LAS COMADRES CELEBRATES ITS MEMBERS ACCOMPLISHMENTS & BOOK NEWS --- OCTOBER

Comadres Lead the Way! 

 Join us in celebrating our Comadres Accomplishments and Book News. 

(This list is for promotional purposes only and not intended as an endorsement of any kind.)

ACCOMPLISHMENTS 

Amina Ali (New York, NY) – was accepted into the Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing (Fiction) program at the City College of New York (CCNY), for Fall 2025. 

Andrea Arroyo (New York, NY) – is thrilled to share that her exhibition featuring 80 artworks from “Imaginations: Art as Solidarity” is on view at St Just Le Martel, France. Also, her exhibition in New York “Viva la Vida”, inspired by the Mexican Day of the Dead, opens on October 25 at the Sugar Hill Museum in Manhattan. 

Carmen L. Bonilla (Mayaguez, Puerto Rico) – is currently developing an online course to help working adults further develop their interpersonal communication skills in the workplace. It will be part of a larger course to help with workforce and career readiness. Carmen provides job seekers all over the US with coaching, helping them with resumes, interview preparation, and everything related to job search. Two of her job seekers landed their next roles recently. 

Lynette Correa-Velez (Chicago, IL) – is A.I. Founder/CEO of the Pagame Project w/RitaAI tech start-up, and created the inaugural "Latinas in A.I. & Business Panel" & co-presented at the annual 2025 Chicago Latina Expo on October 4. Lynette was awarded the "2025 Empowering Latinas Award" by United Latinas National during the 2025 HHM United Latinas Virtual Conference in Oct 2025. She was 1/3 awardees in the U.S. which had over 400 nominations nationally. She was also quoted in Forbes Magazine for #LatinaEqualPayDay on 10/8/2025! Check out the article here: https://www.forbes.com/sites/lyannealfaro/2025/10/08/latinas-are-powering-the-freelance-boom-but-a-pay-gap-persists/ 

Julieta Corpus (Donna, TX) – was named First Poet Laureate of Donna, Texas. 

Dori Contreras (San Antonio, TX) – was presented with a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Judicial Section of the State Bar of Texas (Sept 3) and the Hidalgo County Bar Association (May 22). 

Eris Garriga (Brooklyn, NY) – will be participating in a "Congreso Aguadillano de Historia" on October 23rd and 24th at the University of Puerto Rico, Aguadilla Campus (CORA). Her topic is Cultura Culinaria Aguadillana (Culinary Culture of Aguadilla). This is as part of the 250th year anniversary of the foundation of Aguadilla. 

Karina Martinez (Austin, TX) – participated as a designer in the Austin Woman Magazine and the ACC Fashion Incubator Fashion Show at Macy's on September 18th. 

Dora Elias McAllsister (Oak Park, Chicago, IL) – On September 9, Dora finished a 100K (62 miles) walk on the Camino de Santiago (the way of St. James), an ancient pilgrimage route across Spain. Bravo!

Raquel V. Reyes (Miami, FL) – On October 1st, 2025, Raquel became the first Latina to be president of Sisters in Crime. Sisters in Crime was founded in 1986 to promote the ongoing advancement, recognition and professional development of women crime writers. 

Dr. Donna San Miguel (San Marcos, CA) – was appointed President of Mana de North County San Diego. 

 

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COMADRE AUTHORS 

Maritere Bellas (Manhattan Beach, CA) – has a new book out, TIO RICKY DOESN’T SPEAK ENGLISH / TIO RICKY NO HABLA INGLES, from Lil’ Libros. The book is a bilingual children’s book/ middle grade. 

Flor Chaidez (Los Angeles, CA) – Flor’s book, THE TELEMENTAL HEALTH WORKBOOK, was published by Kendall Hunt Publishing, and available in English and Spanish. The book offers telemental health therapists a collection of engaging and innovative strategies for working with children and adolescents. 

Nylda Dieppa (Orlando, FL) – Her poetic chapbook, CRUMBS: POEMS ON THE JOURNEY FROM RATIONED TO REPLETE, has qualified as a finalist in the Royal Palm Literary Award competition.

Congratulations to all !

LAS COMADRES & FRIENDS ANNOUNCES ITS BOOKS OF THE MONTH FOR OCTOBER

 

The Las Comadres & Friends National Latino Book Club is pleased to announce its Books of the Month for October:

 

  

 

LOS MUERTOS: DAY OF THE DEAD FICTION edited by Adela Pineda Franco (Trinity University Press) – The first anthology of fiction devoted to the Day of the Dead celebratory holiday written by Mexican and Mexican American writers.  Twenty plus stories related to memorializing the dead.  (NOTE: Publisher offering 20% discount. Use the code Comadres20 for paperback only.  Here’s the link:  https://tupress.org/9781595343130/los-muertos/)

VANISHING DAUGHTERS by Cynthia Pelayo (Thomas & Mercer) – This Bram Stoker Award-winning author has written a chilling suspense thriller about a haunted woman stalked by a serial killer and the nightmares of real life.   (NOTE:  Kindle Unlimited has this book for $0 now.)

