So I have been incredibly (happily) busy with promoting the book and with teaching and have not made time to update everyone on what’s going on. This is the first segement of my superlate update posts:

In September I went to Houston, Texas to the LibroFest (it was my first book festival) with my best friend, Lisha; neither of us had been to Texas before so we were excited. On our way there we sat next to a prison warden and had an interesting conversation about the state of things in the prison systems, and Lisha was surprised that I “challenged” (though I would argue, I simply asked a question, some simple clarification) what he was saying about solitary confinement. But that’s just like me, to say things that make people uncomfortable-it’s a gift I have. Upon landing in Houston and getting settled in our hotel, we began our search for real Texas barbecue. We were in cattle country and I wanted beed ribs. We asked around and people started naming places that the shuttle wouldn’t take us to, and so we settled for a chain barbecue place that was just a block away. This is what I wanted: beef ribs, mac and cheese, and cole slaw. This is what they were out of: beef ribs and mac and cheese. With a heavy heart we moved on. We decided to jump on a bus and just go…and ended up eating at The Original Ninfa’s. I’d seen it on Food Network and wanted to check it out. I ordered a local beer and cheesy chorizo. So good. But so bad for someone who is lactose intolerant. That night we went to a piano bar and rocked out. The day of the LibroFest. Let me just say this: I was nervous. So very nervous. What if they didn’t like me? What if they didn’t like the book? What if I rambled? These things just kept crossing my mind. Thankfully Lisha was there and helped me relax.  She can easily talk to anyone, and she was talking me and Gabi up like nothing. The reading and panel went well-I was on a panel with Diane Gonzalez Bertrand from Arte Publico Press. Oh, and Tish Hinojosa was there, so no big deal! Ah! Then, I met inagural poet Richard Blanco and nerded out. In the end, I still felt a little out of place because I am new to this whole being an author thing, but I felt good about it and proud of my accomplishments.