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By: Contributing Bloguistas:,
on 2/28/2014
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Latino Sci-Fi1-day Conference!
University of Calif.-Riverside
Wed. April 30, 2014
To my knowledge, this is the first event dedicated to Latino Sci-Fi Lit. I'm excited by the possibilities. Given some of the presenting authors, I would guess that other Latino Spec Lit might also be discussed.
Please help spread the word to those interested in Latino SciFi. If you are in the L.A. area and can attend, come and add your input, por favor. You can check the presenters' websites for their works.
The event will be free and open to the public. More info on LaBloga as it becomes available and at UC-Riverside's calendar.
by Guillermo Luna
[What follows is a response to Rudy Ch. Garcia’s blog post, A Latino’s Chance in Hell of getting published? La Bloga understands that every author's career is unique. Some La Bloga's authors have agents or are seeking one. This guest post describes Luna's experience with the companies mentioned and the decisions he made about lit agents.]
I found Rudy Garcia’s post interesting because I was able to get my book published in December of 2013 and it was the first book I had ever written. In retrospect, it wasn’t nearly as hard as it should have been. The way I went about getting published was like this: first, I tried to figure out what would be commercial. I was reading Draculaby Bram Stoker at the time so I figured maybe I should write a book about a monster. You can’t go wrong with monsters, right? I also had no desire to write literary fiction since “pretty” sentences aren’t my game. I’m too manly for pretty sentences. Snork!
My writing began in 2008 but the biggest surprise about the whole writing process occurred in 2010 when I bought the 2010 Writers Market book and subsequently discovered that nobody wanted to read my book. The nobodies I’m referring to in that sentence are agents.
In 2010 my book, The Odd Fellows, wasn’t ready to be read by anyone but like all first time writers I was eager to get it published and fantasized that my book would sell millions of copies. Wisely, I wasn’t completely delusional and continued to rewrite my book for another 2 years even as I sent it out. I created an excel spreadsheet in order to keep track of where my book went and how the individuals who received it responded. I would suggest all writers do this.
Agents and publishers usually wanted between 5 pages and the entire book submitted to them for review. That’s what I sent to a total of 26 agents and publishers. (I submitted my book to Arte Publico Press twice because I was sure they would publish it. I was wrong. Foundry Literary+Media responded twice even though I only submitted once. They wanted to drive home that “no,” I guess.) I did receive a yes from Txxx publishing (even though they hadn’t read my entire book) but they required that I pay a fee to have my book publish. I don’t remember how much it was but it was somewhere around $2,100.00. I said, “No, thank you” but I did, crazily, consider it.
I also received a yes from Axxxxxxx Bay (even though they didn’t read my entire book either) but that publisher wanted to know how many Facebook friends I had and wanted me to acknowledge everyone I knew in the book’s acknowledgements because, “each and every one of those people will buy a copy of your book.” Also, he didn’t want to edit my book. He wanted me to find someone to edit my book (and pay for this service). I figured if I was going to pay to have my book edited I should self-publish and take all the profits. The final strike against this publisher was when I looked at the mug shots of the writers on the publisher’s website. All had long, unhappy faces. I’m way too happening to be part of a group like that!
Ten months later I signed a contract with Bold Strokes Books. I was certainly apprehensive about signing the contract (because I had never been in this situation before) and it took me almost a month to sign but it was a very smart move on my part. At every step along the way Bold Strokes Books allowed me to have the final say. The book that I wrote and that Bold Strokes Books published, The Odd Fellows, is the book I wanted “out there.”
The Odd Fellows is the book that was in my head. I’m very fortunate that I found a publisher for my book and what helped me get there was a book called, Ditch the Agent by Jack King. If I hadn’t stumbled upon his website I might still be unpublished. It never really occurred to me that publishers might look at a manuscript without an agent yet some publishers are willing to do just that. Jack King’s website pointed that out to me. I stumbled upon Jack King’s website sometime in September of 2011 because from that point on I no longer contacted agents. Instead, I contacted publishers. Between September 2011 and June 2012 I contacted six publishers, two said yes and I signed with one of them, Bold Strokes Books.
Advice I would give new writers would be:
1) Continue to rewrite your book even as you send it out. It can always be better.
2) Make an excel spreadsheet of who you send it to and their response. This alleviates confusion.
