Today we’d like to introduce you to Arlene Abundis.
Hi Arlene, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
My journey in becoming an author is best described through a quote from Victorian poet Adelaide Anne Procter. “No star is lost once we have seen, we always may be what we might have been.”
After staying home for over a decade to be the full-time caregiver of my children, I decided to go back to college. Initially to finish up my child development degree so I can teach again, but while taking a children’s literature class, I started a blog that connected motherhood and children’s books. Something so powerful ignited within me and a dream was born. Penning my own stories with a desire to not only see my culture and childhood experiences represented in traditional publishing, but heal wounds of never quite belonging.
As a child who was severely bullied in school, books were at times my only friends and a vehicle to escape my reality. I longed to see a protagonist that symbolized my unique cultural experience. Born to parents who migrated as refugees from Cuba, their suffering, oppression and diaspora, were the arbiter of all experiences and relationships. My father is also a former political prisoner so there was no going to my parent’s homeland.
We all face challenges, but would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Writing is hard, but the road to traditional publishing is even more difficult. Determination, tenacity, persistence, and patience are but a few requirements in this profession. Not to mention learning to see rejection as a source of fuel to propel one’s creativity rather than stifling it.
Persevering through the process while not getting discouraged is key. The years of rejection before that first book deal with HarperCollins arrived, I saw it all as an opportunity to learn about what works and doesn’t in the market. Even after breaking into the industry, there is still so much rejection to endure at every level. The tricky aspect for me as an author will always be in remaining vulnerable with my art while developing thick skin for the professional subjectivity. Pushing through those obstacles that will inevitably come my way.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
My work honors resilience through mental and emotional health. I write for kids who long to belong. To be a mirror that can help make sense of broken pieces, while finding beauty in them—like a kaleidoscope.
I became the first in my family to not only write a children’s book but also start therapy and heal generational trauma due to oppression, migration, and diaspora.
My debut picture book, Into the Mighty Sea, illustrated by Cynthia Alonso, is the story of a Cuban American girl named Mariel, whose emotions are a big sea of color that she must learn to sail through or get lost in the swells. Inspired by my journey with social anxiety. The book is scheduled to release in June of 2024 with HarperCollins Children’s.
Any advice for finding a mentor or networking in general?
Connection and community are pivotal in the traditional publishing arena. It’s all about finding your people–nuestra gente! In my case, those who connected with my work from a complex psychological Latina perspective and were willing to champion it. Becoming part of Las Musas was a launching pad in my career.
This is where I found my mentor and became part of a collective of Latinx women writers and illustrators evolving the canon of traditional children’s literature and celebrating diversity of voice, experience, and power in our communities. Coming together to support and amplify each other’s books.
Social media engagement on Twitter and Instagram with the writing and publishing community played an instrumental role as well in forming connections with authors, editors, literary agents, and professionals within the industry.
The Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators also provided resources through membership. From professional networking, community-building opportunities through webinars and workshops that supported my early career while learning the craft.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.arleneabundis.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/arleneabundis/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/ArleneAbundis
- Other: https://www.lasmusasbooks.com/arlene-abundis.html
Image Credits
Edwin Abundis
