Month: April 2023

Behind the Scenes with Mary Teresa Toro, author of El Pilon

Some people just think in poetry, and Mary Teresa is one of them. In this episode, we’ll hear Mary Teresa’s process for writing El Pilon, and learn how to lure wild roosters into our lives.

Mary Teresa Toro an aging Puerto Rican living in the woods of North Alabama with Frank, her husband of fifty-three years, Bitsie, a crazy mix of Weiner dog and mystery, and Ki-Ki-Ri-Ki, a random rooster who wandered onto the homestead.

Poetry: El Pilon by Mary Teresa Toro

When is a modest pilon more than a useful kitchen tool? When it’s the only thing you can touch when your loved one is gone.

Mary Teresa toro is an aging Puerto Rican living in the woods of North Alabama with Frank, her husband of fifty-three years, Bitsie, a crazy mix of Weiner dog and mystery, and Ki-Ki-Ri-Ki, a random rooster who wandered onto the homestead.

Behind the Scenes with Robert Rene Galvan, author of God’s Country

Delve into the fascinating world behind this lush poem. In more selfish news, Rene gave Teresa back a piece of her childhood. She may be listening to R.Carlos Naki’s Canyon Trilogy on repeat now.

Robert René Galván, born in San Antonio of Indigenous/Mexican heritage, resides in New York City where he works as a professional musician and poet. His collections of poems are Meteors, published by Lux Nova Press and Undesirable: Race and Remembrance, Somos en Escrito Foundation Press, Standing Stones, Finishing Line Press and The Shadow of Time, Adelaide Books. His poetry has been featured in such publications as The Acentos Review, Adelaide Literary Magazine, Azahares Literary Magazine, Gyroscope, Hawaii Review, Hispanic Culture Review, Latino Book Review, Newtown Review, Panoply, Prachya Review, Sequestrum, Shoreline of Infinity, Somos en Escrito,  Stillwater Review, West Texas Literary Review, andUU World. He is a Shortlist Winner Nominee in the 2018 Adelaide Literary Award for Best Poem. Recently, his poems are featured in Puro ChicanX Writers of the 21st Century (2nd Edition) and in Yellow Medicine Review: A Journal of Indigenous Literature, Art and Thought. His poems have been nominated for Best of Web and the Pushcart Prize. His poem, Awakening, was featured in the author’s voice on NPR as part of National Poetry Month in the Spring of 2021.

You can find Rene on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.

Poetry: God’s Country by Robert Rene Galvan

In this poem, enter a world that is at once fairytale and post-apocalyptic. And above all, don’t drive through it like hell.

Robert René Galván, born in San Antonio of Indigenous/Mexican heritage, resides in New York City where he works as a professional musician and poet. His collections of poems are Meteors, published by Lux Nova Press and Undesirable: Race and Remembrance, Somos en Escrito Foundation Press, Standing Stones, Finishing Line Press and The Shadow of Time, Adelaide Books. His poetry has been featured in such publications as The Acentos Review, Adelaide Literary Magazine, Azahares Literary Magazine, Gyroscope, Hawaii Review, Hispanic Culture Review, Latino Book Review, Newtown Review, Panoply, Prachya Review, Sequestrum, Shoreline of Infinity, Somos en Escrito,  Stillwater Review, West Texas Literary Review, andUU World. He is a Shortlist Winner Nominee in the 2018 Adelaide Literary Award for Best Poem. Recently, his poems are featured in Puro ChicanX Writers of the 21st Century (2nd Edition) and in Yellow Medicine Review: A Journal of Indigenous Literature, Art and Thought. His poems have been nominated for Best of Web and the Pushcart Prize. His poem, Awakening, was featured in the author’s voice on NPR as part of National Poetry Month in the Spring of 2021.

Behind the Scenes with Lyzs Flo, author of Wela

In which Lysz teaches Teresa about Pastelon, forever changing her life for the better. Also, there are never enough love poems about family/friend love, and Lysz walks us through how she wrote this one. Be prepared for some deep moments, like when Lyzs says “Sometimes people save you in ways that you have no words for.”

