Zoraida Córdova's Blog: Zoraida Says, page 3

I don't have a release in 2025 and I'm happy with that.

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Zoraida's 2024, Un-wrapped!

Don’t forget, I have a new snail mail address in my header! If you send me a letter, I’ll write you back. <3

Defying gravity, and the catharsis of Paul Mescal's thighs

Like many of us, I’ve been ready for the year to end since the night of the election. That feels both very dramatic and very (US)American. This idea that I can speed up time simply because something I hated happened because the world revolves around me. But, also like many of us, I’ve had a hard time feeling creative for the last month. I want to write. The words are in my head but I can’t get them out. I’ve kept myself busy with everything I could think of: redecorating my apartment, culling books I’ll never get to, a personal project that has nothing to do with publishing, visiting friends and family, and watching movies. All of this, and I could not get my creative spark back. That is…until a couple of days ago when I did a double feature of Wicked and Gladiator II.

This is not to say it’s all 5k word days. Or that I’m back to my old self. There’s more than the election in my life. Some annoying health stuff. A project I’ve been working on for the last year. Dating misadventures. Waiting on edits for my Angel Book. These things might also have something to do with the dimming of my creative spark.

Somewhere between Gladiator II and leaving the theater at midnight after Wicked, I rushed to write. In my notebook. By hand. I think these are some of the reasons behind it:

Gladiator II was surprising. I honestly have little memory of the first movie other than handsome Russel Crowe. I was excited for Gladiator II because I love Pedro Pascal. He was wonderful. Nuanced and complicated and tragic. He was fighting for his country against tyrannical ginger twins after being tired of being an agent of death. Then there was Paul Mescal’s character. The echoes of the film are truly beautiful: Hanno sifting grain early on and then Hanno sifting sand in the arena pit. His threadbare tunic is later on replaced by his {redacted} armor. Hanno and Acacius (Pedrito) are both up against an empire but in two very different ways. Acacius is idealistic but ready for revolt. Hanno is a reluctant hero who has to put idealism into action. Yes, I am weary of women’s death’s used to further the male hero’s emotional plot, and the true villain’s meta-narrative needed more development. But, I still felt a wide range of emotions.

Paul Mescal has a very deep, quiet strength and rage that fuels him. He steals every scene with his steady stares but manages to never be surly. Angry, murderous, yes, but not surly. He’s lost everyone he loves and all he has is the memory of a country that was never truly his, but now he must fight for it. He loses everything except who he is. Also, this DP/cinematographer knew what I was there for, framing his thigh tan in ways that felt erotic. EROTIC. So, yes, freedom and heroism, but also, THIGHS and tragic brown eyes. There is zero part of me looking for historical accuracy in Roman history, but I love that everything was a feast for the senses. Blood, sweat, and tears. I left feeling a sense of catharsis as if I had been the one fighting because “What we do in life echoes in eternity.” F*ck yes!

FOUR AND A HALF CHAOS STARS. ✨✨✨✨

Now, after dinner with family and friends, we returned to the theater to watch Wicked. The first time I saw it was circa 2010. Every now and then when I get tipsy and YouTube “best broadway songs” videos (do not judge me bro) and listen to Idina Menzel absolutely destroy “Defying Gravity.” I went into Wicked knowing I love the soundtrack, have never finished the Gregory Maguire novel, and that Jon Chu does not miss. {I loved In the Heights, so haters can eat it.} I walked out of it crying, shaking, screaming, throwing up (my feelings). Just like Gladiator II, this movie is also full of rage. I felt choked up every time the notion of being “different” was mentioned. We are in a volatile time where trans & queer kids are under attack, where Texas is allowing Christian doctrine to be taught in a complete defiance of our separation of church & state, local governments are censoring books and authors and here the subplot is A PLOT TO CAGE ALL THE ANIMALS AND TAKE AWAY THEIR VOICES AND ERASE THEIR HISTORY. It might feel on the nose if this hadn’t been in the novel the movie and musical are based on. Cynthia Erivo takes the role of Elphaba to another level. She and Paul Mescal have the same thoughtful stares, like they’re watching the world wondering how they can be in it while still being incredibly apart from it. Until, they accept their parts of the story. A story, which is ultimately about the ways good and evil are portrayed. A “normal” exterior is good. A green one is evil. Meanwhile, the normie Ga-linda and her group of mean gworls are truly heinous to Elphaba. It feels surreal that we cannot escape moments like this in fiction—the moment where we know the heroine is going to get viciously, cruelly punked by hateful “friends.” I wish I could say we are socially better or have outgrown this, but it isn’t. Ariana Grande is believable and utterly charming as a privileged, perfect blonde foil. She is calculating, and virtue signals while ultimately doing everything she can to uphold her status quo, which benefits her. I loved her version of Glinda, and her comedic timing is *chef’s kiss*

