Raul Ramos y Sanchez's Blog, page 2

In 1969: A Buckeye Took A Small Step Into History

https://youtu.be/qRqs2aCgeeA

In 1969, Neil Armstrong of Wapakoneta, Ohio became the first human on the moon. By 1972, 24 astronauts had left their footprints on lunar soil.

Ironically, the Apollo Program had made moon landings so commonplace, public interest in manned space exploration waned and public funds dried up.

Set in 1969, MUSTANG TO PADUCAH, follows the madcap travails of two Miami hippies returning a car for a tourist from Kentucky who find themselves as the prime suspects in a multiple murder. You can read the first chapter of this zany adventure here: https://raulramos.com/mustang-to-paducah

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The Period Pieces Blog curates fun facts from the 1960s inspired by the novel Mustang to Paducah by Raul Ramos y Sanchez.

,Got a minute to give MUSTANG TO PADUCAH a “like” on Facebook?

The Storm Season

Number 8 in a series of excerpts from  The Skinny Years .


Along with a budding plot of pubic hair, Skinny had developed a short-fuse temper and the unshakable conviction that all adults had been placed on earth with a single purpose: to thwart his will and make his life miserable in every way possible.
LEARN MORE

The Skinny Years is available in hardbound, paperback and eBook editions. 
SYNOPSIS:Surfers, soul brothers, hippies, and thugs — they’re all part of Victor “Skinny” Delgado’s world growing up in Miami during the turbulent 1960s. Fleeing the Castro regime in Cuba, Skinny’s once-wealthy family moves from a mansion in Havana to a roach-infested bungalow in Miami’s low-rent Wynwood district. Over the next ten years the Delgados struggle to survive in this strange new land—a place where fat men in red suits enter your home through the chimney, demons appear at the door begging for candy, and young women go on dates without chaperones. There’s only one constant in Skinny's world as he grows from 8 to 18. He longs in vain for the girl of his dreams: his neighbor Janice Bockman who seems everything American—and everything he’s not.


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Dayton Daily News feature article

This morning's Sunday paper brought an exciting bit of news to our doorstep. I was delighted to see an article in the Dayton Daily News by literary beat reporter Sharon Short featuring my fourth novel, The Skinny Years .

"Raul says that writers 'have to love the process more than the reward.'" 

Sharon Short is a accomplished author with four titles to her credit including her most recent, My One Square Inch of Alaska.

It is always a pleasure to be recognized close to home. As Mark Twain purportedly said: "An expert is just some fellow from another town."


LEARN MORE

The Skinny Years is available in hardbound, paperback and eBook editions. 
SYNOPSIS:Surfers, soul brothers, hippies, and thugs — they’re all part of Victor “Skinny” Delgado’s world growing up in Miami during the turbulent 1960s. Fleeing the Castro regime in Cuba, Skinny’s once-wealthy family moves from a mansion in Havana to a roach-infested bungalow in Miami’s low-rent Wynwood district. Over the next ten years the Delgados struggle to survive in this strange new land—a place where fat men in red suits enter your home through the chimney, demons appear at the door begging for candy, and young women go on dates without chaperones. There’s only one constant in Skinny's world as he grows from 8 to 18. He longs in vain for the girl of his dreams: his neighbor Janice Bockman who seems everything American—and everything he’s not.


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Books and Books at The Studios of Key West

Many thanks to everyone who stopped by the event for THE SKINNY YEARS at Books & Books at the Studios of Key West this evening. 

We had a nice turnout and a lot of fun. Great discussing the book alongside Anthony J. Yaniz and Tony Mendez, my Wynwood homies. This had to be be the most gratifying event of my time as an author. 

The staff was wonderful... friendly, helpful, and supportive. An author could not ask for more.



LEARN MORE

The Skinny Years is available in hardbound, paperback and eBook editions. 

SYNOPSIS:Surfers, soul brothers, hippies, and thugs — they’re all part of Victor “Skinny” Delgado’s world growing up in Miami during the turbulent 1960s. Fleeing the Castro regime in Cuba, Skinny’s once-wealthy family moves from a mansion in Havana to a roach-infested bungalow in Miami’s low-rent Wynwood district. Over the next ten years the Delgados struggle to survive in this strange new land—a place where fat men in red suits enter your home through the chimney, demons appear at the door begging for candy, and young women go on dates without chaperones. There’s only one constant in Skinny's world as he grows from 8 to 18. He longs in vain for the girl of his dreams: his neighbor Janice Bockman who seems everything American—and everything he’s not.