3) Don’t waste time trying to get an agent. Go directly to publishers.
I honestly feel God was looking out for me the day I stumbled onto Jack King’s website. I don’t know if Heaven is a place on earth but it felt like I was in heaven when I held my book in my hands for the very first time.
Es todo, hoy,
RudyG
PORTRAIT OF A LADY LEAVING CAMELOT
by
Virginia AlanisBecky and Her Friends
Rolando HinojosaArte Público Press, 1990
Born in Mercedes, Texas,
Rolando Hinojosa knows the Texas-Mexican border and writes intimate accounts of its townspeople. In
Becky and Her Friends, Becky Escobar, a prominent heiress, decides to divorce her politician husband and the reverberations from the fallout are felt by the entire community. Rolando Hinojosa uses the frame of a listener who travels through The Valley collecting information from witnesses and informants. The cumulative effect of his interviews gives him new insight into what it means to be human.
Becky and Her Friends goes into overdrive and spares no one; what ensues is a cacophony of monologues by well-meaning opinionated characters. Everyone has something to say in The Valley. The witnesses and informants take sides and make compelling cases regarding Becky’s decision. Becky is judged, not unlike Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, a fascinating woman who has captivated the public. This is a chronicle of a political marriage with a glance at the social life in The Valley.
Becky is, in effect, a local celebrity and the townspeople have inquiring minds and strong opinions. Take a listen to one of the opinion givers:
But like I said, Becky was just too much woman for Ira Escobar. And if they lasted as long as they did—I mean, if she put up with that jackass as long as she did, it was due to that eternal stupidity, that so-called tradition. And here’s another truth: Becky’s mother, yes, my cousin Elvira Navarrete, kept that marriage going.
Despite thirty-five-year-old Becky’s privileged upbringing and her many accomplishments as a mother and respected businesswoman, she faces many challenges within the society she lives in. At various points in her life Becky is criticized: (1) for going to college and wanting to make more of herself than just becoming a grade school teacher; (2) for becoming a working woman and wanting to earn a living; (3) for divorcing, a crime against the Catholic church, her husband, children, family, and the community; (4) for remarrying, and to add insult to injury, her second husband is considered a nobody compared to her first husband, a county commissioner; (5) for giving up the charitable clubs to earn a living, and therefore losing her social standing in The Valley.
Becky will not be deterred and she emerges as a modern woman who forges a life for herself despite the gossip. Most important of all, she ceases to care what society thinks and allows happiness to enter her life.
Rolando Hinojosa is one of America’s best kept secrets. Mr. Hinojosa made his literary debut in 1973 and has published over ten books in his thirty-six year writing career. His body of work includes: The Valley (1973, 1983), Klail City (1976, 1987), Fair Gentlemen of Belken County (1981), Rites and Witnesses (1982), Dear Rafe (1985), Partners in Crime (1985), Korean Love Songs (1987), Becky and Her Friends (1990), Useless Servants (1993).
If you’re looking for an illuminated literary road off the beaten path, be one of the first to discover Rolando Hinojosa’s world as he ventures into the domestic fiction territory of Henry James and Edith Wharton. Those who are in-the-know are already aware of him due to his critical acclaim but I think it is high time for the floodgates to open and for Mr. Hinojosa to breakthrough and enjoy wide readership.
Virginia Alanis is a contemporary American writer of Mexican descent, born in Allende, Nuevo Leon, Mexico and raised in Dallas, Texas since the age of five. She has spent most of her life in Dallas, Texas,
where she attended Southern Methodist University and majored in English Literature earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in 2002 and a Master of Arts degree in 2004. She is at work on her first novel on the romanticizing of the American Dream from the perspective of Mexican-Americans who have lived in the U.S. for generations and Mexican immigrants who must navigate between the cultural values of their birthplace and their adopted home.
RIVER OF WORDS
CLICK HERE TO VIEW A SHORT MOVIE ABOUT RIVER OF WORDS
Each year,
Colorado Humanities & Center for the Book, in affiliation with
The Library of Congress, conducts
River of Words (ROW), a free international poetry and art contest for youth on the theme of
WATERSHEDS. The contest is designed to help youth explore the natural and cultural history of the place they live, and to express, through poetry and art, what they discover.
The contest is open to any child in the world, from 5-19 years of age. Older students must have not yet completed high school. There is no charge to enter.
