On Wondering "What if"
with Alisha Fernandez Miranda author of 'My What If Year': A Memoir
#NuevasPaginasconLupita is a space that is both an archive and resource aimed to "spotlight" Hispanic/Latinx/e authors with newly published books. The goal is to connect readers to new and/or old favorite Hispanic/Latinx/e authors and their books! So give this & every post a share to help us reach more readers!
How does it work?!
Here’s the deal, I came up with a set of casual/random/funny questions to ask each Hispanic/Latinx/e author, I interview. For now, the questions will all be the same but maybe in the future I’ll launch this into more specific questions to the author or maybe I’ll turn this series into a mini-podcast, or maybe……well, you get it! The possibilities are endless.
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Hey Heyyy Book Franz!
Our very special guest author for today’s Nuevas Pagina issue is……Alisha Fernandez Miranda author of My What If Year!
Could you tell me a bit about where this photo was taken? Is it special to your book in some way?
This is my desk at home in Edinburgh, Scotland. I did most of the edits for the book sitting right here. This is where I was throughout many of the big milestones in my publishing process: approving the final version ready to print, agonizing over titles and cover designs, hopping on Zoom with my editor and publisher. The fact that I’m now sitting here with an actual book with my actual name on the cover feels totally surreal, in the best possible way.
Normally, I prefer to write outside, but my editing period was in the winter. In Scotland. If the sun decides to show up at all, it’s only out for about 5 hours per day.
This room is also the best place in the house to hide from my children – they think it’s boring, so they never come in.
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 spoke to a literary agent early in the game who was excited that I was writing a memoir as a Latina woman but not excited about my story (successful second gen American approaching 40 and deciding to pursue her professional passion in an unorthodox way) or my tone (fun and irreverent). “Don’t you have any trauma you can put in?” he asked. “Those are the kind of ‘own voices’ stories that will sell.”
Needless to say, this man did not end up being my agent.
But honestly, I wanted to write my story, and I wanted to it be like the books I enjoy: humorous and adventurous, that make you think and also make you smile, books about women who aren’t 20 anymore but also aren’t done enjoying life, books about moms that aren’t just moms, about Latinas that aren’t just sad stories. I hope that is what I have managed to achieve.
What are two central themes in your book that you connect with the most and why?
Because my book is a memoir, I connect with all the themes :) But the two I would highlight are (1) the idea of wanting more and wondering ‘what if’, especially as we get older and reflect on our life and choices. I think this happens to everyone at some point, no matter how happy you are or how much you have achieved. And (2) the magic of pushing yourself out of your comfort zone, at any age, to try something new. That could an internship, or tap dancing or paddleboarding, but I’m a big proponent of continuing to learn and grow.
If a book was home, where would your home be?
The story takes place in many of the locations I have called home in my life: New York, London, the remote Isle of Skye in Scotland. How to pick just one? I think I’d say, she’d be a city girl, with the occasional journey out into the quiet of rural mountains.
If your book was a famous musician who would it be?
My book is fun but emotional, with a bit of tumbao, so I’m going to say the legend that is Celia Cruz.
What comfort food could a reader pair with your book?
A baked good would pair well with My What If Year. I’m partial to a warm chocolate chip cookie or cupcake, but you wouldn’t go wrong with some fresh-baked cinnamon rolls either.
In what ways has access (or little to no access) to Hispanic/Latinx/e literature defined you as a writer?
This is such a great question. I grew up in Miami where being Cuban-American actually put me in the demographic majority in my community. I also got a part-time job at the local independent bookstore Books and Books when I was 14, and continued working there through high school. So I probably had more access than most people to incredible books by Latinx authors.
While Miami is not without its problems, I feel so grateful to have grown-up in such a diverse place and to have access to so many authors beyond the work assigned at school. I discovered Isabel Allende, Sandra Cisneros, Julia Alvarez and Cristina Garcia at a young age, which I think shaped my own idea that great literature didn’t need to be restricted to a particular group.
Where can readers keep up with your work?
I’m most active on Instagram @alishafmiranda but you can also find me at my website www.alishafmiranda.com – and I’m going on tour for the month of Feb to six cities, so if you’re in NYC, Miami, New Orleans, Houston, LA or Seattle, come keep up with me in person.
A huge thank you to Alisha for taking the time to chat with me her book! Please please make sure you purchase a copy (or request your local library carry a copy) of her book #SupportLatinxLit!
Alisha Fernandez Miranda
A respected authority on women's empowerment, social impact, and sustainability, Alisha Fernandez Miranda serves as Chair and former CEO of I.G. Advisors, an award-winning social impact intelligence agency that consults with the world's biggest non-profits, foundations, and corporations on their philanthropy and social initiatives. Her clients include The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, The Ford Foundation, and UN Women. At the beginning of 2020, Alisha paused her high-powered career to pursue a series of internships on Broadway, with contemporary art dealer Blain, fitness studio Retroglow, and in the kitchen of the Kinloch Lodge. Alisha is the daughter of a Cuban immigrant and hails from Miami.
She is co-author of 50 Years: Kinloch Lodge and her writing has been featured in Vogue, Business Insider, Romper, Huffington Post, among others. She's a graduate of Harvard University and the London School of Economics. She currently lives in Scotland with her husband and twins.
Synopsis for My What If Year from the Bookshop website:
An exuberant, hilarious memoir about a woman who pauses her successful career for a year and explores the "What If" jobs of her dreams.
On the cusp of turning forty, Alisha Fernandez Miranda has climbed to the peak of personal and professional success, but at a price; she's overworked and exhausted.
Bravely, Miranda decides to give herself a break, temporarily pausing her stressful career as the CEO of her own consulting firm. With the tentative blessing of her husband and eight-year-old twins, she leaves her home in London to spend one year exploring the dream jobs of her youth, seeking answers to the question, "What If?"
What follows is a spirited and hilarious journey for Alisha - and the reader. Contending with her lack of experience (and the onset of a global pandemic), Alisha gofers for two high-profile Broadway productions (and nearly tramples Stephan Sondheim), attempts to master a fitness regimen called Voga (a cross between yoga and "voguing"), feigns confidence while handling multi-million-dollar artwork at Christie's, and literally sets her shirt on fire while serving rack of lamb in a posh hotel on Scotland's remote Isle of Skye. Her experiences are at once challenging and humbling, and push the boundaries of what Alisha thought she was physically, mentally, and emotionally capable of. Alisha's "What If" year reveals that she can achieve success on her own terms by embodying the spirit of the intern: never stop learning, be flexible, and understand that failure is a prerequisite for growth.
For anyone who's ever felt stuck in a rut, My What If Year proves that it's never too late to say yes to second chances and explore the roads untraveled throughout your life.
