The wonderful team at Apparition Literary Magazine gave me one of my earliest science fiction story sales in their Ambition issue, and I’m thrilled that now they’ve included my SF poem “Backward Compatibility (Quinceañera on a Generation Ship)” in the Nostalgia issue! 

In writing this poem, I took inspiration from the (non-speculative) poet Naomi Shihab Nye.  I love how conversational and accessible her work is, while still leaving the reader with a sense of depth behind the words.  I don’t know if I came anywhere close in striving toward that balance, but I sure enjoyed myself in the process. 

While I was working on it, I also interviewed my dad about his memories of attending fiestas de quinceañeras.  His anecdotes ran the gamut from hilarious to bittersweet.  It was our own form of connecting across time.

I can officially share this now:  I have a science fiction poem due out in the next issue of Apparition Literary Magazine, themed around Nostalgia! 

Also, my latest poem, “Where in the Zoo Is Carmen Sandiego?”, just posted on Sidequest.  I’ve been focusing a lot on speculative poetry lately, but this poem is autobiographical.  The Carmen Sandiego themed event really did happen, and I dug out my old ZooTeen yearbook and found the following excerpts: 

Good memories. 

One of my other Sidequest poems, “Nightmarens,” is part of this year’s Halloween reading by the Science Fiction & Fantasy Poetry Association (SFPA).  You can hear lots of spooky works, most of them read by their poets, on the SFPA Halloween page.  I’ve also got a poetry reprint coming out in Pastel Pastoral later this month. 

In fiction news, I’m looking forward to the impending release of Flame Tree Publishing’s Christmas Gothic anthology, which includes my story “Midnight for Clementine.”  If you love a dose of darkness in your winter holiday season, this is the book for you. 

And remember, registration is open for the online Creating Nonhuman Characters workshop next month! 

In my interview with the Horror Writers Association, which just posted today, I talk about the show Are You Afraid of the Dark?, being a recovering scaredy-cat, and some of the most haunting Latinx writers I’ve read.  Also, I don’t mince words in the advice I offer to my fellow horror writers out there. 

I highly recommend the whole HWA Latinx Heritage in Horror series, with daily interviews celebrating the breadth and depth of Hispanic and Latinx horror writers! You might also like my essay “Upcycling Emotions, or Why I Write Horror.”

I’m excited to be the guest speaker for the next Young Willamette Writers meeting!  Writers in middle or high school can join me at this online and in-person event, where I’ll be discussing the thrills and challenges of writing speculative poetry!  You’re welcome whether you’re new to poetry or not, and whether you typically write in the speculative genres of fantasy, science fiction, and horror or not. 

You can join virtually on Zoom or in person at the Beaverton City Library on Saturday, October 1^st from 10:30am-11:30am PDT.  It’s free to attend, and remember, it’s only for middle and high schoolers.

The Collidescope has published two of my poems, “A Piece of Lake Came Loose” and “Bedtime Routine.”  I wrote these in a couple of generative poetry sessions at the Willamette Writers Conference this summer, both taught by Armin Tolentino, the current Poet Laureate of Clark County, WA.  They came about as a result of his exercises having us play with language and metaphor. 

I’m so grateful to Armin for his engaging events, and to my friend and workshop co-instructor, Elizabeth Beechwood, for recommending that I go to them!

Today kicks off a monthlong celebration in the U.S. of Hispanic and Latinx/e culture.  I’m excited to share that I have an interview coming out late next week with the Horror Writers Association as part of their Latinx Heritage in Horror series.  I also have a few publications forthcoming that touch on my Ecuadorian and Peruvian heritage, including an autobiographical poem due out in the next issue of Pilgrimage, my debut mini-chapbook The Inca Weaver’s Tales from Sword & Kettle Press, and a story that will appear in Nightmare Magazine. 

