Zoraida Córdova's Blog: Zoraida Says, page 5

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Published on November 03, 2022 11:39

October 10, 2022

KISS THE GIRL 🐠 COVER REVEAL!

Dearest reader,

I’m writing to you just one day after New York Comic Con. I had an absolute blast. There were so many people there in costumes, buying art, watching panels. It was the recharging day I needed to remember why I do this. For my readers. For the nerds. For the bookworms. For the dreamers. That’s what we all are, in the end. I fangirled as I saw MR. JAMIE FRASER himself walking around the floor. I kept my eyes peeled for Oscar Isaac but I wasn’t that lucky twice in once day. Here are some pictures of the weekend:

Now for the cover reveal!

If you didn’t know, I’m writing the third book in the Meant to Be series line from Disney Hyperion Avenue! I’m doing the Little Mermaid retelling. Part of my origin story is that I learned how to speak English by watching The Little Mermaid on repeat when I lived in Ecuador. She’s my mermaid. My princess. Being able to reimagine her is a dream. I hate using that term when it comes to writing, because you know that I think of writing as my job first. But it’s the only way I can truly describe it.

A modern tale of unexpectedly falling in love, and finding your voice―the highly anticipated third installment of in the acclaimed and best-selling Meant to Be collection.

Ariel del Mar is one of the most famous singers in the world. She and her sisters―together, known as the band Siren Seven―have been a pop culture phenomenon since they were kids. On stage, wearing her iconic red wig and sequined costumes, staring out at a sea of fans, is where she shines. Anyone would think she’s the girl who has everything.

But lately, she wants more. Siren Seven is wrapping up their farewell tour, and Ariel can’t wait to spend the summer just living a normal life―part of a world she’s only ever seen from the outside. But her father, the head of Atlantica Records, has other plans: begin her breakout solo career immediately, starting with a splashy announcement on a morning talk show.

The night before, Ariel and her sisters sneak out of their Manhattan penthouse for a night of incognito fun at a rock concert in Brooklyn. It’s there that Ariel crosses paths with Eric Reyes, dreamy lead singer of an up-and-coming band. Unaware of her true identity, Eric spontaneously invites her on the road for the summer. And for the first time in her life, Ariel disobeys her father―and goes with him.

Caught between the world she longs for and the one she’s left behind, can Ariel follow her dreams, fall in love, and, somehow, find her own voice?

Out August 1, 2023 in paperback and e-book! Pre-order from your local indie, B&N, Amazon, or wherever books are sold.

The Dreamland Fire - Sapphire (Official Video)

This is my brother’s song! He is so talented, and I listened to this song a LOT while drafting KISS THE GIRL. Here’s the rest of my Spotify playlist!

OPEN.SPOTIFY.COM

Kiss The Girl 🌊🐠🦀🐚

Zoraida Solo · Playlist · 212 songs · 1 likes

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Published on October 10, 2022 07:56

July 19, 2022

If you love monster romances, open this letter! 💙

Last year, I started working on a project. Now, it’s taking a ~monstrous~ life of its own over on Kickstarter.

First, let’s back up. What is this secret project?

Months ago, the ladies at Bonkers Romance podcast put together a series called PECULIAR TASTES. We got on a zoom and threw out ideas of what this world would look like. Monsters? Mermen? Fae? And of course, streamy, steamy romance. I will be writing as Zoey Castile for this one.

You’ve been warned! The rest is NSFW-ish. If romance with magical beings is something you’re into, keep scrolling! I’ll go into the project and share some of the fun art we’ve got in store for this kickstarter.

More updates on other projects on the next one.

Welcome to the Shadow Market

It's that time of year, friends. The moon is full and Samhain approaches. Your invitation to the Shadow Market is here. Three days of magic, drama, seduction, and maybe just a dash of human sacrifice! Come through the portal and meet witches, demons, gorgons, mermaids, the fae, and even the odd human who's gotten turned around and ended up somewhere they shouldn't.

Introducing the Peculiar Tastes series, brought to you in partnership with the Bonkers Romance Podcast, which will have six brand new books for your reading pleasure!

The Death God's Sacrifice by Jenny Nordbak, where a Gorgon assassin sets out to slay a death god and instead becomes his sacrifice...

The Demon's Bargain by Katee Robert, where a witch summons a demon and gets a little more than she bargained for...

The Hellmouth Guardian's Lover by Adriana Herrera, where a hellmouth guardian is visited by the serpent demon who broke her heart...

