Monthly Archives: June 2021

Oscar Wilde on Reading

June 30, 2021 NOTES ON WRITING , 0

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“It is what you read when you don’t have to that determines what you will be when you can’t help it.”

— Oscar Wilde

Now that I’m beginning my retirement, I’ve reveled in the idea that I can read anything I want. No more reading to prep for classes or books to keep up with my field. So, this quote from Wilde has had me thinking about how I intend to fulfill my love for reading now that I have so many hours to choose whatever I want. I’ve come to the conclusion that there probably won’t be drastic changes to my reading lists or schedule. Perhaps fewer critical texts, although I cannot completely squash my curiosity for Latinx literary criticism after 40 years of teaching.

I will surely return to classics that I love or have not read. I agree with Thoreau that one should “read the best books first, or you may not have a chance to read them at all.” But most likely I will spend many hours reading contemporary novelists and poets, especially if they are writing from a multi-ethnic perspective. Reading these writers will primarily allow me to see what fellow writers are doing today, but it also gives me an opportunity to review their work on my blog. I firmly believe there aren’t enough critics reviewing these writers.

On my current to-read list are Whitehead’s The Nickle Boys, Moreno-Garcia’s Mexican Gothic, Llanos-Figueroa’s Daughters of the Stone, Vera’s The Taste of Sugar, and Frank Lima’s Incidents of Travel in Poetry. Because I always try to read as a writer, the usual book on craft will find its way to my stack of books. The latest one is Saunders’ A Swim in a Pond in the Rain: In Which Four Russians Give a Master Class on Writing, Reading and Life.

Without a doubt, I will continue to read to research future projects. I’ve accumulated several books on Roberto Clemente, Afro-Latinx and Afro-Puerto Rican history and culture, and race, in general, for my novella on him. I’ve started a list of books on the history of Central Park for a future short story collection and on a bookshelf several books on the Salsa scene in New York City await as I explore a potential topic for a future creative nonfiction book.

So, following Wilde’s logic, I guess I just can’t help being a writer. My reading is always centered on that part of me.

Talking about the Puerto Rican Diaspora & Writing with Writers Drinking Coffee

June 10, 2021 LISTEN , , , 0

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I had an enjoyable conversation with John Schmidt, Chaz Brenchley and Karen Brenchley in which we discussed what it’s like to write from the perspective of a diasporican and how it relates to Migrations. Listen here: https://www.writersdrinkingcoffee.com/posts/podcast/episode-103-diasporica-with-professor-j-l-torres/

About WDC and the hosts:

Hello everyone, and welcome to Writers Drinking Coffee. This is a podcast based on writers sitting around, drinking coffee and/or occasionally wine, and talking about anything and everything.

Bean Scene Café – https://www.beanscenecafe.com/
Chaz Brenchley – http://www.chazbrenchley.co.uk/ or @chazbrenchley
Jeannie Warner – Amazon.com/Jeannie-Warner @thetsmorgan
John Schmidt – @JohnRSchmidt
Michael Engberg – music intro and exit – www.manyhatsmusic.com

For information on the hosts of Writers Drinking Coffee check: https://www.writersdrinkingcoffee.com/contributors-writers-creative/

Truman Capote on Promoting Your Book

June 7, 2021 NOTES ON WRITING , , , 0

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Truman Capote

” A boy has to peddle his book.”

One week after the publication date of Migrations and my mind has been on book promotion and marketing. The quote above is what Capote supposedly told John Knowles months before the release of his novel, A Separate Peace. Capote meant that you have to be more proactive in marketing your book. Easier said then done, of course.

I don’t know about other writers, but for me it’s uncomfortable to go out there and “peddle” my book, and by extension, myself. But I also understand it is a necessary evil because as it has been often said, “no one will buy your book if no one knows it exists.” Knowles took Capote’s advice and actively promoted the novel, which went on to sell 9 million copies. Book marketing has changed since 1959, when A Separate Peace debuted. Today we have social media, fewer publishers and bookstores, and readership is declining. All of this makes marketing more challenging, but Capote’s advice still holds true, perhaps more so, in a time when algorithms determine your book’s category and what constitutes a “best-seller” is cloudy.