Guadalajara Journal

Tonight I attended "Homenaje a José Emilio Pacheco" on the occasion of the poet's 70th birthday. It was fairly straightforward: a group of poets, including Pachco's long-time editor, formed a panel, which included Pacheco; they took turns reading a poem of his, offering a brief comment before each poem. Pacheco himself intervened when he felt it was relevant. It was quite an enjoyable session and I think it had to do with the tangible connection Pacheco establishes with his audience and the participants solid readings. Each panelist was adept at giving just the right length commentary before each poem. Here's a photo of Pacheco and his co-panelists before their session:

Marcelo Uribe, Emilio José Pacheco, Tamara Kamenszain,

Vicente Quirarte, Darío Jaramillo, Jorge Esquinca

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During the day I attended a conversation between Spanish journalist Rosa Montero, and Turkish Nobel laureate, Orhan Pamuk. He was awarded the Nobel for literature in 2006. It was quite interesting dialogue that touched upon a number of subjects, including the role of politics in one's art, as well as how the Latin American boom was a huge influence on Pamuk's writing. His latest novel is The Museum of Innocence . At one point he quoted a Mexican author, whose name I failed jot down, but who had said something like, "A novelist is someone who hears voices..."

 

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But mostly what I did today was hang out here:

 

LA Pavilion

The remaining two copies of Latinos in Lotusland (Bilingual Press) sold. The highlight, though, was engaging with a well dressed, middle-aged woman who was seated on one of the cushioned benches provided for visitors. She was paging through an English-language literary journal that includes quite a bit of poetry, which was my in:

---Le gusta leer la poesía en inglés?

---Sí, pero también los cuentos...busco algo que tenga un poco de todo.

---Si me permita, creo que tengo un libro para usted.

And with that I walked over to a book shelf and retrieved, Under the Fifth Sun: Latino Literature from California (Heyday Books), walked back and handed it to her and said:

---Este libro incluye tanto poesía como prosa Se trata de una antología que reune escritores de origin hispano pero que escriben en inglés, y que tengan una relación con California."

A native of Baja California, she ended up buying it, as well as, it turns out, De Amor Oscuro/Of Dark Love (Moving Parts Press) by Francisco X. Alarcón. Book sellers and librarians are slated to turn out in large numbers tomorrow.

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One of the people I met yesterday was the Editor of Luvina, which is the University of Guadalajara's literary journal. His name is Victor Ortiz Partida, and he mentioned to me that their current issue is available online and is devoted to, what else, Los Angeles. Here's a link:

LUVINA

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 And finally:

Daniel Hernández is a native of California and former journalist for the L.A. Times. He currently lives in Mexico City and is under contract with a New York house to complete a nonfiction book about the punk scene in DF. With his permission:

[...]

    We piled into a combi. These low-ceiling minivans converted into stop-and-go public transit units are as common to the long-range commute experience in Mexico City as the metro. Most people who live in the city's far-away suburbs in the State of Mexico use a combination of both---combi and metro---to go about their everyday lives. The insides of the vans are hollowed out and fitted with tiny carpeted seats. 

[...]

    "I want to show you something," Reyes said, pulling a new item out of his backback, a worn manila folder. Reyes held it as though it were a holy book. He handed it to me and I opened it delicately on my lap. Inside, page after page of old-school punk testimony. Drawings, crudely typed or scrawled personal histories, photocopied flyers and photographs. "I want to make a book," Reyes said, pressing his fingers against the papers inside. "The true history."

[...]

 an excerpt from The Lake of Fire by Daniel Hernández

Hernández made the trip to Guadalajara to hang out, and take part in one panel. He blogs HERE.

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Guadalajara HEARTS Los Angeles

Antonio Villaraigoisa 

Antonio Villaraigoisa, the forty-first mayor of Los Angeles, has been one of the most visible faces in the last forty-eight hours. This mid-morning the official inauguration of the Feria took place (see image below) The highlight was the presentation of its major literary award to Venezuelan poet Rafael Cadenas. But beforehand, a number of people spoke, including Villaraigoisa. During his prepared remarks, he made note of the contributions of L.A.-based artists, specifically mentioning three---though only one was a writer. It was a nice moment, therefore, hearing him give the full-house a brief sketch of fellow Macondista, Alex Espinoza, specifically naming his novel, for all to hear: Still Water Saints.

The mayor was also a bit self-deprecating about his Spanish, which sounded flawless to me. And yet at one point, when he strayed from his written remarks, his humor shone through when he said:

 "Ahora el pochito va hablar," which was greeted with warm laughter.

