Contemporary Authors

• Tina Cocolina: Queen of the Cupcakes ( picture book) Random House (New York, NY), 2010
• The Epic Fail of Arturo Zamora ( middle-grade novel) Viking (New York, NY), 2017
• Marcus Vega Doesn't Speak Spanish ( middle-grade novel) Viking (New York, NY), 2018

1. Marcus Vega doesn't speak Spanish LCCN 2017052895 Type of material Book Personal name Cartaya, Pablo, author. Main title Marcus Vega doesn't speak Spanish / by Pablo Cartaya. Published/Produced New York : Viking, [2018] Projected pub date 1808 Description pages cm ISBN 9781101997260 (hardcover) Item not available at the Library. Why not? 2. The epic fail of Arturo Zamora LCCN 2016052204 Type of material Book Personal name Cartaya, Pablo, author. Main title The epic fail of Arturo Zamora / Pablo Cartaya. Published/Produced New York : Viking, 2017. Description 236 pages ; 22 cm ISBN 9781101997239 (hardcover) CALL NUMBER PZ7.C24253 Ep 2017 Copy 1 Request in Jefferson or Adams Building Reading Rooms 3. Tina Cocolina : queen of the cupcakes LCCN 2008034175 Type of material Book Personal name Cartaya, Pablo. Main title Tina Cocolina : queen of the cupcakes / by Pablo Cartaya and Martin Howard ; illustrated by Kirsten Richards. Edition 1st ed. Published/Created New York : Random House, c2010. Description 1 v. (unpaged) : col. ill. ; 26 cm. ISBN 9780375858918 (trade : alk. paper) CALL NUMBER PZ7.C24253 Tin 2010 FT MEADE Copy 1 Request in Jefferson or Adams Building Reading Rooms - STORED OFFSITE CALL NUMBER PZ7.C24253 Tin 2010 LANDOVR Copy 2 Request in Jefferson or Adams Building Reading Rooms - STORED OFFSITE

• Pablo Cartaya - http://www.pablocartaya.com/bio/

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR
  BOOKS
  THE EPIC FAIL OF ARTURO ZAMORA
  (Viking Children’s Books/Penguin Random House)

  MARCUS VEGA DOESN’T SPEAK SPANISH
  (Viking Children’s Books/Penguin Random House)

  TINA COCOLINA: QUEEN OF THE CUPCAKES
  (Random House Children’s Books)

  Short Bio (150 words)

  Pablo Cartaya is an award-winning author, speaker, actor, and educator. He is the author of the acclaimed middle grade novel The Epic Fail of Arturo Zamora and the forthcoming Marcus Vega Doesn’t Speak Spanish. His next two novels will debut on the new Kokila Penguin/Random House Imprint, which focuses on publishing diverse books for children and young adults. Pablo has acted on stage and television (notably co-starring on NBC’s "Will & Grace") and frequently gives talks around the country on writing, reading, and multilingualism. He holds an MFA from Vermont College of Fine Arts and currently serves as faculty at Sierra Nevada College's MFA in Writing. Awards and Honors include: American Library Association’s Pura Belpré Honor, Audie Award Finalist for Middle Grade Audiobook of the Year (for narration and title), Cybils Award Finalist, Texas Lone Star Reading List, Publisher’s Weekly Flying Start, and the 2018 Thurber House Writer-in-Residence. Visit him at: pablocartaya.com / Twitter: @phcartaya

  Longer Bio

  Pablo Cartaya is an award-winning author, speaker, actor, and educator. He is the author of the acclaimed middle grade novel The Epic Fail of Arturo Zamora and the forthcoming Marcus Vega Doesn’t Speak Spanish. His next two novels will debut on the new Kokila Penguin/Random House Imprint, which focuses on publishing diverse books for children and young adults. Pablo has acted on stage and television (notably co-starring on NBC’s "Will & Grace") and frequently gives talks around the country on writing, reading, and multilingualism. He is the co-author of the picture book, Tina Cocolina: Queen of the Cupcakes (Random House Children’s Books, 2010), a contributor to the literary magazine, Miami Rail; the Spanish language editorial, Suburbano Ediciones; and a translator for the poetry chapbook, Cinco Poemas/Five Poems based on the work of the poet Hyam Plutzik.

  Pablo has been a guest speaker at Florida International University’s Exile Studies Program, University of Miami's Lowe Museum, and has visited schools throughout the US. He leads an Knight Foundation Arts Grant funded initiative through The Betsy Hotel called Escribe Aquí, which promotes and supports bilingual authors and creatives from around the world with a focus on Iberoamerican authors and artists. He holds an MFA from Vermont College of Fine Arts and a BA from Loyola Marymount University. He currently serves as lead faculty at Sierra Nevada College's low residency MFA in the Writing for Children and Young Adults track.

  Awards and Honors include: 2018 American Library Association’s Pura Belpré Honor, 2018 Audie Award Finalist for Middle Grade Audiobook of the Year (for narration and title), 2018 Cybils Award Finalist, 2018 Texas Lone Star Reading List, 2017 Publisher’s Weekly Flying Start, and the 2018 Thurber House Writer-in-Residence.

