It's the holiday season and everyone is looking for the perfect gift to give that special someone - your bestie, that co-worker who is the only one who understands you, your sister or mom...People who deserve more than a boring gift card.
The book is a collection of short stories by some of the best and beloved in the Latino writing community. Esmeralda Santiago, Carolina De Robertis, Stephanie Elizondo Griest, Lorraine Lopez, Fabiola Santiago, Teresa Rodriguez, Sofia Quintero, Reyna Grande, Daisy Martinez, Michelle Herrera Mulligan, Dr. Ana Nogales, and Luis Alberto Urrea share personal and empowering stories about the female role models in their lives, as well as friendships. Some of these stories will make you tear up, others will make you laugh. Each and every one will make you appreciate the powerful mujeres in your own life
The book is a gem, and a must-have for every mom and daughter you know. It doesn't matter if you are Latino or not, the messages and themes are universal, because love is universal!
Come visit me next month - I have two book signings - and I'll be selling my handpainted mugs as well! Buy a book and receive a free Crafty Chica handmade bookmark!
You know I'm a book lover, as much as I am a crafter. Therefore I get
all giddy when I see brilliant crafty titles released on store shelves
(literal AND virtual!). These four books I'm sharing today are EXTRA
extra special because the authors are all near and dear to my heart,
they are by some of my fave DIY friends! Trust me, these are books fit
every creative type! Enjoy!
The Big-Ass Book of Bling, by Mark Montano($19.99, Gallery Books, 384 pages, paperback)Mark's
books are always a delight to have in your home or studio. They are
more than just projects to make, he infuses so much of his vibrant
personality in each and every paragraph, you can't help but adore his offerings, style and charm.One thing I've always loved about his books is that they definatley live up to their title. Mark's books are HEAVY with glossy photos, tips, and tutorials. He has a way of taking everyday tossaways, like cardboard scraps and transforming them into stylish faux silver cuffs. There are oodles of wearables and sparkles here! Check out Mark's site here!
Thinking
about reinventing your brand and business? This is the book for you!
Whether you want a 100% overhaul or just dialing it up a bit to bring
in new energy, Margot Potter's new book is the real deal. Not only are
there practical tips, there is also a lot of insider info that Margot
learned from her own experiences. Very heartfelt, easy-to-follow and muy
motivational. Even after you read this book once, you'll want to
bookmark sections to reread because there is sooo much to take in and
learn from. $12.99 is a very affordable investment for all the content
she provides! Check out Margot's site here.
Hello,
you had me at glitter! I met Momtaz years ago here in the interwebs and
have been mesmerized by her crafty skills ever since. I was delighted when she invited me to make a couple of the projects for her new book all themed on GLITTER. I received my copy last week and can I just say, this book will make you so happy? It's mega-colorful and shows off the benefits of sparkle in every way, shape and form. 101 things to make with glitter? You can't go wrong! Here is Momtaz's site!Check out her fabulous DIY wedding here!
In
this sixth installment in Ed's Stencil1 series, we are served up a
collection of patterns and designs to use in fashion DIY projects - from
shirts, blouses, pants or totes, you'll find everything from retro
phones to cherries to bow ties. Super cute and very versatile! The front
half of the book is packed with colored photos and an array of DIY
projects to make the stencils. Add in a gift basket of fabric sprays or
markers and this would be a great book for a holiday gift for
entry-level crafters as well as the crafty connoisseur. Here is Ed's site!
As you know - I'm one of those folks who sees EVERYTHING as an opportunity for a makeover. Even gum packs! When I came across these nifty packages of Trident Layers gum, I knew it was time to whip out the scrapbook paper. You can print images of your book cover and wrap them around the gum packs and hand them out at your signings and giveaways.
The guest takes the packet home or carries it in their purse or pocket or car's glove compartment and every time they go to get a piece of gum, they'll be reminded of your book!
Here's how I made them:
Looking for a yummy recipe to get your writing juices flowing without weighing you down? I have one! Chicken and Dumplings soup is a golden oldie dinner entree since I was a kid. My mom used to make this once a week and I remember savoring every spoonful, saving the biscuits (da BEST!) for last! I recently signed up to participate in the new Mazola Sobrecitos packets campaign and was asked to come up with a recipe. I knew right away I wanted to make chicken and dumplings! Here's the recipe:
Today I'm excited to share an interview with a friend and fellow, author, Toni Margarita Plummer! We met years ago at a writing conference and have stayed in touch ever since. Please check out and buy her new fabulous book!