The Vixen's Deceit by Nikki Sloane, where a skeptical reporter visits an immersive haunted house and falls for a sexy cast member. But is her seduction real...or part of the act?

The Captive Merman's Promise by Zoey Castile, where a captive merman meets a bruja who will change his life...

The Fae Queen's Captive by Sierra Simone, where a grad student sets out to find a missing castle and is kidnapped for the pleasure of a fae queen instead...

Join us in the Shadow Market...if you dare.

The Captive Merman’s Promise

Yes, I’m back to writing mermen and brujas! Only this time every time I’ve talked about mermaid anatomy, I won’t hold back.

This story follows Amada Palacios, a bruja who is cursed to never be able to hold on to her love. On the other side of the Shadow Market is Rónán, the last merman of a deceased kingdom under the oceans, now trapped in a magical sideshow. Together, they spend some amazing nights together, while from the shadows lurks a force hell bent on keeping them apart.

It’s a bite sized romance full of mermaid anatomy and answers the questions, “How do they bang?”

They do bang.

Here is my beautiful couple…

BACK THE KICKSTARTER

Where’s the cover?

There’s a cover, I swear! Mine and Sierra Simone’s are coming next week, so stay tuned on my Instagram. For now, here are the covers for the other four stories by Adriana Herrera, Nikki Sloane, Jenny Nordbak, and Katee Robert.

I hope you can back the kickstarter and support this wild endeavor.

‘Til next time!

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Published on July 19, 2022 09:52

June 7, 2022

My 10 Year Author Anniversary 🌙

A DECADE LATER

The hardest lessons since publishing my debut novel in 2012

This is the only thing you’ve ever wanted, and you aren’t sure if it’s because of the primal urge to understand your place in the world, or if it’s ego. Perhaps a little bit of both.

Every writing journey is unique. What works for you won’t work for others. But this is what you’ve learned. The good, the bad, and the yet to come. Here is how your story goes.

“SO WRITE IT” Or, no one is going to write your book for you.

It’s 2008 and you’re going to school full time, working night shifts at a seedy nightclub, interning in publishing, and nursing this tender dream of being an author. The junior agent that works for the self-absorbed and, at times, delusional boss asks if you’ve ever considered writing. You say yes.

She tells you to finish something and she’d take it out.

You finish the book, and she does just that, knocking on the doors of New York’s publishing houses.

You both try your best but get the same rejections. Some are about voice. Others are about the subject. “We already have a Latino book for the season.” Others say “It’s not a question of the novel so much as of the market climate for a Latina/Quinceanera YA from a small publisher.” You still search your email for these responses every now and then because you're nothing if not petty.

You wonder why there are several coming of age and sweet 16 novels, but that’s a different essay.

You don’t write for a year.

Instead, there are books to read, bills to pay, degrees to attempt, and more bills to pay.

You know you have to keep writing because the only other option is complaining, and you can complain while still writing. You don’t know this now, but rejections won’t stop coming so you either have to learn how to get back up or get a stable 9-5 job and write stories that are for just yourself. Whatever hurt you’re nursing, you have to get over it and keep writing because no one is going to do it for you.

You keep writing.

It’s 2009 and you’re browsing at a now-closed Barnes & Noble in Chelsea. Your editor friend patiently listens to you complain about the kind of book you are in the mood to read but couldn’t find. He says, “So write it.”

So you write it. In between work shifts and classes. At the back of lecture halls for classes you’ll get failing grades for. You write on the subway. You take your things to Coney Island, for inspiration, sit on a beach towel and write. You write because the only other option is being present at work and in school, and those aren’t the places you want to be.

It’s 2010, and you’ve finally gotten your manuscript ready for submission. It’s a book you’ve always wanted as a reader—a YA urban fantasy about mermaids.

It’s 2011 and a publisher wants to take a chance on you! Sourcebooks Fire is the new imprint of Sourcebooks, a publisher that has been around literally as long as you’ve been alive. Founded in 1987, you share a birth year. They are small, but excited. The editor understands your voice. The advance is $6,000 and it is a start. You don’t know anything about advances, and you have another job, so you are still over the moon. You are going to be published and it’s a start.

“So write it” feels like an obvious thing, but sometimes you need a push, a nod of approval, a kick (gentle or not) out of the nest. Not everyone needs this smoke signal from the universe that says “go forth and do the thing you want.” But for many of us, we stay with feet planted firmly at the starting line because we don’t hear the cry “ready, set, go.” It’s not always going to be a sprint or a race. In fact, it shouldn’t be those things because when you run, you’re only running against yourself.

