Author Chat With Diana López (LOS MONSTRUOS: FELICE AND THE WAILING WOMAN), Plus Giveaway! ~ US Only!

Today we are very excited to share a special interview with author Diana Lopez (Los Monstruos: Felice and the Wailing Woman)!

Read on to learn more about her, her book, and a giveaway!

 

 

 

Meet the Author: Diana Lopez

Diana López is the author of the adult novella Sofia’s Saints and numerous middle grade novels, including Confetti Girl, Nothing Up My Sleeve, and Lucky Luna. Her debut picture book, Sing With Me: The Story of Selena Quintanilla, is available in English and Spanish. She also wrote the novel adaptation for the Disney/Pixar film Coco. Diana retired after a 28-year career in education at both the middle grade and college levels, but she still enjoys meeting with students when she visits schools to chat about books and writing. She lives in her hometown of Corpus Christi, Texas.

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About the Book: Los Monstruos: Felice and the Wailing Woman

The twelve-year-old daughter of La Llorona vows to free her mother and reverse the curses that have plagued the magical town of Tres Leches in this delightfully sweet and spellbinding adventure by beloved author Diana López.

When Felice learns that she’s the daughter of La Llorona, she catches a ride to the magical town of Tres Leches, where her mother is said to be haunting the river. Growing up with her uncle Clem in Corpus Christi, Felice knew that she had been rescued from drowning—it’s where her intense fear of water comes from—but she had no idea her mother remained trapped between worlds, looking for her. Guided by the magical town’s eccentric mayor, Felice vows to help her mother make peace with the events that turned her into the most famous monstruo of US–Mexico border lore. Along the way, she meets the children of other monstruos, like La Lechuza and the Dancing Devil, and together they free Tres Leches from magical and metaphorical curses that have haunted its people for generations.

Diana López’s electric return to middle grade—the first in a series—brims with magic, adventure, and Mexican folklore, and is perfect for fans of Ghost Squad by Claribel Ortega and the Jumbies series by Tracey Baptiste.

Purchase * Goodreads

 

 

 

~Author Chat~

 

YABC:  What gave you the inspiration to write this book?

FELICE AND THE WAILING WOMAN is inspired by a legend I heard often while I was growing up, and that is the story of La Llorona, a ghost-woman who haunts rivers and who will drown anyone who comes near. In the legend, she drowns her children in an act of revenge after being betrayed by her lover (in some versions, her husband). There are quite a few books and movies featuring or alluding to her, and she is always this monstrous creature. I wanted to look into her character a bit more, and I did this by asking a “what if” question. What if there’s more to the story? What if one of La Llorona’s children survived? My novel is about this surviving child and her journey to meet her mother.

YABC: Who is your favorite character in the book?

 Mayor Reynaldo was so fun to write. He drives a monster truck called El Cucuy. He can be quite bombastic when he gives his speeches. As the mayor, he’s implemented some funny solutions to common problems, like planting bell peppers in all the potholes. He often talks in riddles. He can be careless, but he’s got a big heart. I think of him as the trickster character in the book, and those trickster characters are often my favorites.

YABC: What scene in the book are you most proud of, and why?

I’m most proud of the opening scene. In it, the children of Tres Leches (the fictional South Texas town where the story takes place) are going on a field trip to La Llorona Park. The scene does a good job of reeling in the reader because the students are dreading this field trip and you can’t help but wonder why. These beginning pages introduce us to the legend of La Llorona and foreshadow the magical nature of the town, but they also have lots of action and adventure.

YABC:  What came first, the concept, landscape, characters, or something else?

My protagonist, Felice, came first because almost as soon as I asked, “what if one of La Llorona’s children survived,” I imagined this girl with an adventurous spirit but also a deep fear of the water she’d have to face if she ever wanted to meet her mother. That’s all I knew about her for a while. Then, one day I’m in this store when I see a Happy Face emoji purse. I knew it belonged to Felice, so I bought it and put it on my desk as an inspirational prop for the story.

YABC:   What can readers expect to find in your books?

I tackle some serious topics for young readers—grief, trauma, peer pressure, bullying, and the angst that young people often deal with—but I always add a touch of humor because I enjoy stories that offer a broad range of emotions. Readers of my books can also expect to find images, values, and traditions influenced by my Mexican American and South Texas heritage. I love bringing in the foods, phrases, music, and legends I grew up with. It’s especially meaningful when I visit schools in my neighborhood where the students recognize themselves in the story.

YABC: What is your favorite snack when writing?

I don’t really snack on food when I write, but I love to have a tall, cold glass of water or Diet Coke.

YABC:    What’s your least favorite word or expression and why?

My least favorite expressions is “and stuff.” I used to have a terrible habit of saying “and stuff” all the time because I was being too lazy to actually name what the stuff was.  Sometimes, nothing was in my mind, but I said “and stuff” as a sort of verbal version of the period. Writing fiction is all about being specific—not dog but German Shepherd, for example. It’s also about tangible imagery that can transport your readers to another place and time. No one wants to read a story with “and stuff” all over the place. Luckily, I broke the habit, but when I’m being lazy, I now say “this and that,” which is just as bad.

YABC:   What’s up next for you?

My next LOS MONSTRUOS book is called ROOSTER AND THE DANCING DEVIL. It follows Rooster, himself a devil, as he journeys in search of children who have run away from Tres Leches.

YABC: What is your favorite holiday or tradition and why?

 I love the cascarones that are a part of our Easter celebration. These are eggshells filled with confetti. On Easter, we sneak up to people and crack the cascarones on their heads. This tradition is featured in my first middle grade novel called CONFETTI GIRL. More than cracking the eggs, I enjoy making the cascarones. Every year starting in January, my mother would save eggshells. I would see the stack of cartons on top of the refrigerator. Then, a few days before Easter, our family would gather to paint the eggs and fill them with the confetti we made from old magazines and a hole punch. I love how we gathered together, spending all that time to make something we planned to break in a few days.

YABC:   Is there anything that you would like to add?

Just a giant THANK YOU for giving me an opportunity to chat about my book.

 

 

 

Title: LOS MONSTRUOS: FELICE AND THE WAILING WOMAN

Author: Diana López

Release Date: April 18, 2023

Publisher: Kokila; Penguin Young Readers

ISBN-10: 0593326497

ISBN-13: 9780593326497

Genre: Middle Grade Fantasy

Age Range: 8-12

 

 

 

~ Giveaway Details ~

Five (5) winners will receive a copy of Los Monstruos: Felice and the Wailing Woman (Diana Lopez) ~US Only!

 

*Click the Rafflecopter link below to enter the giveaway*

 

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