THE LATINA BOOK CLUB

    THE VOTING BOOTH AFTER DARK: Despicable. Embarrassing. Repulsive. By Vanessa Libertad Garcia Fiat Libertad http://www.vanessalibertadgarcia.com/ “Raise your white flags, dirty as they may be.” THE VOTING BOOTH AFTER DARK is a short volume of poetry and essays that follow a group of gay and lesbian Latino club kids in Los Angeles during the course of the 2008 presidential elections. As Obama moves into the White House and Bush moves out, the characters too find themselves on the “Eve of Change.” Whereas, before the elections, they—like most of the country—find themselves full of angst, hopelessness, just like “another ungrateful useless American sitting on the edge of a cliff.” But that “Anguish” is followed by a little hope: “I yearn, I thirst, I crave not to throw all my hard won years away.” And, what begins as dead end days, full of despair, end in acceptance, compassion and trust. With a 40-ounce or a bottle of Barcardi on hand, these 20-somethings are ready to fa

  The Latina Book Club is pleased to introduce our Guest Blogger, author Mayra Calvani, on writing and beginnings.  Welcome, Mayra. DAY ONE:   BEGINNINGS By Mayra Calvani From the time I was about eleven, I loved writing stories. Writing fiction was my special talent, what made me stand out among my peers. Later, in my mid-teens, I seriously began picturing myself as a published author. The possibility of holding my own book in my hands and seeing it on bookshelves was a thrilling fantasy to have. I remember being asked in class what we planned to do with our lives. We were supposed to stand up and answer and, of course, I answered ‘I’m going to be an author.’ Agatha Christie was a big influence back then. I think I had read all of her novels by the time I turned fifteen. In those days, I also read a lot of Barbara Cartland and Janet Daily. I gobbled up their books and dreamed of becoming a known author just like them some day. I wrote my first novel when I was fifteen. It w

Congratulations to Marjorie who wins a copy of the Crafty Chica's WAKING UP IN THE LAND OF GLITTER.  This is book one in Kathy Cano-Murillo's Crafty Chica series. It's a fun read. I read it in two days. The ladies are a hoot -- Star, Ofie and Chloe. If you read this book and don't want to be hanging out at La Pachanga, listening to Reggae Sol, doing crafts with the girls, then you need to read this book again! And don't stop there for book two in the Crafty Chica series, MISS SCARLET'S SCHOOL OF PATTERNLESS SEWING, is also wonderful and The Latina Book Club's Book of the Month. Check out our interview with Kathy Cano-Murillo  here . Visit Kathy at http://www.craftychica.com/ And as always, Read Latino.  

        "DISH AND TELL is a compilation of true stories of our journeys as we juggle our personal and professional lives, which we hope will leave you either nodding in understanding or winking in complicity."                                                                               -- Miami Bombshells TO BE A BOMBSHELL: "It's more about being courageous than being curvaceous." DISH & TELL:  LIFE, LOVE, AND SECRETS by The Miami Bombshells Patricia San Pedro Mercedes Soler Annie San Roman Tammi Leader Fuller Lydia Sacasa Sara Rosenberg (William Morrow, 2005) They are six friends – everyday Divas and self-proclaimed Miami Bombshells – who gathered every few weeks for dinner, drinks and dishing. They talked about everything and anything. Didn’t matter what “bombshell” one of them dropped, no topic was taboo – family, health, occupations, spirituality, sex. Their gatherings became therapeutic sessions and eventually this book – a book fu

The Latina Book Club is honored to be part of Kathy’s blog tour for her second Crafty Chica novel, MISS SCARLET’S SCHOOL OF PATTERNLESS SEWING.  We found the book to be passionate, electrifying and fun, which could also be said of the author!            Kathy Cano-Murillo is better known as the Crafty Chica. She began as a journalist, but soon turned her passion for art into a business empire, which includes books, her own product line, crafty cruise, TV appearances and a nationally syndicated newspaper column.            FREE BOOK:    Join us for an intimate chat with Kathy and your chance to win a free book.  Leave a comment (and your email address) and you will be entered to win the first book in her series, WAKING UP IN THE LAND OF GLITTER.   Feet, what do I need you for when I have wings to fly? --- Frida Kahlo My mission for my novels is to showcase contemporary, educated and creative Latina characters . ---Kathy Cano-Murillo Q:  Tell us how you went from secretary to Cr

                                          Q: You are a writer and a painter. Do you prefer one medium over the other or do the two feed of each other within you? A: I like to think of painting as taking a snapshot, and writing as directing a full length motion picture. Other than that, it's hard to draw parallels. I'm a great admirer of other painters, and a bit of an art history buff. Since my work hasn't been exhibited, I don't take my own work too seriously, and do it purely for enjoyment. I started writing only a few years ago. I never thought I had the literary background to write fiction, but over time, I transitioned from journaling to an attempt at a memoir (a very bad one I might add). Eventually, I wrote nine drafts of AS HAPPY AS LING, polishing to the point that I could not recognize it as my own writing. Perhaps what painting has taught me is that it's all right to get off to a bad start, but to keep working in layers and layers. Q: When did you

  MISS SCARLET'S SCHOOL OF PATTERNLESS SEWING A Crafty Chica Novel by Kathy Cano-Murillo Grand Central Publishing Our March book is passionate, electrifying and fun! MISS SCARLET’S SCHOOL OF PATTERNLESS SEWING is Kathy Cano-Murillo’s second book in her “Crafty Chica” novel series. Many of you will remember WAKING UP IN THE LAND OF GLITTER, which debut to critical acclaim. In the second Crafty Chica novel, we have a passional heroine who knows what she wants and goes out and gets it. Scarlet Santana, a chemical engineer with two degrees, chucks a six-figure salary to follow her dream of fashion design. Her fiance dumps her, her parents lay on the guilt, and her boss at the fashion studio undervalues her, but Scarlet will not give up her dream. BLOG TOUR & BOOK GIVEAWAY – MARCH 10 The Latina Book Club is pleased to be part of MISS SCARLET’S SCHOOL OF PATTERNLESS SEWING blog tour. Join us on Thursday, March 10, for an intimate Q&A with author Kathy Cano-Murill