If you’re waiting from your signal from the universe, this is it.

So write it.

MEDIUM EXPECTATIONS, Or what happens after the book is published.

Here’s the thing—you want the same thing as many authors. Write a book, publish a book, have people who aren’t related to you buy the book, sell another book. Success means different things to different people, but in the beginning, it is hard to know what success looks like for you.

To be honest, you still don’t know what success looks like or when it will be enough.

There is no sense in looking back, but you will do it and do it often. “Why didn’t I ask more questions?” “Why didn’t I have the gall to walk away from a deal I didn’t feel comfortable with?” Why, why, why. It is a constant refrain, your own personal haunting raven. There is no sense in blaming yourself because one day you will realize you made the decisions you had to make at the time.

You will meet authors who have great expectations from the day they sign with their agent. Some will have every advantage in the world and they will take off, literal literary stars overnight. You will wonder when it will be your turn.

You will know authors who toil for five, ten, fifteen, twenty years and are still called overnight sensations. You will hear the things people say about you, and you will realize that only your closest friends, your family, really know you.

You will realize that even though you know the ins and outs of this industry you chose, you still don’t quite fit. You don’t know how to peddle your identity. You don’t know how to cry for the internet. You know everything and you know nothing because you are in the business of personality, and even though these words are your heart, these books are a business. You have to learn how to be both. Somehow, be both.

You keep writing, managing expectations.

You sell more books to try to make ends meet. You forget that you are a living, breathing bag of bones instead of a machine. You forget yourself. You forget that your value is not your Amazon rank or a marketing campaign.

You remember there are people finding your words, here and there like fireflies in the pitch dark.

You keep writing, and you hate it because you are no longer shiny and new, and perhaps you never were. But even when you hate it you love it because your heart is made of words, a run-on sentence that will never be quite finished.

You have moments where everything tastes like chewing on ground coffee beans. But you swallow the grit and the bitter taste and you keep writing.

You have periods where you cannot believe, you cannot believe that you have made a difference. Maybe you didn’t sell a hundred thousand copies, but the one that you sold changed someone’s life. That life matters.

With every book, you think “Maybe this is it. Maybe this is the one that will take off.” But there is always something wrong: your editor leaves, your publicist leaves the week of your launch, a truly hideous cover you cannot even attach your pen name to, a disagreement with your publisher that leaves you wanting to burn your manuscript, shipping delays, a predatory company who snuffs out your spirit, a god damned pandemic, a canceled tour. There is always something so you just learn to laugh, to expect it, to brace for the worst, to move on.

You don’t sweat it anymore because the only certainty is that there will always be something wrong. You don’t believe in horoscopes or star signs anymore, so the only thing you can blame is yourself because the only certainty in your life is your own angst.

You will be pleasantly surprised when you meet editors and publishers that really truly make you feel wanted.

No matter what, you remember to always always always say thank you. Always be grateful.

You keep writing, and rewriting.

You realize you can be tough on the business but gentle with yourself.

You quit. Every six months you have had it. The nights are too long. Most publishers treat you like you’re expendable.

Your body is a rag doll coming undone at the seams.

You get it together because when you quit, they win. Whoever "they" are isn’t even reading this, doesn’t even know you.

You know who knows you? The friends who reach out and tell you they loved your work. The readers who choose your book. The strangers who know nothing about the last ten years of your life, they only know this bound stack of pages called your heart.

You have more good than you know. Remember that.

Your expectations are not in your control. Your expectations are not the same thing as hope.

You must always have hope.

Keep writing.

“SO WHAT ARE THE LESSONS, ZORAIDA?” OR, don’t do what I do.

Here’s the thing. I started writing this essay in March, thinking that I was going to post it on my blog and my newsletter on May 3rd, 2022, my 10-year publishing anniversary. Then May 3rd came and went, and so did my deadlines. I did not celebrate it publicly. I had a very nice wine, ordered some take out, and counted the things that mattered, the good things since: friendships, colleagues, readers, experiences.

The last few years have been a struggle on whether or not I have any more words left in me. Then I remember that I do, the only problem has been that I did not slow down during a global pandemic. Even before that, I just didn't slow down. I kept going and didn’t stop to refill my soul with all the good.

Every year on January 1st, I write down a list of professional goals. Things that I hope to gain for myself—sell a book, hit the list, sell another book, publish said book, lose the quarantine 19, travel here and there. This year was no different. But a few months ago, during one of my “quitting” fits, I just completely scratched out everything on that list I wrote at the top of 2022. I decided that this year, I’m going to free myself of the pressure of expectations. I’m going to have hope that good things will come my way (they always do). There is nothing wrong with wanting things. But the only thing is remembering that when expectations rise, so should your gratitude.

