My dark short story Class Epiphany was just accepted for publication in the anthology Looking Back – Short Stories of Our Time in Romania this summer.

I submitted the original version of this story to a U. of Colo. lit class, but the prof asked me to withdraw it; among other things, he said not enough time had passed since Columbine. Go figure.

http://labloga.blogspot.com/2013/04/sixto-rodriguez-tucson.html

Somehow, The Closet of Discarded Dreams was chosen a finalist (in the Fantasy/Sci-Fi category) in the International Latino Book Awards for this year.

This is the most prestigious recognition of achievement in Latino literature.

There are three other great finalists that deserve to win, but I’m tickled loco to have made the list. Click below for more information and please help spread the good word.

https://www.box.com/s/j1lamd6rffe2g1crxcu2

Work on Bruised Hearts, Mended Dreams, the prequel to The Closet of Discarded Dreams, goes well. I hope to finish this month. Below is a passage about a car, something that was never my hobby or dream. If you’re into, or were, gearhead stuff, please let me know if this works and how it sounds. Gracias.

* * *

On the horizon I saw a low-set, black vehicle in a hurry, closing the distance between us, so I changed direction to intercept it. Luckily, the carbon-gray sportscar braked to fishtail into a stop alongside me. It was . . . amazing!

Any boy like me would have stared at one of the three $4 million Lamborghini Venenos, a gorgeous speedster shaped like an arrow, more testosteronic than a macho Countach. Its green, white and red stripes along the wing-door invited me to put a finger on it, if I dared touch its dark glistening sleekness.

The massive, rear shark-fin spoiler designed to keep the beast from leaving the road emphasized the force required to keep it from eating its driver. From the rear it looked ready to cross the galaxy.

I’d read about it, turned pages of photos to absorb it in from every angle, what every kid would have done. A growling V-12, mean 740-horses, bellowing seven-speed, escape monster rattling my skeletal frame up the Richter scale.

Named for Veneno–Spanish for venom–one of the strongest, awesomely fastest toros[1] who lethally gored the famous matador José Sánchez Rodríguez, a hundred years ago. Fatal, hardboiled power, a dream most males aspired to possess. When The Closet corrected my hyperventilating, I noticed the window was down.

“Name’s Daven. Need a lift?”

* * *

http://labloga.blogspot.com/2013/03/hugo-chavez-1954-2013-qesd.html

How author Garcia is writing a prequel to The Closet of Discarded Dreams, when the characters in the adult novel are in their teens. It’s got sex sex and sex. But PG rated.

http://labloga.blogspot.com/2013/03/bruised-hearts-mended-dreams-manuscript.html

It’s not latinos who are strange for including repression and liberation in their stories and poems, it’s many Anglo writers who are . . .

http://labloga.blogspot.com/2013/02/why-la-politica-in-latino-fiction-and.html

Tomorrow Sunday, Feb. 17th – why we should Stop the Keystone XL Pipeline

http://labloga.blogspot.com/2013/02/so-kids-dont-breathe-400ppm-no-keystone.html

When I’m not writing novels, I’m busy passing along the good and bad news:

http://labloga.blogspot.com/2013/02/raza-in-goodbad-news.html

The Closet of Discarded Dreams author Rudy Ch. Garcia will read from his Chicano fantasy novel on Saturday, Feb. 2, 2013 at 3:00pm, along with mystery novelists Carter Wilson and Sean Eads.

At the Broadway Book Mall, 200 South Broadway, Denver.

303-721-7511