THE LATINA BOOK CLUB

The Latina Book Club thanks Boroughs Publishing for pointing out this quote from the legendary writer. Isabel Allende on the Craft of Writing “Show up. Show up in front of the computer or the typewriter. And if I show up long enough – it happens.” “When I started writing, I always had the feeling that the book was like a gift–that it would just fall in my lap like an apple or something. So I almost had the feeling that it wasn’t going to happen again. That I had written The House of the Spirits, and that was it. Or I had written the second or third book, and that was it. But what I have learned in time, in thirty-two years of writing, is that it’s a lot of work, and if I just show up, and I work and work, there is a moment, a magical moment, at some point, when it gives. And then you don’t need the effort anymore. It’s like dancing. When you’re dancing and counting the steps, you’re not dancing. When your body just goes—then you’re dancing, and then there’s a ...

by Jonathan Marcantoni Authors Jonathan Marcantoni and Chris Campanioni are the founders of YouNiversity.   Their first class is about to “graduate.”   It’s been a learning experience for both the students and the teachers.   The Latina Book Club congratulates Jon and Chris on their vision, and wish their graduating students much publishing success.---mcf Jonathan Marcantoni   I am a Puerto Rican writer. That is how I introduce myself. Puerto Rican first, writer second. Writing, not only the practice but my entire conceptualization of the artform, is filtered through that identity. I pride myself in being a storyteller of my people, of our struggles on and off the island, of our pan-Latino community. As co-founder of Aignos Publishing, I put such a heavy emphasis on Latino literature I would receive emails from non-Latino authors asking if we signed them as well. I felt bad when I received those emails, I never meant to be exclusive, and it plan...

November is National Novel Writing Month  aka NaNoWriMo. The challenge is to write 50,000 words -- basically a 250 page novel! -- in the 30 days of November. I urge all Latino writers, especially the wanna-be writers, to take advantage of this opportunity and write, write, write.  Don't edit.  Don't revise.  Don't over think it.   Just write. We need more books with diverse characters, and in OUR case, Latino characters.  So start writing your own novel today.  It can be a children's book, a young adult, a memoir, a romance, a paranormal, a vampire novel....it can be anything.  Just add some Latino flavor! Register for NaNoWriMo at www.nanowrimo.org .  You can still "enter" the challenge. I too am taking up this challenge and have started my own novel with a sassy Latina heroine and a Latino hero that can cook!   Once you enter NaNoWriMo, make me one of your Writing Buddies; my moniker is "lovebooksmaven."   Very Lati...