And I am so grateful. I really am. I might bitch and moan about the tough stuff, the ugly stuff, the things that we leave off Instagram and such. But at the end of the day, I am here and I have left something behind. Some of my books are out of print. Some have gone onto multiple printings. I need to remind myself not to lose sight of that hopeful 23-year-old in these pictures who felt so lucky, so lucky that I just get to do this. And every good thing that has happened to me is because I am surrounded by friends, family, and a team who believes in me.

WHAT NOW?

When I turned 32, I wrote down a list called “Notes to Self on Your 32nd Birthday…” I transcribed them. Some are publishing-related. Most are not. Plus an addendum now that I’m about to be 35.

Be thankful for even the smallest things.

One day you will fall in love, like for real for real.

Never settle for anyone who treats you as ordinary. Thank u next.

Call your mother, she misses you.

Let go of your hate, because, uh, you know where it leads.

Think about why you overindulge in things.

Your book is not for everyone.

Keep your friends close.

Block bad vibes

If you have a bad feeling about someone, TRUST IT.

Take a walk every day. Even five minutes if you can.

If you only cover what others have, you will never have things of your own.

Losing weight will not make you a better person. Eat the donut.

Ask for help.

The deadline can be pushed. It isn’t worth your health.

Be happy and joyous for others.

Give back to the communities that give to you.

Indulgence =/= self-care if you are coping for something that hurts.

…so talk about it.

You’ll probably never stop using dangling modifiers.

Crying is okay.

Feel your sadness.

Let it go.

Sing.

You deserve it all.

HUSTLE NEVER STOPS

But… it’s okay to take a day off without feeling guilty.

Drink more water.

While you’re at it, go to the dentist.

Pitch your wildest dreams to the universe.

You don’t believe in a lot of things but at least believe in you.

Keep going.

Social media isn’t real life. You never know what is really going on with someone so give them, and yourself grace.

People are not stepping stones.

You will never be anyone but you, so know that is enough, and that is a beautiful thing.

I love you. Thank you for 10 years of support. For indulging me when I'm in my feels. I don’t know what comes next, but I hope to share it with you when I do. The work continues!

NEWS

My next book is ANGELS. My Supernatural, Lucifer, Constantine love has come to this. It is the last book I'm contracted for. After that....who knows. The world is mine.

We are getting the paperback treatment. I know, it's an entirely different direction. There are many reasons why covers get changed. I'd use a lot of buzzwords like "new markets" and "target audiences" and such. But I think when a book has done as much as possible in one format, it's time to try something new. It comes out July 5th, 2022.

My next middle grade novel comes out in three weeks June 28th! If you're in NYC, I will update soon about an in-person event. It'll be my first solo event in a while. Save the date: June 30th! For now, pre-order the book from your local independent bookstore! They will be available in ebook, audio, and hardcover wherever books are sold. For signed copies, they will be available at Books of Wonder!

What am I loving?

My Star Wars trash feelings are at an all time high. This series is so good. It's sad, overwhelming, and just truly beautiful. I can't wait to see where they take it.

If you love historical romance with many chili peppers, THEN READ THIS BOOK. It is so so good and that is not even an exaggeration because I love the author.

That's all for now. I have more updates soon, but if you've been in this newsletter for a while you know that I'm terrible at updating. So it goes. Here is to another 10 years of magic and mayhem.

Catch up on our podcast on #writerlife

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Published on June 07, 2022 04:14

December 26, 2021

📚The Price of Art and a Year in Pictures

The Price of Art...

Lately I've been thinking a lot about the price of art. I write books. That is my art. I write books. That is my business. Can there be a true separation of the two? It's something I've worked toward, but nine+ years into this career, I have not quite struck the balance. I don't even know if it exists. And I'm not saying this in a glass-half-empty way. I'm saying this as someone who is living the "dream" of sorts.

I quit my "day" job in 2016. I worked in the nightclub world, so I never actually saw the sunlight. I took the advice "don't quit your job" to heart. It was something that was said to me, and something that I saw to emerging writers, too. Keep your first job as long as possible, especially if it comes with health insurance. I know. I know why being a full-time writer alone is appealing. You make your own hours. Your boss can't yell at you because you are your own boss, so you'd really just be yelling at yourself, which I do quite often. You can show up to work in your pajamas.