  He calls Miami home and Cuban-American his cultura. Visit him at: pablocartaya.com / Twitter: @phcartaya

• Penguin Random House - https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/authors/94207/pablo-cartaya

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR
  Meet Pablo Cartaya!

  Pablo has always been a hopeless romantic. In middle school he secretly loved reading Shakespeare’s sonnets (don’t tell anyone), and he once spent his allowance on roses for a girl he liked. He also wrote her eight poems. Bad ones. He’s been writing ever since. Pablo has worked in Cuban restaurants and the entertainment industry, and he graduated with an MFA from Vermont College of Fine Arts. All of these experiences have helped him write stories that reflect his family, culture, and love of words. Pablo lives in Miami with his wife and two kids, surrounded by tías, tíos, cousins, and people who he calls cousins (but aren’t really his cousins). Learn more about Pablo at pablocartaya.com.

• Kid Lit 411 - http://www.kidlit411.com/2016/09/Kidlit411-Author-Pablo-Cartaya-MFA-Writing.html

  Author Spotlight: Pablo Cartaya & MFA in Writing

  Sept. 23, 2016

  This week KidLit411 presents author PABLO CARTAYA.

  Pablo is the author of the forthcoming middle-grade books, THE EPIC FAIL OF ARTURO ZAMORA and MARCUS VEGA DOESN'T SPEAK SPANISHh. This past summer Pablo led the new low residency MFA in Writing for Children & Teens at the Sierra Nevada College in Lake Tahoe and we've invited him to share more about the program with us.

  Welcome Pablo!

  Can you tell us a little bit about yourself?

  Hi! Well, I'm a Virgo. I'm Cuban American and I love spending time reading on the beach and listening to my kids playing in the sand. I secretly (not so secretly) love musical theatre,. I'm a basketball fanatic, oh wait, that's not what you're looking for is it?

  Ahem, let me start over. I'm an author who has organized literary festivals, led literary initiatives (in English y en Español), and served on committees that promote literacy in places all over the country. This past summer, I had the privilege of leading the new low residency MFA in Writing for Children & Young Adults at Sierra Nevada College in Lake Tahoe.

  Can you tell me what the MFA in Writing for Children & Young Adults is exactly?

  It's a Master's degree program geared for writers and working professionals looking to obtain a terminal degree while working with writers and industry professionals in the field (in our case, the field of writing for children & young adults) who serve as faculty mentors and advisors. This MFA is a terminal degree that gives you the ability to teach at the collegiate level, has possible financial advancement opportunities for K-12 teachers, and provides writers tools for publication. But really there is a great deal more you get.

  What exactly is low residency?

  Many low residency MFAs are similar in their structure and many have incredible programs but allow me to talk about SIERRA NEVADA COLLEGE LAKE TAHOE for a moment. The low residency format at SNC means there are a total of five residencies that students attend physically on campus. There are two 10-day residencies a year (early January and early August) on our beautiful campus in Lake Tahoe with one overseas trip every fifth residency.

  While in residency, students attend track-specific workshops and also have a choice of electives they can take that cover various areas of writing and literature in general. There are also community readings, mini lectures and panels, special guest author, agent, and editor visits, and several excursions to inspire the creative spirit.

  Our program Director, the wonderful poet and all around awesome dude, Brian Turner had the brilliant idea of putting all disciplines together in one residency. That means the Writing for Children and Young Adult track students are immersed with the Fiction, Creative Nonfiction, and Poetry students throughout residency. It really makes for a wonderful combination of writers creating together under the auspices of our beautiful campus. We are all writers after all and the community at SNC Tahoe is a testament to that.

  So what happens after the physical residency on campus?

  After each residency you are paired with a faculty mentor for the semester. A semester is in the Fall and the Spring. During the semester you write and read and analyze work in the field that helps you in your own writing. Your mentor is a working writer for the first three semesters and for your final one it is a working editor.

  This is unique because no program in the country offers students the opportunity to work with a working editor in their field of study. The idea is you are working to complete a publishable manuscript by the time you graduate in your fifth residency. So you have three major things you will have upon graduation:

  1. A terminal Master's degree enabling you teach in the field.

  2. A publishable quality manuscript

  3. A series of faculty mentors who will become your champions as you journey forth after graduation

  Wow, that's pretty cool! Does that guarantee getting published?

  No, I'm afraid it doesn't but I can assure you it will make you incredibly prepared because of the various mentorships and the level of work you will do throughout your graduate education. Plus there is a great network of life long colleagues you build throughout your time in the program. It's a program built for the life of a working writer and meant to prepare you for that life.

  You mentioned faculty mentors who are also authors. Can you tell me who they are?

  We have several faculty on staff but our core consists of several award-winning and NYT bestselling authors and illustrators including: Lisa Papademetriou, Joe McGee, Gayle Brandeis, Chris Millis, myself, and literary agent Jess Regel. Yes, we have a literary agent on faculty. There are visiting faculty that come to residencies like Ellen Hopkins among others. And we will soon have an editor from one of the major houses on staff also. I can't say who yet but it's really cool. All in all you are getting the top of the top in faculty mentors here at SNC Tahoe.

