Why Y/A? Malín Alegría's Publishing Journey
Melinda Palacio -- December 3, 2007
Malín Alegría exchanged her beloved Mission District haunts in San Francisco for New York. She left with dreams of becoming the next Junot Diaz, but didn't tell anyone about her secret to become a writer. In the Big Apple, most people knew her as a teacher and stand up comic. She had no idea that fate would land her a two-book, Young Adult, deal with Simon & Schuster's Atria imprint.
Malín Alegría
Through New York City's open mic scene, she met poets and writers who introduced her to a Native American Writers circle and the writing classes at the Fredrick Douglas Community Center in the Upper West Side. Surrendipity spoke and sent Alegría to Alloy Entertainment, a media and marketing agency that specializes in youth markets. Without an agent, she signed a two-book deal and produced Estrella's Quincenera and Sophie Mendoza's Guide to Getting Lost in Mexico. Estrella's Quincenera is more about acceptance, friends, and identity than a young Latina's coming of age party. Sophie Mendoza's troubles are far worse than Estrella's. She's a high school girl from San Diego who decides to cross the border with her friends for a day of fun. The only problem is Sophie's Green Card, which according to the Border Patrol, is counterfeit. Her parents must sort out her legal problems while Sophie is stuck in Mexico with relatives. In her two novels, Alegría approaches real teenage problems with humor.
The young author, 34, gets a thrill out of being a role model. She enjoys inspiring young people and receiving their letters. Her success was not entirely unexpected because she's always led with her heart. "I like to use myself as an example to other people," said the UCSB graduate. "I'm always amazed that I did it. When you have fierce determination and reckless passion you achieve a goal."
Like her characters, Alegría is full of life and quick with snappy comeback lines. However, there is a serious side to the roving writer who makes her home in both San Francisco and Albuquerque, and occasionally Los Angeles to visit her grandmother. When she is on a writing roll, she works from 9am to 6pm daily for about six months until her book is finished. According to Alegría she doesn't decide what to write, but she listens to her higher self.
"Writing is a very spiritual practice. I do my prayers. I meditate and I burn incense. I write at the exact same place, a little table with not too many distractions, except some music playing. I have butcher paper on the wall with my character sketches, bios, profiles, pictures that I draw of my characters and photographs of the place they live. I also have music for my characters and each character has a theme song."
Alegría's words of wisdom have everything to do with not giving up. "Get right back up with twice as much determination and coraje."
Ask Malín Alegría what she means by coraje.