Book Release Date: December 9th

I am thrilled to announce that my publisher, Mouthfeel Press, has informed me that my book will be released one week from today!

Maria and I have been making some final edits, including a change to the title.  Instead of “Fronteras” the book is titled Entre la claridad.  While I was very attached to “Fronteras” and even mentioned it on this blog and on a couple of recorded radio programs  (see the Audio page to listen), Maria feels the new title “opens a poetic space.”  Hopefully, you and other readers will agree!

Just to tease your curiosity about the book, I’ll quote from Maria’s musings during the editorial process: “One lives in the zone of clarity when one lives in two worlds, versus living in one culture where there is only one set of ideas/beliefs instilled...When one lives entre la claridad, one lives a full life of various experiences as noted in your poetry collection-- so much richer, open and wide. Here, there are no boundaries or border or mapas.”

I hope you look forward to “entering the zone of clarity” when you read my book.  I welcome those of you who have already heard some of the poems over the radio broadcasts or in person to leave  your thoughts and comments below.  One of my colleagues at the university, Beverly, said this about my radio broadcast last month on KUHA: “I thought you did a great job. I loved your poems with the mixture of English and Spanish and hearing about the letters your parents wrote each other.  Funny now to think that your grandmother thought her daughter moving to Dallas was not a good idea.  Really lovely work and words.”

If you blog, please consider reviewing or mentioning my book in a post (I’ll return the favor by mentioning your book or other work).  Same for Facebook.  The economic downturn has really taken a financial toll on publisher budgets, bookstores, and community literary events.  Most of the avenues I used to promote my first book ten years ago are no longer available, so I have to think about creative ways to bring attention to Entre la claridad.  Let me know if you have ideas.  I’ll be making a strong marketing push for this book on-line, and I ask for your help!

On that note, please consider my book as a gift while you are doing your Christmas shopping this year.  The title of my book is in Spanish, but the primary language of the poems is English.  As Beverly mentioned, the poems mix in some Spanish, reflecting the bilingual nature of South Texas life, a life lived in Spanglish.  The poems also discuss the experiences of women across three generations, living in two cultures.  I will post about how to purchase the book as details become available, so stay tuned.  

In the meantime, go see the other titles available from Mouthfeel Press, just in case you might want to purchase them along with mine!

Here are some of my creative book promotion ideas that you can look forward to:

• giveaways
• teasers
• a round-up of your reviews and comments
• cover image

Here is the first teaser, from the opening poem of the book, “Border Sonnet”:

When you live in South Texas, you hear como

que no as often as why not and your ears

don't notice when the tongue speaking to you

slides over, flúido, smooth as wax paper

to say: bueno, bye; see you mañana.

Read more teasers from the book here and here.

 

Tonight, I’ll be visiting the reception for the launch of the anthology Improbable Worlds from Mutabilis Press.  You can join us from from 6 to 9 p.m. at the The Jung Center of Houston, 5200 Montrose, or look for details about this event in a future post.  My poem, “Bat Bridge” is included in the collection.  You can read about and buy that book here; click on the “Purchase” link in the menu on the left.