In the meantime, here’s some of my writing already available to read: 

• “Song of the Balsa Wood Bird” – inspired by the folkloric markets of Ecuador and a legend based in the Amazon
  • Published in Fireside Magazine (and included on Alex Brown’s Twitter as a story they loved but ran out of room to feature in TorDotCom’s short speculative fiction column!)
• “Sonnet of the South American Sphinx” – nominated for the Rhysling Award for Best Short Poem
  • Published in Honeyguide Literary Magazine
  • Reprinted in the Latinx Lit Mag podcast, along with a behind-the-scenes interview
  • Included in the 2022 Rhysling Anthology
• “Exchange (A Coral Study)” – about a student from the Galápagos Islands
  • Published in Factor Four Magazine
  • Reprinted in Toasted Cake podcast as well as Mermaids Monthly
• “Discount Night at the Haunted Eco Lodge” – takes place in the Ecuadorian rainforest
  • Published in Triangulation: Habitats
• “Venom in the Cloud Forest” – about a tribe in a high-altitude rainforest
  • Published in Myriad Lands: Volume 2: Beyond the Edge
  • Reprinted in After Dinner Conversation
• “Harvesters” – Latinx futurism poem
  • Published in Triangulation: Energy
• “Sasha’s Pattern, Sonia’s Edge” – about rival Latina businesswomen (and sisters)
  • Published in Apparition Literary Magazine

And don’t forget, in November I’m co-teaching an online workshop on Creating Nonhuman Characters along with Elizabeth Beechwood, and registration is open!

Elizabeth Beechwood and I are at it again.  We’re teaching our workshop Creating Nonhuman Characters online again through Hugo House this November, and general registration just opened up.  There are tons of other great writing classes available there, too. 

Writers of all levels, genres, and formats are welcome in our workshop, no matter if you’ve got a particular character in mind or you just want to study something new and different to add to your toolkit.  Hope you can join us on November 13!

First off, my friend Maggie Slater just did an interview with the co-editor of Apex Magazine, which you should definitely check out if you want a glimpse behind the publishing curtain. 

I had a great time at the Willamette Writers Conference earlier this month.  The speakers were excellent, and I took so.  Many.  Notes.  Good stuff! 

This week I facilitated a discussion through the Garden Home Community Library on one of my favorite topics, short stories.  In October I’ll be presenting to the Young Willamette Writers on another of my favorites, poetry. 

My copies of Triangulation: Energy just arrived in the mail, and I also got my contributor copy of Draw Down the Moon.  I’ve got some editing work to do on my chapbook, The Inca Weaver’s Tales.  Looking forward to getting that spiffed up.

I said it before when Triangulation: Habitats came out, and I’ll say it again now that Triangulation: Energy is out, I love how in recent years Parsec Ink has used their annual anthology to examine important sustainability-related topics through speculative fiction and poetry.  Last year they included my eco-horror story “Discount Night at the Haunted Eco Lodge,” and this year they’ve included my new Latinx futurism poem “Harvesters.” 

This poem came about from a mix of experiences:  reading about Dyson spheres, watching a video about vertical farming and wondering how that could ever apply to one of Ecuador’s top exports, touring a biodynamic vineyard while studying abroad in Chile, and volunteering as a teenager to deliver school supplies to kids at a local migrant camp.

I’m so excited to share that The Inca Weaver’s Tales, my debut mini-chapbook of poetry, will be published as part of the New Cosmologies project, brought to you by Sword & Kettle Press.  New Cosmologies will be a series of 12 mini-chapbooks that explore mythology, beginnings, endings, and feminism through various cultural lenses.  It’s in the very early stages (with publication hopefully coming next year), so keep an eye out for future updates! 

My grandmother from California used to write poems for fun, and my other grandmother was from Lima, Peru.  I consider The Inca Weaver’s Tales a tribute to both of these sharp, inspirational women in my life. 

In other poetry news, I have a Latinx futurism poem in Triangulation: Energy, which releases this Saturday.  If you’re attending this year’s Confluence, Parsec Ink is hosting a launch party at the convention.  I wish I could be there. 

The video recordings of this year’s Rhysling short poem readings, generously hosted by Akua Lezli Hope, are available on the SFPA’s Youtube channel.  I participated in the third and final reading, sharing my nominated poem, “Sonnet of the South American Sphinx” from Honeyguide Literary Magazine.  By the way, this year’s winner, Mary Soon Lee (one of my poetry idols!), read one of her nominated poems there too, and when it was my turn it was so hard for me not to fangirl out that she was there listening to one of my poems.