In-between worlds...
with Christine Suggs author of '¡Ay, Mija! (a Graphic Novel): My Bilingual Summer in Mexico!'
#NuevasPaginas is a space that aims to amplify and spotlight Hispanic/Latine/x authors with newly published books. The goal is to connect readers to their next favorite Hispanic/Latine/x authored book through a mini casual get-to-know-the-book-and-author interview. So please spread the news so we can reach more readers and continue the love/support of Latine literature!
How does it work?!
Here’s the deal, I came up with a set of casual/random/fun questions to ask each Hispanic/Latinx/e author, I interview. If you are new here don’t forget to check out all the other amazing interviews! We also have a great line-up of guest authors coming up so make sure you don’t miss an issue by subscribing now!
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Hey Book Franz!
I hope your week is going well so far. Mine started with a sick toddler and I just really hope he feels better soon. In the meantime, I’m enjoying all the cuddles and reading time.
On Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok, I asked the following question I’ve been thinking a lot about lately:
And the responses have been so interesting and different on all three platforms but there are some commonalities and though I’m asking out of pure curiosity, I think I might want to write some thoughts about what I’m hearing from Latino/Latine/Latinx readers regarding the age they were when they read their first Latine authored book.
So if you haven’t answered the question and you are Latino/Latine/Latinx - I’d invite you to join the discussion and share in the comment section below (if you are comfortable).
What is Lupita reading this week?
(on audio) I started listening to one of my most anticipated books of, like, ever? haha honestly, any time I hear
has a book coming — I immediately need it. She’s one of those writers, for me, that I’d read anything they write — even if it's just a grocery list. Her newest essay collection 'Quietly Hostile' will be in all bookstores on May 16th but thanks to Libro.fm, I get to listen to an early audio edition and well, it's everything I need right now. If you’ve never read anything by Samantha Irby, I HIGHLY suggest you change that.(on paper) I am still making my way through Rivermouth: A Chronicle of Language, Faith and Migration by Alejandra Oliva and can I say I literally am underlining EVERYTHING (!!!!). This book is so insightful, I can’t wait to keep reading it but at the same time, I want to continue to read it slowly so it won’t end.
Without further ado, our special guest author for today’s Nuevas Pagina issue is……Christine Suggs author of ¡Ay, Mija! (a Graphic Novel): My Bilingual Summer in Mexico!
Could you tell me a bit about where this photo was taken? Is it special to your book in some way?
This is my studio, where I drew this book. I love filling it with Mexican knick-knacks my mom brings me back on her trips to Mexico. There’s something about filling a workspace, something that can so often get filled with anxiety, with reminders of home and the people who love you. Oh, and shout out to the custom adjustable iPad stand my dad made for me – it’s absolutely saved my spine during this process.
Tell me about your book without telling me about your book - share any literary inspirations behind your book! If there are none, the gap you wanted to fill in the literary canon with your book
As a kid, I loved cartoons, and later, all television. But in the 90s, I wasn’t seeing a lot of people who looked like me: a chubby half-Mexican kid. Remember, this is the age of “heroin chic.” And my peers reinforced this message, with bullying starting as early as 5 years old.
I escaped into books, particularly sci-fi and fantasy novels and fanfiction. When I was a teenager, I discovered webcomics, and read slice of life stories about cool young adults with lots of friends. I was really looking for worlds where I could be popular, sexy, or cool.
It was only later that I started journaling through comics and posting them online that I realized I could make connections with people through the internet by writing about my experiences – the same experiences that made me feel so different growing up.
Other inspirations include Miyazaki films for their quiet moments, Lucy Knisley’s autobiographical comics, and the musical In the Heights.
What are two central themes in your book that you connect with the most and why?
The biracial experience: I spent a long time feeling like I wasn’t “enough.” Not white enough for my friends, but not Mexican enough either, since I don’t speak Spanish fluently. I felt like I was in-between worlds. Or, to use a popular phrase in Spanish, “ni de aquí, ni de allá.”
Family: I think one of the most important things about the book, and the trip itself, was getting to see my mom as someone’s child. You start to really see your parent as a whole person and understand the decisions they made when raising you. These trips were such a lovely way for us to bond.
If a book was home, where would your home be?
Querétaro, Mexico, in the tiny town of El Ciervo. In fact, it’s a specific house! My grandparents’ rancho, a long, L-shaped house with doors in every room that lead to the courtyard, each framed with lacy white curtains. There’s a beautiful chaotic garden outside and an azalea tree in front of the wall where the cat likes to sit and pose for the many pictures we take. There are big fluffy clouds in the sky, signaling the afternoon rain when we might take a nap. And of course, there is a bendy mesquite tree in the yard, perfectly shaped for sitting and drawing on.
If your book was a famous musician who would it be?
Chavela Vargas! I first discovered her on the soundtrack for the movie Frida and fell in love with her haunting voice. And when I found out about her queerness, I immediately put her on my inspiration playlist for the book. Lemme know if you want that Spotify link, by the way. 😉 Plus, my grandmother’s name is Isabel, and my middle name is too, so we’re sometimes called Chabelita.
What comfort food could a reader pair with your book?
A nice bowl of albondigas with perfectly soft carrots, mushrooms, and zucchini. If it’s too hot for stew, try a taco al pastor and a Mexican Coke.
In what ways has access (or little to no access) to Hispanic/Latinx/e literature defined you as a writer?
I recently read Caramelo by Sandra Cisneros and I almost started crying by page one. I wish I’d been given more opportunities to read stories like this. I do remember reading The House on Mango Street in early high school, but the scene of sexual assault scared me too much to continue seeking out her work. I have a mission to consume more magical realism this year to finally fill the gap in my Latinx literary history!
Where can readers keep up with your work?
I’m most active on Instagram @csuggsillustration, but I’m also on Twitter @csuggsillo. I also have a website at christinesuggs.com.
Thank you to Christine Suggs for taking the time to chat with me about their book! Please please make sure you purchase a copy (or request your local library carry a copy) #SupportLatinxLit!
Christine Suggs is an illustrator, designer, and comic artist. Their work explores the intersection of their identities, namely being a queer, fat, Latinx feminist who loves all things cute. They're also way too into Pokémon and cats. They're currently living in Dallas, TX with their super rad husband and insanely adorable pets.
Synopsis for ‘¡Ay, Mija! (a Graphic Novel): My Bilingual Summer in Mexico’ from the Bookshop website:
In this bilingual, inventive, and heartfelt debut, graphic novel talent Christine Suggs explores a trip they took to Mexico to visit family, embracing and rebelling against their heritage and finding a sense of belonging.
Sixteen-year-old Christine takes their first solo trip to Mexico to spend a few weeks with their grandparents and tía. At first, Christine struggles to connect with family they don't yet share a language with. Seeing the places their mom grew up--the school she went to, the café where she had her first date with their father--Christine becomes more and more aware of the generational differences in their family.
Soon Christine settles into life in Mexico, eating pan dulce, drawing what they see, and growing more comfortable with Spanish. But when Mom joins their trip, Christine's two worlds collide. They feel homesick for Texas, struggle against traditions, and miss being able to speak to their mom without translating. Eventually, through exploring the impacts of colonialism in both Mexico and themselves, they find their place in their family and start to feel comfortable with their mixed identity.
I'm really interested in reading this book! I love books that approach sisterhood that also feature Latine culture.
Gimme dat