THE LATINA BOOK CLUB

In 2004, the Association of American Publishers (AAP) sponsored the Latino Books Month in May.  The movement has died down with only a handful of faithful libraries still celebrating.  Perhaps, this movement fell off the calendar with the popularity of the Hispanic Heritage Month -- a bigger, nationwide celebration in September and October. A little history: Hispanic Heritage Week was established in 1968 under President Lyndon B. Johnson.  In 1989, President George H. W. Bush (the father) proclaimed the first National Hispanic Heritage Month via Presidential Proclamation 6021. All Presidents since have continued the proclamation. Hispanic Heritage Month is celebrated from September 15 to October 15.   But why wait until the Fall to celebrate Latino Books.   The Latina Book Club , along with that handful of libraries, are reclaiming May Is Latino Books Month. Let’s start the Celebration with a list of May book releases.  All won...

HAPPY HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH!    The Latina Book Club  invites you to check out our new Cover Reveals feature. Every Saturday, we'll bring you a new book cover from a Latino author. Let us know what you think.  Enjoy. TUESDAY TUCKS ME IN The Loyal Bond between a Soldier and His Service Dog by Luis Carlos Montalván Roaring Brook Press www.luiscarlosmontalvan.com This book won three First Place Awards in the International Latino Book Awards in June 2015. And as we enjoy this long Memorial Day weekend, The Latina Book Club would like to thank  Captain  Montalván  and Tuesday for their loyal military service.

HAPPY HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH!    The Latina Book Club  invites you to check out our weekly Cover Reveals feature. Every Saturday, we'll bring you a new book cover from a Latino author. Let us know what you think.  Enjoy. ALBURQUERQUE by Rudolfo Anaya Open Road Media http://www.feedyourneedtoread.com/contributor/rudolfo-anaya/ Taking its title from the original spelling of the city’s name,   ALBURQUERQUE  is the story of a Chicano boxer’s quest for identity .   

The Latina Book Club starts off Hispanic Heritage Month with an excerpt that is out of this world.   We congratulate author Stephanie Diaz on her latest novel and look forward to more exciting b ooks in her Extraction Series. EXCERPT FROM EVOLUTION (St. Martin’s Griffin) by Stephanie Diaz I scurry off the boarding ramp. Flames in the grass lick at my boots, and I have to swerve to the left to avoid another laser from the sky. There’s smoke everywhere. Beechy told me to find Dean, but I have no idea where he is. All the soldiers look the same in their armor. Sam’s soldiers launch another missile and take down a raider. If they had more visibility and better protection from the raider fire—if they’d had time to dig trenches—they might actually have a chance of bringing down most of the swarm. But I don’t see how they’re going to survive for long the way things are. Soon there won’t be any part of the ground not covered in flames. Already, some of the ...

   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 col...

  The Latina Book Club will continue celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month all through October, and each week we'll bring you a new fun Top 14 List.   This week, we are listing our favorite Latino Foods.   Feel free to add yours. Plus, we are sharing our family's taco dip recipe.  Enjoy--mcf Tostones 1.     Tostones 2.     Flan 3.     Pernil 4.     Arroz con gandules 5.     Mole 6.     Burrito 7.     Churros 8.     Paella Paella 9.     Caldo Gallego 10.   Guacamole 11.   Chuletas Can Can 12.   Pasteles 13.   Piñon 14.   Arepas ANITA's TACO DIP My cousin Anita made this dip for a family celebration about 10 years ago, and ever since then it has been at every birthday, baptism, bridal shower, baby shower, et al. Ingredients 2 bars of ...

  Hispanic Heritage Month is in full swing and The Latina Book Club continues its celebration and promotion of Latino authors.   Below is an impressive list of children's books and young adult authors.   I didn't include the obvious choices -- Esmeralda Santiago (When I Was Puerto Rican), Julia Alvarez (Return to Sender) and Sandra Cisneros (The House on Mango Street) -- to give their spots to "newer" authors, a few of whom have won the prestigious Pura Belpre Award.   We also did not include these two new authors -- Cindy L. Rodriguez (When Reason Breaks) and Valerie Tejeda (Hollywood Witch Hunters) -- because their works will not be out until 2015, but keep them in mind for the new year.   The Latina Book Club welcomes your additions to our list.   --mcf 1.     *Yuyi Morales, Niño Wrestles the World, www.yuyimorales.com   2.     Yadhira Gonzalez-Taylor, Martina Finds a Shiny Coin, www.ygtbooks.com ...

  We continue to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month .   This week we are giving away an ebook copy of THE CITY OF PALACES by Michael Nava.   Enter to win by leaving a comment below and/ or by posting our hashtag on Twitter, #amreadingwiththelatinabookclub .  Winner will be announced next Monday.  And, look for more prizes every week during this special month. A man must live his life in service of something. Without a cause, existence is pointless.   Whatever the stupid Christians may believe, the real hell is a life without purpose or meaning. -- Rodrigo Sarmiento THE CITY OF PALACES is the first book in a new series by this gifted writer.   It's beautiful written, with strong engaging characters, rich narrative and astounding imagery.   Michael Nava has written a majestic, sweeping saga of a family, of a country.   Readers will be intrigued and captivated by the many contrasts within -- beauty and scars, grandeur and squalor, c...

  We are celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month with fun "Top 14" Lists.   Here is a list of New York's Leading Latino Authors.   How many do you know?   Feel free to add to our list by leaving a comment.   And, follow us on Twitter.   Our hashtag is #amreadingwiththelatinabookclub.   Matt de la Pe ñ a 1.        Esmeralda Santiago, www.esmeraldasantiago.com   2.        Theresa Valera,   http://theresavarela.com/   3.        Chris Campanioni, http://chriscampanioni.com/   4.        Manuel A. Melendez, http://www.manuel-melendez.com/   5.        Torrey Maldonado, http://www.torreymaldonado.com/ Theresa Varela   6.        Matt de la Pe ñ a, http://mattdelapena.com/   7.      ...