Tell us a bit about your book!
The Bolero of Andi Rowe is a short story collection, and my first book! The stories are inter-related, so you'll see recurring characters throughout. A lot of them tell the story of this one family, the Rowe family. They're mostly set in the San Gabriel Valley in Los Angeles. Most of the characters are Mexican-American and Catholic, so the stories tend to deal with those cultures. I've heard from readers that some parts make them laugh out loud, and that they find other parts very touching. It's been really wonderful to hear readers' responses!
Did the idea come first, or the goal to write a book?
I think they happened about the same time. I wanted to have a published book, and I had a rough idea of what I wanted that book to be about. I didn't have much of a plot. I just had this desire to capture characters and place. It started out as a novel. Then I ditched that idea and put together a collection. It was even later that I realized the stories should be inter-related, independent but in communication with each other.
Outline or no outline?
I never had an outline for this book. I don't think one was necessary. The best moments writing it were when a story veered off in a new direction, when I realized that it was really about something else. These were short stories though. At the moment, I'm in the process of plotting out a novel. A novel seems so long! I'm hoping that if I can roughly sketch it out, it won't seem so daunting.
By day you are a book editor. How did it feel to be on the other side of the page? Did being an editor help speed up the process?
It was funny--while the experience felt utterly new, it also felt very familiar. I think being an editor meant I was coming in being more aware of the process. I knew there would be a copyedited manuscript, first pass pages, catalog copy, jacket copy--I knew the basic schedule for what it takes to make a book. I also had an idea of what the publisher would be handling and what I'd have to take upon myself. There are differences across publishers, of course, so I did end up making some assumptions based on my own experiences. There were surprises, but I think the process did run more smoothly than it would have if I were coming in a complete newbie. It's still very different when it's your own book being published, but it definitely did help just having been through it all as an editor with so many debut authors.
What were a couple of your challenges with writing the book?
I kept wanting to rewrite the stories! This drove my family and friends crazy, and me too, quite honestly. I would talk about how I needed to do more work on the stories and my family would say, uh, haven't you worked on these enough already? Aren't you done yet? But I couldn't let them go until I was satisfied that they were ready.
How would you describe your main character? What is the overall message you want readers to take away?
If there is a main character in the book, that would be Andi Rowe. Even though she's not the main character in every story, or even present in every story, she's sort of the focal point and the other characters and stories branch out from her. She's a college student, figuring out her life--what is her relationship to her hometown after moving away, her relationships to her friends, family, etc.
I wasn't really trying to give any kind of message. I was writing around my interests, which have to do with relationships, faith, and heritage, to name a few. I wanted to create stories around these and pose questions, more than give any exact message. What I hope readers will take away is a feeling of intimacy with these characters and with this world.
Will the experience change how you edit books?
I don't think that it will, actually. Each manuscript and author has different needs and I only figure that out as I'm reading something.
What is your story of how you got your book published?
I saw an announcement for the Miguel Mármol Prize, which Curbstone Press gave out for a first work of fiction by a Latino author. The winner got a contract and a small advance. I had several stories, enough to make the page count. And I thought, I have a good shot at this! So I brushed them up and sent them in. Roberto Márquez was the judge and he picked my collection as the winner. Curbstone was going through some internal changes though, and they found they couldn't go ahead with publishing the books they'd acquired. So my book was stalled. Eventually, Curbstone was acquired by Northwestern University Press, which added them as a new imprint, Curbstone Books. My book was the inaugural book in the imprint. And that's it! It only took, hm, I think about 8 years! That's from when I first started working on the material to publication. I think I needed all that time though. My perspective on these stories has changed over the years--I developed a better understanding of what I wanted to accomplish with this book and I'm very grateful to Curbstone and NUP for making it happen!
If you missed the first run of my online publicity class, I'm opening it up again! I've had a lot of requests for this, so I'm going to open it for this limited time. Sign ups will only be available for one week - today though Sunday, September 18th. Once you sign up, you'll have full access to the course for the next three months.
This is same course and materials I offered in June, except this round is self-guided - which means, everything is there for you to download, read, watch and click, etc. I won't be offering consultations like I did for the first group (hence the discounted price).
There is a LOT of fabulous information packed into this course, lots of insider tips from days working as a journalist!
TO SIGN UP: Pay for the course below. Make SURE to use a PayPal email that works - this will be how I send you your class invite! Once you pay, i'll email you 1. Crafty Chica classroom invite and and 2. The PR Class invite.
