Book Thoughts- Tortilla Sun by Jennifer Cervantes

“Because …………….. magic”

I had been hearing some buzz about a book titled “Tortilla Sun” and was excited to see that the author Jennifer Cervantes was going to be in town for a book signing.  I am always wary of reading a book that has received too many glowing reviews because I think it is difficult for anything to live up to the hype. I am happy to say that in this case I was not disappointed.

From the jacket flap:

Sometimes you can’t see the magic. You just know it’s there because you can feel it.

When twelve-year-old Izzy discovers a beat-up baseball marked with the partially obscured phrase “Because…………magic,” she is determined to figure out the missing words. Could her father have written them? What secrets does this old ball have to tell? Her mom certainly isn’t sharing any– especially when it comes to Izzy’s father, who died before Izzy was born.

Before she can learn more, Izzy is told that she is going to spend the summer with her grandmother in New Mexico. When Izzy arrives in the rustic adobe village, she finds herself in a place where the wind whispers secrets and her nana plucks magic herbs in the moonlight. Even chocolate-eyed Mateo is convinced there is ghost treasure buried in the hills. Could this strange place hold the keys to all that Izzy has been searching for?

With a belly full of homemade tortillas, the help of new friends, and a cat who thinks she’s a dog, Izzy finds herself on an adventure to connect the hidden pieces of her past. And just maybe she will discover the missing words that change her life forever…but only if she can learn to create a few words of her own.

This debut novel is a heart warming story, sprinkled with just a little bit of magic. Jennifer Cervantes does a wonderful job of drawing you into the adobe village in New Mexico and taking you along with Izzy as she learns more about the mystery of her father, and learns a little about herself along the way. Her dialog is crisp and clear, I can imagine being in the room with Nana and Izzy.

I was especially touched by the chapter titled “Some Threads are Shorter Than Others,” and found myself wiping tears as Izzy’s Grandmother explained the pending death of a character.

I look forward to reading more stories from this author and trying out the tortilla recipe in the back of the book.

Enjoy!

Suzanne Santillan

Writing on the Sidewalk

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Author Spotlight- Jennifer Cervantes

Our new author spotlight is the  lovely and talented Jennifer Cervantes, the author of “Tortilla Sun.”

Here is a brief bio:

Cervantes grew up believing in the magic of story and often asked “what if?” In Tortilla Sun she brings this magic and her love of family and the rich Hispanic culture to her writing. When she isn’t writing, Jennifer teaches Children’s and Young Adult Literature at New Mexico State University. She currently lives in New Mexico with her husband, three active daughters and two feisty dogs.

What was your road to publication?

Long and sometimes quiet. I didn’t set out to write a novel, (I’d never written a word of fiction), but my youngest daughter, Juliana asked me to write her a story one day. I picked up a pen and was hooked! As I got to know the characters one idea lead to the next and I had to see what happened to them, so I wrote until I finished it. After, joining a critique group and editing over and over, I sent out queries to agents and was lucky to sign with Laurie McLean. It took over a year for TS to find a home with the right publisher, so the waiting was sometimes hard.

Can you tell me a bit about your writing process?

Some days, my muse is present and generous and my writing flows. Other days, I stare at the computer screen and wonder where I’m going to go next.

Do you plot or not?

Nope. I just let the characters and story take me where they will. Sometimes it’s hard to trust that process, but so far it has worked. Although, I often times will have an idea of where I want to go.

Are you working on any new projects that you can tell us about?

I am working on another story right now about a boy named Max who lives in San Miguel de Allende Mexico and comes from a long line of criminals. It’s filled with mysticism, magic, curses, and even a little romance.

Describe your studio or usual work space for us.

I actually write in many different places in my house. But most of the time, I write in a sitting room off my bedroom. I love the light in there and the subtle beauty of the desert outside my windows. Sometimes, I write in my car longhand while I’m waiting for my daughter at soccer practice or piano.

What profession other than your own would you like to attempt?

