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Q&A WITH AUTHOR AND “HISPANIC FANATIC” DANIEL CUBIAS

  
Happy Labor Day!

We begin such an exciting month with an interview with Daniel Cubias, author of BARRIO IMBROGLIO.  
It's a detective novel with a funny Latino character and a deep dark murder.



Q: You wrote your first autobiography at age six.  Did you know then you wanted to be a writer? When did you really know?

DANIEL:  When I was eleven, I wrote a story about astronauts landing on Mars and getting eaten by some giant alien plant-like thing. My friends liked it, and I thought, “Why not spend the next few decades trying to master this exceedingly difficult, madness-inducing craft?” So, basically, I decided to be a writer when I was eleven.


Q: When talking about your book, BARRIO IMBROGLIO, you said you wanted to write a funny Latino hero and a detective novel.  Who is Abraxas Hernandez?  What is his story?  Tell us about the book.

DANIEL:  Abraxas has played by the rules, getting a college degree and landing a corporate gig. But he finds that this version of success is hollow, and he’s tired of being the token Latino in the white-collar world. He wants something more meaningful.  When his cousin is murdered, Abraxas tackles the case, more out of familial loyalty than anything else. After all, Latino family bonds are ironclad. Soon, he is dragged into a frenzied investigation that takes him from the mean streets to the corridors of power in City Hall to a tequila-fueled pool party that turns deadly.


Q:  What is next for Abraxas?  Do you envision a trilogy or a longer series?

DANIEL:  I’m working on the next Abraxas novel. It will flow directly out of his experiences in the first novel. I also have an idea for the third novel. After that, we’ll see.


Q:  Your mom and your wife seem to be your biggest fans, but who influenced your writing? Who are your favorite writers – Latino and otherwise?

DANIEL:  Gabriel Garcia Marquez is the greatest writer who ever lived. It’s just that simple.  Other big influences for me include Kurt Vonnegut, Edgar Allen Poe, and Mark Leyner. It’s a diverse bunch, and I don’t really have a favorite type of story or setting or character. Instead, my favorite writers tend to have a firm grasp of language, an honesty and sincerity to their work, and a unique tone that makes them instantly recognizable.


Q:  You are “The Hispanic Fanatic” at the Huffington Post.  Who gave you this title? What can you tell us about the Latino publishing industry? Is there an industry?

DANIEL:  I came up with the name because it was catchy, and it rhymed. Plus, nobody would read my articles if I called myself The Hispanic Moderate.  I’ve written extensively about the problems Latinos face in the publishing industry. In fact, here is a trilogy of articles I recently wrote for the Huffington Post that addresses this complex issue:





Q:  What advice would you give to new Latino writers?

DANIEL:  I’m not sure there is any advice for writers other than read as much as you can and write as much as you can.  I would tell writers, however, that if you hope to make any kind of impact, realize that many people will hate you. They will hate your work, hate your style, hate your opinions, and hate everything you stand for. They will let you know about their hatred in long emails that often get personal. Writing is not a profession for people who want to be loved. When your hate mail comes in, don’t get hurt or defensive. Just be glad that your work makes an impression.


Q:  How can your readers find out more about you?  Please list website, blog and social media addresses.

DANIEL:  Here’s all my info:

Twitter: @DanCubias



We wish Daniel all the best of luck with his writing.  
Can’t wait to find out what is next for Abraxas too!
  

Comments

Celeste Leon said…
Thanks for providing such a candid interview, Daniel, I bought your book! And a happy coincidence: just before I read this post, I posted on my blog about a study at the New School in NYC that measured participants’ empathy after reading excerpts of literary fiction or nonfiction. Those who read the literary fiction tested much higher. I also had posted a picture of Love in the Time of Cholera and am happy to agree with Daniel that Gabriel Garcia Marquez is one of the finest writers who ever lived! To read more about the study and for info about my forthcoming novel from Floricanto Press, also mentioned in Daniel’s piece in the Huffington Post, check it out: www.celestejleon.blogspot.com
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