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Directly after this opening session, there was a special luncheon across the street at the Hilton, where I had the pleasure of sitting with Luis J. Rodriguez and his wife Trini, who have brought a generous selection of Tia Chucha Press books. Rodriguez was also instrumental in organizing a lowrider exhibit, which has been set up beside the Los Angeles Pavilion near a gathering space called Café Literario, which will be the site of a number of events.

 

***

And speaking of Pavilions, it's the reason I'm here. I'll be stationed in this nicely designed area for the next few days as a sort of bilingual consultant for the NEA, which is underwriting this space (see image below). Among the writers whose titles I had occasion to chat up today were: Javier Huerta, whose Arte Público book is here; Tomás Riley, whose Calaca Press book is displayed; Linda Rodriguez, whose Heart's Migration is prominently placed as was Daniel  A. Olivas' fiction anthology---which sold today. The middle-aged gentleman had traveled to Guadalajara from Mexico City: he was looking for new voices in Latino narrative. "Hay un título que le va interesar," I said, as I went to fetch Olivas' edited volume. The thought pleased me: helping forge a readership one person at a time: a man named Rafael Silva will be taking Latinos in Lotusland: An Anthology of Contemporary Southern California Literature (Bilingual Press, 2008) back to DF...

 

El Pabellón de Los Angeles

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I met some other folks worth mentioning, but I'll add them to whatever might transpire tomorrow...

Saludos Desde La Feria Internacional del Libro de Guadalajara

2009 Guadalajara International Book Fair

National Endowment for the Arts Press Release

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 2009 Guest of Honor:

Nuestra Señora la Reina de Los Angeles

Los Angeles is the first city to participate as Guest of Honor of the Guadalajara International Book Fair. The city is presenting a program that will allow visitors to the Fair to confirm why Los Angeles is considered one of the most dynamic cultural centers in the American continent and the United States.

A natural bridge between Mexican and American culture, Los Angeles is also a city that has been able to acquire a unique identity relating to cultural production, the trademark that distinguishes its delegation, comprised of around 50 authors, 20 academics, 14 artists and theater companies. The program also includes 7 visual arts exhibitions and a film series presenting classic and contemporary films designed to showcase the diverse perspectives on its urban landscape, its culture and people.

“For a long time, Los Angeles and Guadalajara have been capitals of creativity, cornerstones for diversity and centers of rich culture, fabulous art and excellent and innovative profound history,” said Los Angeles Mayor, Antonio R. Villaraigosa. “Our two cities and countries are united by a shared heritage and history, and with much delight we are looking forward to presenting our talents and strengthen the bonds between the United States and Mexico through our role as Guest of Honor of the Guadalajara International Book Fair.”

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Two books that will be featured in the Los Angeles Pavilion:

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Some writers slated to be here this week:

Michael Jaime Becerra

Gioconda Belli

Alex Espinoza

Dagoberto Gilb

Yxta Maya Murray

Salvador Plascencia

Gregory Rodriguez

Luis Rodriguez

Richard Rodriguez

Hector Tobar

WORDS MATTER: Rich Villar Weighs In

HERE

Birth of a Book: MOMOTOMBO PRESS: vol. 14....or....10

Volume 14...if we're talking since the inaugural Mark My Words: Five Emerging Poets (Momotombo Press, 2001), which featured chapbook-length selections by Lisa Sperber, Sean McDonnell, Angela Garcia, Eric Gudas, and Maria Melendez in Momotombo's first phase in Davis, CA.

Volume 10...if we're marking the moment Momotombo settled into its Latino skin with Slow Dissolve (Momotombo Press, 2003) by Steven Cordova.

And although Maria Melendez has been an Associate Editor since working with Brenda Cárdenas on From the Tongues of Brick and Stone (Momotombo Press, 2004), the volume we're attempting to usher into your hands today---The Book of Ours (Momotombo Press, 2009) by Octavio R. Gonzalez---marks Melendez's debut as Acquiring and Managing Editor, but with one caveat:  The Book of Ours was, in fact, my last acquisition as Founding Editor, while Melendez worked with the author to shape this exquisite collection. In her Editor's Note, she writes:

One of the things I most admired about Mr. Gonzalez's work, from the start, was the poems' refusal to take any category for granted. The family poem becomes the city poem becomes the love poem becomes the spiritual poem becomes the mouthful of desire poem.