Students may enter on their own, or as part of a group (classroom, Girl Scout troop, 4-H, etc.). All entrants receive acknowledgment in the form of a
Watershed Explorer certificate. State-level judging is done by Colorado writers and artists, and winners are recognized each spring in Denver at our Student Literary Awards.
About 100 poems and artworks from both US and international entries are selected as finalists each year. Poetry submissions are judged by River of Words co-founders
Robert Hass, who served as US Poet Laureate from 1995-1997, and writer
Pamela Michael. Art entries are judged by children's book writer and illustrator,
Thacher Hurd. All winners receive ribbons, books and/or art supplies, t-shirts and other prizes. Eight Grand Prize winners—four in poetry and four in art, in four different age categories—are chosen from the US entries.
Category I — Kindergarten-Grade 2
Category II — Grades 3-6
Category III — Grades 7-9
Category IV — Grades 10-12
Winners are announced each April at a gala event at the San Francisco Library. The Grand Prize and International winners win an all-expense paid trip to Washington, DC to attend the ROW Award Ceremony at The Library of Congress.
Contest entry deadline is
December 1, 2009.
Click here for complete contest guidelines, entry forms and the free
Poetry of Rivers curriculum authored by award-winning Colorado poet
Kathryn Winograd.
LETTERS ABOUT LITERATUREEach year, Colorado Humanities & Center for the Book, in affiliation with the Library of Congress and in partnership with Target stores, presents
Letters About Literature (LAL) a national reading and writing competition for readers in grades 4 through 12. To enter, readers write a personal letter to an author, living or dead, from any genre-- fiction or nonfiction, contemporary or classic, explaining how that author's work changed the student's way of thinking about the world or themselves.
There are three competition levels:
Level I - grades 4 through 6
Level II - grades 7 and 8
Level III - grades 9 - 12
Winners, announced in the spring of each year, receive cash awards at the national and state levels. State winners are recognized in Denver at a Student Literary Awards ceremony.
In addition to prizes for children, LAL is also awarding thousands of dollars in library grants as a way to promote literacy and reader response among all young readers. The national winners themselves help to select the libraries that will receive the grants.
Visit the website for guidelines and required entry coupon, plus take some time to explore the free lesson plans and winning letters from past years. Each year more than 55,000 young people from across the country enter LAL and what they write to authors is amazing!
Deadline for entry is
December 12, 2009.
Click here for new guidelines and required entry coupon.
MEMORIAL SERVICES FOR JEFFREY NICKELSON
The sudden passing of
Jeffrey Nickelson was a shock and a blow to Colorado's cultural life. The Board of Directors of
El Centro Su Teatro released a statement that said, in part:
Su Teatro’s kinship with Shadow Theatre goes back many years, and includes performances of Sweet Corner Symphony at El Centro Su Teatro and Bless Me, Ultima at Shadow Theatre. We have appreciated our special relationship, knowing that the commonalities that we have as sister organizations gave us a bond that was deep and important. We always looked forward to interacting with Shadow’s audiences and knew that our audiences loved their work.There are so many of our supporters that also attend Shadow Theatre, it is clear that Shadow serves the entire metropolitan community. The work that Jeffrey Nickelson did to cultivate and nurture an appetite for African American theater has made Shadow an artistic jewel. We are deeply saddened by Shadow’s loss, and want you to know that we share in the loss. We want to publicly express that Jeffrey Nickelson’s death is a tragedy for the Latino community as well. His alliance with Su Teatro was based on his desire to bring our two communities closer together.
Click here to read more about this man. Here's the notice about his memorial services:
September 5, 2009, Jeffrey Nickelson passed away at the age of 53. Jeffrey was a devoted father, an extraordinary performer, an inspiring friend, and all around phenomenal man. He was the Founder of Shadow Theater Company and has affected thousands of people in the community. He will be greatly missed by his family and friends. It is requested that no one wears black and to dress in vibrant colors as we will be celebrating his life just as his wishes were. Floral tributes may be sent to his beautiful daughter ShaShauna Staton, 907 S. Yampa Street #201, Aurora, CO 80017. Donations can be made to the Jeffrey Nickelson Memorial Fund and sent to 18963 E. 58th Avenue, Denver, CO 80249.