Here is an intro video I did back in June about the class! Keep in mind that this "rerun" will not include personal consultations, the $50 special is a self-guided offering.
I'm excited to be a part of the Condor Book Tour for this very important title!
Publisher's summary: "On the eve of Mexican-American War of 1848, a group of recently arrived Irish immigrants deserted the U.S. army and joined the Mexican army as the Saint Patrick's Battalion. This excellent study explores the motivations of the Irishmen, their valiant contributions to the Mexican cause, and the consequences for them when they were ultimately captured. The Irish Soldiers of Mexico sold out four editions in English and two editions in Spanish from 1997 to 2001. It has been the basis of an MGM feature film starring Tom Berenger, two documentaries and has also been used in many history classes both in the United States and abroad. As Michael Hogan rightly points out in his introduction, American textbooks scarcely devote attention to this war. "Coverage," he writes, "generally consists of a two or three page section entitled Westward Expansion or Manifest Destiny."
This title is for anyone who is interested in the deeper historical roots of Mexican history and culture. It's a must-read - one for the bookshelves - because it shows a side to the U.S./Mexican war, that of ethnic diversity among the troops, that is not often observed. Hogan dives into the details of the Saga of the San Patricios - a poignant battle where the Los Angeles Times says "Irish immigrant soldiers who deserted and fought for the enemy during the war with Mexico are revered south of the border, honored in Ireland and all but forgotten in the United States." From the elements of controversy to the question of "cowardly deserters or genuine heroes," Hogan confronts these topics head on.
I have to admit, at first I felt intimidated at this book, such serious undertones to take in. But the further I progressed, the more I became engrossed, moved, heartwrenched, curious and empowered. I'll definitely pass along my copy to my kids to read now that they are in college.
Michael Hogan lives in Colonia Providencia, Guadalajara, Mexico, with his wife Lucinda Mayo, the internationally known fabric artist. Born in Newport, Rhode Island in 1943, he is the author of sixteen books, including a collection of short stories, six books of poetry, collected essays on teaching in Latin America, a novel, and a history of the Irish battalion in Mexico which formed the basis for an MGM movie starring Tom Berenger. His work has appeared in many journals such as the Paris Review, the Harvard Review, Z-Magazine, Political Affairs and the Monthly Review. He is a consultant to the U.S. Department of State’s Office of Overseas Schools in Latin America. As an author he has received wide recognition for his work, including a PEN Award, two Pushcart Prizes, an NEA fellowship, the Benjamin Franklin Award, the gold medal of the Mexican Geographical Society.
For more information visit the author's website at http://drmichaelhogan.com
Book Tour Schedule
Sunday August 21 5pm Eastern/2pm Pacific Author Livechat at Condor's Author Chat Salon!
The Peach Keeper by Sarah Addison AllenBantam Books, 2011 Review by Ana Berumen for CraftyChica.com
We were all given labels in high school. There were the populars, the jocks, the punks, the loner, and little miss perfect. So try getting away from these labels when you are from a small town. Willa and Paxton do just that in The Peach Keeper.
Laced with superstitions and mystery, this is a story of two unlikely women bonding over an unlikely event. Willa is an independent, head strong woman, intent on folding laundry every Friday. Paxton juggles the running of a society club and her mother’s oppression all while trying not to fall in love with a gay man. While renovating The Blue Ridge Madam for the society club’s gala, a skeleton is found buried under a peach tree. Who was it? How did it get there? Paxton the princess, and Willa the joker, come together to find the
answers to these questions. The answers may just be held by their grandmothers.
But how do you get answers from one who is locked in her dementia and another
who is blind and cranky? Hidden behind the endless superstitions, love interests
and claims of magic, is a beautiful story of two women forming a friendship, and
learning what it means to be a friend. Beyond the mystery, it’s a page turner,
if just to find out what these characters will do next.
I loved this book, it was a perfect pool side read. No wait, it was more than
that. It ended up being a good airport read, a good waiting room read and a good
there-is-nothing-good-on-tv read. It made me into one of those annoying people
who walk and read with no concern for the people they are crashing into. I was
hooked into the mystery and the story but more than that, I yearned for Willa
and Paxton to walk arm and arm into the sunset. A good friendship is hard to
come by and I relished in the afterglow of theirs. 'Ana Marie is a reading, writing, crafting superhero' fighthopeheal.blogspot.com
