Luis Alberto Urrea's Blog, page 30

Told you there'd be a movie!

Getting ready for book tour to start in a couple of weeks, trying to finish as much of Hummingbird II before we go. Also working on updating/upgrading the website. And in our web browsings, we stumbled on this amazing gem.
First we laughed our #$% off, but then we were really pleased that clearly this kid read the book (check out "rooster boy's" red hair!) and it made an impact. Having helped our kids through our share of school projects, I know that they are a mixed blessing, but we totally ...

Bless Me, Albuquerque

I have come to honor Rudolfo Anaya.

Late spring in Illinois. The heat has fallen on us like a wool blanket just out of the dryer. This morning, there was a huge raccoon lying in our yard, trembling, having trouble walking. Big as a dog. Our idiot cat decided to stalk him. Oh, great, a rabies apocalypse waiting to happen. But the poor beast hove to its feet and staggered into the brush and vanished. I think he was hit by a car. We're all watching for him, ready to call him in if anyone ...

Care of the Soul

Thomas More, in his books on the soul, tells of how one cares for the soul. (Yes, you'd have to accept the fact that you have a soul.) And one cares for the soul not necessarily in great gestures and grand art, but in small daily routines. The soul flourishes in bread dough, play, reading, dirt. Digging in the dirt nourishes the soul. I like that. When I garden, I think I'm planting novels, poems.

I've been putting some chapters of Hummingbird's Daughter II in today, that's for sure.

I'm ...

There's a New Sheriff in Town

I guess you heard. I'm embarrassed to make too much of this, but my story "Amapola" from the excellent anthology PHOENIX NOIR won the Edgar Award from the Mystery Writers of America. Cinderella and I were in NYC for that and for the cool signing/reading/powerpoint debut of MR. MENDOZA'S PAINTBRUSH at Word Brooklyn. Christopher Cardinale and I did a li'l duet, and I read a section as he showed images on the big screen. It was a wonderful, bohemian, night. We met our twitter pal, Joe Walla...

A Good Day to Live

Good Day, Kolas-- I'm here getting ready to head into Chi for yet another lecture event. This time I'm only 1/3 of a panel, so the pressure's off. I had the worse week for fitness and health ever. Well, not all week. I had an amazing time in Yakima, WA. Huge crowd at the talk, and a 250 people luncheon. The theater in Yakima is gorgeous and old, and it's haunted. You know what I like. I like haunted buildings. This one's haunted by Shorty the stagehand who committed suicide there in ...

Almost Home

Boo-Boo the cat has figured out that, if she sneaks into our bedroom at 5:45 and starts knocking things off our nightstand--like the phone, the radio--it'll wake us up so we can feed her.

I am getting the first 350 pp. of Hummingbird's Daughter II (I can't find a title I like yet) finished this weekend. I don't like blogs that boast about how nifty the author is, but I rock. I RULE. This is the best prose I have ever been able to write. I'm thankful for that.

Sometimes, you write past your ...

Boo-Boo is Evil

Whew. I've been writing like crazy on the Hummingbird sequel. We're close to the first 350 pp being DONE. I cranked out nearly 60 pp today in new stuff and revision. It's so adult. It's so rich. I will confess now that I'm getting excited.

But I'm not here to talk about that right now. I am here to complain about my cat. Boo-Boo. You see, Boo-Boo is evil.

She looks like the black dragon in that 3-D movie. We always knew she had a wicked streak. But the other day, we left a steak out ...

Good Morning, New Mexico

I'll be on the air Tuesday morning on Albuquerque's NPR affiliate, KUNM, from 8:00-9:00 am. If you're in the area and up having coffee, check it out.

1 on 1 with Maria Hinojosa

Last fall, I taped a lengthy interview with award-winning Latina Maria Hinojosa (my Tijuana homegirl!). We talked about borders, politics, books, music, everything.

I don't much like to watch myself on TV, but her show will air on PBS next Tuesday. TiVo it and enjoy it at your leisure!

For now, she's posted a preview on her YouTube channel. You can see it here.

Frank Zappa Said...

..."The torture never stops." I've been thinking about this lately. I will write more about this in our continuing coversation about craft and writing and the writing life. But things are on my mind, a convolution of things and events. Lots of feelings. Yes: I won the National Hispanic Cultural Center Award--partially for writing, but partially for helping others. I have to admit, that part makes me really happy. And proud.

I received a letter from a "friendly" fan who hid the zinger in...