I intend to blog every week, but I was consumed by a revision that required everything from me. I'm working on a YA that hopefully will come out in 2027 (we're still figuring out the season). I've had this idea for a long, long time, but it wasn't the first proposal I had sent my new editor.
Many of you know that Algonquin Young Readers was merged with Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, and my dear editor left to a different publisher. We worked on Furia, Our Shadows Have Claws, and The Beautiful Game together. I had sent her Hear Ye Mortals, but it wasn't a good fit for the publishing house anymore, so I set it aside (I was later allowed to shop it elsewhere and it's now going to be published by Levine Querido--the perfect place for it).
My new editor at LB is incredible. I'm so starstruck by her. A couple of years ago a book she edited was the Newbery winner, and everything she edits is spectacular. After a little back and forth and brainstorming, we settled on my princess book (which I was calling Iris, the Princess of las Pampas). My character is very different from my other girls. to start with, she's a royal princess, like, for real. Compared that to my Camila who (like me when I was her age) lives in government housing, or any of my other characters who aren't privileged that way. But it's so much fun to write Iris too because of this. In every other way, she's very much one of my characters. Rebellious, good-hearted, stubborn, a trouble maker. I love her so much.
This draft was a complete re-write. I sent it at 75,000 words, but the end needs a lot of expansion and development, which is okay. I know the feeling I'm writing towards, and that's more important to me than the actual events. I did the best I could with the time I had, but I won't deny I'm nervous. I'm both waiting anxiously for the editorial letter, and also hoping I won't get one until the new year because I need to rest.
This year was hard for me health wise. I got covid in March and had pneumonia until August. It took me a long time to feel well. The brainfog was the worst, and I was so impatient with myself. I am better now, taking all kinds of vitamins, exercising, and trying to sleep better, but it's December and like every year I feel I'm running on fumes, dragging myself to the finish line.
I need to recover strength because I have a lot of plans for next year. I need to finish Iris, draft a new book for Scholastic, and I have a middle grade in my soul that I need to get out of my heart before I burst. It's been patiently waiting for four years now. I'm also working on a new project with Amparo, who I co-edited Shadows with.
2025 has been a busy year, but it's been great. I turned forty-eight years old last week, and I just love my imperfect, messy life so much. I feel well in my skin, and I'm very excited with so many things I want to do, all the places I want to go to.
To start with, Rosalia just announced her tour dates for ext year, and I'm debating not whether or not I'll go but where: Las Vegas, Buenos Aires, or Puerto Rico?
Okay, I'll stop rambling, and I'll hopefully be back soon with more end of the year musings. If you don't hear from me, it's because I got my editorial letter. But please, listen to Lux so we can talk about it. I'm obsessed.
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