And yet, none of this happened in a vacuum: as has often been the case during Momotombo Press' trajectory, an author came recommended. In this case, by another González a few years back: Rigoberto González, who frames this volume nicely in one of Momotombo Press' best introductions:

The different textures in this collection---the soliloquy, the notebook, the fairy tale, the prose poem---evidence a gifted and promising writer who can maneuver through any poetic avenue and sparkle [...] As an immigrant poet, as a gay poet, as a poet of color, Octavio Gonzalez seems the perfect fit for New York City, where all dimensions of identity and experience spill into its streets and subways. [...]

What we celebrate, therefore, is the fruit of collaboration. Courtesy of the author, here's a taste:

THIS TIME THE VOWELS GET IN THE WAY


why don't you go
tell it on the mountain, unless
it's a skyscraper
you live under.
don't
assume it's a metaphor.
only others
get away with murder.
kill this poem, the only way
you know how to:
by thinking about it.
itching for a movie, hear this
image glowing
in your mind's ear, like music:
go home to your sadness, cough up two
lungs of forgiveness.  only
animals are artists.


Octavio R. Gonzalez

BUY IT HERE

A little bit of community: PALABRA PURA's 2009 finale

 Rita Maria Martinez

In February of 2008 Letras Latinas and the Guild Complex kicked off "The Wind Shifts: New Latino Poetry ON TOUR" in Palm Beach, FL. The invited, featured readers  were Eduardo C. Corral, Sheryl Luna, and Kevin A. González.

I remember realizing, beforehand, that neither myself, Eduardo, nor Sheryl, had ever met Kevin. We were certainly aware of, and admired, his work. Actually, that's not entirely true: I had met Kevin briefly for about a minute at the AWP Bookfair in Chicago in 2004 at the Momotombo Press table, but hadn't had the pleasure of conversing with him substantially---until Palm Beach. This was precisely one of the goals of the tour: to create scenarios where anthology contributors could meet each other, perhaps for the first time, and interact.

Another bonus that Saturday was that Richard Blanco, Emma Trelles, and Rita Maria Martinez made the drive up to Palm Beach from the Miami area. I knew Richard, had corresponded with (but hadn't met) Emma, but didn't know Rita. All seven of us went to lunch after the mid-morning reading and had a great time. I remember Rita mentioning that she had a forthcoming chapbook, as did Emma. They both sent their collections to me at some point after that, and I remember just loving them, so much so that I included  them in a guest post for Madam Mayo, in which I talked about five poetry books I especially enjoyed in 2008.

PALABRA PURA 2009 was lucky enough to have on its roster this year both Emma and Rita. Emma read beautifully last June, and tonight I'll finally have a chance to hear Rita read poems I've admired and enjoyed in print. Situations like these are what I enjoy about having the privilege---because it is a privilege---of striving to carry out Letras Latinas' mission. In short: attempts at fostering community, even if for brief spans of time. It's akin to the ethos one experiences in the Bronx with the ACENTOS Foundation; it's akin to the ethos one experiences in Kansas City, MO with the Latino Writers Collective; its akin to the experience PALABRA PURA tries to emulate in Chicago.

Here are two interviews with Rita Maria Martinez:  

One with Didi Menendez.

And another with Gonzalo Barr, which includes some sample pieces from:

Jane-in-the-Box (March Street Press, 2008).

 

Chicago Dispatch: bits, and some web finds

PALABRA PURA 2009 

winds to a close tomorrow night

with Rita María Martínez and Luis Tubens

(more later)

 *

Craig Santos Perez directs us to a very cool web presence

called Asian American Poetry and Writing.
Lots to explore there, including projects by Lee Herrick;
a piece on Kundiman; another on VONA...

There's also an interesting substantial interview 

with Gabriela Jauregui, whose book,  

Controlled Decay (Akashic/Black Goat, 2008),

will be reviewed by Craig in Latino Poetry Review (LPR) #3.

Jauregui is slated to feature in PALABRA PURA 2010

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J. Michael Martínez,

who is currently editing a multi-author collaborative essay

on Latino writing, shares the following image with us at his blog:

He also shares with us a link taking us a

 a poem by Rodrigo Toscano

on YouTube that's worth a look and a listen.

Toscano's National Poetry Series volume

Collapsible Poetics Theater (Fence Books, 2008)

will be reviewed in LPR #3

by poet-critic John Chávez

[ other poets slated to be reviewed or written about in LPR # 3:

Silvia Curbelo,

2010 Andrés Montoya Poetry Prize final judge 

Rhina Espaillat

Kristin Naca

who will be inaugurating PALABRA PURA 2010

Griselda Suarez

Emma Trelles,

and others ]

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And speaking of new titles...