But there's this thing that happens when writing is your only source of income: the pressure is on the words, the art, the creativity that has to arrive live clockwork because deadlines wait for no one.

When I quit my job in 2016, I had about 10 months of savings, 12 if I budgeted (but I didn't budget). The pressure was on. Sell books (Incendiary). Sell another book (Orquidea Divina). Then another (Stripped). And another (Star Wars). But wait, one more (The Way to Rio Luna). It was 2017 and I took every deal I could, even though my creativity was a dirty sponge on a drying rack, a used condom (ew I know. Dhonielle was very mad at me when I used this metaphor), a bar rag that never gets washed but bartenders use it every day (I worked at a bar so I've seen it). All these years later, I've made it work by the skin of my teeth.

The reason I always always go back to this year of my career is that it was a diversion, an intersection with many paths for me to follow. Sometimes I went the wrong way... Sometimes I went the right way (Orquidea, Rio Luna, Star Wars).

So what was the price for me, for my art?

I have learned my value. I have learned how to say no to deals that are not worth my time.

I have learned to walk away from business relationships that are toxic.

I have learned that only I can dig myself out of a rut.

I have learned that I can't have a dream job. Dreams are great. But dreams don't pay the bills and dreams don't come true if I'm not putting in the work. I have to do, I have to write. (This is a lesson I have taken from Shonda Rhymes's The Year of Yes and Master Yoda.)

I have learned that this industry will break my heart every single time, with every single book, but as long as I write the best book I possibly can at that moment, I can be proud of my work.

Look, this industry isn't a slog struggle bus journey for everyone. Some people drive to the top right away. But I'm never going to be happy if I don't concentrate on my own journey and the only thing I have control over: the words.

I have learned that. in some ways, I'm the one who determines the price of my art. Trying to stay afloat in an ever-changing business that I still can't fully understand costs a lot to my mental and physical health. I have crippling anxiety that I didn't have pre-2016, and my frayed tendon on my shoulder can't fully heal because I can't take enough time off to give it a rest. And yet, I'm not quite done telling stories. Maybe one day the price won't be worth it to me and I'll go live in a quiet forest cabin with no forwarding address. But that will be my choice because I determine the cost of my art.

For now, I'm looking forward to a new year, new books, and new worlds.

A snippet of me reading from The Inheritance of Orquídea Divina

NEWS

We sold Italian translation rights to Mondadori! It's my first time having my work in Italian and I am so excited.

A YEAR IN REVIEW

JANUARY: I kicked off the year in New Orleans. Dhonielle and I worked on our podcast, Deadline City, and quarantined in this house to meet our deadlines. I did edits to Valentina Salazar is Not a Monster Hunter, pass pages for The Inheritance of Orquidea Divina, and final proofs for Illusionary.

FEBRUARY: I moved down to Puerto Rico to get some work done.

MARCH: I got ARCs for the SFF anthology I edited: Reclaim the Stars is coming out on February 15, 2022!

APRIL: Labyrinth Lost was released in Spanish translation, and the paperback of Incendiary came out!

MAY: Illusionary was released, completing the Hollow Crown duology. If you love high fantasy, romance, and court intrigue, this one is for you.

JUNE: I went back to New York to see my family and celebrate my 34th birthday!

JULY: I went to the Celsius Festival in Spain. Got to see my friends. It had been a year since I saw my co-editor Natalie Parker and Tessa Gratton. I stayed in Spain for three weeks exploring the south. It was ~incredible~

AUGUST: The Inheritance of Orquidea Divina was selected by Book of the Month Club! It was definitely a career first for me.

SEPTEMBER: After I sold it in 2017, The Inheritance of Orquídea Divina was finally published. I also moved to Los Angeles for two months. Here I am in Target waiting for my book to show up on the big screens. Here (right) is a picture my agency took of Orquídea on an Amazon billboard in Times Fucking Square.

B&N is currently having a 50% sale off hardcovers so if you've been waiting for a price drop to get it, now is your chance!

OCTOBER - NOVEMBER: I went on a writing retreat in Mexico. It was the definition of "refill the well" for me.

DECEMBER: Finally, the year comes to an end with a project very close to my heart. It's an anthology by all Latina romance authors. Nine stories that celebrate Latinidad, love, and Christmas Eve. I have two stories as Zoey Castile here and writing these were a joy for me throughout the year. One day I'll write about how many doors closed in our faces while we were trying to make this anthology happen, but that's a story for the future. For now, I just want to celebrate an anthology that is just pure holiday joy. Christmas is over, but if you're still in the mood you can get your copy here.

