Las Musas Podcast

In this episode of the Las Musas Podcast, Jonny Garza Villa joins Racquel Marie, Crystal Maldonado, and e.E Charlton-Trujillo for a beautifully bookish celebration of Pride Month. In this love letter to QTBIPOC authors and readers, they talk about the books that changed their lives, the books they would have loved to have read as kids, the books they're reading now, the books they hope to see in the future, and how their love for their readers and the younger versions of themselves shape the books they write today.

If you enjoyed this episode or plan on using the resources provided, please consider buying a book (or a few) to say thanks! 

Purchase Jonny Garza Villa's YA book Fifteen Hundred Miles from the Sun and pre-order Ander and Santi Were Here

Purchase Racquel Marie's YA book Ophelia After All

Purcahse Crystal Maldonado's YA books Fat Change Charlie Vega and No Filter and Other Lies

Purchase e.E. Charlton-Trujillo's YA books from the Fat Angie series

Book Recommendations:

History is All you Left Me by Adam Silvera

Juliet Takes a Breath by Gabby Rivera

Aristotle and Dante Discover the Universe by Benjamin Alire Sáenz

More Happy than Not by Adam Silvera

Miss Quinces by Kat Fajardo

Lakelore by Anna-Marie McLemore

We Set the Dark on Fire by Tehlor Kay Mejia

This is Why They Hate Us by Aaron H. Aceves

High Spirits by Camille Gomera-Tavarez

Witchlings by Caribel Ortega

The Grief Keeper by Alexandra Villasante

Bless Me, Ultima by Rodolfo Anaya

The Lesbiana's Guide to Catholic School by Sonora Reyes

Cafe con Lychee by Emery Lee

Living Beyond Borders by Margarita Longoria

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In this episode of the Las Musas Podcast: Debut Spotlight, debut Musa Eliza Kinkz joins fellow Musa Zara González Hoang to discuss her picture book, Goldie's Guide to Grandchilding and have a fun, fascinating discussion on inspirations in comedy and humor, art style and meaningful aspects of illustration, the author-illustrator-publisher relationships, origin stories, and finding community.

If you enjoyed this episode, please consider buying a book (or a few) to say thanks!

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This episode of the Las Musas Podcast's Debut Diaries, the Middle Grade and Young Adult Edition, Angela Velez is joined by Andrea Beatriz Arango, Racquel Marie, Sallie Anne Rodriguez, and Vanessa L. Torres for a discussion on the importance of breaks in the writing process and their favorite ways to break, to share debut year and pub day words wisdom, hopes, and reflections, and talk about the role of your publishing team and how to be proactive as the debut jitters get more real.

If you enjoyed this episode, please consider buying a book (or a few) to say thanks!

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In this episode of Ask a Musa, Mia García joins Andrea Beatriz Arango, Maria Jose Fitzgerald, and Karina Nicole González to share tips about how to go about outlining different drafts, how the revise and resubmit process can be a bit of a gamble, and how to listen to the vibes your manuscript is giving off to know whether to move forward with it or save it for another time. They also spend some time chismeando about what's been happening with publishing advances.

Book Recommendations:

Can't be Tamed by Yamile Saied Méndez

Lulu and Milagro's Search for Clarity by Angela Velez

Fruteros: Street Vending, Illegality, and Ethnic Community in Los Angeles by Rocío Rosales

Lotería by Karla Arena Valenti

Eating Puerto Rico: A History of Food, Culture, and Identity by Cruz Miguel Ortíz Cuadra

If you enjoyed this episode, please consider buying a book (or a few) to say thanks!

Buy Mia García's YA book, The Resolutions

Buy Andrea Beatriz Arango's book, Iveliz Explains it All

Pre-Order Maria Jose Fitzgerald's book, Turtles of the Midnight Moon

Buy Karina Nicole González's book, The Coquíes Still Sing

In the second Sophomore Social episode of the Las Musas Podcast, Rebecca Balcarcel and Jonny Garza Villa join Laekan Zea Kemp to talk about the differences in production and publisher support between debut and sophomore releases and navigating a healthy relationship with publicity while maintaining a writing schedule, deadlines, and life.

If you enjoyed this episode or plan on using the resources provided, please consider buying a book (or a few) to say thanks!

Pre-order Rebecca Balcarcel's MG book Shine On, Luz Véliz!

Check out the other books on the Las Musas Bookshop page!

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In this episode of the Las Musas podcast, Terry Catasús Jennings speaks with Cynthia Harmony, Mariana Ríos, Anna Orenstein-Cardona, and Eliza Kinkz about how picture books evolve during the editing and illustration process and how the work is truly a group effort. In this conversation, they delve into what it is like to do a revise and resubmit with editors, the importance of listening and being open minded while making sure to stand up for yourself, and what it feels like to see your book come to life through the eyes of an illustrator. Eliza Kinkz also shares her unique perspective of being an illustrator and how humor plays a big role in her artistic process.

If you enjoyed this episode or plan on using the resources provided, please consider buying a book (or a few) to say thanks!

Pre-order Terry Catasús Jennings's Picture Book The Little House of Hope

Pre-order Cynthia Harmony's Picture Book Mi Ciudad Sings and Mi Ciudad Canta

Pre-order Mariana Ríos' Picture Book Santiago's Dinosaurios 

Pre-order Anna Orenstein-Cardona's Picture Book The Tree of Hope

Pre-order Goldie's Guide to Grandchilding illustrated by Eliza Kinkz and written by Clint McElroy

In this episode of the Las Musas Podcast's Debut Diaries featuring Middle Grade and Young Adult Musas, Camille Gomera-Tavarez, Sallie Anne Rodriguez, and Vanessa L. Torres discuss debut year marketing, publicity and author branding, giving listeners some tips and best practices practically, professionally, and personally.

Resources Mentioned:

If you enjoyed this episode, please consider buying a book (or a few) to say thanks!

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In this episode of the Las Musas Podcast, debut Musa Camille Gomera-Tavarez joins fellow Musa Donna Barba Higuera to discuss her much anticipated YA collection of short stories, High Spirits. They talk about Camille's unique publishing journey from graphic designer to author, uncovering family secrets, magical realism, and being true to your own voice as an author.

If you enjoyed this episode, please consider buying a book (or a few) to say thanks!

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On this episode of Ask a Musa, authors Jonny Garza Villa, Racquel Marie, Vanessa Torres, and Ana Siquiera discuss managing time while writing, finding a Latine critique group, knowing if you are being underpaid as a marginalized author, and the latest publishing chisme.

Resources mentioned:

If you enjoyed this episode, please consider buying a book (or a few) to say thanks!

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In this episode of the Las Musas Podcast, Rebecca Balcarcel joins Laekan Zea Kemp and Anika Fajardo to talk about their experiences living through the sophomore slump and the pressures to make their second books just as good -or better- than their first. They discuss how the sophomore slump manifested in each of their lives, how it was compounded by the pandemic, and what it's like to juggle the promotion of your debut book while working on your second.

If you enjoyed this episode or plan on using the resources provided, please consider buying a book (or a few) to say thanks!

Pre-order Rebecca Balcarcel's Book Shine On, Luz Véliz! 

Pre-order Laekan Zea Kemp's Book Heartbreak Symphony

Pre-order Anika Fajardo's Book Meet Me Halfway 

Check out the other books on the Las Musas Bookshop page!

Connect with Las Musas on social media:

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