THE LATINA BOOK CLUB

   Elizabeth Nunez emigrated from Trinidad to the U.S. after completing high school. Nunez is provost at Medgar Evers College, the City University of New York, and the award-winning author of six novels, including PROSPERO’S DAUGHTER, the New York Times Book Review Editor's Choice and 2006 Florida Center for the Literary Arts One Book, One Community selection at the Miami Book Fair. Nunez’ writing style has been compared to that of Toni Morrison and Alice Walker. Winner of numerous awards, she is also a co-founder of the National Black Writers Conference, and was its director from 1986 thru 2000. She continues her work in support of writers of color with her radio program on WBAI 99.5FM and as chair of the PEN American Open Book committee. Her lastest novel, ANNA IN-BETWEEN (Akashic Books, 2010), is an emotional, heart-breaking story. SUMMARY: Anna, the novel's main character who has a successful publishing career in the United States, is the daughter of an upper-c...

   Paul Reyes is the former editor at large of The Oxford American and currently is a contributing editor with Virginia Quarterly Review. He began his career in journalism grinding it out as a fact-checker for such magazines as Lingua Franca, Talk, The New York Times Magazine, Harper’s, and GQ . His first book, EXILES IN EDEN: LIFE AMONG THE RUINS OF FLORIDA’S GREAT RECESSION (Henry Holt & Co., 2010), is a hard-hitting, personal, and poetic portrayal of his own family and the people and communities affected by the foreclosure crisis. BOOK SUMMARY :  While working with his father’s small company that “trashes out”—enters and empties—foreclosed homes in Florida, Reyes wrote EXILES IN EDEN. Grounded in Florida and Reyes family history, and with character-driven visits to the dark corners of this crisis (including with those who are calling for revolution) Reyes explores the human element of this frightening rattling of the American Dream. From examining the u...

The Latina Book Club is Celebrating Men this month.  Come meet A.E. Roman and his friend Chico.      A.E. Roman is the author of the Chico Santana Mysteries: CHINATOWN ANGEL, which was nominated for the Shamus Awards, and THE SUPERMAN PROJECT, which Publisher’s Weekly Starred Review. It also just won second place for Best Mystery Novel from the International Latino Book Awards. This native New Yorker – from the Bronx – was a teen rapper and read his poetry at the Nuyorican Poets Café. Alex is currently working on Chico’s third adventure, and a young adult novel entitled, SWEET 15, with his friend and writing partner, Emily Adler. Visit him at http://aeroman101.blogspot.com/  THE SUPERMAN PROJECT won 2nd place for Best Mystery Novel from 2010 International Latino Book Awards! 

    Matt will soon have what every author dreams of – a movie based on his book. His debut novel, BALL DON’T LIE, published by Delacorte in 2005, will soon be a major motion picture starring Ludacris, Nick Cannon, Emelie de Ravin, Grayson Boucher, and Rosanna Arquette (Night and Day Pictures). The book was also named an ALA-YALSA Best Book for Young Adults and an ALA-YALSA Quick Pick for Reluctant Readers. This award winning author has written five novels, including MEXICAN WHITEBOY (2008), WE WERE HERE (2009), I WILL SAVE YOU (2010) and a picture book out earlier this year, JOE LOUIS: A NATION’S HOPE (illustrated by Kadir Nelson). Plus, he has published numerous short stories in various literary journals, including Pacific Review, The Vincent Brothers Review, Chiricú, George Mason Review, and Allegheny Literary Review. When not writing, Matt teaches creative writing at New York University. Visit him at http://www.mattdelapena.com/ . BALL DON’T LIE Soon to be a...

The Latina Book Club Celebrates Men all month long.   Join us! Martín Solares is a Mexican writer, critic and editor.   He holds a doctorate in Iberian and Latin American Studies from the University of Paris.   Solares’ first book, THE BLACK MINUTES, is a crime fiction thriller, and was shortlisted for the Rómulo Gallegos International Novel Prize .   In 1998, Martin’s short story, “El Planeta Cloralex,” received the Efrain Huerto National Literary Award.        THE BLACK  MINUTES just won the 2010 International Latino Book Award for Best Mystery Novel.      Felicidades! 

The Latina Book Club continues its month long Celebration of Men. Juan Gómez-Jurado claims to be an American who was born in Spain. His idol is Steven Spielberg, and his favorite authors include Stephen King, John Grisham and Dan Follet, so is it any wonder that his books are thrillers. Critics consider Gomez-Jurado an “impossibly young master of [the] thriller.” His first novel, GOD’S SPY, to date has sold in 42 countries and more than 1.5 million copies. His second novel, THE MOSES EXPEDITION – also an international bestseller – won second place in both the Best Popular Fiction and Best Novel Adventure categories of the 2010 International Latino Book Awards. His third novel, THE TRAITOR’S EMBLEM, set in Germany during WWI, will be released in July by Atria Books. Before turning to fiction, Juan was an award-winning journalist with several Spanish media. He lives in his native Spain with his wife and two kids. Visit him at http://www.juangomezjurado.com/ . We met Juan a...