The Book of Ours (Momotombo Press, 2009)

by Octavio R. Gonzlález

with an introduction by Rigoberto González

went to the printer's yesterday...

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And finally, in case you missed it last spring (I did)

Arts Desk at the NewHour at PBS online featured

a wonderful poem by the aforementioned

winner of the Academcy of American Poet's Walt Whitman Prize,

along with an audio recordning of him:

"White Song"

by J. Michael Martínez

elena minor presents..........#5

Contributors:

Fred Arroyo

Rane Arroyo

Xochitl-Julisa Bermejo

Ahimsa Timoteo Bodhrán

Carmen Calatayud

Harrison Candelaria Fletcher

Sandra M. Castillo

John Chávez

Gloria Enedina Alvarez

Carribean Fragoza

Casey Fuller

Jennifer Givhan

Stephen D. Gutiérrez

Holly Iglesias

Santiago Lopez

enriqueta luissi

Andrés Montoya

Miguel Murphy

Melinda Palacio

Paul Pedroza

Ruben Quesada

Octavio Quintanilla

Alicita Rodríguez

Juan Manuel Sánchez

Eugenia Toledo

Carolyne Wright

 Buy yours today

Sunday Kind of Love: Luis Alberto Ambroggio, Tara Betts & Yvette Neisser Moreno

 

 

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 SUNDAY KIND OF LOVE

featuring Luis Alberto Ambroggio and Tara Betts
with translator Yvette Neisser Moreno

Sunday, November 15, 4-6pm

Langston Room - Busboys and Poets
@ 14th & V Streets NW
Open Mic Follows
Admission free. Donations encouraged.

Luis Alberto Ambroggio, originally from Argentina, is author of 11 collections of poetry published in Spain, Latin America, and the United States. The North American Academy of the Spanish Language has recently released a book on his poetry, El Cuerpo y la Letra (The Body and the Letter). His poetry has been translated into several languages and has appeared in numerous newspapers, magazines, anthologies, and textbooks in the US and abroad. His poetry has been recorded in the Archives of Hispanic Literature of the U.S. Library of Congress. English readers can enjoy his work in Difficult Beauty (Cross Cultural Communictions, 2009), selected poems (1987 -2006), edited and mostly translated by Yvette Neisser Moreno. Ambroggio will be reading in the 2010 season of PALABRA PURA.

Tara Betts is the author of Arc and Hue, a Cave Canem fellow, and a graduate of the New England College MFA Program. Her work appears in numerous anthologies and journals such as Ninth Letter, Callaloo, Hanging Loose, Gathering Ground, Bum Rush the Page, and both Spoken Word Revolution anthologies. She represented Chicago twice at the National Poetry Slam, coached youth who went on to Brave New Voices, and appeared on HBO's "Def Poetry Jam". She currently teaches at Rutgers University and leads community-based workshops.

Yvette Neisser Moreno is a poet and translator whose work has appeared in numerous magazines and anthologies, including The International Poetry Review, The Potomac Review, Tar River Poetry, and Virginia Quarterly Review. Her critical work on (and translations of) Israeli and Palestinian poetry have been published in the Palestine-Israel Journal. Moreno teaches poetry and translation at the Writer's Center and has taught poetry in public schools in Maryland, Virginia and Washington, D.C.

Read selections of their poetry at Blog This Rock.

Sunday Kind of Love happens the 3rd Sunday of every month
in the Langston Room
at Busboys and Poets' 14th & V location.

The series is co-hosted by Sarah Browning and Katy Richey
and co-sponsored by Busboys and Poets and Split This Rock.

As always, bring a poem for the open mic! For more information: browning@splitthisrock.org.

Birth of a Book: CANTO COSAS: vol. 3

 

Brenda Cárdenas

Boomerang

with an  Introduction by Juan Felipe Herrera

READ ABOUT THE BOOK AND AUTHOR HERE

I title this post "Birth of a Book" because I just heard from Brenda Cárdenas in a voicemail that she has received her two advanced copies of Boomerang from Bilingual Press. Who remembers what that felt like: receiving in the post your book---being able to hold it in your hands your first book?  And so, I'm marking this moment for Brenda by letting readers of LETRAS LATINAS BLOG know that her book is in the world.

