September Updates
Hello all! It's been ages since I touched base with my newsletter. What better time to do so than when I'm on deadline?
I've had a whirlwind few months since The Hacienda came out. I visited the Book of the Month Club offices for an event celebrating The Hacienda, appeared on their podcast and a bunch of others, spent fourteen hours in LaGuardia fighting delays and cancellations trying desperately to get to my PhD graduation (I made it!), bounced across the globe to see friends in Europe in July, and then spent a month in Canada with my in-laws. But, like it does every summer, August slipped away into a moment in time, and here we stand on the threshold of the end of the year.
Not that I'm mad about it. If the atmosphere of The Hacienda didn't already clue you in, spooky season is my time. I can feel my creativity perk up as the mornings grow crisper. And once the leaves start to change? There's no stopping me.
I've had a whirlwind few months since The Hacienda came out. I visited the Book of the Month Club offices for an event celebrating The Hacienda, appeared on their podcast and a bunch of others, spent fourteen hours in LaGuardia fighting delays and cancellations trying desperately to get to my PhD graduation (I made it!), bounced across the globe to see friends in Europe in July, and then spent a month in Canada with my in-laws. But, like it does every summer, August slipped away into a moment in time, and here we stand on the threshold of the end of the year.
Not that I'm mad about it. If the atmosphere of The Hacienda didn't already clue you in, spooky season is my time. I can feel my creativity perk up as the mornings grow crisper. And once the leaves start to change? There's no stopping me.
The Hacienda in the Press
According to The New York Times, "Cañas’s talent elevates Beatriz’s struggle to a thing of uncanny, chilling beauty. Hauntings, exorcisms, incantations, forbidden love—The Hacienda transports one to a world where love triumphs over demons." I'm sorry, did you just say a thing of uncanny, chilling beauty?? Brb, off to get this framed.
Barnes & Noble included The Hacienda in their round-up of the 10 best books of the year so far alongside the latest novels from luminaries such as Emily Henry, Emily St. John Mandel, and Hanya Yanagihara. My soul left my body, y'all.
Barnes & Noble included The Hacienda in their round-up of the 10 best books of the year so far alongside the latest novels from luminaries such as Emily Henry, Emily St. John Mandel, and Hanya Yanagihara. My soul left my body, y'all.
Short Fiction
You can find the short stories of mine that were published this summer on my website. My favorite child of the trio is "There Are No Monsters on Rancho Buenavista," a wicked little flash piece that provides a sneak peek at the setting and vibes of my Book 2.
Events
Last night, I chatted with Romina Garber, Priscilla Oliveras, and Caridad Piñeiro on the Ashland Public Library's Latina Heritage Author Panel. If you missed it, you can catch the recording of it here.
I will be speaking with Grady Hendrix at the New England Independent Booksellers Association in Providence, RI on Sept 23! I can't wait!
This November, I am partnering with National Novel Writing Month to provide writers taking on the annual challenge with pep talks and chatty Instagram takeovers! I have participated in NaNoWriMo every year since 2013 (funnily enough, the only year I actually achieved the goal of writing 50,000 words in 30 days) and am very passionate about their message and mission. NaNoWriMo made me the writer I am today, so this is a dream come true!
I'll also be popping in to visit a few book clubs here and there over the course of the autumn, but I need to keep my eye on the prize of revising Book 2. I am being 110% honest when I say it has really put me through the wringer. It turns out that when you write the first draft of a book in a feverish haze in between dissertation chapters, it ends up being really messy and requiring extensive rewrites. Whadayya know! 🙃
Though this book has been my most troublesome (and humbling) child to date, I'm still obsessed with the characters and passionate about its setting. It's quite different from The Hacienda, but still has my signature mix of horror and romance. Keep a weather eye on my newsletter and social media this November for an announcement about Book 2, its cover (and believe me when I say it is a glorious cover), and preorder links!
Speaking of, I should really get back to it, shouldn't I?
xx Isabel
I will be speaking with Grady Hendrix at the New England Independent Booksellers Association in Providence, RI on Sept 23! I can't wait!
This November, I am partnering with National Novel Writing Month to provide writers taking on the annual challenge with pep talks and chatty Instagram takeovers! I have participated in NaNoWriMo every year since 2013 (funnily enough, the only year I actually achieved the goal of writing 50,000 words in 30 days) and am very passionate about their message and mission. NaNoWriMo made me the writer I am today, so this is a dream come true!
I'll also be popping in to visit a few book clubs here and there over the course of the autumn, but I need to keep my eye on the prize of revising Book 2. I am being 110% honest when I say it has really put me through the wringer. It turns out that when you write the first draft of a book in a feverish haze in between dissertation chapters, it ends up being really messy and requiring extensive rewrites. Whadayya know! 🙃
Though this book has been my most troublesome (and humbling) child to date, I'm still obsessed with the characters and passionate about its setting. It's quite different from The Hacienda, but still has my signature mix of horror and romance. Keep a weather eye on my newsletter and social media this November for an announcement about Book 2, its cover (and believe me when I say it is a glorious cover), and preorder links!
Speaking of, I should really get back to it, shouldn't I?
xx Isabel
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