Speaking of kisses. I haven’t even mentioned what a bisexual dreamboat Jonathan Bailey is as Fiyero. I’ve only seen him in Bridgerton, and it took me a season to warm up to his Anthony, just because Anthony is so cold. But by season 2, I would punch Boq the Munchkin for this man. His ‘Dancing Through Life’ was a masterpiece. I didn’t know he could dance like that. When he first started singing, I thought of James Marsden, especially in Enchanted.

This moment is going to live rent-free in my head.

The final number felt worth the TWO HOUR AND FORTY minute movie. Every second of it.

FIVE CHAOS STARS. ✨✨✨✨

Both of these movies ended with revolt and uprising and characters who become who they were meant to be. I needed to be reminded of some of that hope.

If you’ve watched them, let me know! See you next month where I’ll (hopefully) have all my favorite things of the year, plus end of the year updates. For now, I’ll go put this fresh creative spark do you, and hope you are finding your own wherever possible.

✨Join me in the land of Faerie

Wonder what it’s like editing three anthologies with your bestie?

In 2020, while floating in a Gulf Coast pool, Natalie C. Parker and I envisioned what would eventually become Vampires Never Get Old.

Our goal was to take familiar magical beings and give them a global twist. We wanted to see vampires from different points of view. Bipoc, queer, disabled. And still, with all the mystery and enchantment that has captured our imaginations for centuries.

Next came Mermaids Never Drown and Faeries Never Lie, which launches today.

The best part about working on an anthology is getting to read the work of authors you admire. People often ask us how we choose, or how we come up with our roster. To be honest, we approach authors with a specific prompt. What is your version of vampires? What do your mermaids look like? What is your rendition of faeries? I’m so happy to say that every author delivers.

Don’t miss the companion podcast for exclusive behind-the-scenes chat with anthology authors!

These collections are special to me simply because I got to spend so much time editing, and writing with Natalie. She’s incredibly hard-working and ambitious and doesn’t get enough credit for all she does. If you’ve read our other anthos, you might be surprised that we wrote separate stories for Faeries. We’d always planned on it, but things happen. It was very weird not seeing Natalie in our shared drafts working on her side of the story, but I hope you enjoy our individual entries.

In this collection, you’ll find a little bit of everything: many bargains, wild hunts, historical and contemporary settings, secondary worlds, a touch of horror, and original mythologies. Plus! Dhonielle Clayton returns to her gorgeous version of New Orleans but from a faerie POV. Anna-Marie McLemore gives us a peak into a fan-favorite character from their Venom & Vow novel, co-written with their husband Elliott. And the Queen of Faerie herself, Holly Black, wrote a short story set in the Folk of the Air world!

Welcome to our realm of magic and mischief. I hope you pick up your copy from your favorite bookshop and don’t forget to claim your pre-order prizes here. We are having a launch party on October 5th in NYC. RSVP now to guarantee your seat. There will be tarot readings, goodies and treats, and a signing with seven of the contributors!

Thank you, always, for reading and sharing.

New Book Tuesday! Star Wars & More...

I have a book out today! Welcome to the world Beware the Nameless. Meet my kids and space monsters! Don’t worry, the Nameless just want to cuddle and play hide and seek.

This is my 23rd novel out in the world, but that shiny new feeling never gets old. Every book is special for different reasons. Sometimes it’s because I’m trying something new. Sometimes it’s because I’m writing in a world that I love. Sometimes it’s because the deadline killed me, and I am a celebratory ghost. I never want to take this for granted again.

Don’t forget to grab your copy from your local bookshop or wherever books are sold!

B&N * .org * (signed!)

Some of my friends have books out today too!

