Claudia Recinos Seldeen - May 2023 Featured Author

Claudia is the author of the young adult novels To Be Maya and Catch Me if I Fall. She was born in Miami and currently resides in Kansas City. Claudia is a first generation Guatemalan American. When not writing, she is usually playing video games with her husband and son.

Congrats on both your first and second books. Tell us a little about each one.

Thank you! Both of my books are YA verse novels published by West 44 Books.

My first book, To Be Maya, is about a 15-year-old girl named Maya. When lacrosse star Josh Williams expresses interest in her, she’s excited to go on a real date. But Maya’s Guatemalan-born mother isn’t on board. Maya knows she has to make her mother see she’s ready to grow up and have more freedom, but can she do it before Josh loses interest?

My second book, Catch Me if I Fall, is about Angela, a 15-year-old trapeze artist.

Angela loves trapeze, but she doesn’t love the constant pressure to be perfect. When her best friend introduces her to boxing, she's instantly hooked. But the more time she devotes to boxing, the more she puts her reputation for perfection at risk. And if she’s not the perfect Guatemalan daughter, then who is she? 

How do you weave pieces of yourself into your main characters? How are you alike or different from them?

I'm a first generation Guatemalan American, so I have that in common with my characters. Both of my books speak to some aspect of my culture and my experience growing up Latinx. Unlike me, however, my characters are able to get on top of their problems and solve them within the span of one book, while I sometimes floundered with the same problem for years.

What advice would you give to someone who is just starting out?

My advice would be to learn as much as possible about the craft of writing. My educational background is in biochemistry. Starting out, I wasn't familiar with all the rules of plot structure and character arcs and the technical aspects of creating a story. I was a voracious reader, which helped me intuitively feel my way. But it wasn't until I read books like Save the Cat Writes a Novel that things really clicked, and my stories improved dramatically.

What challenges have you experienced that you didn't expect?

I thought being a writer ended with handing in a completed manuscript. But it goes well beyond that. Being a successful writer means reaching out to bookstores, attending author events, doing readings, and talking yourself up. Like most writers, I'm a hardcore introvert. I'm also neurodivergent and I struggle with social anxiety. But I heard someone once say we owe it to our stories to help them find their way to the reader who needs them. So, I hold on to that. I think about the reader whose perspective might shift, or whose day might be a little brighter because of my words, and it helps me push past my discomfort.

What is the best advice you've ever been given about writing?

Don't pigeonhole yourself. I thought I was a fantasy writer. I didn't think I could ever write anything else. But, in the end, it was my contemporary stories that clicked with a publisher. If I'd stuck to my guns and never tried my hand at writing something else, I would probably still be struggling to get my words in print.

Are you planning to attend the Middle of the Map conference this November, and/or why should someone plan to attend the MOTM conference?

I'm absolutely planning to attend! Writing conferences are fantastic. You can connect with your tribe, people who are as passionate about words as you are. I always come away from a conference with so much new knowledge, and ready to buckle down and get to work. I'm particularly excited to go to MOTM because I'm new to the area. We just moved here a few months ago. So, I'm eager to reach out and bond with my local writing community. 

How has networking with other writers helped you along the way?

Other writers get your struggles. They're the ones who've been where you've been, so they can be a tremendous source of inspiration and support.

I wouldn't have found a home at West 44 Books if it weren't for one of my writing group friends. She was the one who suggested I try my hand at writing a verse novel. I resisted at first. But then I thought, Why not? A year and a half later, I have two verse novels under my belt and two more scheduled to be released later this year.

What do you do when you are not writing?

I'm a huge aerial arts addict. I've trained on silks, lyra, aerial hammock, and trapeze. I also recently started learning embroidery. There are currently stray bits of thread all over my house.

What goals do you have for 2023 and beyond?

I'd like to get involved with literacy programs. My books are hi-lo novels (high-interest subject matter, low reading level) and therefore ideal for struggling and reluctant readers. My goal for 2023 and beyond is to find a way to use my books to help improve literacy rates among older students who would otherwise be left behind.

Include the title of your latest book(s) with the publisher, date, ISBN, and link to your website.

Catch Me if I Fall (West 44 Books), April 1, 2023, ISBN: 9781978596351

Website: www.recinosseldeen.com