Author Raquel Vasquez Gilliland will talk about the art of writing and her young adult novel, “How Moon Fuentez Fell in Love with the Universe,” at Teen Book Club on Saturday, July 12 at 2 p.m. in the Library’s Jones Meeting Center.
Teen Book Club meets once a month for ages 12-18 to discuss young adult books, do hands-on activities, and share a love of reading. Registration is required; the first 10 teens who register can pick up a free copy of the book at the second-floor Information Desk.
Raquel Vasquez Gilliland is a Mexican American poet, novelist, painter, mother, and plantswoman. Her work explores myths, folklore, and the lineages of all things. You can find her fiction and poetry in the Library’s collection.
We talked with her recently about her writing and inspiration.
What advice would you give teens who want to be writers?
Read as many books as possible. Read widely and wildly. Read sci-fi, mysteries, romances, poetry, and collections of short stories and essays. A variety of good writing teaches us how to write well without us even realizing it.
How did you first become a writer?
I knew I wanted to be a writer when I was eight years old and realized that I could be a writer. That’s when I began writing stories. I wrote poetry, short stories, essays, and novels my whole life. I took classes on writing and eventually got a degree in poetry. Even now, with almost seven published books under my belt, I still listen to lectures and read books on how to write. There is always room for improvement and inspiration.
Where do you draw inspiration when you’re crafting a story?
Other books inspire me the most, especially the books I consider masterpieces, that I can read over and over again and never tire of the story or poetry. But I’m also inspired by my garden, flowers, hummingbirds, and bees. I’m inspired by my family and ancestral inheritance, as well as my research in areas of interest: perfumery, seed-saving, how to make lotion.
July’s Teen Book Club is sponsored by the Friends of the Johnson City Public Library.
You can find more upcoming summer programs for teens on our events calendar. Follow Johnson City Public Library on Facebook and Instagram to get daily updates about Library programs, collections, and services.
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