#NuevasPáginas: Double Dose of Children's Lit
with Nadine Fonseca author of 'Only a Trenza Away' and María de Lourdes Victoria author of 'Josie’s Broody Hen'
#NuevasPáginas 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 help me connect to more readers. So that together we can continue to build the love/support of Latine literature!
Hey Book Franz!
AH! I am going to keep today’s intro short because if you read the heading of this issue, you know we are BUSY! For the first time in the history of Nuevas Páginas, we are featuring TWO special guest authors, both with children’s books that seem incredibly adorable.
I won’t say much else to keep you, except that I’d love to chat with you:
Also, for those participating in #ReadLatineLit, I am hosting a special giveaway on Instagram. One lucky winner will get a $100 gift card to a Latine-owned bookstore <3
Without further ado…our first special guest author for today’s Nuevas Páginas issue is…Nadine Fonseca author of Only a Trenza Away!
Could you tell me a bit about where this photo was taken? Is it special to your book in some way?
This is my very glamorous "writing office", a.k.a. my living room couch. On the surface it is not very special, just convenient as a work-at-home mom of four. However, I do find inspiration in the art and bold colors I've curated for this room and love that where I wrote this book and where we read the book together as a family are one and the same.
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
I loved the opportunity to show a softer, more tender side of Latino fathers to counter the machismo caricature we often see in media portrayals. The delicate blend of culture and important messaging in Joanna Ho's Eyes that Kiss in the Corners, was most certainly an inspiration for how I hope readers would feel when they experienced Trenza.
What are two central themes in your book that you connect with the most and why?
(1) The notion that loving yourself as you are currently (flaws, insecurities, and all) and loving the version of yourself you aspire to be can and should co-exist. (2) We are all connected, and therefore, never truly alone.
If a book was home, where would your home be?
The Book With No Pictures, ha! I dream of a minimalist home akin to those black and white pages, but can't help but have an eclectic, maximalist style in reality- rainbows abound! But really, a home filled with silliness, laughter, and imagination.
If your book was a famous musician who would it be?
Lin-Manuel Miranda: always honoring and normalizing coltura, bringing fun and whimsy to life for kids and adults alike, and tugging on those heart strings.
What comfort food could a reader pair with your book?
A warm cup of hot chocolate or tea before a bedtime adventure. Right now, I'm loving me some pumpkin spice chai with a slash of almond milk.
In what ways has access (or little to no access) to Hispanic/Latinx/e literature defined you as a writer?
Interestingly enough, I never aspired to be a writer professionally. My work in DEI consulting led me to this opportunity, for which I'm incredibly grateful! However, as much as I felt like I might be an imposter in the publishing world, far stronger was the sense of responsibility I felt to seize the opportunity to create works that I wished I had seen on the shelves when I was a kid and I hope add the the tapestry of stories sharing diverse cultures and perspectives for my kids and kids around the world.
Where can readers keep up with your work?
I'm across social media channels with the handle @mightykindkids (most active on Instagram) and can be found on LinkedIn as well. I'd love to connect!
Our second special guest author for today’s issue is…María de Lourdes Victoria author of Josie’s Broody Hen
Could you tell me a bit about where this photo was taken? Is it special to your book in some way?
This a photo with my granddaughter Josefina who is my co-author, we were in Petaluma, CA, the setting of the story. We were having an ice cream to celebrate the completion of the book.
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.
Many children are blessed with a pet in their lives and often the desires and demise of their pets become their own. Josefina’s hen wants to be a mom more than anything else in the world and Josefina wants her hen to realize her dream and have chicks. What can she do to help her hen realize her dream?
What are two central themes in your book that you connect with the most and why?
The themes are the deep desire to become a mother, the disillusion and anger at not being able to be a mom, also the compassion and empathy towards the people and pets that we love, and the never-ending imagination of children that saves the day.
If a book were home, where would your home be?
My home is my family
If your book was a famous musician who would it be and why?
My grandson Lucas, a wonderful pianist, he is not famous in the world yet… but he is famous in my heart.
What comfort food could a reader pair with your book?
Café con leche
Where can readers keep up with your work? (Feel free to include any social media accounts that you'd like readers to follow)
https://www.mariadelourdesvictoria.com/
Thank you to Nadine Fonseca y María de Lourdes Victoria for taking the time to chat with me about their books! Please please make sure you grab them (or request your local library carry them!) #SupportLatinxLit!
Nadine Fonseca is on a mission to build a brighter, kinder, and more inclusive future, one young reader at a time. She founded Mighty Kind, an educational multimedia company for families that aims to use the simple and universal concept of kindness as a bridge to antiracist/anti-bias learning. Only a Trenza Away is her debut children’s picture book and is based on some of her fond childhood memories. Nadine is neurodivergent, a biracial Latina, wife, and mother of four. She holds an MBA and is a proud member of the LGBTQIA2S+ community. She believes that everyone, big or small, has the power to change the world.
Synopsis for Only a Trenza Away:
A father's love for his daughter is joyfully expressed during their nightly routine when he braids her hair and shares imaginative bedtime stories.
Every night Xia's father delicately braids her hair before bed. As he gently tugs and twists and tightens her hair, they embark on imaginative and fun adventures as he makes up stories about Xia and her trenzas, or braids. In one story, her trenza becomes a sturdy twisted vine that she uses to bravely swing through the jungle. In another, her trenzas are jump ropes as she catches the beat to play Double Dutch with the best players in the neighborhood.
One night, after story time, Xia worries what she would do if Papa is not there to help her in a real adventure. Papa shares with her the most important story of all:
Papa says, "There will be adventures, like going to your new school, when you'll need to be brave, patient, focused, and curious. And while you might be on your own, you'll never be alone, mi'ja.
Papa finished brushing her hair and carefully parted it into three sections.
"This section will remind you of the people who love you deeply."
"This one is for the many people who need your love for them."
"And this one . . . this will help you remember to love yourself exactly as you are now and who you hope to be. They are stronger woven together and will help protect your hair and your heart."
Maria de Lourdes Victoria is an award-winning author whose work has been published internationally in English and Spanish. Maria’s third novel, La Casa de los Secretos, published by Planeta de Libros in July, 2016, took second place as the Best Novel in Spanish Award at the International Latino Book Awards. Her second novel, Más allá de la Justicia (Entre Líneas, Libros y Palabras, 2010) took third place in Barcelona, Spain, at the prestigious Premio Planeta de Novela Book Awards. Her first novel, Los Hijos Del Mar ( Ediciones B, 2006), was a finalist for the Mariposa Award for Best First Novel in Spanish at the 2006 International Latino Book Awards in Washington, D.C. Her short stories have appeared in prominent literary journals, such as Nimrod and Quercus Review. Her social justice articles and stories have been featured in numerous legal journals. Maria resides in Seattle and Petaluma and is currently working on her fourth novel.
Synopsis for Josie’s Broody Hen: Every time Josie collects the eggs from the henhouse, her broody hen protests. She doesn't want her eggs taken. The broody hen wants to be a mom. Josie knows that without a rooster, her hen will never have chicks. How to help her? Find out what Josie must do so that her hen can fulfill her wish to be a mom.