I’d love to be a documentarian and film people’s stories.

What’s one thing that most people don’t know about you?

That I’m a naturally shy person.

I’ve heard that your daughter was the inspiration for writing “Tortilla Sun” can you explain?

So many people, places, and experiences served as inspiration. But perhaps the biggest inspiration for getting started was my youngest daughter Jules who asked me to write her a short story about her favorite bear (who still sleeps in her bed). So I started writing this silly story about a selfless bear. As I wrote, I became addicted. More ideas sprouted and I needed a place to put them all. I began to think about the kinds of books I would love for my daughters to read, ones where they were reflected in the pages. Before I knew it, I started writing Tortilla Sun. The first draft went rather quickly, but oh those revisions were often painful.

How do you balance your writing and family life?

I think all women have to deal with this idea of balance. For me, I succeed on most days and fail on others. There is never enough time in the day to do everything I want to do and to do it well. But, I have learned to be kinder to myself on those days that I don’t quite balance all the components of my life as well as I’d like to. Keeping a schedule and lists really helps. Like today, I have three hours I get to write, before I run off to a volleyball game for one of my daughters. Then the evening begins with a dinner to cook, homework to check, and classes to prep for tomorrow. By creating space and time for each of these events, I feel less stressed.

We here at Writing on the Sidewalk tend to procrastinate with our writing, where do you fit in Procrastinator or Proactive?

I guess that depends on whether I’ve had caffeine or not Actually, I do tend to be proactive probably because I love writing so much that it never feels like a chore.

Now, as far as taking out the trash? Hmmm…..

Thanks Jennifer.

I had the opportunity to meet Jennifer at a book signing here is San Diego and found her to be both lovely and gracious. For more information on Jennifer or her book “Tortilla Sun” check out her website at www.jennifercervantes.com.

Check in later this week for my review of “Tortilla Sun.”

Suzanne Santillan

Writing on the Sidewalk

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Begin with the End

Endings are so tricky! So hard to get right.

For most of my stories I know the ending first. I know where I want to end up – and then work to find the story that gets me there. For my current YA-WIP… I haven’t known. I thought it would come to me. That it would just appear and flow across my computer screen. Or that I would dig it up from under a rock. Or something magical like that.

I was wrong.

It has been hard hard hard.

The right ending has to be satisfying – and to wrap things up, both externally and internally. It has to appeal to both the brain and the heart. It has to make sense. To be logical and satisfying. Surprising, yet inevitable. To grow organically from everything that came before it. To make the reader sigh contentedly and whisper YES!

It easy to KNOW this. It is hard to DO this.

I am thankful for my notes on endings from Cindy Faughnan’s graduate lecture that she presented at VCFA. She is brilliant and thoughtful and kind – and she has good news about a new BEGINNING! Yay, Cindy!

Sarah Wones Tomp

WRITING ON THE SIDEWALK

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More Questions Than Answers

I’d love to post all kinds of wise information and tips…

but I am too busy asking myself all kinds of hard questions…

So I will simply post these questions that I heard  Martine Leavitt suggest for every writer.

8 Questions for a Writer

1. What does my main character want? Unconscious desires may be balanced with conscious desires. This should be hinted at on the first page.
2. Why can’t your main character have what he/she wants? (Besides the fact that there would be no story without this) CONFLICT is the soul of a story.
3. What will happen if your main character can’t get what he/she wants? What is at stake? This should be BIG and progressively serious.
4. How does your main character struggle to get what he/she wants? Be mean to your character.
5. What ADDITIONAL hardships must your main character face? Be even meaner. Don’t let him/her get off easy. Don’t let someone swoop in and save them.
6. When is it hopeless? This is the moment of despair/of no return.
7. How is the tension (finally) relieved? For good or bad, there has to be a point of release.
8. What is surprising about the end? But inevitable also…

Sarah Wones Tomp

WRITING ON THE SIDEWALK

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Book Thoughts: Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver

Before discussing Lauren Oliver‘s YA novel Before I Fall, I must give a warning: The high school experience in this book feels dangerously real. You might be transported back in time. I was. And after scanning a few reviews on Good Reads, I know I am not alone. All those things you might rather forget will be back in your head.