Come Out Come Out is such a stellar horror. Don’t take my word for it. Look at all this praise! I wish my blurb could have been “the first horror novel that made me cry with emotion at the end!” And she’d in Lawrence, Kansas celebrating her launch on Wednesday the 28th. If you go, tell her “ZORAIDA SAYS HI EXCLAMATION POINT.”

Long Live Evil is probably going to be my favorite fantasy novel in 2024! It has voice, humor, epic fantasy, and all the feels! It takes all the familiar tropes we know about villains and what makes a villain/hero and turns it on its head with irreverently wicked humor. Highly recommend the audio. Sarah is coming all the way from Ireland, so if she’d in a city near you, save the date in September!

If you’re in Kansas City, go celebrate this wine-infused adult debut by Adib Khorram!

Prince of the Palisades came out last week, but it is still a delight! YA romance by Julian Winters. Julian wrote a short story in my co-edited anthology Mermaids Never Drown. All of his works feels like freshly baked cookies—warm, sweet, and the perfect treat.

See you next time!

Churo the Hutt is almost here!

It’s time for Churo the Hutt to make his debut! My next novel is Star Wars: The High Republic: Beware the Nameless. It’s the companion novel, and next up in the middle grade novels of Phase III of our High Reblic series. I’m smack in the middle, which means we’re getting close to the end of the incredible story that began with Light of the Jedi. Fear not…the galaxy is a big place.

Right now, if you need a High Republic primer, check out this post from StarWars.com

One of the questions I get asked asked most often is “What does it feel like to write for Star Wars?” 

The honest answer? It still feels surreal in a way I can’t always articulate. When I’m nervous during an interview, the first thing that comes to mind is always “oh my gosh I’m so lucky” or “It feels amazing what else can I say?” These are a little canned, but honest. I feel lucky. It feels amazing. But I also know that luck is a sprinkling factor, because I also work really hard and think deeply about the characters that I write. I agonize over sentences and decisions in the story and the limits of what makes it “feel” Star Wars or not. So I know it’s not just luck, but it still feels amazing.

My job is describing feelings and putting them on the page, so why is this one any different? I understand and know that this galaxy isn’t just home to me and my formative memories from childhood. I see the endless possibilities and stories that are actively being discovered and told. I think we all feel so much about Star Wars, which is why everyone has their own hot take. I can only focus on mine, which goes:

Writing for Star Wars feels like holding your breath when that yellow text starts scrolling against the pinpricks of stars. Writing for Star Wars feels like reaching back into a version of myself that will be forever young. *Queue the song*. Writing for Star Wars feels like having some pretty damn good writers around me to keep me sharp because I want to be just as good. Writing for Star Wars feels like chaos and hope and sleepless nights at my desk, and thirteen empty coffee cups fueling months of deadlining. Writing for Star Wars feels like coming home.

This has been the opportunity of a lifetime, and I am so deeply excited for this next book. 

Beware the Nameless is about a group of kids surviving against a threat much bigger than themselves. There are hard lessons, big emotions, laughs, lots of lightsaber action, new planets to explore. But above all, this book is about friendship. It’s about finding people who understand you and are there by your side when things get rough. While I was writing this for 11-year-old I once was, I think kids and adults alike will find something for them.

Art: Petur Antonsson

Here’s a little bit more about Beware the Nameless coming August 27th, 2024 in ebook and print. 

The High Republic continues in this fast-paced adventure that picks up from Escape from Valo , perfect for fans of sci-fi action. Think Sailor Moon meets Babysitter’s Guide to Monster Hunting by way of Star Wars . . . with a dash of Last Kids on Earth !

The fearsome Nihil continue to spread chaos inside the Occlusion Zone, aided by the mysterious creatures called the Nameless that feed on the Force itself. When the people of an embattled world plead for help with the Nihil threat, a team of both Republic Defense Coalition members and Jedi—including Ram Jomaram—is sent to their aid.

The team soon discovers that their ship contains four stowaways—Jedi younglings Kildo, TepTep, and Jamil, and Zenny Greylark, a senator’s daughter determined to find her sister. When a distress call comes in from a nearby planet, Jedi Master Adi-Li Carro agrees to take the stowaways to investigate. There, they will encounter a young Hutt on a mission, a stranger with mysterious motives, and the creatures they fear the most. . . .

