These past few days have been intense, and wonderful.

First off, the sequel to SANTA MUERTE is almost done! Yes, finally! I’m really enjoying where this story is going, and I feel a little saddened by the content around this book. Still, while it’s sad, because it deals with some troubling  true events, I am happy with it. I hope to have it completed and off to the editor for review soon.

Second, the poetry collection is moving…slowly. I’m trying to complete the sequel of SANTA MUERTE and the poetry collection at the same time so then I can move on to my next novel. My third novel is about a third of the way through, but there’s so much editing to go. I’m looking forward to spending a lot of time with that book over the summer. My third novel will be sent out to agents, and I hope, hope, hope that this third novel will be the one that will finally find me an agent.

Third, I am now an AWARD WINNING AUTHOR. Do you like all-caps? Well, good, because I’m now an AWARD WINNING AUTHOR. My first novel, SANTA MUERTE, released by Post Mortem Press, was nominated for the Best Young Adult Fiction category for an International Latino Book Award (http://www.lbff.us/bookawards14thnewyork.php). If you are nominated you are considered an award winning author. The awards will be announced in Las Vegas during the American Library Association convention.

I was interviewed by Gozamos last week, and they asked me about my feelings being nominated. Here’s the article. Read it!

http://gozamos.com/2014/03/artist-profile-cynthia-cina-pelayo/

I’ve written a few short stories as well. I’m still participating in A Story A Week for 2014 and I’m trying to write one short story each week. There is one call for submission that I want to write the perfect ghost story for, but I’ve been obsessing over which type of ghost story to write. I really want to get in this anthology.

Off to write I go.

Thanks for reading friends. I’ll post updates again next week.

-Cina