Maria E. Andreu's Blog: Maria E. Andreu on Goodreads, page 109

Finally, Mother’s Day

I did not take naturally to motherhood. It’s not that I didn’t want it or didn’t adore my children. I did. The idea that I made people was instantly mind-blowing. The trouble was that, early on, I learned how ill-prepared I was for mothering. Mothering, the verb. I thought “mother” was a thing you were. […]

Garden update

Another rainy day in NJ, which makes my gardener’s heart smile. Everything is bright green and beautiful. Some random notes: I am on the lookout for whether I’ll have iris in bloom by Mother’s Day. A few look really close, so it’s a distinct possibility. The side planters on the front-step railings and all the […]

Audio book news!

The audio version of THE SECRET SIDE OF EMPTY begins recording tomorrow! I’ve had correspondence with the audio “talent” that will do the reading, and she is amazing. More details to follow as I get them, but this means that TSSoE will be available to Audible subscribers soon!

Last book events of the season

There are just a few chances to catch me locally until I take a break from book promotion for (most) of the summer. I hope to meet you at a reading or panel. Here’s what’s coming up (events in green are not open to the public): Saturday, May 10th – 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. […]

Weird times at Barnes and Noble

I went to Barnes and Noble yesterday for a quick boost. I always find that being among that many books increases my urgency to write. I needed new reading material (and… oops, did I get it). Also, I’m not ashamed to admit that I wanted to visit my book. I’m still getting face-out placement on […]

Build your library & support #WeNeedDiverseBooks

There is a lot of talk about the need to represent more diversity in books. Although it’s been a major focus for years, people of different ethnicities, sexual orientations and physical abilities still are hugely underrepresented in literature and in YA in particular. When they are, it’s often as the “quirky sidekick,” and not as […]

Booklist review of THE SECRET SIDE OF EMPTY

Booklist just posted their review of THE SECRET SIDE OF EMPTY and it’s good! Written with insight and compassion by reviewer Jeanne Fredriksen, it gives a good overview of the novel’s plot points. Here’s a snippet: “…this book couldn’t be timelier. Written with the compassion and rawemotions of one who has lived in the shadows […]

If a writer falls in love with you

An advance apology to all the men I’ve loved for all the stories I’m going to write about you.

Why I wanted to represent the undocumented experience in young adult literature

Yesterday I spoke at a high school with a predominantly Latino student body. It was the school where New Jersey’s Dream Act was signed by our governor, in an economically disadvantaged area, with a significant undocumented population. When I shared my own story of growing up undocumented in the U.S., I saw faces in the […]

(PHOTOS) Union City High School was amazing!

Where to start? From the awesome leather chair that they set up for me on the stage of their amazing theater, to the great breakfast/reception they had ready for when I arrived to everything in between, I was really treated like royalty this morning at Union City High School. Of course, the best part was […]