  You mentioned an oversees residency?

  Oh yes. And it's amazing. What you see below is Goblin Hill, Jamaica and those gorgeous bungalows are where students, faculty, and staff will be staying from January 2-11, 2017 for Winter residency. Yes, this coming January residency we'll be in Jamaica reading, writing, and creating under the blue skies and waters of Jamaica. Can you tell I'm excited?

  Amazing! So what does one have to do to apply?

  You apply here (HTTP://WWW.SIERRANEVADA.EDU/ACADEMICS/HUMANITIES-SOCIAL-SCIENCES/MFA-IN-CREATIVE-WRITING/MFA-APPLICATION-REQUIREMENTS/).

  Admissions are rolling so there's time to apply and get on the Jamaica trip this January because, you know, it's Jamaica for writers!

  Any last thoughts you want to share?

  Look, it's a big step to get your MFA. Like I mentioned there are great programs out there. SNC Tahoe is unique in that it offers an editor semester, has an agent on faculty actively mentoring students, and residencies where every discipline in literature spends time together. It's a wonderful place to get a terminal master's degree.

  How can we reach you if we have questions?

  Send me an email to PCARTAYA (AT) SIERRANEVADA (DOT) EDU. I am happy to serve as a guide in your application process and to answer any questions. SNC Tahoe isn't a massive institution (even though the college has been around since 1969). It's a personalized experience with a world class organization that is actively seeking unique voices in children's literature.

  Thanks so much for having me!

  Pablo Cartaya is the author of the forthcoming middle-grade books, THE EPIC FAIL OF ARTURO ZAMORA and MARCUS VEGA DOESN'T SPEAK SPANISH (Viking Children’s Books/Penguin Random House), and the co-author of the picture book, TINA COCOLINA: QUEEN OF THE CUPCAKES (Random House Children’s Books).

  Pablo has been a guest lecturer at Florida International University’s Exile Studies Program, visited schools throughout the northeast and South Florida, and hosted many literary events throughout the region. Pablo has led the development of various literary programs through The Betsy-South Beach's Philanthropy, Arts, Culture, and Education programs and has served on many panels and presentations. He holds an MFA from Vermont College of Fine Arts and a BA from Loyola Marymount University and currently serves as lead faculty for at Sierra Nevada College's low residency MFA in the Writing for Children and Young Adults track. He calls Miami home.

• Publishers Weekly - https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/childrens/childrens-authors/article/74164-spring-2017-flying-starts-pablo-cartaya.html

  Spring 2017 Flying Starts: Pablo Cartaya
  By Ingrid Roper | Jun 30, 2017
  Comments subscribe by the month

  The initial inspiration for Pablo Cartaya’s The Epic Fail of Arturo Zamora came after Newbery Medalist Matt de la Peña spoke at Vermont College of Fine Arts, where Cartaya was pursuing his M.F.A. in writing for children and young adults. “I had been writing for a long time, but Matt sparked something new. He was Latino like me, and it spurred me to explore my identity.” That night Cartaya returned to his dorm and furiously wrote 10 pages of what would become this standout novel about Arturo, a 13-year-old teenager from an extended Cuban family in Miami, who tries to save their restaurant from a greedy land developer while also learning the story of his grandparents’ courtship and navigating his first romance.

  Five years elapsed between that evening and Cartaya’s wife buying the book at their local bookstore in Miami. Cartaya credits revision and persistence as he completed his studies in Vermont and worked in restaurants in New York City to support himself while writing.

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  Although his own big, loud Cuban American family “did not own a restaurant and do not live all together in an apartment complex,” Cartaya mined his experience in crafting the narrative. “As I started exploring the novel I drew a lot from my own cultural heritage, community, and family traditions,” he says. While he strove to make Arturo’s family specific and unique, he also hoped to touch on universal themes of family and love. “I wanted to convey that feeling of family as both wonderful and overwhelming,” he says. Cartaya thinks of the novel as a love letter to his grandparents, who sacrificed everything for a new start in the United States in 1961. “My abuelo managed a factory in Cuba. They left a comfortable middle class lifestyle, and he became a mechanic in the U.S. and my abuela became a flight attendant.” In his novel, the magnetic, generous Abuela heads the family with gentle strength, and her warmth makes customers feel especially welcome. When she gives Arturo the love letters from his grandfather, he learns about his family history, love, and poetry.

  Cartaya’s path to landing an agent was far from typical. He spent the ’90s working as an actor in Los Angeles. A friend from those days, Jess Regel, moved to New York and eventually became an agent at Foundry Literary + Media. When the two got back in touch as Cartaya was working on his book, Regel saw promise in the novel. “It’s a great story about old friends,” he said, “but [working together] was always about the writing.”

