I’m going to start this update with some more exciting news. A few months after my article “You are one of the disappeared?” was published digitally, the print version finally arrived. It turned out great, and I am incredibly proud of this piece. If you haven’t read it yet, definitely check it out. I feel that it is some of my best work.
During July, I didn’t get much writing done because my wife and I were traveling again! We took a road trip across Southern Scotland with friends and in London we met up with Mike Lanchin, who produced the BBC Radio program featuring my family. Then, we returned to Barcelona to celebrate with my younger sister, who recently graduated from dentistry school. The trip was busy, tiring, and inspiring all at once.
Upon returning in August, I started working on an application to attend a writing residency called Under The Volcano, which will take place in Tepoztlán, Mexico, in January. I’m not going to lie, I’m a little nervous about attending the program because this feels like a big step in my writing career. That uneasiness is probably a sign that I’m pushing myself in the right direction. I won’t know if I have been accepted for a few more weeks, but I will keep you posted!
I’ve also applied to take an online workshop on speculative fiction run by GrubStreet in Boston. I hope the course will help me as I rewrite my book with elements of magical realism.
Finally, I wanted to share a BBC Podcast episode, which was also produced by Mike Lanchin. It explores the experiences and challenges of undocumented Salvadorans living in the US and is moving and heartfelt.
Over the summer, I finished two books: As Long as The Lemmon Trees Grow by Zoulfa Katouh and The Things We Cannot Say by Kelly Rimmer. I read both books as part of my exploration of magical realism and historical fiction, which I discussed in my April 2024 update.
As Long as The Lemmon Trees Grow was a tough read. It takes place in wartime Syria, and the author did an incredible job making you feel like you are in the action with the main character. I think it was a challenging read because it portrays experiences similar to those that I had as an infant. Of course, I have no memory of these events, but reading the book acted as a kind of window into my own past.
The Things We Cannot Say was good, but I didn’t like it quite as much. The story alternates between World War Two, Poland, in a small village on the outskirts of Warsaw, and modern-day Florida. I liked how it used historical fiction to explore the long-lasting and sometimes invisible impact of war through the generations. Still, I felt the writing was a little disconnected from the events it portrayed. Overall, the book was pretty good. It just didn't move me the way Katouh’s story did.
September means that school and my coaching job will start back up again. My goal for the coming month is to get back into writing and really dig in on this rewrite. I’ve even signed up to work with a productivity coach to help keep me on track. That’s it for now. I’ll be back next month with another update!
Sincerely,
Nelson/Roberto
Throughout most of January, I participated in the Under the Volcano writing residency in Tepoztlán, Mexico, which was an unforgettable experience that I will reflect on for some time. The remarkable people I met there inspired me to continue developing my craft.
This past month has been a good one. I was able to get some writing done and have finished seven chapters of my magical realism rewrite. I also started working on one of the new historical fiction scenes, and have been preparing for my writer’s retreat in Mexico.
This month’s update will be shorter, as most of November was occupied by my fall coaching job. Despite the hectic end of the season, I was able to get some writing done and prepare for my trip to Tepotzlán, Mexico.