Lysz Flo is an Afrolatinx, trilingual spoken word artist, author of fiction and poetry, member of The Estuary Collective, and a podcast host of Creatively Exposed, Grubstreet educator, and Voodoonauts Summer 2020 Fellow. She released her poetry novel Soliloquy of an Ice Queen, March 2020. You can find her work at:
https://www.lyszflo.com,  her podcast Creatively Exposed at:  https://anchor.fm/lyszflo, and the Lysz Flo Reflects Chapbook at: https://www.indiebound.org/book/9780368106927?aff=LyszFlo 

12 Steps is a Zine—part 1.5 to Soliloquy of an Ice Queen—a collection of poems about releasing the addiction to desire & loving someone in steps. The ugly, the difficult, heartbreaking and faltering of letting go. Go to https://simplebooklet.com/12steps1 for the audio/ebook if you want to hear Lysz read to you $7.77

You can get a limited edition, signed print copy https://astrolyszics.com/products/12-steps-of-letting-go for $11.11 plus shipping

Poetry: Wela by Lysz Flo

“Wela, Vieja, who loves moons on her nails

and stars in my eyes.”

Sometimes the greatest love stories have nothing to do with romance. This is one of them.

Lysz Flo is an Afrolatinx, trilingual spoken word artist, author of fiction and poetry, member of The Estuary Collective, and a podcast host of Creatively Exposed, Grubstreet educator, and Voodoonauts Summer 2020 Fellow. She released her poetry novel Soliloquy of an Ice Queen, March 2020. You can find her work at:
https://www.lyszflo.com,  her podcast Creatively Exposed at:  https://anchor.fm/lyszflo, and the Lysz Flo Reflects Chapbook at: https://www.indiebound.org/book/9780368106927?aff=LyszFlo

12 Steps is a Zine—part 1.5 to Soliloquy of an Ice Queen—a collection of poems about releasing the addiction to desire & loving someone in steps. The ugly, the difficult, heartbreaking and faltering of letting go. Go to https://simplebooklet.com/12steps1 for the audio/ebook if you want to hear Lysz read to you $7.77

You can get a limited edition, signed print copy https://astrolyszics.com/products/12-steps-of-letting-go for $11.11 plus shipping

Behind the Scenes of This is Not a Love Song, by Brunilda Bonilla

Brunilda couldn’t make it to the podcast, so in today’s episode, Teresa and her daughter discuss the wonders of grilled cheese, and whether or not you can judge someone operating outside their comfort zone. You can listen to the song Godzilla mentioned on the episode byclicking here.

Brunilda Bonia, Esquire, is a Puerto Rican and a practicing attorney for the past 25 years. She specializes in family/matrimonial law. She lives in New Jersey with her husband, three daughters and tuxedo cat, Pepper. On January 27, 2022 her first children’s book, BLUE, was published by Pegasus Publishing Ltd.

Fiction: This is Not a Love Song by Brunilda Bonilla

A woman walks into a cafe in Italy with her boyfriend–will she walk out with him or alone? In this episode, Brunilda Bonia deftly imagines a moment of decision in a busy cafe.

Brunilda Bonia, Esquire is Puerto Rican who has been a practicing attorney for the past 25 years. She specializes in family/matrimonial law. She lives in New Jersey with her husband, three daughters and tuxedo cat, Pepper. On January 27, 2022 her first children’s book, BLUE, was published by Pegasus Publishing Ltd.

Behind the Scenes with Natalia Figueroa Barroso, author of Abuela’s Mark

Can you really put childhood on a dinner plate? How can you fictionalize a true story and still remain true to its spirit? Tune in to get the answers to all these questions and more.

Natalia Figueroa Barroso is a Uruguayan-Australian writer who lives on Dharug Country. Natalia has appeared in Sweatshop Women: Volume One, Racism: Stories on Fear, Hate & Bigotry, SBS Voices, Story Casters, Any Saturday, 2021. Running Westward, Kindling and Sage, Between Two Worlds, The Big Issue, Puentes Review, Meanjin and Overland.

Fiction: Abuela’s Mark by Natalia Figueroa Barroso

“Mamá orders me to clean Abuela’s room as she tames her curly blonde hair into a tight bun and rolls up the sleeves on her black and blue flannel shirt. Mamá stands in front of me with her pale blue eyes and hands me an orange duster. She is ready to clean and pack Abuela’s belongings away. I stand at the door with my arms crossed. Mamá hits the top of my head with the duster, ‘¡Dale vos encargate del cuarto de la Abuela! Don’t make me tell you again.’”

Natalia Figueroa Barroso is a Uruguayan-Australian writer who lives on Dharug Country. Natalia has appeared in Sweatshop Women: Volume One, Racism: Stories on Fear, Hate & Bigotry, SBS Voices, Story Casters, Any Saturday, 2021. Running Westward, Kindling and Sage, Between Two Worlds, The Big Issue, Puentes Review, Meanjin and Overland.