  When Cartaya started working with his editor Joanna Cardenas at Viking, he felt she immediately grasped the cultural and linguistic nuances of his work. “Joanna immediately got it that if we italicize the Spanish it makes it the other. It’s my job as the writer to make sure the reader has enough context to understand the word.”

  In The Epic Fail of Arturo Zamora, Cartaya employs a variety of narrative techniques, including texting, scriptlike dialogue, and letters. “I’m in love with words and how narrative can reflect different relationships,” he said. For example, in scenes between Arturo and his friends, the use of script narration reflects the direct nature of their friendship and the rapid-fire humor of their dialogue.

  One of Cartaya’s greatest surprises about the publishing process has been how much he enjoys revision. “Revision is where you discover the real heart of a story.” He particularly embraced revision in writing his next novel, Marcus Vega Doesn’t Speak Spanish (Viking, spring 2018). When he turned in his first draft set in Miami and Puerto Rico, Carderas suggested moving the American part of the story to a new location. “She wanted to show that Latino culture is not monolithic and can be anywhere.”

  Cartaya now focuses most of his time on writing and teaches at a residency program at Sierra Nevada’s M.F.A. in writing for children and young adults. He finds that teaching feeds his writing. “You flex your editorial eye while teaching, and it gives me a more discerning way to look at my own work,” he says. When not traveling, he follows a strict writing schedule that also allows him to concentrate on his two children, driving them to and from school and taking charge of homework and dinner. “That’s my most important job,” he says. “One of the coolest things is when I hear my kids say, ‘My dad’s an author.’ I worked hard to claim that title.”

  A version of this article appeared in the 07/03/2017 issue of Publishers Weekly under the headline: Pablo Cartaya

• Latinos in Kid Lit - https://latinosinkidlit.com/2018/01/29/spotlight-on-middle-grade-authors-part-4-pablo-cartaya/

  JAN
  29
  2018
  Spotlight on Middle Grade Authors Part 4: Pablo Cartaya

  By Cindy L. Rodriguez

  This is the fourth in an occasional series about middle grade Latinx authors. We decided to shine a spotlight on middle grade writers and their novels because, often, they are “stuck in the middle”–sandwiched between and overlooked for picture books and young adult novels. The middle grades are a crucial time in child development socially, emotionally, and academically. The books that speak to these young readers tend to have lots of heart and great voices that capture all that is awkward and brilliant about that time.

  Today, we highlight Pablo Cartaya.

  Pablo Cartaya is the author of the acclaimed middle-grade novel, The Epic Fail of Arturo Zamora (Viking, 2017); Marcus Vega Doesn’t Speak Spanish (Viking, 2018); and two forthcoming titles in 2019 and 2020 also to be published by Viking. He is a Publisher’s Weekly “Flying Start” and has received starred reviews from Kirkus, Booklist, and Publisher’s Weekly. For his performance recording the audiobook of his novel, Pablo received an Earphone Award from Audiofile Magazine and a Publisher’s Weekly Audiobooks starred review. He is the co-author of the picture book, Tina Cocolina: Queen of the Cupcakes (Random House, 2010), a contributor to the literary magazine, Miami Rail; the Spanish language editorial, Suburbano Ediciones; and a translator for the poetry chapbook, Cinco Poemas/Five Poems based on the work of poet Hyam Plutzik. Pablo visits schools and universities throughout the US and currently serves as faculty at Sierra Nevada College’s MFA in Creative Writing. www.pablocartaya.com / Twitter: @phcartaya

  Pablo Cartaya
  Q. Who or what inspired you to become a writer?

  A. I’ve been a storyteller since I was a little kid performing originally written shows in my living room every time my parents had someone over for dinner. During cena I would quietly (sometimes not so quietly) go over story ideas that would lead to epic performances en la sala while the guests and my parents ate dessert and sipped cafécito on the sofa. My parents always encouraged that creative spirit. In many ways, Mami and Papi were my first inspirations. Since those early days I’ve always had stories swirling around my imagination. These stories have taken many forms over the years: writing plays, teleplays, telenovelas, picture books, nonfiction, poetry (sometimes really bad poetry), and then one fateful day in graduate school, the voice of a fourteen year old Cuban American kid named Arturo made his way into my consciousness. It was the first time I let the character in the story do the talking. What I found was a kid who was like me and who had dared to dream himself into the narrative. The process of discovering Arturo’s world has been one of the great joys of my creative life. In a way, The Epic Fail of Arturo Zamora is a lifetime in the making of becoming the writer I am today.

  Q. Why do you choose to write middle grade novels?

  A. I don’t actually choose to write middle grade novels. It’s more like a bunch of thirteen and fourteen year olds make the loudest noise in my sub consciousness. I believe writing is an act of submission to the fictive state. Allowing a story or a character to take hold and dictate the terms of what, when, where, and how the narrative will go. As the writer I give in and let the character tell me what he or she wants to talk about. It’s frightening at times but there is something about that act of discovery that is exciting and enlightening. A character usually pops into my head and a scene plays out. For example, in my next novel, Marcus Vega Doesn’t Speak Spanish, I imagined this really tall, brooding fourteen year old trying to convince his little brother who has Down syndrome to take a bath. From there, I started asking these characters questions and they revealed parts of their lives they wanted to tell. After that it’s all about revising, revising, and more revising to get to the heart of the character’s story.

