Q: First tell us something about yourself?
My name is Vanessa Pardo-Suazo, I am a full time mom and writer. I love spending time with family, dancing and exploring.
Q: How and when did your journey start as a writer?
I started writing at 8 years old because I was always told to be quiet but I always had something to say. I started writing poems and letters to my mother so I could talk to her. Writing was my way of communicating with her and later everyone else in my life.
Q: When did you write your first story? Is it published or not?
I was a teenager when I wrote my first story, which was not published. I published my first poem at 17 years old because of my High School English teacher.
Q: Tell us something more about your books?
My first book, Xander’s Linda Manita is a love letter to my mom and son (Xander) about their connection which continues virtually. I wanted to capture a tender moment between a grandmother and her grandson, rooted in tradition and love, which I was not seeing in bookstores, especially Latino boys. As a former Bilingual School Psychologist and now a mother of 3 boys it is important to shine a light on loving and gentle moments brown boys experience. In my previous career, I experienced Black and Brown boys as young as 5 years old being called aggressive often, which never sat well with me. Now as a mother of 3 boys, I am inspired to share stories representing the humanity of Brown boys, especially their love.
Q: Why do you choose kids as your reader? Is there any specific reason?
Honestly, children’s stories chose me. My writing style is mostly prose or essays for women. My author journey began as a children’ book author because I saw a need for a book for Brown boys rooted in connection, tradition and love. As a first time mom, I struggled to find books with Spanish children songs or Latino families and messages. I wrote this story for my family and other families that need to see themselves represented. Children’s books are perfect for visual representation as well as language development. As a Millennial mom, I also wanted a book that sounded like our family. We speak Spanglish at home, which is common in our community.
Q: How did these stories and characters come to your mind?
The story came to mind one day watching my son and my mother chat and sing on Facetime. I looked for a book with this particular song, which everyone seemed to know but no one wrote down anywhere. Everyone kept telling me they learned it from their grandmother or an elder. I wanted to capture their bond, love and this traditional song, so I wrote the book about a moment in time to share with the world. I wanted to freeze this tender part of our day as well as this chapter of our lives.
Q: Do you want to leave any message for your readers?
Always remember where you come from but don’t let it get in the way of where you need to go to reach your true potential.
Personal Website: https://www.vanessapardosuazo.com/
Amazon book link: https://bit.ly/XandersLindaManita
