TBR Pile

I have always been someone who reads five things at the same time. It’s the strategy of someone who wants to absorb multiple writing styles and voices at the same time without necessarily committing to the book in its entirety. I’m the same with TV shows, I will watch a K-drama up until one or two episodes after the kiss scene. It’s not that I don’t like endings, I think I just can’t handle conflict sometimes and want my shows wrapped in a happy ending bow.

The point is, I want to take my time, slow down and finish books. I am making a self-imposed reading challenge because I miss slowness, I miss sitting around just thinking, I’m tired of scrolling and feeling like the world is basura.

The last book I finished was “On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous” by Ocean Vuong and that was a couple of years ago now. I loved it. I couldn’t put it down. Ocean has a breathtaking writing voice. I will fight anyone who says otherwise.

My TBR List:

Ghost Forest by Pik-Shuen Fung

Almond by Won-pyung Sohn

Time is a Mother by Ocean Vuong

H is for Hawk by Helen Macdonald

Flowers of Mold by Ha Seong-Nan

The Hurting Kind by Ada Limón

The Lost Dreamer by Liz Huerta

Thrust by Lidia Yuknavitch

I might read three of these at the same time, but my intent is to take my time and sit with these stories. My personal hashtag will be #riosreadingchallenge

To all of you miraculous beauties who read a bunch, I hope you’re reading amazing stories. What are you reading?! What’s your TBR like look like?

Sending love and light from me and my baby who is currently cuddling me. Besos!

Upcoming Events & Writing Workshops

Happy 2019! I just wanted to make a quick update on the three writing workshops I will be teaching this winter.

On January 19th, I will be teaching in El Paso, TX at the Memorial Park Library. it will be a short and sweet workshop and I will be reading some of my fiction and non-fiction.
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Updates: What I’ve been up to

Happy Halloween to everyone! I dressed as the universe this past Saturday and tonight, I am going to be a witch. There’s thunder and lightning outside. It feels like the perfect weather for today. I want to document what I have done the past three months because I am super grateful for the opportunities and for the outpouring of love from other writers.

In August, I was the opening reader for Amber Tamblyn, who is an activist, a phenomenal author, and an actor. It was wonderful hearing her read and speak about her new book, ANY MAN.

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Rios de la Luz and Amber Tamblyn @ Changing Hands Bookstore in Tempe, AZ

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Interstellar Bruja Vol. 2 Preview

Recently, I have been working on experimental fiction and non-fiction pieces. I have compiled my new works into Interstellar Bruja Vol. 2. I wrote on break-ups, friendship, queerness, being brown and weird, trauma, and moving on from toxic people.

You can purchase my zines at interstellarbruja.bigcartel.com 

Here is a preview:

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Interstellar Bruja Vol. 2 by Rios de la Luz

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Upcoming Readings and Workshops

Hello lovelies!

I have decided to pursue my dream of becoming a writing worksop teacher and magnificent people in the El Paso community have reached out to me to help me teach my second workshop ever at UTEP next month. I am beyond thrilled. I know it is going to be a lot of hard work, but I am ready to take on the challenge.    Continue reading “Upcoming Readings and Workshops”

Itzá is out now!

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Itzá: September 15th 2017 via Broken River Books

Itzá is officially out in the world ❤

You can get it on Amazon or my personal store, Interstellar Bruja

Here is what the Monique Quintana (Clash Media) had to say about Itzá:
“In this book, we meet Marisol, a girl and darkling who is becoming a water witch, inheriting the powers of her grandmother and great-grandmother. Marisol is a bruja who must grapple with sexual abuse and the realization that a woman’s body is a border and ultimately, it is she who contains its’ greatest power.”

Itzá Pre-order and Release

Itzá
Itzá: September 15th 2017 via Broken River Books

Hola everyone! I have some book news: My debut novella, Itzá will be available for pre-sale on September 1st via my Interstellar Bruja Bigcartel Page. Through my Bigcartel, I will make the most income which will be really helpful to me in the upcoming month (I am moving to El Paso, Texas!) Itzá will be available on Amazon September 15th.

Itzá is about a family of water witches. It is written as an intentional magic spell based on the narrative of the main character, Marisol. Marisol shares the mythology she has created around her Great-grandmother and Grandmother and the women in her life who saved her while she fought against the traumas of her childhood.
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The Magician

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The Magician lies to her child. Tells her child, it will all be okay. It will all be okay as she puts her on the Greyhound alone on its way to Colorado. Your Tía will pick you up in Denver. Colorado has snowflakes like you can’t imagine. Immaculate formations gentle and soft in your hair. Let them land on your tongue and you can taste clouds. Let them melt onto your forehead and you can hear rivers slithering and shouting. If you eat snow from the palm of your hands, foam will expand on your tongue and drip down your throat. It will taste like another time, a time when the water ruled over the earth.

The Magician was convinced that the planet Mercury carried her womb in the core of the planet. The Magician was convinced someone was trying to poison her. The Magician was convinced her seven year old daughter only spewed out lies. The Magician’s daughter was fragile pieces of skin and bones. A hunched over body, easy to unravel and grasp by the hair. The Magician heard venomous accusations about the man she adored. In the chambers of her heart, he was skill, logic, and intellect incarnate. He made her heart ache and vibrate and she was in love. She was convinced he was reincarnated from the soul of scientist.

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