We even got a brilliant review in the New York Freaking Times, an interview in NBC Latino, and a mention in EW!

And! If you missed the launch party, you can watch it here as well.

That's all, folks. I truly hope your 2022 is easier on your head and heart, and that you are finding small joys in a chaotic world. Thank you for all your support, for reading my words, and for simply being here. Happy New Year.

Catch up on our podcast on #writerlife

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Published on December 26, 2021 05:19

December 7, 2021

I have the perfect holiday romance for you 🎁

Amor Actually is a holiday romance anthology.

I love Christmas. Ever since I was a little girl, it was my favorite time of the year. Things were a little different when I lived in Ecuador. I didn’t wait for Santa Claus, because Santa wasn’t popular (at least not in my house). I waited for Los Reyes Magos (The Three Wise Men). I left out carrots and a bowl of water for their camels. We had neighborhood nativity pageants where the kids all dressed up.

When we immigrated to New York when I was six, I remember we always had a tree. We always had stockings and presents, and it was the only time I was allowed to stay up until midnight to put Latino Baby Jesus in the nativity scene. I learned about American Christmas, and even though I didn’t believe in Santa, I still looked forward to Nochebuena. AKA Christmas Eve.

Nochebuena means “the good night” which is different than “good night” which is buenas noches. Language, right?

Over the years, I’ve read about how Christmas has evolved in the United States. How the festivities and traditions of the pagan festival of Saturnalia eventually became absorbed into the newly created celebration of the birth of Christ. Santa Claus is a strange amalgamation and composite of Odin and a 3rd/4th century saint, Nicholas of Myra, and his image has evolved over the years. I love learning about this stuff. As a fantasy author, I live for this stuff. The History Channel doc is great.

But at the end of the day, I guess I just love the lights, thinking of others, the music, the food and booze, and the magic of it all.

Right now, I’m in San Juan, Puerto Rico and I do miss the New York snow. I’m 34, and this is the second Christmas I have spent away from my family. The first time was a Christmas I spent in Speyer, Germany with a college friend and her family. The second is now. I’m on deadline, plus it’s still a pandemic and I don’t want to travel back and forth right now. Christmas is going to be a little different, and yet, I still have my tree (it’s white with pink lights this year).

FOR LITERAL YEARS I have been talking about writing holiday romance. One of my favorite movies back in high school was Love Actually. Now that I’m older I realize how many of those stories didn’t actually have happy endings. So for those of you who love holiday romances with HEAs, movies like Love Actually and Valentine’s Day, I have something special for you.

Nochebuena. One Party. Nine Happily Ever Afters.

It’s Christmas Eve in New York City, when anything is possible. For these couples, it’s the season to find true love. From second chances, big leaps, missed connections, and reconnections, this charming collection celebrates the spirit of the holidays and delivers nine perfect HEAs.

From seven acclaimed and bestselling Latina authors—Zoey Castile, Alexis Daria, Adriana Herrera, Diana Muñoz Stewart, Priscilla Oliveras, Sabrina Sol, and Mia Sosa—comes a holiday romance collection that will warm your heart.

Let me tell you about my stories.

“Alone again, naturally.”

I wrote two stories for Amor Actually. LOVE IN SPANGLISH is about a heartbroken romance writer who gets snowed in with a novel-worthy hero who may just make her believe in love again.

I took inspiration from my own life and, uh, a tiny bit of Pedro Pascal. I almost never think about an actor when I’m writing a main character, but this hero just had Pedro vibes.

I started thinking about language, and how do people who don’t speak each other’s languages actually fall in love? I spent a lot of time thinking about translation and the way language works because I’m bilingual, but my vocabulary is stronger in one though I am fluent in both. Sometimes I feel like I forget how to speak both, too. Sometimes I search for a word and it just won’t come. This story was an ultimate challenge, but I loved it.

Plus, this hero is my dreamboat. It’s force proximity, snowed in, cinnamon roll hero, and here’s a snippet from the story….

Story #2! THE GREAT HOLIDAY ESCAPE is about Gigi, a young woman who is always on the hustle, making sure her little sister has everything she needs including a big Christmas Eve fiesta with all their friends and family. That night, Gigi receives an all-expenses-paid trip to a luxe South Beach weekend where not one, but two beautiful strangers steal her heart. It’s a whirlwind romance, MFM, Latino daddy, and the big Nochebuena finale. Slightly steamier excerpt ahead…

Collaborating on an anthology that celebrates Latinidad, love, and Nochebuena has been the highlight of my year. We have all worked so hard, in between our normal deadlines, and now it’s here. I hope you love it. Share it. Gift it to a friend. Mostly, I hope one of these stories speaks to you and brightens your holiday.