The Shadow Theatre, 1468 Dayton Street, Aurora, CO Saturday, September 12, 2009 10:00amPlease contact Tim Johnson on behalf of The Jeffrey Nickelson Fund to make contributions or bring them to the memorial. Later.
By: La Bloga,
on 7/29/2008
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Exclusive reports from Crime Fiction's international big-bash by our roving reporter.
The closing ceremony of La Semana Negra, was held July 20 at 12pm in the biggest tent. It was rainy, and although Poniente’s beach was muddy, a lot of Gijoneses were present to make this as special as previous days.
Paco Taibo, II started the ceremony with a speech commenting on all the struggles that the organization of La Semana Negra has to go through every year to bring this event to the city. He thanked the city of Gijón for its unconditional support and acknowledged that although every year there are complaints about the noise, people, trash, and more, the number of people that attend proves to the city and to the few complainers that La Semana Negra is all about bringing literature and people together, about having a good time with family and friends.
This year around a million people attended, and 51,000 books were sold. This shows the popularity of the event, and how even though our societies are changing, books and literature are still an important part of our lives. After the mayor, Taibo II, and city officials finished their speeches, the traditional “Rufo” prizes (La Semana Negra’s mascot--a black, chubby, figurine) was given to the persons who play a big role in the organization, security, planning, etc. in making La Semana Negra a successful ten-day event. 
Since this is my last post on La Semana Negra I would like to highlight what I believe were some of the most incredible moments in Gijón. This is not a ranking, only a biased list of what I believe made these ten days so unforgettable.
1. The beautiful Asturian city of Gijón and its great weather. Not too hot, not to cold. Although they were warm days, a swim in the ocean freshened people right up, and the rain only made the city more beautiful because it would only last a day and the next day the city was sunny with clean and shiny streets.
2. The Taibo family. They were always present at the events and offered you their help, smiles and good sense of humor. Paco Ignacio Taibo, II dedicates three months of the year to the planning of La Semana Negra, and anyone can definitely notice the love he puts into it. Twenty-one years don’t go unnoticed. His wife Paloma Saiz and daughter Marina also play a big role and deserve recognition: Thank you!
3. The invited writers. The list of writers is very long, but I would like to highlight Cuban writers, Amir Valle, Lorenzo Lunar and Rebeca. Not only excellent writers, but also wonderful people.
4. The Colombians, Mario Mendoza, and Nahum Montt, who called themselves “the grandkids of Gabriel García Márquez”, who “unlike his sons, don’t owe him anything.” Their thriller and detective fiction about Colombia, a clear and non-magical realistic picture of this South American country.
5. The interview and everyday conversations with Rolando Hinojosa, an intelligent man and as Daniel Olivas calls him, “one of the maestros.” His advice, not only journalistic but also academic, and most importantly all he had to say about the years he has attended La Semana Negra, made me work hard every day, take notes, record the literary sessions, and hope that one day I will become as smart as him. Truly an inspiration.
6. The every-day 5:00 tertulias at the main tent, where you could learn everything about the writers: from their writing techniques, their geeky side, to what they drink and eat when they write. And also deep conversations on evil vs. good, monsters in literature, etc. There are not a lot of places where this still happens, or if you know where it does, please let me know.
7. The book presentations, where you could hear a writer present their book, answer questions, sign books, and have conversations with readers afterward. A very intimate experience where people have the opportunity to take pictures with the writers and maybe even ask them out. I swear I didn’t try this.
8. “La velada poética”-Poetry night. An incredible night with world famous poetas José Emilio Pacheco, Joaquin Sabina and Luis García Montero. There is something about a room full of people eager and anxious to listen to their favorites poets. The hour or so that the poets recited was a surreal experience, definitely one of the main events of La Semana Negra. So if after reading so much about La Semana Negra on La Bloga you decide that it's surely worth making such a far away trip next year, believe me--the poetry night will be worth all your dollars spent. You can check out a really good video of this event on YouTube.
9. The night dedicated to Ángel González. The poetry night, held Friday the 18th will be marked in the history of La Semana Negra as the night Gijón remembered and paid loving tribute and respect to a great and dearly loved poet.
10. The Semana Negra book, food, and jewelry tents--the free spirit and relaxing attitude of the people and the event itself; the smell of churros accompanying you as you go around the tents trying to find that particular book you know you can only find in Spain; watching families spending time together; walking around the fair or sitting on the sand reading a book.
