Hello all,
I’ve been getting adjusted to my new work schedule but I’ve continued on my writerly journey. Last week I met with a lovely group in East Orlando–Books, Friends and Food. They chose my collection for their January discussion and they were all so interesting and interested. One of the things that has happened to me a few times already in the last year of my readings and presentations is that I always meet someone who has worked with Marielitos somewhere outside of Florida. At the BFF meeting, one woman, a former nurse, spoke of her experience at Marielito camp somewhere in the Pacific Northwest. I’ve heard stories of lawyers, social workers and others who’ve worked with Marielitos all over the US. Thanks to Grace and her members for their gracious invitation and generosity.
Another exciting thing that happened last week is that my book was featured as one of the “best of 2009″ in the window of the campus Barnes and Noble bookstore. Imagine my thrill at seeing my little book on its own little shelf–priceless!
Next Friday, Feb. 12th, I will be performing poetry with accompanied with the neo-Guajira music of Conjunto Kimbombo at the Cuban Research Institute Conference held at Florida International University. If you haven’t already checked out their music, please go to the above link–they are wonderful (and not just because I love them as people ; )
I will also be presenting to students at Miami Dade College’s Hialeah campus later in the day. Check back for details but I know it will start at noon and this event is free and open to the public.
José Martí--painting by student
Hello all–saludos a todos.
Last week, Oliverio Gutierrez who has an important page (now linked to this site) dedicated to the music and culture of Latin America, Central America and the Caribbean called Mañanitas Hispanoamericanas, interviewed me. He asked me to bring music that was important to me growing up and while living in New Jersey and then when I moved to Miami. Jorge Milanés, my partner in music and life, spent a lot of time gathering over a dozen songs (there were 19 in total but all didn’t make the final cut) including Cuban son, R & B, Soul, Disco, Salsa and ending with music from Jorge and Kevin (neo-Cuban folk/guajira). The interview is mostly about my growing up in the United States because his audience is mostly overseas and he wanted to share with others how we U.S. Latina/os form our cultural identity combining the US culture with our own home/heritage cultures.
It is quite an eclectic collection of music but hope you will enjoy it–you can fast forward past the music or the interview at anytime. Most of the discussion of my book doesn’t come until the latter part of the 146 minutes (yes, it’s long but it is a balance of conversation and music). Even while we are talking, there is instrumental background music from Cuba. Below is the link–if you get a chance to listen in, post a comment here or on Oliverio’s site at info@mananitashispanoamericanas, in English or Spanish or Spanglish!
Here is his site and my interview should start up right away.
Hello all,
This–2009–was an outstanding year. Beginning with the publication of my collection in June, I’ve had about a dozen readings and visited several cities on the East Coast. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed sharing my stories and meeting folks. I look forward to more opportunities to reach new audiences and travel. I will be working hard on getting another book together and out into the world–stay tuned for details on that.
For now, thanks for reading and may 2010 be fabulous for all of us.
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- Tino Paz is another satisfied reader/customer
Hello friends,
I’m very pleased to share with you this link to a new review featured on the My Latino Voice site; this one is by poet and Latino Literati Rigoberto González. Mil gracias!
The book also made it to La Bloga’s Friday, November 27th post (scroll down) “‘Tis the Season for Short Story Collections”–I’m one of three mentioned for September (does that mean I am only a little bit Miss September?).
How thrilling is it to find your very own book on a shelf?
Las Cubanitas de Bread Loaf together again! - The Miami Book Fair was great. It’s been years since I went and I can’t get over how big it’s gotten, how many vendors, such a wide variety of booksellers, so many people! It was especially impressive to see all the Spanish-language booksellers as well as the authors who write/publish in Spanish represented on the program. When I lived in Miami, the Book Fair was one of my favorite events of the year. I met Toni Morrison there when she came to read from Beloved. To return this time as an author was a dream come true. It was thrilling and deeply humbling.
- There was a little hitch for the panel I was on; the web said the session was at 4:30 p.m. on Saturday but the printed materials said 4:00 p.m. My lovely and talented co-panelists and I were hanging out in the hospitality suite when we were urgently informed that the theatre was packed and that the audience had been patiently waiting but were getting restless. Mia Leonin, Jennine Capot Crucet and I headed downstairs to Prometeo and found just about every seat occupied and folks still coming in to sit in the aisles or stand at the rear of the theatre. The person who was to introduce us was also under the impression that the session was at 4:30 so we started without him though he did eventually show.
- My dear friends Ivonne Lamazares, Elena Pérez and Michelle Barrial were there for me as well as another Bread Loaf buddy, Xoaquima Díaz. Miami Dade was in the house!–all of us have a strong connection to Miami Dade having either graduated from there–Michelle and I met in Comp II back in the day–or teach there in the case of Ivonne (Hialeah campus) and Elena (North campus–my alma mater). Xoaquima teaches at the New World campus where my husband earned his first degree. My sister- and brother-in-law both attended Miami-Dade.