BUY AMOR ACTUALLY

Feliz Navidad, Happy Holidays, Merry Christmas.

*NSYNC - Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays (Official HD Video)

(I had this song on a loop while writing most of my Amor Actually stories.)

I hope your holidays are wonderful and I’m thinking of you for all the good things 2022 will hold. Love, love, love.

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Published on December 07, 2021 00:15

August 19, 2021

🌺 Sweepstakes for The Inheritance of Orquídea Divina!

Hello!

It has been a minute. And it’s also been a long summer. I’m currently on a break from physically writing and have moved on to thinking about writing, which is honestly very liberating. I think everyone should try it ;) Over the last few months I’ve been in the incredible island of Puerto Rico. I’m currently sun burned but happy. I’m also incredibly thrilled to be able to share that my ~phenomenal~ publisher, Atria, has put together a beautiful prize pack and pre-order gift for The Inheritance of Orquídea Divina.

How does it work?

Submit your receipt and receive some gorgeous swag.

“The Inheritance” includes

One (1) custom bookmark

One (1) signed bookplate

One (1) postcard with a note from ME

One (1) custom sticker sheet of beautiful @erickdvila cover art

But that’s not all……

One (1) Grand Prize winner will receive a custom gift box containing the following goodies:

One (1) Brujita Skincare Mask and Mist Set

One (1) Purple Mulberry Scented Votive Candle

And all of the above.

All rules and fine print can be found here. Please understand that it’s hosted by my US publisher, so the giveaway is only available in the US. But, I’m working on a small gift for international readers. More on that later.

For now, if you qualify, be sure to claim your ~inheritance~ and yes, #bookofthemonth members, this includes you!

I borrowed the title of this song for Part IV of the book. “Hasta la raiz” means “down to the root.” It’s a perfect capsule of Orquídea.

I hope that you and yours are finding joy even in the smallest moments. You have all my love and appreciation.

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Published on August 19, 2021 06:36

March 5, 2020

Spring Tour

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Published on March 05, 2020 10:23

September 10, 2019

That Time I Got to Visit Batuu

Happy September!

So many things have happened the last month and I wanted to take a moment first and thank every single one of you who bought my book recently or seven years ago when The Vicious Deep was first published. I don’t get to do this without support readers. It means E V E R Y T H I N G.

Now on to some updates. I got to do the single coolest thing in my career to date. I went to STAR WARS LAND. Officially though it is better known as Galaxy’s Edge. On August 6th, my novel, Star Wars: A Crash of Fate, came out. It’s the story of two friends who haven’t seen each other for 13 years. Now they’re back on the planet of Batuu and have until sunset to deliver a very important parcel and also fall in love in the process. There are not enough words to capture what I felt walking into Black Spire Outpost. There’s a moment when the rest of Disney World and Florida fall away and you feel like you’re in another world.

I turned a corner as found the shop where Izzy punches Jules (by accident, of course). I drank blue milk (refreshing!). I helped Vi Moradi, Leia Organa’s top spy, lie to some stormtroopers. And don’t even get me started on what it was like to see the MILLENIUM FUCKING FALCON right there. My eyes betrayed me and I teared up multiple times. Being part of this galaxy has meant the world to me, and I wanted to share some pictures from my time on the outpost.

Pick up Star Wars: A Crash of Fate here:
Amazon: https://amzn.to/2ZACeyb
B&N: http://bit.ly/2ZuZZaS
Audible: https://adbl.co/31lZiRP

IndieBound: http://bit.ly/2Mz3KbM
Goodreads: http://bit.ly/2YE4xi7

No big deal, just reading my own book in front of the Millenium Falcon. If you get to go to Batuu, follow the railing beneath the cockpit and search the miniature replica of the Falcon hidden there.

This was definitely a trip I’ll never forget. May the Force be with you.

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Published on September 10, 2019 21:32

September 5, 2019

The Encantrix Who Would Become

Labyrinth Lost came out three years ago on September 6th, 2016. Get ready for some Cancerian nostalgia. I’ve been thinking about the choices that I made, the things I could ave done differently, the things I took for granted. All of this goes through my head knowing that I can’t change anything. Nor would I. The Mortiz sisters are exactly who they need to be. My launch day was one of the best of my career to date. Dhonielle Clayton did my in-conversation. We had 100 empanadas and South American treats that were gone within 15 minutes. I read a short story from when I was a hungry thirteen-year-old who wanted nothing more than to be a published writer. I should think about that girl more often and remember the road so far. But the thing I want to tell you about is the story of the book that almost didn’t happen.

