This month brought the Feria del Libro in Malaga; a visit from my long-time Seattle friend Catalina and a trip together to Granada to meet the director of Ciudad de Literatura Granada; and back in Málaga an invitation to watch the recording at the local community radio/television station of an interview with a Filipino poet studying in Spain.

Feria del Libro Málaga

For two weeks, one side of the Paseo del Parque was occupied by dozens of casetas housing booksellers and independent publishers displaying their wares. Even when I wasn’t planning to buy much less browse, I just liked walking past the long row of book stalls. Over the two weeks of the feria, I showed considerable restraint in buying just two books. I’m an easy customer. Make eye contact with me and engage me in conversation and I will likely buy the book you’re selling. But I’m also mindful that my collection of books in Spanish is growing faster than my fluency in the language, so I spent a lot of time avoiding eye contact with the booksellers.

Readings and panel discussions during the feria were held in nearby beautiful, historic buildings such as the Rectorado of the University of Málaga and the Ayuntamiento. I went to a presentation by the British writer Alan Hollinghurst, who has a low-key charm and is unassuming about his brilliance. Just as impressive was the interpreter by his side who simultaneously listened to the moderator and translated his comments to English into Hollinghurst’s ear. After Hollinghurst responded to each question, his interpreter gave the Spanish version to the audience. It was a marvel to imagine all the synapses firing in that woman’s brain.

Ciudad de Literatura Granada

My long-time Seattle friend Catalina came to visit me in Málaga after her ancestral and literary sojourns in Madeira and Óbidos, Portugal.

Then we went to the always magical Granada for a brief two-night stay. Our one full day was a most delightful one. While Catalina toured the Alhambra I visited bookstores. I loved El Tiempo Perdido, charmingly decorated with postcard portraits of writers, notably Lorca, and a spiral staircase leading to an inviting loft with three big easy chairs. I sat in one of them and read the first few pages of the book I intended to buy, Siete Casas Vacías by Samanta Schweblin. Later I chatted briefly with the owner of the store because small talk in Spanish is my gateway drug to longer, more demanding conversations.

I also went to Libreria Bakakai, a small, cramped, sunless store, awash in books and separated by aisles that allow single-file passage. It’s the kind of organized jumble that offers surprises, like when I found and bought Éramos Unos Ninos, the Spanish translation of Patti Smith’s Just Kids.

Later that afternoon Catalina and I met with writer and arts administrator Jesús Ortega, the director of the UNESCO Ciudad de Literatura Granada, an opportunity courtesy of the tirelessly dedicated Stesha Brandon, Seattle City of Literature Board Member who facilitated the introduction. Also at the meeting was award-winning writer and poet Alicia Choin. Over boquerones, tomatoes, and calamari at a local restaurant, we talked in a mixture of Spanish and English about writing, Lorca, and language. In a small-world moment, Alicia and I discovered we had an acquaintance in common.

Later Jesús, whose office is located in the Centro Federico Garcia Lorca gave us a private tour of the center which was closed for the siesta hours. The tienda has a variety of Lorca-related literature, including the book Jesús wrote about the Huerta de San Vicente where the Garcia Lorca family spent their summers and where Lorca spent some of his last days before becoming one of the first victims of the Spanish Civil War. Jesús showed us the library that houses the locked box containing Lorca’s original papers and other effects. We viewed it with reverence. We said our goodbyes and exchanged contact information with our lovely hosts. Later, Catalina and I returned to the tienda when it reopened to buy Jesus’s book. And I will soon be getting my hands on El Peso de las Mantas, one of Alicia’s novels.

Two days later in Madrid, as I was walking in the Retiro, I happened upon a concert/recital that was about to start in the Casa de las Vacas, a small gallery and theater. The program consisted of poems by Lorca, Luis Cernuda, and Gerado Diego, all members of the Generation of ‘27. A woman very impressively recited over a dozen poems by heart accompanied by a pianist. In the sweltering theater. And yet, we were rapt. And it did help that nearly all of us had an abanico in hand to flutter the air.

Color Comunitara

Pablo, a recent member of the writers’ group I attend here in Málaga, records a weekly show at the community radio/television studio Color Comunitaria. Pablo’s program focuses on the themes of traveling and cinema through the experience and perspectives of various members of the community and their specific profession, vocation, or talent. He invited me to observe the recording of a show featuring Ralph Fonte, a young Filipino poet who also happens to be a doctor, and one of those geniuses who taught himself Spanish. He’s living in Granada to further his studies in public health. Another guest on the show was Novalina, a Filipina who owns El Nido, a Filipino and fusion restaurant in Granada with her Venezuelan partner. It was fun watching the show unfold and how Pablo wove the topics of travel and cinema with the topics of poetry, the Philippines, and food. Here’s the link to the that show. Later we all headed to one of the chiringuitos on the beach for boquerones, espetos, and more conversation. Pablo suggested that I could be a guest on one of his shows and I suggested that I could not—at least not until my Spanish is a lot better. Like a lot a lot.

Coming soon: Ofelia and Norma

Four months from the posting of this update my fourth book of fiction OFELIA AND NORMA will be officially out in the world. ARCs (advance review copies) are available now to reviewers and to booksellers and librarians interested in considering it for their shelves. Contact me for a digital copy or a paper copy (limited supply).

Here I am with my recently received copy that traveled across the ocean to me.

In October I’ll be traveling across that ocean to the US to do some book events on the West Coast. San Diegans, I hope to see you at Warwick’s in La Jolla on October 15, and Seattlelites, I’ll be at Elliott Bay Book Company on October 29.