This next installment in the New York Times best-selling series is written by award-winning author Zoraida Córdova and features six full-color pages of art!

Pre-order from one of my favorite bookstores in Queens, NY. If you’re in New York City, we’re having my launch at World’s Borough Book Store on August 31st, 2024 at 3PM, where i’ll also be personalizing online orders! There will be a raffle for a Hasbro lightsaber! There will be free High Repulic posters for all attendees (while supplies last). I hope to see you then! 

For the aspiring writers, I’m teaching a course in a couple of weeks at THE WRITER’S CONSEVATORY. It’s all virtual, and feels like a masterclass on writing. My class is going to focus on world-building and everything that goes into creating a fantasy that is unique to the story in your mind. Read more and sign up here.

Summer Romances, Or a Little Mermaid retelling, a bruja novella and a santa erotica walk into a romance conference

“She was Ariel del Mar, and her whole life was waiting.” This is how chapter 1 of Kiss the Girl, my modern-day remix of Disney’s The Little Mermaid ends. I love this book. I was ~*meant*~ to write this book, no pun intended. 

Writing this book was my homage to a story that has meant so much to me. I could ramble about how Ariel does make choices, and her bargain was for her own freedom and not just a man, and how Eric is a himbo, but unlike other princes, he has my favorite dialogue and I love him. But I’ll spare you. Instead, you can read it in Kiss the Girl. 

A few months ago, the book came out in audiobook, but due to internal cover snafus beyond my control, I couldn’t bring myself to promote something with that many typos. Many months later, it has been updated and I’m happy to share it here. Kiss the Girl audio is available at your favorite audiobook retailer, but might I recommend Libro.FM, which supports indie bookstores. Kiss the Girl is narrated by Inés del Castillo and Anthony Rey Perez who do a phenomenal job. 

Buy the Kiss the Girl audiobook at these retailers:

AUDIBLE

PENGUIN RANDOM HOUSE

DISNEY BOOKS

So, a few years ago I self-published the Santa Claus-inspired holiday romance I’d been talking about forever. At first it was just for funsies. Something to keep away the sadness demons during the first year we realized the Covid pandemic was here to stay. I used the name Rizzo Rose, inspired by my maternal grandmother’s last name, and an appropriate flower for alliteration. 

The book was called The Heart of Winter, and I told only a handful of people. I meant to write a sequel right away, but then I got slammed with traditional publishing contract after contract, which I’m not complaining about. Times are rough for most writers, so I take job security whenever I can. Usually, I keep a “just for me” project I work on slowly, but 2022-2023 was so intense with drafting and terrible brain feelings that I wasn’t able to write the sequel. The reason I’m telling you is because I have sold two new audiobooks! 

One is The Captive Merman’s Promise, a novella I wrote for the first Bonker’s Romance Kickstarter in 2022. I have a brand new cover by Emily Wittig (who did both of these). The text is still the same with “preferred text” updates.

The second book is The Heart of Winter, which will now be published as Zoey Castile, just like my other high-heat romances. The book was featured on this episode of Fated Mates, so perhaps some of you have already picked it up. I’ve added about 5k words in preferred text.

It feels a little strange republishing WINTER after almost three years under a new name, but I’m finally writing again as part of #FantasyGirlSummer. Book two is called The Heart of Shadow and follows the eldest Espinoza sister, who makes a guest appearance in book one. 

The audiobooks for Winter and Merman will be available in the fall! Links and things will be up later but for now, you can get them in ebook and print online or when you see me at SteamyLit Con! 

If you’re coming to SteamyLit this year in Anaheim, be sure to say stop by. My booth number is M72. I’ll have all three of these books, plus a few other titles at the convention signing! You can reserve your copies by filling out my pre-order form. 

Love, 

Zoraida 

A Reflection On My 37th Birthday

* Faeries Never Lie * The Fall of Rebel Angels

If you want to give me a birthday gift, check out one of my books! Or buy me a drink so I can get tipsy on a Wednesday night: venmo @zcordova! Alas, still no Ca$h app.

* Rent stabilized apartment

* * This looks weird but you don’t cross or dot a capital letter T and I, lol.

* * * And by wiser, I mean unhinged.

* * * My spine already feels 37.

Happy Valentine's Day! ❤️

Happy New Year!