From the jacket flap:

What if you had only one day to live? What would you do? Who would you kiss? And how far would you go to save your own life?

Samantha Kingston has it all: the world’s most crush-worthy boyfriend, three amazing best friends, and first pick of everything at Thomas Jefferson High—from the best table in the cafeteria to the choicest parking spot. Friday, February 12, should be just another day in her charmed life.

Instead, it turns out to be her last.

Then she gets a second chance. Seven chances, in fact. Reliving her last day during one miraculous week, she will untangle the mystery surrounding her death—and discover the true value of everything she is in danger of losing.

Told from the brutally honest first person point of view, Sam lives her last day over and over again – and yet it never felt tedious and redundant to me.

For me, Lauren Oliver nails high school. All the complicated messiness of ups and downs, the things that are oh-so-important in that place and time. I knew these people: the bullies and their victims, the jerky yet crush-worthy guys, the dorky but sweet guys who don’t have a chance, the flirty teachers (as well as the ones that are strict or concerned or clueless), the friends who you honestly might hate if you didn’t love them so much.

It was all the interactions and relationships that kept me turning the page. The way her characters are deeply yet honestly flawed. And the reality that all day every day we make choices. Big and small, but each one takes us on a certain path, towards a certain destiny. I love the idea of what if…

Sarah Wones Tomp

WRITING ON THE SIDEWALK

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A New Era…

Well, the oldest boy is off to college!

Just like my main character in Red, White and Blue Good-Bye, I hate good-byes. Especially the count-down days before hand. In dealing with this major transition, I lucked out – or wimped out, maybe – and went on vacation, leaving the boy with his father to oversee the last minute crazies. I took the other kiddos and joined the family I grew up with on a jaunt to beautiful Washington state. We swam and kayaked and built forts. Played Scrabble and ate ice cream religiously. We also fished and crabbed (as in catching them) and played Pokemon – or just sang songs about them. It was wonderful!

Then we met up with the boy and his father and helped him move in to his dorm. And still had to say good-bye. But at least I didn’t torture him the entire week before he left.

I know there will always be growing pains – on both sides – when a child leaves the nest, but I really do think the colleges do a better job of helping with that transition. At least this one does. And now we say prayers and cross fingers and wait to see what happens next.

Some of his friends said good-bye in their own special way.

I am not sure why the Saran Wrap but you can bet this will make it into a story!

Sarah Wones Tomp

WRITING ON THE SIDEWALK

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Book Signing Take 3- I Get By With a Little Help From My Friends

Last night I had my third book signing and while I can say my second book signing was a family affair, my third book signing was all about friends.

Deena from Readers Inc. made me feel more than welcome and (with a little departure from the normal Thursday night signings) had a lovely table set up in the back of the air conditioned store that included a display of my books and an Edible Arrangement of fruit.  This was truly appreciated since summer had decided to finally arrive here in San Diego and I had visions of standing in the sun and melting. My loving husband even threw our big golf umbrella in the car just before we left just to make sure that I wouldn’t be bombarded by the heat.

It was a fun evening with visits from several of my friends including a group of women from the San Diego SCBWI who decided to eat at a local Italian restaurant first and then stop by and visit the book signing.

The lovely ladies of the San Diego-SCBWI straight from their Italian dinner.

More wonderful friends from the San Diego- SCBWI (I’m not sure where they ate)

I am pleased to say that we sold out of books and I learned a valuable lesson: Always bring extra copies of your book to a signing event.

I have another signing scheduled in September at the Borders in Mission Valley and I will be sure to carry extra copies in my car (just in case).

All in all I came away with a great sense of friendship and appreciation for every one at Readers Inc. and all of my friends who turned out to make my first book signing here in San Diego a fun event. I also came away with a great edible arrangement of fruit.