  Q. What are some of your favorite middle grade novels?

  A. Ah! This question is always the hardest! How do you pick a favorite child? You can’t do it! Okay I’ll name some but they are by no means a final list! We’ll just call it a fluid favorite, okay? As a kid I devoured everything Jules Verne – Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea is one of my all time favorites although I don’t know if it qualifies as distinctly middle grade. I also think it’s important to recognize the great work contemporary middle grade authors are writing. Jason Reynolds is doing some pretty incredible work. I just finished Patina and it’s awesome. Celía Perez has a kick butt middle grade out called The First Rule of Punk, Rita Williams Garcia’s Clayton Bird Goes Underground is fantastic. I happen to adore R.J. Palacio because Wonder was the first novel my daughter read from beginning to end and it made her a lover of books. There are so many! Make me stop! Make me stop! I see a great mix of characters and stories out there and I’m excited for what’s to come from these and many other brilliant authors in the field.

  Q. If you could give your middle-grade self some advice, what would it be?

  A. Don’t be afraid to fail. You are not perfect nor should you try to be. Find your voice and hold onto it for dear life. Is that too much advice? Would my thirteen-year-old self just ignore me? Probably.

  Q. Please finish this sentence: “Middle grade novels are important because…”

  A. They are sneaky deep. It’s the time where wonder, adventure, occasional failure, and the possibilities of happiness coexist to create a sense of hope for the future. It’s also a place where kids get to be kids and goof off from time to time. I like that mix.

• Spa Finder - https://www.spafinder.com/blog/health-and-well-being/fathers-day-qa-pablo-cartaya-author-childrens-books-proud-parent-two/

  A Father’s Day Q&A with Pablo Cartaya, Father & Author of Children’s Books
  Published: Monday, June 12th 2017 in Living Well by Graciela Flores
  Pablo Cartaya Author
  I first met Pablo Cartaya during a presentation of one of his books. He was reading Tina Cocolina, his first book, and had kids from the audience role playing the story very vividly. Pablo truly has a natural ability to engage both kids as well as adults. As part of our Father’s Day Newsletter Edition, I decided to reach out to Pablo for a Q&A on fatherhood and his latest book, The Epic Fail of Arturo Zamora.

  “I am a father first. Followed by an author, speaker, actor, and pretty much everything else after.” This is how Pablo describes himself. Pablo is the author of The Epic Fail of Arturo Zamora (Viking/Penguin Random House), the forthcoming Marcus Vega Doesn’t Speak Spanish, and Tina Cocolina (Viking/Penguin Random House). When he is not traveling, he spends his days writing, revising, cooking, and doing homework with his two very awesome kids who call him Papa. You can visit him at: www.pablocartaya.com

  Pablo Cartaya Reading The Epic Fail of Arturo Zamora

  When/How did you decide to be a writer?

  I decided to become a writer when I realized the power of books. Books allow you to transcend time, space, place, and person. They unlock your thoughts, challenge your beliefs, raise questions, and with a little luck, allow you to dream yourself into a story. Reading is like yoga for the soul. It is a uniquely human endeavor.

  Why children’s books?

  Young people just get things better than we do. Plus they’re so much cooler than we are.

  Tell us a bit about your latest book The Epic Fail of Arturo Zamora.

  The book is the story of a thirteen-year-old boy named Arturo Zamora who is fighting a greedy land developer threatening to tear down his abuela’s restaurant. Arturo has a first encounter with love, discovers poetry, and learns the importance good old-fashioned community activism. Family is at the heart of this book, plus food. Lots and lots of food. I’m happy to say the book has received starred reviews from Kirkus, Publisher’s Weekly, Booklist, been an Amazon Best Book of the Month choice, a Barnes and Nobles Best Book of the Month, and is on “50 Most Brilliant Books of Summer” for Scholastic Teacher Summer Reading Guide. You can buy it wherever books are sold. Here is a link to the publisher’s website: (http://tinyurl.com/japdq8m)

  Epic Fail of Arturo Zamora

  I understand that your schedule allows you to spend a lot of time (more than the average American father) with your kids. How do you see the role of fathers in the 21st century?

  I understand that my schedule is a privilege I worked very hard to attain. That being said, it isn’t always easy. Sometimes I have deadlines and can’t spend the time with my kids. But they understand I work at home and are amazing about it. Truly.

  I can’t speak to all of fatherhood in the 21st century but I can look at the kind of father I hope to be. My role is to be a fervent supporter of my kids. To give them a sense that they can make their own choices and if they stumble and need me, they know I’ll be there. And I make it a point to thank them every day for being amazing humans.

  What are some of the most challenging aspects of being a dad?

  I want so desperately to do right by my children, to make things as easy for them as possible. But it’s not perfect. They will make mistakes. I will make mistakes. The thing I hope the most is that they grow up to be good human beings who are independent, hard working, and care about their world.