I would like to thank La Bloga, especially Daniel Olivas for all the support and RudyG for posting my reports (cropping pictures, editing, and much more), and to all the people that have been reading and commenting on them (Norma Landa Flores, always the first and sweetest). It has been a great experience being La Bloga’s “roving reporter” and attending La Semana Negra itself. Here is my email for questions, concerns, and whatever else comes to mind: thaniamunoz AT yahoo.com.
Saludos desde Los Angeles,
I love La Bloga!
Thania Muñoz
AARON A. ABEYTA COLORADO BOOK AWARD FINALIST
Rise, Do Not Be Afraid (Ghost Road Press, 2007), aaron a. abeyta's debut novel, is a finalist for this year's Colorado Book Award. La Bloga has featured aaron and his book in two interviews and a review. Congratulations to aaron for the recognition, and good luck at the awards banquet set for October 8, 2008.
THE AURA ESTRADA LITERARY PRIZE
Lucha Corpi sent me news about this new award; gracias, Lucha. Here's the website description:
The Aura Estrada Prize will be awarded biannually to a female writer, 35 or under, living in Mexico or the United States, who writes creative prose (fiction or nonfiction) in Spanish.
The prize will include a stipend (how much depends on how much we are able to raise for the endowment, but we hope it will be approximately $15,000.) It also, so far, includes residencies at three writers‘ colonies, Ucross in Wyoming, Ledig House in New York, and Santa Maddalena in Tuscany, Italy. Residencies can last up to two months each.
Granta en Español will also publish an excerpt of the winner‘s writing.
The Aura Estrada Prize will be formally announced and opened to submissions at the Guadalajara Book Fair in November, 2008.That day the judges will be announced, as well as all pertinent details regarding the application process. The first Aura Estrada Prize will be awarded at the book fair one year later.
And here's a bit about Aura Estrada:
Aura Estrada was born on April 24, 1977, in León, Guanajuato, Mexico. Her Master's thesis, Borges, inglés (about the influence on Jorge Luis Borges of William Hazlitt, Charles Lamb and Robert Louis Stevenson) was later published as a book by the Mexican small press, Scripta, as was a subsequent long essay, Borges, prologuista. She also studied at University of Texas, Austin (1998-99) and, on a visiting scholar grant, at Brown University (2002). In the fall of 2003 she enrolled as a Ph.D. candidate in the Department of Spanish and Portuguese Literature at Columbia University. That year she also won a Fulbright Scholarship. In the fall of 2006, despite a heavy academic and teaching load at Columbia, she enrolled in the Hunter College MFA program, and began writing fiction in English.
While at Columbia, she also published creative prose journalism, reviews and short-fiction in Mexican and Latin American magazines such as Letras Libres, DF, Gatopardo, the online literary magazine, Letralia, and in the anthology El gringo a travéz del espejo; she published a story and an essay at Wordswithoutborders.org. And writing in English, she published book review-essays at Bookforum and The Boston Review. In 2009 a collection of Aura's writings will be published by Almadía, a Mexico-based independent publisher.
At Hunter she began writing a novel, in English, which she intended to revise and complete in Spanish. As a Hertog Fellow at Hunter, she was a research assistant for Toni Morrison.
On August 20th, 2005, Aura and Francisco Goldman were married. In July 2007, while vacationing in Mazunte, Aura suffered a fatal accident in the waves and died in a hospital in Mexico City.
NEW NASH CANDELARIA
Bilingual Review Press announced the January, 2009 publication of Second Communion by renowned writer Nash Candelaria. Bilingual's catalog describes this new book as a memoir that focuses on how and why the author became a writer. "As he investigates his family's more than 300-year history in New Mexico, the author undertakes a more intimate journey that leads him to understand truths about himself: why he chose to become a writer and why he chose the topics he did. Part family history and part self-examination, Second Communion is a must-read for aspiring writers, those interested in Southwest history, and students and teachers of Chicano literature." Candelaria has published four novels including Memories of the Alhambra (1977), a "seminal novel of Chicano literature," and Not By the Sword (1982), an American Book Award winner.
