I’m participating on a panel with some fellow Latina/o writers at the Connolly Branch of the Boston Public Library in Jamaica Plain this coming Monday, October 2nd at 6pm. We will be discussing our paths to publication as a way to inspire new Latina/o writers to reach their own publishing goals!
A few years ago, my good friend Jonathan Escoffery, after having read a different piece I’d written, said to me, “You should write a story about two friends working at a hotel in Cuba who want to marry a tourist in order to leave the country.” And so I did. The story, titled “Daredevils,” ended up being about a lot more than that initial premise, but it nonetheless owes its existence to Jonathan’s idea and encouragement.
Many people read this story, and offered feedback on it afterwards, which undoubtedly made it a stronger piece. A few months ago, I read from it during a visit to Brown University. Today, it was accepted for publication by a magazine I really like and admire, Third Coast. I can’t wait to see it in their pages! Huge thanks to everyone who had a hand in improving “Daredevils” along the way.
I was thrilled to recently find out that my story collection manuscript, A Kind of Solitude, is a finalist for the Autumn House Press Fiction Contest. I’m a big fan of the press, and I recognize a few of the names on the finalists’ list, so I’m very excited to be included.
Big thanks to everyone who has helped me with this collection along the way! I hope to find a home for it soon.
A few years ago, I read a fake news report that a giraffe had been stolen from Cuba’s National Zoo. I was, of course, somewhat disappointed that the story turned out to be false, but then I thought, “What if?” So I wrote a short story about it, which ended up dealing with friendship, race, American influence on Cuba, and animal cruelty. Today, that story, titled “The Man From the Zoo,” was accepted for publication by The Massachusetts Review. Huge thanks go out to Alina Collazo, Artem Derkatch, Shubha Sunder, and Ralph Rodriguez for their feedback and enthusiasm, which undoubtedly made this story better and encouraged me to send it out!
I’m excited to be participating on the following panel:
The Emerson College WLP Department presents: Cuba and the Embattled Book: Examining censorship, the US embargo, and the future for writers and publishers.
Panelists:
DR. SARA E. COOPER, editor, Cubanabooks Press; professor, Spanish and Multicultural & Gender Studies, California State University, Chico.
KEN FUND, president and CEO, Quarto Publishing Group USA; member, February 2016 U.S. publishing mission to Cuba.
DARIEL SUAREZ, author; head of faculty and curriculum, GrubStreet.
Moderated by ALDEN JONES, author; WLP senior affiliate faculty member; co-founder, Cuba Writers Program.
Refreshments will be offered at 5:30 p.m.
Wednesday, February 15, 2017
Bright Family Screening Room
Paramount Center
559 Washington Street, Boston
The wonderful editors at WBUR’s Cognoscenti recently published an opinion piece I wrote, from an immigrant’s perspective, about the importance of political fiction in America.
The Stuff Of Fiction: Why We Need Political Writing Now More Than Ever
January 23, 2017
The North American Review’s Winter 2017 issue includes a story of mine, and the artwork they’ve attached to the story is not only really cool, but truly captures the atmosphere of the piece!
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