Thanks everyone,

Suzanne Santillan

Writing on the Sidewalk

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The ARC- It’s Like Getting a Birthday Present Early

I just recently received an Advanced Readers Copy (ARC) of “The Kneebone Boy” by author Ellen Potter and I was really excited. The ARC is a copy of a book privately released by its publisher before the book is printed for mass distribution. In others words it’s like getting a sneak peak and enables you to see the book before it is released. These copies are not sold in stores.

Publishers do this for review purposes and to generate buzz. The role of the ARC was mentioned in author Jody Hedlund’s blog post about Influencers. Since these copies sometimes contain errors and text that will not be included in the final copy, ARC’s are often sought after by collectors.

When I attended Book Expo America in May, several publishing houses were giving out ARC’s for books that they were promoting, and  I was able to pass some of them on to friends and family. If I go back next May you can be sure that I will make a point to try and collect more.

I will be reviewing “The Kneebone Boy”  shortly after Labor Day. I have just begun reading the book, but let me tell you what I have read so far is very yummy!

**Spoiler Alert!**

Here is the tag for Chapter 1-

“In which we meet the Hardscrabbles, unearth a triceratops bone, and begin to like Lucia even more.”

Intrigued? Be sure to check back after Labor Day for a full review.

Suzanne Santillan

Writing on the Sidewalk

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Parenting Isn’t For Sissies II- The Camping Trip

Son #1 and his friends decided to go on a camping trip by themselves as an end of the summer trip before they split off and headed off to college. Since this was his first trip without an adult in attendance I was a little anxious, but I reminded myself that he was 18 and an Eagle Scout and that anxiety diminished as I saw them prepare for the trip. In true scout fashion they prepared a meal plan, shopping duties and had mapped out the area they were going to camp.

On the day of the trip I wished him well gave him a kiss and reminded him that if he ran into trouble to call me and I would do what I could to help.

The call came at 10:30pm.

The boys had gotten a late start (because Son#1 had locked his keys in the car earlier) so they arrived at the area later than expected and in the darkness missed the turnoff. Son#1′s truck became stuck in the mud and he and his friends spent two hours trying to get the car out of the mud.

The result: Both cars were now stuck in the mud, in the middle of the dessert, at night.

Once I was reassured that no one was hurt, they had plenty of food and water and that they were in a relatively safe area I told them I would call my loving husband and see if he had any suggestions. Loving Husband suggested calling the authorities since the camp site was over an hour and a half away and that our van had no off road capabilities.  The boys decided to camp for the night and call for help in the morning.

The result: A sleepless night, as I envisioned the boys being attacked by bands of wild coyotes with no way to escape (The mind doesn’t think logically in the middle of the night) . I made one more call at 12:30 to make sure that they had set up camp and that they were in a safe area.

The next call came shortly after 6am.

Son#1 had tried to call 911 but his phone kept dropping the call, he gave me the information and asked me to call 911 and give them the information here from our landline. As my son gave me their basic location I remembered that he had developed an iphone app earlier that week that would tell you your GPS coordinates, so I also asked for the GPS coordinates in addition to the highway and nearest turnoff.

I must say that the Park Rangers were very helpful and called once they had located the boys, they even commended my son for his cool head and command of the situation. A few hours later I received a call from Son#1, they were out of the mud and on their way to the camping area.

Here are the three things I learned from this experience:

1. Park Rangers are unsung heroes and I am truly glad they were there, and always try to get your GPS coordinates if you are stuck (It makes it much easier to find you).
2. Maybe I shouldn’t worry so much now that my son is getting older.
3. No matter how old your child is, you still worry (even if there isn’t a band of wild coyotes).

Suzanne Santillan

Writing on the Sidewalk

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We Have a Winner!

The winner for my summer craft give away is Vicki Meister. Vicki has won the tin featured on my July 28th post.

Congratulations Vicki.

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