  Learn more about Pablo at www.pablocartaya.com

• April is for Authors - https://www.aprilisforauthors.org/pablo-cartaya.html

  DID NOT INCLUDE

• The Booking Biz - https://thebookingbiz.com/2017/09/interview-pablo-cartaya-jobs-manatees-musicals/

  Interview: Pablo Cartaya on Jobs, Manatees & Musicals
  Posted on September 1, 2017
  Pablo Cartaya
  Pablo Cartaya
  Middle-grade author Pablo Cartaya isn’t just one thing: He’s an author, speaker, educator and actor. And in our interview, we discovered he’s got plenty of other sides too.

  Booking Biz: What does your average day look like?

  Pablo: My average day consists of looking for manatees in Biscayne Bay while the Miami skyline gleams in the humid sun. My afternoons consist of hanging with my six-year-old Marine Biologist son and ten-year-old dancer, actor, director, writer, producer, choreographer, fashion designer, president daughter. Most days we’re at the library. Some days we’re eating ice cream. Everyday we’re being awesome. The rest of the time I’m writing. Unless I’m travelling. Then my day is totally different. But that will require a much longer answer. NOTE: None of this happens without my morning cup(s) of coffee.

  Booking Biz: When you’re not writing, what do you like to do best?

  Pablo: See above. Other than that, I love to travel and really dig going on adventures/vacations with my kids. I’m a sports buff so I like to play and watch basketball and soccer. I also love the theater. Like, I’m a secret musical theater nerd. So now it’s not a secret anymore. Les Miserables is prob my fav. “One day more!” (Pablo stands on chair waving the French flag from side to side for the duration of this question.)

  Booking Biz: Where do you get the inspiration for your books?

  The Epic Fail of Arturo ZamoraPablo: I think of character first. Then I focus on what that character is trying to tell me about his or her world. From there a story plays out and I go from being an observer of this character’s world to an active participant in discovering the events that shape that character’s worldview. In The Epic Fail of Arturo Zamora, I looked at a character that was deeply connected to his family, specifically his grandmother. His Abuela. From there I built a narrative that showed the deep connection he has for her and the fear he has of losing her. In Marcus Vega Doesn’t Speak Spanish, Marcus isn’t defined by what he has but rather who he is. A brother. A son. A good kid (even though people don’t always see that). Ultimately, the characters that speak to me when I’m first putting pen to page inspire my stories.

  Booking Biz: Did you always want to write books for children, or was there another career you wished for as a child?

  Pablo: In Kindergarten I wanted to be president of the United States. In middle school I wanted to be a pediatric surgeon because I liked taking care of my brother when he was sick. I once tried to stitch his head when he got a laceration on his temple and, um, it did not go well. Throughout high school and college I found myself around the theater so I decided I would move to Los Angeles for college and become an actor. I was cast in plays and television shows and commercials. But I really didn’t love it. I had to change too much of my personality to fit what made me “sellable”. So after finishing college with a degree in English I decided to figure out what I really wanted to do in my life. After stints as a catering chef, busboy, server, bartender, general manager (not necessarily in that order), and many other jobs in and out of the food industry, I realized one constant: I was always writing stories. So I decided to go to graduate school to pursue one of the most secure jobs in the world. I decided to become a writer! 🙂

  What I have learned is no matter what you set out to do–whether to be come president, a doctor, actor, or writer–do it with the full force of your determination and hard work. Go to sleep at night and wake up in the morning knowing what you want to do in this world. The journey then, no matter how hard or long, becomes totally worthwhile. There’s no point in doing something that doesn’t fulfill you in some meaningful way. Writing was the one thing I knew I could never live without. So I dove into it with every ounce of my soul.

  Booking Biz: If you ruled the world, what would it look like?

  Pablo: It would be a place where people could spontaneously burst into a musical number and anyone in the surrounding area would know the choreography and dance along with them. They wouldn’t mind because they’re singing and dancing together and that’s what happiness looks like. Conflicts would have deep resonant musical scores with the players walking towards each other singing angrily at one another but after the musical battle was over, they would hold hands and bow together knowing it’s just a musical theater battle and in the end they’re all just part of the same cast. There’s more I can say but I’ve got a manatee sighting and an ice cream date to attend. Thanks for the questions! Hasta luego, P 🙂

  Booking Biz: All hail Jean Valjean!