 

  

SAVE THE DATE!  Mark your calendars for Monday, October 27, 8pm ET for the monthly Live Author Podcast when we will get a chance to talk to the authors and ask them about their books.   Register today for the podcast and you may win a FREE BOOK: https://latinolit.com/join-teleconference/

  

Shop for your books here:  https://bookshop.org/shop/lascomadresbookclub

 

Subscribe to the Las Comadres YouTube Channel for more author interviews.  Here's the link to last month's Live Author Podcast: https://youtu.be/jg4yB6FefVM?si=s_xr01YyWGxqVy1L

 

    

Happy Reading and Always Read Latino Lit!

 

 

LAS COMADRES CELEBRATES ITS MEMBERS ACCOMPLISHMENTS & BOOK NEWS FOR MONTH OF SEPTEMBER

 Comadres Lead the Way!

 

 

Join us in celebrating our Comadres Accomplishments and Book News.  

This list is for promotional purposes only and not intended as an endorsement of any kind.

 

 

 

ACCOMPLISHMENTS

 

     

Julia Abrantes (Delray Beach, FL) – Celebrated 20 years being cancer free from malignant melanoma. Amen.

 

Olga Campos Benz (Austin, TX) – Honored to receive the Community Leadership Award presented during the inaugural Latina Legacy Awards hosted by the Foundation of the Greater Austin Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. Fellow Latina Legacy Award recipients include the Honorable State Rep. Lulu Flores, Yolanda Sanchez, Dr. Susan Warner Sanchez, Julie Ann Zuniga, and Raquel Valdez Sanchez. The luncheon and presentation occurred on June 12.

 

Bobbie Garza-Hernandez (San Marcos, TX) -- Courtney Enriquez received the Award of Excellence - Emerging Artist from the Emma S. Barrientos - Mexican American Cultural Center (in July).  She was also featured in a solo exhibit of her signature Loteria artwork at La Pena Gallery, on Congress Avenue, Austin, TX throughout the month of July.

 

Ligiah Villalobos Rojas (Studio City, CA) -- Her short play “woman Ascending” will be part of the Luminous Streets Project the last two weeks in September.  

 

 

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COMADRE AUTHORS

 

 

Nyx Coronado (Phoenix, AZ) --- Her debut romance novel, THE DHAMPIR’S ACOLYTE, is out now.  It’s a romance between a solitary dhampir and a merchant’s daughter. Can their romance withstand his ruthless family or will it cost her life?

 

Gina Isabel Rodriguez (Wilbraham, MA) -- I published my first piece of journalism on a lost documentary about the 1973 Chile coup: https://current.org/2025/08/why-wnet-backed-away-from-groundbreaking-coverage-of-the-chile-coup/

 

 

 

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Congratulations to all !

 

 

LAS COMADRES & FRIENDS BOOK CLUB ANNOUNCES BOOKS OF THE MONTH FOR AUGUST

The Las Comadres & Friends National Latino Book Club is pleased to announce its Books of the Month for August:

    

      

         

ONE SUMMER NIGHT by Caridad Pineiro – family feuds have kept these childhood sweethearts apart for far too long. Now they are breaking free.

ART ABOVE EVERYTHING by Stephanie Elizondo Griest – author travels to 10 nations where she interviews legendary artists, painters, poets, dancers, et al and asks them is art enough?

For complete book summaries and author bios visit:  www.latinolit.com.

SAVE THE DATE!  Mark your calendars for Monday, August 25, 8pm ET for the monthly zoom Teleconference where we will get a chance to talk to the authors and ask them about their books.   

 

Register today for the teleconference and you may win a FREE BOOK: https://latinolit.com/join-teleconference/

  

 

Subscribe to the Las Comadres YouTube Channel for more author interviews.  Here's the link to last month's teleconference:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E9oFSBen7sg

 

AND!  Check out our Summer Reading List.  20 hot reads here:  https://latinolit.com/2025-summer-reading-list/

 

   

Happy Reading and Always Read Latino Lit!

 

 

LAS COMADRES CELEBRATES ITS MEMBERS ACCOMPLISHMENTs AND BOOK NEWS FOR AUGUST 2025

Comadres Lead the Way! 

