A Book and a Chat with Jennifer Cervantes

Today on “A Book and a Chat”, I’m chatting with Jennifer Cervantes, author of middle grade novel Tortilla Sun.

While Jennifer is a native of San Diego, California with Spanish/Mexican heritage her background includes a blend of German, English, French and Irish. This, as Jennifer shared with us, not only produced a wide range of food choices but also enabled her to grow up with stories with a lot of diversity.

As we found out in what was a really entertaining as well as educational sixty minutes, we have to thank Jennifer’s daughter Jules for pushing her mother to open the flood gates of Jennifer’s obvious talent that has lead to this her first book, but I’m sure not her last.

Tortilla Sun, as mentioned is a middle grade book, but far more than just that. It is beautiful story that's also filled with some elements of magic. The characters and the description of the life’s and locations are like an artist painting a picture, in Jennifer’s case using words rather than brush and paints.

Tortilla Sun

The story is about a tender, magical story about 12 year old Izzy Roybal who is sent to spend the summer in her nana’s New Mexico village where she is soon caught up in the foreign world of her own culture, from patron saints and soulful food to the curious and magical blessings Nana gives her tortillas. In Nana’s village she meets Mateo, the adventurous, treasure seeking thirteen year old boy who lives on the other side of the bolted door in Izzy’s bedroom and six year old Maggie who is raising her cat, Frida, as a dog and sees marshmallow ghosts float out windows. When the wind begins to whisper to Izzy, she is soon led on an adventure to learn about her father’s mysterious death, who she really is, and to connect the hidden pieces of her past.

During the show we discussed about the issues and challenges of not only writing a novel but what happens after the novel is produced, the waiting for the final copy and then the work that starts after that. The discussion ranged across how the book and the story transcends across groups and ages, and how the characters almost write the book themselves.

From ghosts to making Tortilla, from NFL to Jennifer’s next projects the sixty minute show, as always when you are enjoying chatting, just flew by.

So why not sit back and lsiten to "A Book and a Chat with Jennifer Cervantes" or else down load the show and listen at another time.

Barry

Direct link to the show
"A Book and a Chat with Jennifer Cervantes"

or you can download the mp3 file of the show from
"Jennifer Cervantes"

You can find out more about my guest and their book at:
"Jennifer Cervantes - Tortilla Sun"

Barry Eva (Storyheart)

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