Turns out Mia and I were at Bread Loaf in 1997!
Mi papi con mi libro
View from the front gate of Georgetown University
Just returned from a wonderful weekend in the DC area. On Thursday I had the pleasure and privilege of sharing my work with colleagues, faculty and students at Georgetown University for their Symposium on Family, Migration and Labor. I thoroughly enjoyed all of the presentations and am especially delighted to have met folks whose work I admire.
Rigoberto González, Ricky Rodríguez and Ricardo Ortiz
The University of Maryland-Baltimore County performance was a success–great sound, space and audience. Conjunto Kimbombo rocked the house–as to be expected.
Jorge Milanés and Kevin Meehan are the heart and soul of their neo-Cuban folk group
Additionally, I was able to reconnect with friends like Dolen Perkins-Valdez whose first novel, Wench, will be released in January. We met at Bread Loaf this summer and she picked me up on Wednesday and we had a lovely afternoon together. Kevin Meehan’s book launch party on Saturday was great; he sold and signed copies of his amazing People Get Ready–a must read for anyone teaching African American and Caribbean literatures.
Dolen Perkins-Valdez, author of forthcoming novel Wench
So, it was a great weekend. Next stop, the Miami Book Fair International!
Conjunto Kimbombo serves up live acoustic Cuban neo-folk music–classic covers and contagious originals–plus spoken word poetry by yours truly–it’s a blessing for me to work with them because they are so talented. Please check out their site (below) and you’ll hear for yourself how amazing they are. They’ve been together for about nine years and I just started performing with them in the last couple of years. Jorge Milanés sings, composes and plays percussion (and he’s my partner); Kevin Meehan does almost everything else including beautiful guitar and composing too.
Next Friday we’ll be at the University of Maryland-Baltimore. We start promptly at 6 pm in the UMBC Commons. Copies of Conjunto Kimbombo’s new CD “El Ministerio de Alegria” for sale at the show. This is our only appearance in the MD-DC area that is open to the public, so come and check it out!
| Date: |
Friday, November 6, 2009
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| Time: |
6:00pm – 7:00pm
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| Location: |
UMBC, Flat Tuesdays
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Sample streaming cuts from the CD at Sonicbids
May 2009 Performance at UCF
A big thank you to Marcia Brooks for her enthusiastic support and for encouraging her students to attend my reading and book signing on Saturday at the Orange County Public Library downtown. Marcia was a student in a Latino/a literature class I taught about three years ago and I have been happy to reconnect with her this year. She attended my UCF reading at the campus bookstore and took some great photos for me there. I’m standing next to her here.
Marcia Brooks and her students
Thank you, Marcia! Mil gracias a sus estudiantes tambien!
Gearing up for two presentations in the Baltimore/DC area. Thursday, November 5th at Georgetown and Friday, November 6th with Conjunto Kimbombo at the University of Marlyand at Baltimore. Check the Calendar of Events tab for more details.
Annie Laurie Wheat's 9:00 a.m. class
Hello all,
I finally found my camera and so am including photos here from my South Carolina trip to Winthrop University. Many thanks to my neighbors Annie Laurie Wheat and Bob Stonebraker for their hospitality and especially to Annie Laurie for her coordinating efforts. It was great to meet so many of her students and I thoroughly enjoyed my visit with the Seniors at Grace group.
This Saturday, Oct. 24th, I’ll be performing/presenting at the Orange County Public Library downtown at 2:00 p.m. Check the Calendar of Events tab for the exact address. I’ll have books with me for anyone who wants signed copies. Looking forward to seeing more folks and sharing stories. Check the photo gallery for more photos of my time South Carolina.
Some of these folks really got into the dancing lesson
Messing around with the camera
FemRhet 2009 was a great experience. Every single panel I attended was illuminating and impressive. The speakers included lots of my dear friends from CCCC–folks I’ve known for many years. Two people I’ve met in the last year at the Latino/a Caucus business meeting are Alexandra Hidalgo and Cristina D. Ramirez. Alex presented on her new documentary about plastic surgery in Venezuela and Cristina talked about her work on Mexican women writers of the late 1800s and early 1900s. Fascinating and important work–check out their beautiful webpages for more information on these projects as well as others.
My talk, “‘My English is Not Very Good Looking’–Accents and Identities,” was a cross genre presentation including a little music, some cultural criticism, memoir and fiction, was very well received. Thanks to Malea Powell for her support and for inviting me.
Next stop is Rock Hill, South Carolina where I will be reading on Thursday evening at the Bookworm Bookstore on the campus of Wintrhop University. Annie Laurie Wheat, my once and always neighbor, will have me speaking to her classes on Friday as well as with a Senior group in the community.
- Just before my talk at the Kellogg Center
