The Texas Book Festival featured Nepantla Familias: An Anthology of Mexican American Literature on Families in between Worlds (Wittliff Literary Series and Texas A&M University Press) for the month of April 2021. Sergio Troncoso moderated a panel with three contributors, including Francisco Cantu, Diana Lopez, and Jose Antonio Rodriguez.
"A deeply meaningful collection that navigates important nuances of
identity."
—Kirkus Reviews, starred review
https://therumpus.net/2021/04/the-rumpus-interview-with-sergio-troncoso/
"Anyone who has left their
home and tried to find a new one in a strange place — at times welcoming
and at times hostile — they should find themselves in the work of
Mexican American writers exploring nepantla. Anyone who has felt stymied
by ancestors and their demands, yet also emboldened by their sacrifices
and forgotten values — they should find themselves. Anyone who has
forged a self from pieces of many worlds, to fit and not fit in a new
home, who has balanced on many beams to understand different sides —
yes, they should find themselves. Anyone who has loved another from a
different world — they should recognize a version of themselves. And
anyone who has crossed any border to create who they are, rather than to
take who they are for granted, rather than to assume a place belongs to
them — and suffered the consequences for it — they will find their
fellow travelers, their kindred spirits."
The Wittliff's literary curator, Steve Davis talks to author Sergio Troncoso about his new book, Nepantla Familias (Texas A&M Press and The Wittliff Collections), an anthology of Mexican American authors writing on the topic of families living "in-between" cultures and how their experiences can help us all have more empathy for one another.
Sergio Troncoso answers questions sent to him by Christina Chiu for a series on a writer's journey and craft: Personal Journey, Writer's Process, Guidance and Inspiration, Craft Sustainability, Three Words of Advice.
• Personal Journey When did you start writing? When did you realize/consider yourself a writer? What have been struggles? How did you overcome them? What has motivated you?
• Writer’s Process What is your process? Are you a 9-5er? A middle of the night-writer? A “spurt" writer? Is there anything you do that you find particularly helpful? Do you have a lucky trinket or habit?
• Support Guidance and Inspiration Do you ever get discouraged? How do you handle it? Do you have a support group? Writer group? Community group? Where do you draw inspiration? Do you get writer’s block? How do you get over it? How do you handle interference—a new situation that makes it difficult to write/work?
• Craft Sustainability How do you sustain being a writer? What are some pitfalls to look out for? Any recommendations as to how to make it for the long haul? How do you fill the well?
• Three words of added advice What are they and why? Anecdote? (also, do you live by them?)
