A Book and a Chat with John Paul Jaramillo

John Paul Jaramillo is my guest on today’s “A Book and a Chat”. He grew up being told stories by a crazy grandfather, something he has always tried to keep up with. A failed poetry writer in his early years he went on to creating as he says “failed stories” before he found his writing style and voice.

Writing in a writing more minimalist style he began to create stories about his younger days in Colorado.

Thus “House of Order” was created, John Paul began getting down stories about the neighborhoods he grew up around in southern Colorado. 

He found his inspiration in the old house he’d grown up in and in the old folks of his family. 

John Paul has been trying to capture their stories and re-imagine old family stories and myths since then. These have now come together in his debut book “House of Order”

About “House of Order” : (Taken from Amazon)

The House of Order, the first collection of composite stories by John Paul Jaramillo, presents a stark vision of American childhood and family, set in Southern Colorado and Northern New Mexico. Manito Ortiz sorts family truth from legend as broken as the steel industry and the rusting vehicles that line Spruce Street. The only access to his lost family's story is his uncle, the unreliable Neto Ortiz.

The book has already received many great reviews

“Jaramillo creates vivid and engaging characters you can't help but either outright dislike or feel for as their story unfolds before your eyes. I found the dynamic between the father and uncle the most interesting; one trying to teach his children the value of working hard, while the other teaches them how to gamble at the track. Despite the father's (or, the Jefe, as they call him) faults, he does have that good quality about him. He wants his children to do the right things and work hard for what they get in life.

I recommend this book to anyone who likes character-driven stories and are not  put off by bad language and mild adult situations.

The more you read “House of Order” the more you get drawn into the characters and their situations. With another book underway we will I’m sure hear a lot more of John Paul Jaramillo

 

So listen now and share an interesting, and entertaining show as I chat with my special guest today on A Book and a Chat with John Paul Jaramillo

Barry

Direct link to the show
A Book and a Chat with John Paul Jaramillo

or you can download the mp3 file of the show from
"John Paul Jaramillo"

You can find out more about my guest and their books at:
">"John Paul Jaramillo - House of Order"

Barry Eva (Storyheart)

My Blogs:

Book Information and Things UK - Across the Pond

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A Book and a Chat with René Colato Laínez

My guest on today’s "A Book and a Chat" is René Colato Laínez the Salvadoran award winning author of I Am René, the Boy/ Soy René, el niño, Waiting for Papá/ Esperando a Papá, and Playing Lotería/ El juego de la lotería. His picture books have been honored by the Latino Book Award, the Paterson Prize for Books for Young People, the California Collection for Elementary Readers, the Tejas Star Book Award Selection and the New Mexico Book Award. He was named “Top Ten New Latino Authors to Watch (and Read)” by latinostories.com. René is a graduate of the Vermont College MFA program in Writing for Children & Young Adults.

René's goal as a writer is to produce good multicultural children's literature; stories where minority children are portrayed in a positive way, where they can see themselves as heroes, and where they can dream and have hopes for the future. He wants to write authentic stories of Latin American children living in the United States.

From early days he has always loved writing completing his first novel at the age of fifteen, this was closely followed by five other novels before life in the form of becoming a teacher overtook his writing challange.


As Rene explained during the show he soon realized that though he was teaching in a Spanish school there was a lack of books to read with the young children. So the novels that Rene had created soon came into being. This has led to many books being enjoyed as Rene shared with us by children all across the country.

René Colato Laínez has come a long way from the young child that fled from El Salvador to the United States, many of whose adventures can be shared in his novels.

So sit back and find out more about this fascinating and multi award winning author on "A Book and a Chat with René Colato Laínez"

Barry

Direct link to the show
"A Book and a Chat with René Colato Laínez"

or you can download the mp3 file of the show from
"René Colato Laínez"

You can find out more about my guest and their book at:
"René Colato Laínez - Author"

Barry Eva (Storyheart)

My Blogs:

Book Information and Things UK - Across the Pond

Book and a Chat Radio Show Guests - A Book and a Chat

Funny, Weird Or Just Interesting News From Around the World - Laugh I Thought My Trousers Would Never dry

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)

My Blogs:

Book Information and Things UK - Across the Pond

Book and a Chat Radio Show Guests - A Book and a Chat

Funny, Weird Or Just Interesting News From Around the World - Laugh I Thought My Trousers Would Never dry