Where do I get my ideas? 

Frequently, readers ask me where I get my ideas.  Usually, I see or hear something that sparks my imagination.  For example, Confetti Girl was inspired by the novel Don Quixote and by the many colorful cascarones in my neighborhood.  My upcoming novel, Choke, was inspired by an actual experience during my time as a middle school teacher. After learning that girls at my school were playing the choking game, I knew I had to write about its dangers.  To all you aspiring writers out there, please remember that there is no end to inspiration if you keep your eyes and your ears open to all the stories around you.

What's new in my life? 
I moved!  I live in Victoria, Texas now.  It’s called The Crossroads because it’s within two hours of my favorite Texas cities: Corpus Christi, San Antonio, Austin, and Houston.  I’m working at the University of Houston-Victoria.  In addition to teaching, I work with CentroVictoria, an organization devoted to promoting Mexican-American literature.  I am very proud of the work we are doing especially of our journal Huizache, named for a common Texas tree that has beautiful gold blooms.  For more about CentroVictoria, please click here.

What are my other interests?
I love spending time with my family and friends.  I also like collecting bookmarks and refrigerator magnets, camping in state parks, playing board games, and walking or running around my neighborhood.  I took a watercolor class.  I’m awful!  No talent at all.  But, I absolutely love playing with the paints and seeing how they spill into each other creating new colors and shapes.  When I have whole days to myself (or five free minutes), I read.  I love books – digital, audible, and the old-fashioned ink-and-paper kind.