Established in 2015, the Texas Book Festival’s Latinx Lit Tent returns for its fifth year at the Texas Book Festival, with sessions about writing and publishing in Spanish, inventive new fiction, bilingual storytimes, a celebration of the winners of the Tomás Rivera Mexican-American Book Award, and more. Sessions in our Latinx Lit Tent were curated by the Texas Book Festival’s Latinx Author Selection and Programming Committee. Take a look at the full schedule and join us on Congress Avenue the weekend of October 26-27!

Saturday, October 26

10:00AM – 10:45AM Bilingual Storytime with Tania de Regil
Author-Illustrator Tania de Regil reads from Un nuevo hogar, a story about the fears of moving to a new place as a little girl moves from Mexico City to New York City, while a little boy faces the reverse. Tania de Regil offers a heartwarming story that reminds us that home may be found wherever life leads.

10:30AM – 11:00AM Bilingual Storytime with Duncan Tonatiuh
Award-winning author Duncan Tonatiuh reads from Soldier for Equality: José de la Luz Sáenz and the Great War, the true story of a Mexican-American war hero. Despite his intellect and hard work was not given credit for his contributions in WWI. He joined other Mexican-Americans whom he had met in the army to fight for equality. His contribution, along with others, ultimately led to the creation of the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC), which is the oldest Latino civil rights organization.

11:30AM – 12:15PM Not Your Traditional Latinx Narrative
In boundary-pushing, inventive new works of fiction, Fernando Flores (Tears of the Trufflepig) and Rodrigo Márquez Tizano (Jakarta) use surreal, absurdist techniques to craft stories in modern settings, outside of the realm of traditional narratives. Join these two break-out writers as they discuss their irreverent and energetic approaches to the page.
Author(s): Fernando Flores, Rodrigo Márquez Tizano

1:30PM – 2:15PM What Can We Do? Actions to Help the Crisis at the Border
Children in detention centers, ICE raids in cities across the country, a constant rhetoric of racism from the highest office of government with fatal consequences; what can we do in the face of these enormous issues? Immigration lawyer J. J. Mulligan Sepúlveda (No Human is Illegal) and professor William Lopez (Separated) share specific actions we can all take.
Author(s): J. J. Mulligan Sepúlveda, William Lopez

2:45PM – 3:30PM New Latina Writers to Read Right Now
In new collections of short fiction and essays, Jennine Capó Crucet (My Time Among the Whites), Kali Fajardo-Anstine (Sabrina & Corina), and Ivelisse Rodriguez (Love War Stories) write about fitting in, family, and the intersection of love and community. Sharp, searing, funny and unforgettable, their work is at the forefront of today’s most indelible writing. Join them as they discuss their work.
Author(s): Ivelisse Rodriguez, Jennine Capó Crucet, Kali Farjado-Anstine

4:00PM – 4:45PM  So Much More: Life, Love and Fighting Adversity with Medium Zulema Arroyo Farley
Latina medium Zulema Arroyo Farley was living a fairy tale life with her husband when things suddenly took a drastic turn: she was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer, along with a number of other complex medical conditions. Today she shares her inspiring story of resilience and her commitment to living life to its fullest, as well as her experiences channeling her gifts as a medium to help others.
Author(s): Zulema Arroyo Farley

 Sunday, October 27

11:00AM – 11:30AM Bilingual Storytime with Megan and Jorge Lacera
Husband-and-wife duo Jorge and Megan Lacera read from Zombies Don’t Eat Veggies!, a story about a zombie with a dark secret…He loves veggies! Tomatoes? Tantalizing. Peppers? Pure perfection! The problem? Mo’s parents insist that their niño eat only zombie cuisine. As he questions his own zombie identity, Mo tries his best to convince his parents to give peas a chance.

12:00-12:45 Interpreting Our Stories: The Art and Work of Translation
Moving a story between languages is a unique art. Join Cristina Rivera Garza, Gabriela Courterier, and Liliana Valenzuela as they discuss the nuances of translation and their experience translating their own work and others’ writing into English and Spanish.
Author(s): Cristina Rivera Garza, Gabriela Couturier, Liliana Valenzuela

1:00 – 1:45 Cómo Lo Hice: Escribir y Publicar en Español (How I Made It: Writing and Publishing in Spanish)
What does it take for a new author to break out and publish a book in Spanish in the United States? Alba Letycia (El Mundo de Zaphirah) shares her experience writing a new novel of fantasy and magic for young readers in Spanish and publishing it for distribution in the U. S.
Author(s): Alba Letycia

2:15 – 3:00 Compressing and Condensing: Big Stories in Short Form
Short fiction and poetry can pack as much power and meaning into its pages as a 1,000 page novel. What does it mean to condense big topics into a brief form? Poets and short fiction writers ire’ne lara silva, Gabino Iglesias, and Edward Vidaurre share their processes for fitting big ideas and emotions into short works with lasting impact.
Author(s): ire’ ne lara silva, Gabino Iglesias, Edward Vidaurre

3:30 – 4:15 Voices From the Ancestors
Voices from the Ancestors brings together the reflective writings and spiritual practices of Xicanx, Latinx, and Afro-Latinx womxn and male allies who seek to heal from the historical traumas of colonization by returning to ancestral traditions and knowledge. The wisdom offered here appears in reflective essays, poetry, prayers, specific guidelines for healing practices, communal rituals, and visual art. Join the editors and contributors as they discuss how to live holistically and with a spiritual consciousness for the challenges of the twenty-first century.
Author(s): Lara Medina, Martha Cotera, Brenda Sendejo