 Join us in celebrating our Comadres Accomplishments and Book News. This list is for promotional purposes only and not intended as an endorsement of any kind.

 

ACCOMPLISHMENTS (in English and/or Spanish) 

Sally Acevedo (Austin, TX) – Su nuevo blog; "Creer Sin Dogmas" es un espacio para explorar la espiritualidad sin ataduras, a través de reflexiones profundas, mitos e historia. Descúbrelo aquí: https://open.substack.com/pub/sallyear Sally tiene certificación en Inteligencia Artificial. Plataformas ChatGPT, Gemini, Grok y otras Plataformas de generación de contenido y lenguaje. 

Sandra Dominguez (El Paso, TX) – Congratulate Sandra on her New Job as Clinical Education Coordinator at The Hospitals of Providence. 

Mirta Rinaldi (Queens, NY) – On April 2025, Mirta got a Diplomatura Universitaria en Sommelier de Yerba Mate from Escuela Argentina de Té. Yerba mate is the national drink of Argentina, and she’s very proud of this achievement. Now, a “matear” con Mirta!!! 

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 COMADRE AUTHORS 

 Congratulations to our COMADRE AUTHORS on their latest publications. 

Maritere Bellas (Los Angeles, CA) – Her bilingual children’s picture book, TIO RICKY DOESN”T SPEAK ENGLISH/ TIO RICKY NO HABLA INGLES, will be released in October by Lil’Libros.

Karen Gonzales (Denver, CO) – RAMAS Y RAICES: THE BEST OF CALMA was honored as an Anthology Finalist at the 2025 Colorado Book Awards on July 26, 2025, celebrating Colorado’s best literature published in 2024. It will be the Conversations With Book selection of the Las Comadres & Friends Book Club in September, 2025. Karen is co-founder of CALMA and one of her stories appears in the anthology. 

Mireya Perez-Bustillo (Brooklyn, NY) – Three of Mireya’s poems were accepted for publication in Voices-online journal of Li2program at G-Center CUNY. 

Nimia Ramos Beauchamp (San Juan, PR) – She self-published a AYurPermaVerse Coloring Book series for middle grade children, which has proven very popular. 

Gabriela Rives (San Antonio, TX) – Her book, I CHOSE YOU, was just released by Editorial Portable. This is a Self-Help/ Motivational book, and also available in Spanish – YO TE ELEGI. 

 Lourdes Ruan (Lewisville, TX) – Her book, PAIN, MASTER OF LIFE, is full of autobiographic anecdotes. It is available in Spanish as well, DOLOR, MAESTRO DE VIDA. Dr. Lisette Sanchez (Long Beach, CA) – Her article, “Why Being ‘The Strong One’ Is a Form of Self-Sabotage,” was published in Oprah Daily! On July 21st. Here is the link: https://www.oprahdaily.com/life/health/a65417974/real-strength-rest-healing/

Congratulations to all ! 

LAS COMADRES & FRIENDS BOOK CLUB ANNOUNCES JULY BOOKS OF THE MONTH

 

The Las Comadres & Friends National Latino Book Club is pleased to announce its July Books of the Month:

 

     

BROTHER BRONTE by Fernando A. Flores (MCD Books) – It’s 2038 and reading has been outlawed. Two women fight to save their dystopian border town—and literature!—in this near-future adventure.

 

MALINALLI by Veronica Chapa (Primero Sueño Press) – A real-life historical figure, Malinalli was considered a goddess, a slave, a traitor.  She was all those and this is her story.

 

 

For complete book summaries and author bios visit:  www.latinolit.com.

  

SAVE THE DATE!  Mark your calendars for Monday, July 28, 8pm ET for the monthly zoom Teleconference where we will get a chance to talk to the authors and ask them about their books.   

 

Register today for the teleconference and you may win a FREE BOOK: https://latinolit.com/join-teleconference/

  

Shop for your books here:  https://bookshop.org/shop/lascomadresbookclub

Subscribe to the Las Comadres YouTube Channel for more author interviews.  Here's the link to last month's teleconference: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zkckqqwctEs

 

Check out our Summer Reading List.  20 hot reads here:  https://latinolit.com/2025-summer-reading-list/

 

   

Happy Reading and Always Read Latino Lit!

 

CELEBRATING OUR COMADRES ACCOMPLISHMENTS & BOOK NEWS -- JULY 2025

 Behind every great woman... is another great woman.  -- Kate Hodges

Comadres Lead the Way!

 

 

Join us in celebrating our Comadres Accomplishments and Book News.  

This list is for promotional purposes only and not intended as an endorsement of any kind.