When I was first graced with the privilege and opportunity to edit CANTO COSAS (whose origin has its own meandering backstory), I never imagined I'd get a shot at helping usher this volume into print. I never thought it'd be available. But when I approached Brenda about it, she didn't hesitate in saying Yes---there was no delay nor measured calculation about whether this or that press was the right fit for her manuscript. Which is not to say that such deliberation is not merited: everyone has to forge their own way and do what's best for them. But Brenda, it seemed to me, was responding to the mutual history and collaboration we had already forged, and for that I feel blessed and am grateful.

I remember first encountering her work in the anthology she co-edited for MARCH/Abrazo Press, and then searching out more of  her work on the web. I was researching Latina poets in the Midwest for The Wind Shifts. Shortly thereafter, I approached her about publishing a chapbook with Momotombo Press. She was open to the idea and then Maria Melendez graciously stepped in, in her capacity as Associate Editor, and worked with Brenda to put together what would be become From the Tongues of Brick and Stone, which has been one of Momotombo Press' most physically attractive volumes to date, one which sold well and out and was adopted in many classrooms (Rich Yañez woud later play this role as well with Michelle Otero's Malinche's Daughter, Momotombo's best selling title).

So, readers, if you want to experience some of the best poetry around at this juncture in time, order Boomerang (Bilingual Press, 2009) by Brenda Cárdenas.

Finally, and with this I close, I can't underscore enough what a fine interview Brenda Cárdenas gave a few years ago with our Letras Latinas Oral History Project at Notre Dame. Maria Melendez was the interviewer and it was among the very best we've produced in the series. Have a listen. It's the fourth one down on the roster of seventeen interviews---after Richard Blanco and before Steven Cordova.

MACONDO FALL NEWS 2009: 2 items

Emmy Pérez wins 2009 Alfredo Cisneros Del Moral Foundation Award

The Alfredo Cisneros Del Moral (ACDM) Foundation is pleased to announce the winner of the 2009 ACDM Award: poet Emmy Pérez (McAllen, TX).  This year’s award totals, $8,912.

Emmy Pérez is the author of a poetry collection, Solstice (Swan Scythe Press, 2003). She holds degrees from Columbia University and the University of Southern California.  Her work has appeared in Prairie Schooner, North American Review, Notre Dame Review, New York Quarterly, Borderlands: Texas Poetry Review, Indiana Review, Crab Orchard Review, and the anthologies The Wind Shifts: New Latino Poetry and The Weight of Addition: an anthology of Texas Poetry. She is a contributing editor for The Writer's Chronicle, Latino Poetry Review, and Texas Books in Review.  Currently, she is an Assistant Professor and teaches in the MFA program at the University of Texas-Pan American in the Rio Grande Valley.

The Alfredo Cisneros Del Moral Foundation was created in 2000 to honor the memory of Sandra Cisneros' father, an upholsterer. "My father lived his life as an example of generosity and honest labor," Cisneros has written; "Even as he warned us to save our centavitos, he was always giving away his own.  A meticulous craftsman, he would sooner rip the seams of a cushion apart and do it over than put his name on an item that wasn't up to his high standards.  I especially wanted to honor his memory by an award showcasing writers who are equally proud of their own craft."

The Alfredo Cisneros Del Moral Foundation invites a panel of nominators to recommend writers from across the writing disciplines who were born in Texas or who currently reside in Texas. Recipients are selected for exhibiting both exceptional talent and a profound commitment to their chosen form of expression.

The 2009 judges were writers Andrei Codrescu, Fae Myenne Ng and John O. Espinoza. Past judges have been journalists, memoirists, anthropologists, poets, historians, essayists, and novelists--including Edwidge Danticat, Linda Hogan, Dr. Antonia Castaneda, John Phillip Santos, Dagoberto Gilb, Dr. Arturo Madrid, Dr. Norma Elia Cantú, Dr. Carmen Tafolla, and Rubén Martínez.

[The Foundation does not accept individual solicitations, nominations, or funding requests.]

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Linda Rodriguez wins Midwest Voices and Visions Award

 

 

 "I just won the Midwest Voices and Visions Award--a writing residency at Ragdale and $4,000--with work that you all helped me with at Macondo. I thank you all from the heart for all the time and effort you put into reading, critiquing, and making the true effort to see my intention for the work. I took everything you said to heart and reworked and wrote new stuff and sent it off. So many, many thanks. I hope all of you are having the same kind of success with the incredible work you presented at the workshop. Stay in touch and stay wonderful. I can hardly wait for next year to see all of you again.

Besos y abrazos,
Linda Rodriguez"

 

Michael Nava

Read Daniel Olivas on the matter, here.