Raul Ramos y Sanchez's Blog, page 24

The Buzz About 'House Divided'

Humor columnist and author Rose A. ValentaToday I'm delighted to have humor columnist Rose A. Valenta as a guest on this blog. Rose is a nationally syndicated humor columnist. Her irreverent columns have been published in Senior Wire, Associated Content, Courier Post Online, NPR, Newsday, USA TODAY, the WSJ Online, and many other local news and radio websites. She is the author of a blog which I read regularly, Rosie's Renegade Humor Blog, and the zany and eclectic humor book, Sitting on Cold Porcelain. I encourage you to read both. 

 
The Buzz About 'House Divided'
Thank you for inviting me to the Author's Diary. I was excited to read and review your book at Rosie's Renegade Humor blog last week.
My article "I Have a Crush on Manolo Suarez – House Divided" was no exaggeration. He is an admirable character, possessing strong family values, a man of honor, and is true to his convictions. I like that in a man - he is very sexy.
From a woman's perspective, I especially liked Rosa's relationship with Celia, the local curandera and midwife; but, I don't want to spoil this engaging novel for anyone by giving away too much. I keep telling everyone to put this one on their "must read" list over at Goodreads.com. One scene was written so well, it had me multi-tasking - dodging bullets, while smelling and craving cake.
As you know, I am a humorist and usually don't have a serious bone in my body. My entire blog is filled with parody and satire. However, when I read America Libre, shortly after it was released, I was hooked on your trilogy.
We tried to connect for coffee at the Erma Bombeck Writers' Workshop in 2008 in Dayton, OH, but our schedules conflicted. However, you did make a lot of friends there. Most of us now follow you on Facebook and Twitter. We gossip in the humorwriter's news group. The "buzz" lately is how overjoyed you must be winning the Books into Movies Award presented by Eddie Olmos (most of us would give our right arm to even meet Eddie Olmos). You deserve this award, Raul, for tackling this difficult topic in your fiction writing and giving us all much entertainment and food for thought. We are all guessing about who will be cast in the various roles. I especially want to know if Concha Velasco is being considered to play Celia. I am looking forward to seeing the film.
I just ordered House Divided on my Kindle, so I can reread it while traveling. Thank you for the autographed copy.
Felicitaciones a mi amigo for a work well done!

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Rose, my deepest thanks to you for your support of my work and for visiting with me today. I hope you'll join me again in the future. 
Raul


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New York Times: An impending change in racial labels?

In today's New York Times an article by Susan Saulny titled "Black? White? Asian? More Young Americans Choose All of the Above" reported on the many young adults of mixed background who are rejecting the color lines that have defined Americans for generations. In response to this article, I posted the comment below which is currently #1 in reader recommendations by a wide margin.

The assumptions in this article begin with a fundamental flaw: the absurd racial classifications used in the United States (and perpetuated by the New York Times and other media sources).

White: People with similar phenotypes with origins from a vast number of countries speaking different languages are lumped into a one group.

Hispanic: People with vast variety of phenotypes with origins from Spanish-speaking countries are lumped into one group.

Asian: People with similar phenotypes from nations speaking different languages are lumped into one group -- except for those from India who have completely different phenotypes but are still included as Asian.

Black: Anyone who has a single ancestor of Sub-Saharan African descent, regardless of any other ancestry -- except if the ancestor is from a Spanish-speaking nation, which then makes them Hispanic.

A wise person once said:  "Race is an illusion. But racism is real."

Until we acknowledge this truth, we will continue to torment ourselves with differences based on preconceived prejudices rather than scientific fact.

Raul Ramos y Sanchez




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Re-Run of Book Nook Radio Interview on WYSO

My Book Nook radio interview on WYSO with host Vick Mickunas will repeat again at...
11am Eastern Time Sunday January 30, 2011 LISTEN ONLINE HERE

The host of WYSO's Book Nook, Vick Mickunas, has interviewed some of the nation's leading writers along with historians, movie stars, astronauts, and music legends. In this edition of his half-hour weekly show, Vick chats with me about the themes and characters of HOUSE DIVIDED and why Vick believes my path to publication was more extraordinary than "a bi-partisan bill in congress."