NEW PÉREZ-REVERTEThose of us who are fans of the swashbuckling Captain Alatriste can now pick up the third book in
Arturo Perez-Reverte's series,
The Sun Over Breda (Plume, 2008). The author's website says:
Arturo Pérez-Reverte has enthralled readers and critics around the globe with his Captain Alatriste series. Having sold four and a half million copies to date in the Spanish-speaking world, the series has made Pérez-Reverte a literary superstar and his fictional seventeenth-century mercenary a national icon. And the appeal of Pérez-Reverte's adventurer and his exploits continues to grow, as evidenced by the extraordinary reception for the first two translated volumes in the series -
Captain Alatriste and
Purity of Blood.
And now, in
The Sun Over Breda, Pérez-Reverte continues his thrilling chronicle of the swordsman-for-hire, as Captain Alatriste takes up his blade and rejoins his elite Cartagena regiment as they take part in the battles and siege of Breda. Fifteen-year-old Íñigo Balboa enlists to serve as his master's aide, and narrates their further adventures of swordplay and skirmishes, of mutiny and wartime honor. And, back in Spain, Alatriste's nemesis Luis de Alquézar grows more powerful, as Íñigo's mysterious friend Angélica hints at some plans upon his return.
RAW SILK SUTURE - LISA ALVARADOLa Bloga is proud to trumpet the publication of
Raw Silk Suture (Floricanto Press, 2008), from our very own
Lisa Alvarado. This poetry collection is set for release in September, and we warn all La Bloga readers to get ready to be swept away by Lisa's writing. Here's some of the press release:
In this stunning collection, Lisa Alvarado wields the pen and cuts deeply to the heart of Chicanisma, female identity, the use and misuse of the body, its restoration, and the power of love. With finely etched free verse, each subject is explored to the depth without hesitation, and boldly revealed.
Figures in black abound in Alvarado’s
perishable craft, her words of and for the unseen...her intensities are relentless. Alvarado is a poet of the abyss...Such an artist was
Frida Kahlo....Lisa does not offer an exit; this is one of her superb contributions. She conjures, that is all....Caress this book as you would hold your soul-to-be gasping for life. That is all." --
Juan Felipe Herrera, poet. Author of
187 Reasons Mexicans Can't Cross the Border and
Half of the World in Light, New and Selected Poems; Professor, Tomás Rivera Endowed Chair, Department of Creative Writing University of California.
Alvarado's call for
a quiet remaking of cells is nothing short of revolutionary. Read this book, look at yourself and the world around you and know: anything is possible." --
Demetria Martínez author,
Confessions of a Berlitz-Tape Chicana.Simply put,
Raw Silk Suture is
a scar / that has / become a flower. --
Francisco Aragón, Editor,
The Wind Shifts: New Latino Poetry Founding Editor,
Latino Poetry Review (LPR)
The poetry of Lisa Alvarado thunders across the page. Fiery and smoky, these are poems for midnight whiskey and pre-dawn espresso. These are poems for what ails us.--
Manuel Ramos, Author,
Moony's Road to Hell, and Founder and Columnist, La Bloga.
Lisa will kickoff the national release, Saturday,
September 20th, 7:30 PM, at:
Décima Musa, 1901 S. Loomis St, Chicago, IL, hosted by
Palabra Pura/Guild Complex. She will also appear at
Acentos in the Bronx, New York, on
September 23rd, 7:00 PM. (The Bruckner Gallery at Bruckner Bar and Grill, One Bruckner Blvd.; corner of Third Ave. and Bruckner Blvd.)
I expect that we will hear from many of you about Lisa's new book - don't miss it.
MORE RECOGNITION FOR ROLANDO HINOJOSA
At the beginning of this week, Thania Muñoz gave us an intriguing piece of a much longer interview with Chicano writer
Rolando Hinojosa as part of her excellent reporting from
Semana Negra. Be sure to check out her posts for a lively reconstruction of the surrealistic experience known to writers around the world as Semana Negra, the
black week of literature. I recently learned that Professor Hinojosa was awarded a Doctor of Letters by
Texas A & M University-College Station. That might have happened on his way to Gijón for Semana Negra. Congratulations to one of the maestros.
Later.
TOMÁS RIVERA CONFERENCE ANNOUNCES LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS
Artist Alfredo Arreguín and author Lauro Flores will receive lifetime achievement awards at the 21st annual Tomás Rivera Conference on Thursday, April 24, at the University of California, Riverside.
The theme of the annual conference, which honors the memory of UCR Chancellor Tomás Rivera, is “AméricaViva” (“America Live”). The event will begin at noon in the University Theatre and continue until 3 p.m.