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Key West Event at Books & Books

Friday, January 6 at 6pmBooks and Books at The Studios of Key West533 Eaton St, Key West, FL 33040
One week from today... starts the first of three South Florida events for my 4th novel, THE SKINNY YEARS. 

If you are in Key West on Friday January 6th, I hope you can join me at Books & Books in The Studios of Key West. Festivities begin at 6PM and will include a 60s Trivia Quiz with prizes.

Co-hosting the event will be my childhood friend and former Key West city commissioner Anthony J. Yaniz whose family inspired several characters in the book.


You'll find more details about the event here: http://tinyurl.com/Skinny-Years-SoFla




LEARN MORE ABOUT THE NOVEL

The Skinny Years is available in hardbound, paperback and eBook editions. 

SYNOPSIS:Surfers, soul brothers, hippies, and thugs — they’re all part of Victor “Skinny” Delgado’s world growing up in Miami during the turbulent 1960s. Fleeing the Castro regime in Cuba, Skinny’s once-wealthy family moves from a mansion in Havana to a roach-infested bungalow in Miami’s low-rent Wynwood district. Over the next ten years the Delgados struggle to survive in this strange new land—a place where fat men in red suits enter your home through the chimney, demons appear at the door begging for candy, and young women go on dates without chaperones. There’s only one constant in Skinny's world as he grows from 8 to 18. He longs in vain for the girl of his dreams: his neighbor Janice Bockman who seems everything American—and everything he’s not.

EDITORIAL REVIEWS

"Gritty and witty. A complex, humorous, and utterly absorbing coming-of-age tale."
(Five-star rated) Foreword Reviews - Monica Carter

"Vivid, engaging, well-paced, with compelling characters. A terrific book.”
Ralph Keyes, best-selling author of Is There Life After High School?

"An uplifting and entertaining tale."
Vick Mickunas, host of Book Nook on NPR/WYSO

"Illuminates, with grace and wit, both one boy's passage and the complex story of Cuba's exiles."
John Thorndike, author The Last of His Mind

"Readers will love the characters, the fast pace, and the realistic setting that frames the story. It’s an emotionally packed coming of age tale that is destined to be a classic. "
Maria Ferrer, Latina Book Club (Book of the Month selection)




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Going steady

Number 7 in a series of excerpts from  The Skinny Years .

Going steady with a girl usually meant listening to the radio together in her living room and maybe sneaking a peck on the lips before going home. Although Skinny was still stuck in “friend” limbo with Janice, their relationship wasn’t much different—except for the kissing. That furtive brushing of the lips was the momentous line of demarcation between friend and boyfriend.
LEARN MORE

The Skinny Years is available in hardbound, paperback and eBook editions. 
SYNOPSIS:Surfers, soul brothers, hippies, and thugs — they’re all part of Victor “Skinny” Delgado’s world growing up in Miami during the turbulent 1960s. Fleeing the Castro regime in Cuba, Skinny’s once-wealthy family moves from a mansion in Havana to a roach-infested bungalow in Miami’s low-rent Wynwood district. Over the next ten years the Delgados struggle to survive in this strange new land—a place where fat men in red suits enter your home through the chimney, demons appear at the door begging for candy, and young women go on dates without chaperones. There’s only one constant in Skinny's world as he grows from 8 to 18. He longs in vain for the girl of his dreams: his neighbor Janice Bockman who seems everything American—and everything he’s not.


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The Last Journey of The Three Kings

[An excerpt from THE SKINNY YEARS]

Skinny opened the Christmas songbook he’d brought home from school and pointed to the smiling fat man on the first page. “This is Santa Claus, Abuela. That’s who I was telling you about,” he said to his grandmother.

Sitting beside Abuela on the living room’s frayed couch, Skinny was taking great pains to show her how Navidad was celebrated in America. The last thing Skinny wanted was a repeat of their first Thanksgiving.

Gathered around the table, their mouths watering, the family had watched anxiously as Juan began to carve the turkey. As the family’s guide to Thanksgiving, Skinny had explained this was always done by the man of the house. Abuela had basted the bird for hours and it was now golden brown and smelled like heaven—until Juan plunged the knife deeper. Suddenly, the acrid odor of burned plastic filled the air.

No one had told Abuela that American turkeys came stuffed with a plastic bag holding the neck, heart, liver, and gizzard.

