on our upcoming Fall season of books, which includes a fantastic queer, neurodivergent fantasy book called Cursebreakers by Madeleine Nakamura. It is a fantastic, beautifully written and created world full of magic, queer love, and conspiracy and I can't wait until it comes out on September 12 this year!

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Monica Fernandez graduated from the University of California, Irvine cum laude with a BA in English with an emphasis on Creative Writing, and from City University London with a MA in Creative Writing and Publishing. She has had several short fiction and creative nonfiction pieces published in The Chaffey Review, Rind Literary Magazine, Scribendi, The Left Coast Review, Creepy Gnome, and Pure Slush Magazine’s Envy anthology. She is Filipino-American, a proud Hufflepuff, and a film and theatre enthusiast.

Book Review: What Happened to Ruthy Ramirez by Claire Jiménez

In 1996, Ruthy Ramirez disappeared without a trace. The Staten Island 13-year-old had gone to school and then to track practice, but never made it home.

Nina—the youngest of the three Ramirez girls—always thought her sister Ruthy was invincible: the “Queen of the Quick Comeback, hoop earrings and Vaseline, Patron Saint of the Fist and the Late-Night Call Home from the Principal. Who in the world could touch her, my sister?”

The family searched for her and sought the help of cops. But their efforts to find Ruthy were unsuccessful, and the years stretched on. The Ramirez girls’ father, Eddie, would later die. The remaining Ramirez women—Nina, eldest sister Jessica, and their mother, Dolores—continue on, somehow. Still, the heavy question of Ruthy’s whereabouts and her wellbeing continues to hang over them. And this same question becomes too great to manage 12 years later, when Jessica sees who she thinks is Ruthy on Catfight, a vulgar reality show that pits women against one another. Like Ruthy, "Ruthy/Ruby"—as Nina calls the woman behind the screen—is Puerto Rican, has red hair, and the same brown beauty mark beneath her left eye.

Could this woman—alive, breathing and whose way of speaking is eerily familiar—be their long-missing sister?

Claire Jiménez’s powerful debut novel, What Happened to Ruthy Ramirez, explores the ways in which a family’s reality can be shattered, in more ways than one. Jiménez brings a rich portrait of fierce Puerto Rican women, the bonds that tie them, and what becomes of their lives after tragedy.

There’s a bigger story about grief and how a family can be fractured, after tragedy strikes, as well as how undying love can spur a quest for answers: in this novel, the quest is a plan hatched by Jessica and Nina to drive to where the reality show is filmed, find Ruthy, and bring her home.

Jiménez starts the story by introducing the reader to Nina, Jessica and Dolores, and what’s become of them in her absence. Ever since college, Nina had largely avoided her family. As she explains, it “hurt her too much to see up close what had happened to” them over the years. Meanwhile, the older sister, Jessica, has been overextending herself by juggling a demanding job as a nurse, a baby, and looking after their mother, Dolores. Then one day, an overwhelmed and fed-up Jessica tells Nina that it’s her turn to take on the responsibility of helping care for their mother. Having been rejected by medical schools, Nina returns to Staten Island and reluctantly takes a $7.50-an-hour job at Mariposa’s, a lingerie store at the Staten Island Mall. Dolores, a widow who still carries the unbearable weight of the guilt over Ruthy’s disappearance, is in the middle of the two sisters. She’s an endearing and hilarious character—a religious woman who can go to church and rain expletives on someone without hesitation.

“Jiménez brings a rich portrait of fierce Puerto Rican women, the bonds that tie them, and what becomes of their lives after tragedy. . . At the root, this story is about love.”

Jiménez does not shy away from heavy subjects and instead grips them and unfolds them for readers: generational violence, trauma, and the long-reaching effects of colonialism on the Puerto Rican diaspora are some of the themes addressed in the book. In one chapter, Nina confesses that she’d always been afraid of her Pentecostal mother and the way Dolores has overperformed her role. “For so many years, it had felt like she was trying to overcompensate, for having kids so young or for growing up poor or for being Puerto Rican,” Nina says of Dolores. Jiménez explores these themes with remarkable freedom and, many times, snark and humor. And it is because of the writer’s fearlessness on the page that What Happened to Ruthy Ramirez feels like an easy read. The novel is both heartbreaking and funny, fragile and honest.

One noteworthy element of this story is Jiménez’s unflinching hold on the United States’ obsession with reality TV. Through Catfight—the fictional reality TV that maybe Ruthy stars in—the author paints a highly-toxic and harmful environment for women, which resemble familiar reality television shows. The cast of Catfight badmouth and betray each other, and have to literally fight to stay on the show. The author lays bare how Black and Brown women themselves often become centers of humiliation, and even violence, for the sake of others’ entertainment. As readers follow along, they’re challenged on what is true about the contestants’ real lives outside of the show, and what’s not. Jiménez forces readers to sit with the fact that this is the type of content many love to watch—“guilty pleasures” or “trashy reality shows.” What does that say about the representation of Black and Brown women? And what does that say about the viewer?

As a society we’re used to learning about the last day a missing person was seen through witness statements and surveillance video. In the U.S. there’s also disproportionate media coverage of Black and Brown girls who go missing. Jiménez shines a brutal light on this issue by lending voice to Ruthy herself. Early on, the reader gets an introduction to Ruthy and her version of her story; a slow pan of her last day at school before her disappearance. Chapter 4 begins by telling readers that, in order to know what happened to Ruthy Ramirez, then they need to understand what happened that day at school. It’s a brilliant decision by Jiménez to have Ruthy share her own truth. In less than a handful of chapters, readers are given a glimpse into who Ruthy is at 13, with her “crazy-ass moms,” sisters and dad in a little pink town house.

At the root, this story is about love. The Ramirez women, though flawed and complicated (because who isn’t?), love one another fiercely. And they won’t stop trying to fill the gaping hole that once held Ruthy.

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Claire Jiménez is a Puerto Rican writer who grew up in Brooklyn and Staten Island, New York. She is the author of the short story collection Staten Island Stories (Johns Hopkins Press, December 2019), which received the 2019 Hornblower Award for a first book from the New York Society Library. Jimenez is a PhD student in English with a concentration in ethnic studies and digital humanities at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln. She received her MFA from Vanderbilt University. Recently, she was a research fellow at the Center for Puerto Rican Studies at Hunter College. In 2020, she was awarded a Mellon Foundation grant from the U.S Latino Digital Humanities Program at the University of Houston. Currently, she is an assistant fiction editor at Prairie Schooner. Her fiction, essays and reviews have appeared in Remezcla, Afro-Hispanic Review, PANK, The Rumpus, el roommate, Eater, District Lit, The Toast and the Los Angeles Review of Books, among other publications.

Amaris Castillo is an award-winning journalist, writer, and the creator of Bodega Stories, a series featuring real stories from the corner store. Her writing has appeared in La Galería Magazine, Aster(ix) Journal, Spanglish Voces, PALABRITAS, Dominican Moms Be Like… (part of the Dominican Writers Association’s #DWACuenticos chapbook series), and most recently Quislaona: A Dominican Fantasy Anthology. She has new work forthcoming in Sana, Sana: Latinx Pain and Radical Visions for Healing and Justice, out in July from Common Notions Press. Her short story, “El Don,” was a prize finalist for the 2022 Elizabeth Nunez Caribbean-American Writers’ Prize by the Brooklyn Caribbean Literary Festival. She is a proud member of Latinx in Publishing’s Writers Mentorship Class of 2023 and lives in the Tampa Bay area with her family and dog, Brooklyn.