The conference will feature the presentation of a Lifetime Achievement Award in the Visual Arts to Arreguín and the Lifetime Achievement Award in Chicano Literature to Flores.
New this year is a poetry contest for Inland area college and high school students. Poems must relate to Arrequín’s artwork. The contest deadline is April 11. Prizes of $250, $150 and $100 will be awarded to winners in separate college and high school competitions. Winners must attend the conference to receive their awards. Entry details are available online.
GORDO FINDS A HOME AT BERKELEY
The papers and archives of Gus Arriola have been collected by the Bancroft Library at U.C. Berkeley, Arriola was the creator and artist for the comic strip Gordo. Here's a paragraph from an article in the U.C. Berkeleyan Online (Barry Bergman):
"Gordo, the syndicated comic strip Arriola drew almost continuously from 1941 until 1985, at its peak ran in 270 newspapers, including the San Francisco Chronicle. (The Chronicle was among the original dozen or so papers to pick it up, printing the inaugural strip two weeks before the Japanese bombing of Pearl Harbor; Gordo took a brief hiatus a year later while Arriola served a stint in the army.) By turns fanciful, narrative, and flat-out psychedelic — especially on Sundays, when the conventions of daily comic-strip art gave way to lyrical, visually dazzling tributes to jazz, ecology, or Mexico’s Day of the Dead — it won kudos from lawmakers on both sides of the border for its role in promoting international understanding, and from fellow cartoonists for its originality. More important, it won the loyalty of millions of readers, many of whom followed Gordo’s adventures as devotedly as the wealthy Widow Gonzales pursued Gordo. (Gordo’s own taste in women, alas, skewed a bit younger.)"
Arriola died on February 2, 2008, about a year after he began to transfer his artwork and related materials such as correspondence, personal papers and promotional materials to the Bancroft Library, a world-renowned resource for the study of California and Western American history and one of the top research libraries in the world.
Accidental Ambassador, Gordo: The Comic Strip Art of Gus Arriola by Robert C. Harvey and Gus Arriola (University Press of Mississippi, 2000) is a biography of the artist that features his art. The publisher says: "Profusely illustrated with runs of the strip from various periods, the book traces Arriola's artistic evolution and celebrates the cartoonist as a supremely inventive stylist whose artwork always displays design qualities unusual for a comic strip. His stunning Sunday fiestas of color and design are exemplified with eight pages of full-color reproductions."
ROBERT MIRABAL - MODERN INDIAN IDENTITY
The Modern Indian Identity lecture series, sponsored by the Center of the American West, presents Robert Mirabal on March 19 at 7:30 PM at the First United Methodist Church in Boulder, Colorado. As a composer, songwriter, and musician, Mirabal has won many honors including two-time Native American Artist of the Year, three-time Songwriter of the Year, and two Grammy Awards for Best Native American Album of the Year. More information at the Center's website. Admission is free.
ROLANDO HINOJOSA-SMITH IN KOREA
Professor Rolando Hinojosa-Smith informed La Bloga that he currently is visiting Seoul National University as a guest of El Instituto de Estudios Latinoamericanos de la Universidad Nacional de Seúl. Rolando is a presenter for the Presencia latina en los Estados Unidos program, and the title of his lecture is El lugar de proveniencia como estímulo para la creatividad. La Bloga's readers recognize Rolando as the esteemed author of the Klail City Death Trip Series of fifteen novels, which set the standard for Chicano multi-generational epic stories. Professor, if you get a chance, would you mind asking about Martin Limón's books? I wonder how they're received over there.
EL LABORATORIO REMINDER
March 15, El Lab at Belmar -- Mario Acevedo and Aaron Abeyta read, perform, answer questions, explain how to do this writing thing, and otherwise act up at El Lab, the Latino Literary forum that has featured excellent programs for the past year or so. The reception begins at 6:00 PM, $10 non-members, $5 for members. El Lab is located in The Lab at 404 S. Upham Street, Lakewood, CO; 303-934-1777.
Later.
excellent review, Virginia. Wouldn't it be great to see Hinojosa get the kind of coverage Wharton or James receive?
mvs
Your post was very informative, covering a wide spectrum - even though La Bloga focuses primarily on Chicano/Latino literature, it truly is multicultural! thank you