Hope you can join us!
Raul


HOUSE DIVIDED synopsisTime: the not-too-distant futureIn a Los Angeles barrio torn by years of ethnic war, decorated U.S. Army veteran Manolo Suarez is now a rebel leader struggling to sustain a faltering insurgency—and keep his family together and alive. His deeply-religious wife opposes the fighting. His teenage son has joined an extremist group bent on attacking innocent civilians. Now Mano must battle both a U.S. government dominated by demagogues and the terrorists in his own ranks—without betraying his son or losing his wife.Reviews • Book Trailer • Where to Buy




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The HOUSE DIVIDED PreOrder Rewards Winner

We have a winner in the HOUSE DIVIDED PreOrder Rewards drawing...
Congratulations to August Johnson! [image error]
She will receive a $25 Amazon Gift Card plus a cool Class H tee. My deepest thanks to everyone who entered the drawing! Please stay tuned. There will be more chances to win cool stuff when you "like" the HOUSE DIVIDED Facebook page at the link below.

"Like" the HOUSE DIVIDED Facebook page  for more chance to win cool stuff.





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Only Two Days Left For Pre-Order Rewards on HOUSE DIVIDED

Have you considered my new novel HOUSE DIVIDED for yourself or as gift? Well, this is a good time to act.

Pre-Order HOUSE DIVIDED before midnight ET on Friday 1-28-11 and you can register to win a cool Class H t-shirt plus a $25 Amazon Gift Card. You'll also save up to 33% on the regular price!

HOUSE DIVIDEDPRE-ORDER REWARDS!Only until midnight ET Friday January 28th Win a cool Class H t-shirt PLUS  A $25 Amazon Gift Card!
CLICK HERE FOR MORE DETAILS.
I hope you'll take advantage of this unique opportunity.

Raul


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A Radio Interview on WYSO's Book Nook

Friday, January 28 · 1:30pm - 2:00pm
LISTEN ON THE WEBClick "Listen" button at upper left
LISTEN ON THE AIR:91.3FM in SW Ohio
The host of WYSO's Book Nook, Vick Mickunas, has interviewed some of the nation's leading writers along with historians, movie stars, astronauts, and music legends. In this edition of his half-hour weekly show, Vick chats with me about the themes and characters of HOUSE DIVIDED and why Vick believes my path to publication was more extraordinary than "a bi-partisan bill in congress."

Hope you can join us!
Raul


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OK, so which is it? [Correction]

CORRECTION:
In my haste, I overlooked the difference in the year. My thanks to the alert reader who pointed this out. The correct information is that public trust for FOX News has declined in 2011.

My apologies,
Raul

OK, so which is it? In the span of a week, Public Policy Polling did an apparent 180 on its reporting of FOX News. Is this some kind of test of how media will spin a story? Does the left hand not know what the right hand is doing at PPP? The only thing that seems certain is that any survey data coming from these folks seems dubious.


WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 19, 2011http://publicpolicypolling.blogspot.com/2011/01/our-second-annual-tv-news-trust-poll.html

TUESDAY, JANUARY 26, 2010
Our newest survey looking at perceptions of ABC News, CBS News, CNN, Fox News, and NBC News finds Fox as the only one that more people say they trust than distrust. 49% say they trust it to 37% who do not.http://publicpolicypolling.blogspot.com/2010/01/fox-leads-for-trust.html


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Upcoming Events

Upcoming Book Signings and Q&A for HOUSE DIVIDED

February 05, 2011 – 2:00 PM
Dayton - Borders
2700 Miamisburg Centerville Rd.
Dayton, OH 45459

February 22, 2011 – 7PM
Vroman's Bookstore
695 E. Colorado Blvd
Pasadena, CA 91101
This event will also feature music by Max Vasquez & Friends!

You can register to win a cool Class H t-shirt just for attending at both events. 

Borders Books in Dayton, OH and Vroman's Bookstore in Pasadena, CA will host a book signing and Q&A session for my second novel HOUSE DIVIDED. Releasing from Grand Central Publishing on January 28, HOUSE DIVIDED is the second book of the AMERICA LIBRE trilogy which I began in 2004 with the input of scholars from the USA, Latin America and Spain.