Print Marked Items
The Epic Fail of Arturo Zamora
Publishers Weekly.
264.49-50 (Dec. 4, 2017): pS70.
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Full Text: 
The Epic Fail of Arturo ZamoraPablo Cartaya. Viking, $16.99 ISBN 9781-101-99723-9
In a vibrant debut novel about family, friendship, and community, Cartaya introduces 13-year-old Arturo
Zamora, whose mother runs the family's busy Miami restaurant, which overflows with cousins and
customers. But it's the family's charismatic matriarch, Abuela, whose warmth makes every customer feel
appreciated. Complications ensue with the arrival of Carmen, a family friend from Spain who stirs romantic
feelings in Arturo, and after Arturo learns that the restaurant is being threatened by a developer's plans to
build an upscale multi-use high-rise. In addition to Arturo's funny and candid narration, Cartaya's
storytelling features Twitter exchanges, script-style dialogue, letters from Arturo's deceased Abuelo, and
poetry by activist Jose Marti; the dialogue smoothly shifts between English and Spanish, and readers
unfamiliar with the latter should have no trouble using context to discern words and phrases they don't
know. A memorable supporting cast bolsters Arturo as he tries to preserve the restaurant and his family's
apartment complex, navigates his first romance, and learns more about his Cuban roots from the precious
letters Abuela gives him. Ages 10-up.
Source Citation   (MLA 8th
Edition)
"The Epic Fail of Arturo Zamora." Publishers Weekly, 4 Dec. 2017, p. S70. General OneFile,
http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A518029783/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=52758115.
Accessed 26 Apr. 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A518029783
The Epic Fail of Arturo Zamora
Jonathan Hunt
The Horn Book Magazine.
93.4 (July-August 2017): p129.
COPYRIGHT 2017 The Horn Book, Inc.. A wholly owned subsidiary of Media Sources, Inc. No
redistribution permitted.
http://www.hbook.com/magazine/default.asp
Full Text: 
The Epic Fail of Arturo Zamora
by Pablo Cartaya
Middle School Viking 248 pp.
5/17 978-1-101-99723-9 $16.99
Thirteen-year-old Arturo Zamora is part of a large, Miami-based extended family of aunts, uncles, and
cousins led by matriarch Abuela. As a young woman, she emigrated from Cuba with her husband (now
deceased) and founded La Cocina de la Isla, the family restaurant, which is not only a famous establishment
in the Miami food scene but also a mainstay of the neighborhood. Now in failing health, Abuela has passed
the management of the restaurant to Arturo's mother. Arturo is looking forward to his first job in the family
business, but he's nonplussed when he finds out that it's washing dishes. He'd rather spend the summer
hanging out with his best friends, Bren and Mop; flirting with his first crush, Carmen, and learning the
poetry of Jose Marti to impress her; or reading the letters left for him by his late abuelo. But when scheming
real-estate developer Wilfrido Pipo proposes to build a mixed-use high-rise development that would close
La Cocina, the entire Zamora family mobilizes to win the neighborhood's support, and Arturo and Carmen
are right in the thick of things. Arturo narrates his story with liberal doses of Spanish, untranslated and nonitalicized,
adding a welcome and authentic texture to Cartaya's debut novel about a young boy on the cusp
of adolescence, dealing with friends and girls (and possibly a girlfriend!), his place in his family, and his
family's place in his community. More, please. JONATHAN HUNT
Source Citation   (MLA 8th
Edition)
Hunt, Jonathan. "The Epic Fail of Arturo Zamora." The Horn Book Magazine, July-Aug. 2017, p. 129.
General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A500260358/ITOF?
u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=f3381073. Accessed 26 Apr. 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A500260358
The Epic Fail of Arturo Zamora
Selenia Paz
Booklist.
113.15 (Apr. 1, 2017): p76.
COPYRIGHT 2017 American Library Association
http://www.ala.org/aboutala/offices/publishing/booklist/
Full Text: 
* The Epic Fail of Arturo Zamora.
By Pablo Cartaya.
May 2017. 256p. Viking, $16.99 (9781101997239). Gr. 4-7.
Arturo is looking forward to a Miami summer filled with friends, ice cream, and working at his family's
popular restaurant, La Cocina de la Isla, but his plans get derailed from the start. Carmen, his mother's
goddaughter, comes to visit, and Arturo doesn't understand why his stomach can't settle down around her.
His job at the restaurant is harder than he thought, and worst of all, his family's into an adjacent empty lot
seems hopeless when flashy real-estate developer Wilfrido Pipo comes to town with plans of his own.
Arturo hopes the community his abuela and abuelo loved for so long will support them, and with the help of
his family, friends, and the work of Cuban poet and revolutionary hero Jose Marti, Arturo finds the strength
to fight for what he believes in. Cartaya's lively debut, filled with kind, dynamic characters and interspersed
with letters, poems, and Twitter messages, offers a timely tale of a community steeped in tradition and
multiculturalism, working together against encroaching gentrification, and Arturos inviting first-person
narrative is the perfect entry point for middle-grade readers. Unitalicized Spanish phrases appear
throughout, always with enough context clues that non-Spanish speakers will have no trouble following
along. At turns funny, beautiful, and heartbreaking, this engrossing story will get kids cheering for
triumphant, relatable Arturo and his powerful connections to family, tradition, and community. --Selenia Paz
