Stories Dictators Tell
An overview of common stories that dictatorships and despotic regimes tell to justify their power and policies.
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Contested Histories: International Perspectives, Part 2
The second part of my presentation on “Contested Histories” at the AWP conference, which focuses on the Cold War in Latin American and my own writing.
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“Should I Stay or Should I Go?”
Discussing Gringolandia’s portrayal of resistance and exile at a panel on historical fiction at the NCTE16 conference, and post-election choices we face today.
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Know Your History
Knowing history is key to making informed decisions in the present, because we can see the consequences of similar decisions in the past.
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Returning to Portugal and Seeing the Changes
Thoughts on returning to Portugal, seeing the changes, and researching a historical novel that takes place there in 1966.
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Killing Your Darlings, and Bringing Them Back to Life
My bonus content for the YA Scavenger Hunt, a deleted scene that leads to my comments on the importance of “killing your darlings” in revision.
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Winner, Los Angeles Times Book Prize for Young Adult Literature, 2023!