That disastrous meal was now driving Skinny to make sure his family got Christmas right.

“In America, the Three Kings don’t bring children their Navidad presents—the presents come from Santa Claus,” he said slowly to Abuela, hoping it would sink in. “And children get their gifts on December twenty-fifth, not on the sixth of January like in Cuba.”

“That’s ridiculous,” Abuela said scowling. “Everyone knows the Three Kings brought the gifts for the baby Jesus in the manger, not someone who looks like Karl Marx after four shots of rum,” Abuela said, pointing to Santa. “Look at him. He’s got a beard like Castro and he’s wearing a red suit—that’s the color of the communists! My God, Victor. What are they teaching you in this country?”

Marta, who had been serving high tea to her dolls in the corner, perked up at the talk of presents. “Are the Three Kings coming soon?” she asked, remembering the bounty of toys during Navidad in Cuba.

“No, Marta,” Abuela answered. “In this country children get their gifts from a fat degenerate.”

Disgusted, Skinny slammed the book shut and stomped out of the living room, certain he’d be the only kid in the neighborhood without any gifts on Christmas morning. ###
LEARN MORE

The Skinny Years is available in hardbound, paperback and eBook editions. 
SYNOPSIS:Surfers, soul brothers, hippies, and thugs — they’re all part of Victor “Skinny” Delgado’s world growing up in Miami during the turbulent 1960s. Fleeing the Castro regime in Cuba, Skinny’s once-wealthy family moves from a mansion in Havana to a roach-infested bungalow in Miami’s low-rent Wynwood district. Over the next ten years the Delgados struggle to survive in this strange new land—a place where fat men in red suits enter your home through the chimney, demons appear at the door begging for candy, and young women go on dates without chaperones. There’s only one constant in Skinny's world as he grows from 8 to 18. He longs in vain for the girl of his dreams: his neighbor Janice Bockman who seems everything American—and everything he’s not.


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A Holiday Wish

IN THIS SEASON OF HOPE AND PEACE
MAY WE HAVE THE STRENGTH AND WISDOM
TO KEEP THE FAITH

A HOLIDAY WISH FROMRAUL RAMOS Y SANCHEZ





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Fighting against communism

An excerpt from THE SKINNY YEARS
Abuela let out a sharp, dry laugh. “Anyone who thinks Juan Delgado’s articles sucking up to Batista are ‘fighting against communism’ doesn’t know a donkey t*rd from a chocolate cupcake.”
LEARN MORE

The Skinny Years is available in hardbound, paperback and eBook editions. 
SYNOPSIS:Surfers, soul brothers, hippies, and thugs — they’re all part of Victor “Skinny” Delgado’s world growing up in Miami during the turbulent 1960s. Fleeing the Castro regime in Cuba, Skinny’s once-wealthy family moves from a mansion in Havana to a roach-infested bungalow in Miami’s low-rent Wynwood district. Over the next ten years the Delgados struggle to survive in this strange new land—a place where fat men in red suits enter your home through the chimney, demons appear at the door begging for candy, and young women go on dates without chaperones. There’s only one constant in Skinny's world as he grows from 8 to 18. He longs in vain for the girl of his dreams: his neighbor Janice Bockman who seems everything American—and everything he’s not.




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Wynwood, 1959

Number 4 in a series of excerpts from The Skinny Years.
        About a half-mile inland on the cheap side of the bay, Wynwood was a tightly-packed grid of small houses and apartments—a low-rent area where the cooks, cabbies, mechanics, and maids whose labor greased Miami’s tourism machine rested their heads and raised their kids.
LEARN MORE

The Skinny Years is available in hardbound, paperback and eBook editions. 
SYNOPSIS:Surfers, soul brothers, hippies, and thugs — they’re all part of Victor “Skinny” Delgado’s world growing up in Miami during the turbulent 1960s. Fleeing the Castro regime in Cuba, Skinny’s once-wealthy family moves from a mansion in Havana to a roach-infested bungalow in Miami’s low-rent Wynwood district. Over the next ten years the Delgados struggle to survive in this strange new land—a place where fat men in red suits enter your home through the chimney, demons appear at the door begging for candy, and young women go on dates without chaperones. There’s only one constant in Skinny's world as he grows from 8 to 18. He longs in vain for the girl of his dreams: his neighbor Janice Bockman who seems everything American—and everything he’s not.


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