Source Citation   (MLA 8th
Edition)
Paz, Selenia. "The Epic Fail of Arturo Zamora." Booklist, 1 Apr. 2017, p. 76. General OneFile,
http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A491488004/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=809251dc.
Accessed 26 Apr. 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A491488004
Cartaya, Pablo: THE EPIC FAIL OF
ARTURO ZAMORA
Kirkus Reviews.
(Mar. 15, 2017):
COPYRIGHT 2017 Kirkus Media LLC
http://www.kirkusreviews.com/
Full Text: 
Cartaya, Pablo THE EPIC FAIL OF ARTURO ZAMORA Viking (Children's Fiction) $16.99 5, 16 ISBN:
978-1-101-99723-9
"When you decide you're going to tell a girl you like her, you need galactic-level courage."Summer's
bringing its share of changes for 13-year-old Arturo Zamora. Hanging out with friends, working part-time at
his family's restaurant, La Cocina de la Isla, and joining in Sunday family dinners guarantees some fun
times at the start of the hot season. But when a sleazy land developer named Wilfrido Pipo arrives in town to
build an upscale high-rise right where La Cocina stands, derailing the Zamoras' plans to expand the family
business, Arturo sees that his Miami neighborhood's in trouble. The money-grubbing intruder woos
neighbors and old friends with gifts and a flashy festival. Now, Arturo's family and friends must fight back
to stop Pipo, and these friends include Carmen, a spirited visiting Spaniard who stirs confusing, wonderful
feelings within Arturo. "Lo mas importante, mi Arturito, es el amor y la fe," says Abuela. Concerned about
his ailing grandmother, Arturo struggles to help save the restaurant she built, finding inspiration in two
unlikely sources: a box full of letters from his long-departed grandfather and the revolutionary poetry of
Jose Marti. Will Arturo discover the love and faith resting inside him? In this inspiring middle-grade debut,
Cartaya presents a delightful portrayal of boyhood, skillfully navigating Arturo through the awkwardness,
funniness, and messiness that often accompany young love. And in the author's depiction of the Zamoras--a
mostly Cuban-American family full of distinct, lovable characters--the book also testifies to the importance
of community. Irresistibly exquisite. (author's note, recipes) (Fiction. 10-14)
Source Citation   (MLA 8th
Edition)
"Cartaya, Pablo: THE EPIC FAIL OF ARTURO ZAMORA." Kirkus Reviews, 15 Mar. 2017. General
OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A485105066/ITOF?
u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=f197eb13. Accessed 26 Apr. 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A485105066
Tina Cocolina: Queen of the Cupcakes
Shelle Rosenfeld
Booklist.
107.7 (Dec. 1, 2010): p66.
COPYRIGHT 2010 American Library Association
http://www.ala.org/aboutala/offices/publishing/booklist/
Full Text: 
Tina Cocolina: Queen of the Cupcakes.
By Pablo Cartaya and Martin Howard. Illus. by Kirsten Richards.
2010. 48p. Random, $16.99 (9780375858918). Gr. 1-3.
At the Gingersnap Academy for Rising Cupcakes, it's time for the Cream of the Crop Cupcake contest. All
the cupcake children are sporting elaborate toppings, including Candyce Cremiere, frosted in spicy
buttercream, and berry-topped Billy Barry Blue. Tina Cocolina, though, can't find her perfect topping. But
just when all seems hopeless, inspiration happily arrives, bringing an unexpected, sweet surprise. Though
the characters are called "cupcakes," only the ever-present, hat-like cupcakes crowning their heads--all
diverse and fancifully illustrated--convey the concept. In the dense but sympathetic narrative, the authors
touch on hot-button, mean-girl issues in scenes of Tina feeling left out and discouraged. But whimsy is
really the driving force here, a tone that's extended in the cheerful, candy-colored illustrations featuring
swirly, whimsical details and patterns, reminiscent of Mary Engelbreit's work. This is an entertaining title
with a supportive, encouraging message that taps into the current cupcake renaissance, and many kids will
want to move on to the appended cupcake and frosting recipes.--Shelle Rosenfeld
Rosenfeld, Shelle
Source Citation   (MLA 8th
Edition)
Rosenfeld, Shelle. "Tina Cocolina: Queen of the Cupcakes." Booklist, 1 Dec. 2010, p. 66. General OneFile,
http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A243798217/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=5c2919dc.
Accessed 26 Apr. 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A243798217

"The Epic Fail of Arturo Zamora." Publishers Weekly, 4 Dec. 2017, p. S70. General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A518029783/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF. Accessed 26 Apr. 2018. Hunt, Jonathan. "The Epic Fail of Arturo Zamora." The Horn Book Magazine, July-Aug. 2017, p. 129. General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A500260358/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF. Accessed 26 Apr. 2018. Paz, Selenia. "The Epic Fail of Arturo Zamora." Booklist, 1 Apr. 2017, p. 76. General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A491488004/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF. Accessed 26 Apr. 2018. "Cartaya, Pablo: THE EPIC FAIL OF ARTURO ZAMORA." Kirkus Reviews, 15 Mar. 2017. General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A485105066/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF. Accessed 26 Apr. 2018. Rosenfeld, Shelle. "Tina Cocolina: Queen of the Cupcakes." Booklist, 1 Dec. 2010, p. 66. General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A243798217/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF. Accessed 26 Apr. 2018.

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