 

 

 

ACCOMPLISHMENTS

 

 

Andrea Arroyo (New York, NY) -- Happy to share that her most recent exhibition in Turkey received a wonderful response from the local audience and the international media, including this article in Proceso Magazine.

 

Gloria Cisneros Lenoir (Austin, TX) – is a level 2 practitioner of Quantum Healing Hypnosis Technique. This is very exciting work and she has seen miracles happen. She has not set up a website but you can find her on this site: https://members.qhhtofficial.com/members/gloria-cisneros-lenoir/

 

Lynette Correa-Velez (Chicago, IL) -- was selected to be 1/10 TEDx speakers for BoricuaTalks based in Chicago, IL. On June 27, Lynette presented her TEDx talk titled “Lessons Rooted in Mami’s Legacy” at the National Museum of Puerto Rican Arts & Culture (NMPRAC) sharing her Mom’s career & life journey & how it influenced Lynette’s newest role as an A.I. tech start-up Mamipreneur & Founder/CEO of www.PagameProject.com. 

-----Lynette is also proud to share that her 9-year old son, Arturo, competed at the 2025 AAU Junior Olympic Track & Field tryouts in Rockford, IL in June 2025. He brought home 2 Gold medals (400m & shotput), 1 Silver medal (100m), & 1 Bronze medal (200m). You can follow his pre-Junior Olympic journey at Instagram: ArtSonic2016.

 

Chrissie Dickerson Ramirez (Houston, TX) -- announced her retirement as owner/sole proprietor of Casa Ramirez FOLKART, a beloved cultural retail establishment in Houston. Established in 1985 by her late husband, Macario Ramirez, who died in 2020, Chrissie will close the business on March 31, 2026, at the end of the current lease.  The Ramirez were long-time Las Comadres supporters.

 

Patty Gonzales (Fresno, TX) -- For her 60th birthday she hiked the highest mountain in Texas, Guadalupe Peak with an elevation of 8,751 ft. It's a big deal when you live in flat land Houston.

 

Lisa Liang (L.A., CA) – She screened her film, Alien Citizen, and held a Q&A and writing workshop with students at USC on April 24.

 

Carmen Peña (New York, NY) -- Co-founded "Wrapped in God’s Love™" LLC (2024), a faith-centered lifestyle brand focused on spreading God’s love through apparel, books, and coaching.  Also, founded & recently launched "LatinaRise.org" (2025), a faith-based platform supporting Latina leaders globally.  (Book pending; see below.)  And, Carmen also co-founded The Love Movement (2025), dedicated to emotional and mental health, suicide prevention, and spiritual growth. Follow her on Instagram@carmen.pena.

 

Donna San Miguel (Temecula, CA) -- Graduated with a Ph.D. in Leadership Studies from the University of San Diego.   

 

Jennesse Torres (New York, NY) -- started a job with the Office of Legal Affairs for the City of New York!

 

 

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COMADRE AUTHORS

 

Congratulations to our COMADRE AUTHORS on their latest publications.

 

 

Danza de Cuatro Brazos by Sylvia Heller (Nueva York Poetry) – a dance poetry book.  Sylvia is from New York, NY.

 

HOW TO STOP FOR GOOD by Carmen Peña (New York, NY) -- a guide to lasting transformation and healing — available in both English and Spanish. 

 

La huerta de los nómadas by Sylvia Heller (Ediciones Loynaz) – honors the fertility goddesses of the world, mother earth and the path toward the simplicity of a garden.

Latina Rise™: Step into Your Divine Destiny with Faith, Love, and Purpose by Carmen Peña (New York, NY) -- a book created to empower Latinas to rise in leadership, faith, and purpose. Will be published this year in English first, Spanish following.  See the launch of corresponding organization above.

 

QUANTAM GRATITUDE: A WOMAN’S 5-MINUTE DAILY JOURNAL FOR MANIFESTING LOVE, ABUNDANCE, HARMONY AND UNEXPECTED JOYS by Ana Parra Vivas (Houston, TX) – published in March, this project is especially meaningful to Ana—it’s designed to help women cultivate peace, clarity, and manifestation through the simple yet powerful practice of daily gratitude.  If you're interested in weekly inspiration on mindset, inner peace, and manifesting with intention, you’re warmly invited to join my newsletter Manifest Mondays:  https://www.anaparravivas.com/weekly-inspirational-emails.

 

Warriors for Social Justice: Maria Jimenez of Houston and Mexican American Activists by Linda J. Quintanilla (University of North Texas Press) – pub March 2025.  Linda is from Austin, TX.

 

 

 

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Congratulations to all ! 

Comadres Lead the Way !