The Latina Book Club is Celebrating Men this month, and what better way to start than with a wonderful book by a talented and amazing author, teacher and father.  Happy Reading, and as always, Read Latino. SECRET SATURDAYS By Torrey Maldonado Putnam Juvenile “SECRET SATURDAYS ought to be required reading at middle schools everywhere.” –E.R. Frank, author of LIFE IS FUNNY and AMERICA, which inspired the Lifetime Movie. Torrey Maldonado has written a powerful, emotional, riveting novel about friendship, trust, hard choices and becoming a man. It’s the story of two 13-year olds best friends– Justin and Sean – living and surviving the dangerous Red Hook Housing projects. The friends are so much alike – half Puerto Rican, half Black, and no fathers – that they refer to themselves as twins. But lately Sean has been different, secretive, and he and his mom disappear on Saturdays. So what is a best friend to do but find out why? Read excerpt, by clicking here . ...

   The Latina Book Club will feature "Author Cameos" every Wednesday -- brief bios of new authors to explore. Join us and, as always, Read Latino. Richard Yañez is an author, college professor and community advocate. He is the author of CROSS OVER WATER and EL PASO DEL NORTE: STORIES ON THE BORDER, which won the Steven Turner First Book Award from the Texas Institute of Letters. Yanez’ chapbook, “Sacred Heart”, was included in the Chicano Chapbook Series edited by Gary Soto. His articles have appeared in numerous literary and collegiate journals. For more information on this talented writer, visit him at http://richardyanez.tumblr.com/ . CROSS OVER WATER  

   The Latina Book Club will feature "Author Cameos" every Wednesday -- brief bios of new authors to explore. Join us and, as always, Read Latino. Mary Castillo writes popular chic lit novels, including SWITCHCRAFT, IN BETWEEN MEN and HOT TAMARA. She’s also written several novellas, the latest included in ORANGE COUNTRY NOIR (Akashic Books, 2010). Mary was a reporter at the LA Times Community News (“second greatest job”), and her articles have appeared in Latino Future, Romance Writers Report, Tu Ciudad and Animation World Network . In 2004, Latina magazine called Mary “an author to look out for” and in 2005, OC Metro magazine named her one of the hottest 25 people in the O.C. And, she still is! To learn more about this author visit her at http://www.marycastillo.com/ . IN BETWEEN MEN Teacher voted "least sexiest" releases her inner sex kitten.      

Luis Alberto Urrea has won numerous awards for his poetry, fiction and essays. He was a 2005 Pulitzer Prize finalist for non-fiction and is a member of the Latino Literature Hall of Fame. His novels include, THE HUMMINGBIRD’S DAUGHTER and INTO THE BEAUTIFUL NORTH. THE DEVIL’S HIGHWAY, which was named a Best Book of the Year by many publications, has been optioned for a film by acclaimed Mexican director Luis Mandoki and is to star Antonio Banderas. Luis was born in Tijuana, Mexico, to a Mexican father and an America mother. He graduated from the University of California at San Diego and did his graduate studies at the University of Colorado-Boulder. He has taught writing and fiction workshops at Harvard, and is now teaching at the University of Illinois-Chicago. To learn more about this writer, visit him at http://www.luisurrea.com/ . This sequel to THE HUMMINGBIRD'S DAUGHTER will be out in December 2011.

The Latina Book Club will feature "Author Cameos" every Wednesday -- brief bios of new authors to explore. Join us and, as always, Read Latino. SANDRA CISNEROS Poet, writer, teacher, counselor Sandra writes poetry, fiction and children’s books. Her best known novels are THE HOUSE ON MANGO STREET and CARAMELO. Her collection of short stories, WOMAN HOLLERING CREEK AND OTHER STORIES won several awards including, the PEN Center West Award for Best Fiction and the Quality Paperback Book Club New Voices Award. Sandra is a teacher, counselor, lecturer and writer-in-residence at Our Lady of the Lake University in San Antonio. She was awarded the MacArthur Foundation Fellowship, which led her to organize the Latino MacArthur Fellows, Los MacArturos. Sandra is also president and founder of the Macondo Foundation and the Alfredo Cisneros Del Moral Foundation. Sandra was raised in Chicago and now lives in San Antonio. To learn more about this award-winning author, visit her at h...

   The Latina Book Club will feature "Author Cameos" every Wednesday -- brief bios of new authors to explore.  Join us and, as always, Read Latino. JIMMY SANTIAGO BACA Poet, author, artist, community leader Jimmy was born in New Mexico of Indio-Mexican descent.   He was a teen runaway and served five years in prison, where he learned to read and write, and “unearthed a voracious passion for poetry.”   His poems and short stories have earned him many honors including, the Pushcart Prize, the American Book Award, the International Hispanic Heritage Award and for his memoir A PLACE TO STAND the prestigious International Award.  Baca has devoted his post-prison life to writing and teaching others who are overcoming hardship.  In 2005, he created Cedar Tree Inc., a nonprofit foundation that works to give people of all walks of life the opportunity to become educated and improve their lives.  He is currently working on a novel, a play an...