Lately I’ve been writing with a lot of fear. I’ve been thinking a lot about where it comes from. My mother is fearless. My grandmother, too. But somewhere along the line, I learned to make myself small. To not be too loud, too much, too Latin, too silly, too girly, too nerdy. If you’re my friend for real real, then you know that I am, like the Spice Girls song, TOO MUCH OF EVERYTHING.

But back to writing with fear. Before Labyrinth Lost, I had a mermaid trilogy. It’s a story I’ve aways had in my heart. However, like professional publishing goes, you can’t control how a book lands. So at the end of book3, when it came time to go on submission with my brujas, I was told that my publisher only wanted one book because they just weren’t sure. I’m not the only person this has happened to, and I won’t be the last. That hesitation sticks to you. It makes you feel like you’re lucky to even be considered for a second chance. I felt like I had to prove so much to have a seat at the table where so many others get second chances without the same hesitation.

This is where the fear began to seep in. I doubted myself for the first time. Don’t get me wrong. I didn’t walk around like Gaston expectorating confidence. Buy I was sure of my writing. Until 2014 when I signed a one book deal for what would become Labyrinth Lost.

The story of three sisters, this was a book I had always wanted to tell. Only, when I sat down to write, I didn’t feel like I was good enough to tell this story because what if the same thing happened as with my past novels? I don’t know if publishers are aware of this, but writers, many of us at least, internalize the way you talk about us and our books. And so I drank in that hesitation, that uncertainty, and that need to prove myself in a way I hadn’t experienced before.

It came time to retitle the book. The original title was Encantrix, after the power that Alex Mortiz wields. Most publishers don’t like it when a book is titled a made up word. (“All words are made up” – Thor Odinson) I think this is why so many fantasy novels end up repeat king, throne, thorns, queen, shadow, blood, song, etc. I suggested “Bruja” but then came another conundrum. “The readership” might not know what that means. It’s different having the same standard applied to your own language as to made up words, though. And so the fear kept pooling in. I don’t want to call myself the first of anything. Latin American writers have had a long tradition of speculative fiction and magical realism. However, in 2014 when we sold this book, in YA, in the states, there weren’t examples of the kind of book I was writing. The most popular “Spanish fantasy” was The Girl of Fire and Thorns by Rae Carson which I read in one sitting. But what about Latina teens from Brooklyn? Where were the YA magical books written by other Latinxs? And how was I supposed to tell their story if “the readership” wasn’t even going to understand me. Was I just writing myself into a corner with a book that no one was going to read? What if I fail on behalf of all Latinos?

There was a point where I wanted to quit. To give the money back. I had a full time job at a bar and made 10X my advance a year. I had become too afraid to write the story that I wanted to tell. Labyrinth Lost is a book that was in my bones for years, and for a brief period of time, I wanted to let it go. There comes a time in every writer’s process where you lose your voice. Like you made a fucking bad deal with a sea witch and now you’re drowning in feelings and silence.

The thing is that I can’t remember how I came out of that funk. It might just be the immigrant mentality that I grew up with, no matter how toxic it is. Get up. Go to work. No one is going to do this for you. It might be that I wrote my way out. That my characters were louder than me.

So I finished and I came up with a title that I loved and there was enough excitement that my publisher bought two more books before the first one even came out. Yes, some of “the readership” didn’t get it but those who did, who do, drown out the noise of those who do not. The reason this book is so special to me is because it is the most vivid moment in my career where I was so certain of my failure I thought that I should quit.

It has been a painful five years since I sold this book, and tumultuous three since it came out. There has been hard change and failure and fresh starts and endings and uncertainty. There has been growth. I am still trying to make it in this industry, every day, telling stories as long as they will let me. I know that my words matter and take extra care to make sure that I choose the right ones. The fear is always there. It is this phantom that is conjured when I stare at a blank page. It goes away when I’m with friends who love me, when I take long walks, when I travel, when I read the worlds my colleagues build, when I remind myself of the good instead of focusing on the things I can’t change.

I’ve stopped caring about being too much, too much, too much. I’m no longer twenty-seven and scared. I’m thirty-two and enough.

I’m so happy that there are still people discovering this book and will have a chance to see it come to life in the future. Happy anniversary, my brujita.