To learn more about HOUSE DIVIDED visit this web page.


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A Democratic countermove with Cuba?

In what seems an unexpected move, the White House has just announced it will ease some restrictions on travel and aid to Cuba. However, as you will see later in this article, this could be a calculated move by Democrats to counter recent GOP efforts to woo Latino voters. Let's begin with the significant details:
From the White House blog January 13, 2001...

"The President has directed the Secretaries of State, Treasury and Commerce to carry out the actions necessary to lift all restrictions on the ability of individuals to visit family members in Cuba, and to send them remittances.  He's further directed that steps be taken to enable the freer flow of information among the Cuban people and between those in Cuba and the rest of the world, as well as to facilitate the delivery of humanitarian items directly to the Cuban people."

So why is the White House doing this now?

As noted in my previous post, it seems clear the GOP is making a concerted effort to woo Latino voters. This White House announcement could be a subtle yet effective counter stroke. Here's why:

The Cuban exile community has always been solidly in the GOP camp. The reaction to Obama's gesture toward Cuba from the Miami exiles is already pouring and it is predictably negative. At the same time, sympathy for Fidel Castro is much more common among other Hispanic groups. In fact, some Latinos idolize Castro and Che. By offering an olive branch to Castro, the Democrats will be seen as sympathetic to Latinos. But the greater significance of this move is what it does to Republicans.

The GOP has now been painted into a corner. If Republicans side with their staunch Cuban supporters on the White House move, the GOP risks damaging their outreach efforts to other Latinos who are likely sympathetic to Castro. So what will the GOP do?  My guess is that most Republicans will stay mum about the White House initiative or give very measured responses.

Let's wait and see how this develops.

Raul Ramos y Sanchez



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Politics and Bedfellows

Contratulations to Lance Rios. His Facebook page "Being Latino" has become one of social media's most popular gathering spot for Latinos. And that influence was vividly demonstrated in a recently-announced reciprocal content agreement between Being Latino and FOX News Latino.

Although my personal politics do not fall into the FOX camp, I am pleased by this developement. First of all, I'm happy for Lance, whose hard work and ignenuity deserves recognition. Second, this partnership helps push the influence of social media up another notch. And finally, I think it has the potential for being a postive step for the entire nation.

Anyone who knows my personal politics may be surprised by that statement. But those who long ago said "politics make strange bedfellows" were not fools.

Right now, the majority of Latino voters are presumed to be solidly in the Democratic camp. (The reality is much more complex. But it's perceptions that shape the actions of politicians.) As a result of this widely held belief, Latinos have been taken for granted by the Democrats (who only give us empty promises) and ignored by Republicans (who feel they can demonize us with impunity in districts where Latinos are not a majority).

However, when Latinos can exert influence in BOTH parties, we will not be so easy to ignore -- or impugn.

It still remains to be seen whether a leopard can change its spots. Many Republicans continue to pander to the xenophobes within their ranks by supporting legislation like Arizona's SB 1070 or attempts to gut the 14th Amendment. This is political theatre at its worst. But some in the GOP are waking up and smelling the coffee.

This deal with Being Latino is not an isolated event. FOX is echoing what seems to be a clear GOP strategy of reaching out to Latinos. (You have to give the conservative media machine credit for staying on message. They are always in lock step.)

Jeb Bush (with Karl Rove calling plays from the sidelines) is spearheading the Hispanic Leadership Network to try and woo Latino voters. In fact, Jeb Bush went so far as to say it was "incredibly stupid" for the GOP to ignore Latino voters. And Bush is right. It IS incredibly stupid to ignore the fastest growing voter segment. One problem remains for the GOP, though: Bigots are usually stupid.

I'm no Polyanna. The GOP has made sizeable gains across the nation in November and the party is stronger than its been for years. The leadership of the party may have realized Republicans can afford to burn some political capital and risk alienating "the base" with an outreach to Latinos -- for the moment. However, don't surprised if the race-baiting returns come election time.

For now, let's be hard-nosed and pragmatic. We all have something to gain -- even if it's short-lived.

Raul Ramos y Sanchez


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