Talk Chisme to Me, Part IV: Biggest Influencers

Happy Latinx Heritage Month! Here on the blog, I am celebrating with a series called Talk Chisme to Me, which aims to highlight Latinx authors and their books. I am also running a Twitter giveaway, you can head on over here for all the info. For those who might have missed it, here are links to my previous posts in this series:

Talk Chisme to Me, Part I: The TBR

Talk Chisme to Me, Part II: Favorite Books By Latinx Authors I Read This Past Year

Talk Chisme to Me, Part III: New & Upcoming Releases

I owe so much of my passion for Latinx books to some amazing people in the book community. If you told me five years ago when I first started blogging that there would be a vast array of Latinx bloggers, authors, publishing folk advocating daily for more Latinx books, I would have regarded the comment pessimistically. I am so grateful to be a part of this particular group of Latinx bookish people and can’t wait to meet more of you. In this post I am giving a shout out to the biggest influencers in my life as a Latinx blogger. In no particular order…

1. Claribel Ortega – Probably the one person I associate most with book Twitter and advocating for more diverse books is Claribel. They are also the creator of the podcast Write or Die with Kat Cho, which I’ve enjoyed listening to so much. For anyone who wants to get into the publishing business, it’s a wonderful resource for a behind the scenes look. Find Claribel on Twitter here and website for their upcoming debut, Ghost Squad, here.

2. Tehlor Kay Mejia – I’ve been following Tehlor for years now and have admired her advocacy. Her debut, We Set the Dark on Fire, which focuses on two Latina characters falling in love in a fantasy/dystopian setting was a breath of fresh air. These are the kind of books that you don’t often see Latinx writers able to write and I am really looking forward to all the other books she puts forth throughout her career. Find Tehlor on Twitter here and her website here.

3. Latinx in Kid Lit – A few year ago when I was looking to pick up more books by Latinx authors, this was one of my most important resources. They keep a list of books by and about Latinx people. Find them on Twitter here and their website here.

4. Adriana – Creator of #ReadLatinx, Adriana is one of the most hardworking bloggers out there. She’s passionate about Latinx books and there are so many that I wouldn’t have known existed without her advocacy. She’s incredibly informative because of her hard work and is always helpful. I feel really lucky to have gotten to know her this year. Find her on Twitter here; her blog Boricua Reads; and her new website which house all the amazing interviews she’s been doing for Latinx Heritage Month and information on Sensitivity Reads here.

5. David Bowles – I have learned so much following David’s Twitter account. He is always so informative and pushes me to think differently about topics. If I had to pay to follow him, I would do it. He has such a vast array of literature to his name and I for one am looking forward to learning more from him. Find David on Twitter here and on his website here.

6. Las Musas – If you haven’t heard of this group made up of new Latinx authors on the MG and YA scene, you need to follow them now. I love how supportive they are of one another, but how they are also lifting up up-and-coming writers as well. They just launched a mentorship program for Latinx writers and I’m excited to see how these new faces shape the publishing scene. Find them on Twitter here and their blog here.

7. Latinx Book Club – This is a project I didn’t know I needed in my life. When Cande @ Latinx Magic sent out the bat signal for potential cohosts for this, I never imagined how quickly I would grow so fond of those in the group. Working so closely with everyone has been incredibly rewarding. You can find us on Twitter here and on our blog here. Special shout out to all my cohosts:

Cande – Twitter: @iamrainbou; Blog: Latinx Magic

Caro – Twitter: @santanareads; Blog: Santana Reads ; Also check out their new book tour project Sazón Book Tours, which focuses on Latinx books and book bloggers.

Dani – Twitter: @metamorphodani; Blog: Metamorphoreader

Jocelyn – Twitter: @joceraptor; YouTube Channel: yogiwithabook

Sofia – Twitter: @sofiainbookland; Blog: Bookish Wanderess

8. Latinx Squad gc – I joined this group chat only a few months ago and being a part of it has done wonders for me. I love having a place to vent if I have to without judgment. I love how supportive everyone is of one another. I can’t remember what life was like before this gc was born. I can’t name everyone, but you all know who you are and I love you 💕💕💕

9. Anna-Marie McLemore – Shout out to the one author who continually puts out content that makes me feel seen. If I had to choose only one author I could read for the rest of my life, it would be them. Anna-Marie McLemore has gone out of their way to make sure I got an ARC of their upcoming release and I will be forever grateful to have these kinds of authors in the community who see bloggers and appreciate them even when it feels like publishers do not.

10. Latinxbookbingo and @latinxathon – This year I am participating in both of these events for Latinx Heritage Month. The Latinx Book Club is also working with both groups as we read The Grief Keeper by Alexander Villasante this month, which we are calling #LatinxLitTakeover. I’m so glad we were able to organize this because it can sometimes feel like the Latinx bookish community is so small, but when we work together, I think we can do amazing things. I am really looking forward to any future events these groups do together.

**Special Note #1: I wasn’t able to include everyone, but want to make a quick shout out to Latinx in Publishing, We Need Diverse Books, The Bronx is Reading who are all out here doing the work of bringing diverse reads, including those by Latinx writers, to the community.**

**Special Note #2: Hey, if you’re a Latinx blogger and I don’t follow you on Twitter, I want to make sure I do, so drop your handle in the comments!***