Interview with Author Paulina Jaramillo

As part of Hispanic Heritage month, this week I've interviewed an author from my hometown in the Inland Empire. After reading the interview and learning about her book, you'll understand why I thought she was a perfect author to highlight for Hispanic Heritage month. I hope you enjoy meeting Paulina Jaramillo:

Julia: Hi Paulina, can you tell me about your book, The American Southwest, and why you decided to write it?

Paulina: My book, The American Southwest: Pride~Prejudice~Perseverance, is an overview of the development of the Southwest (the border states only) and the contributions that Latinos have made and continue to make despite enormous hardships
Section One covers the early inhabitants of the Southwest (the ancient Native Americans) as well as the Spanish and Mexican Periods. Sections Two and Three focus primarily on the struggles, triumphs and contributions of Mexican and Mexican-Americans. Section Four looks at the immigration issue (past & present) effecting Latinos. Section Five examines the role of Latinos in education. The book includes graphs, a glossary and a well-documented bibliography.
I love the Southwest. I was born in NM. Our family history goes back over 400 years in the Land of Enchantment. This is a book that’s near and dear to my heart.

Julia: As a long time teacher, this book really excites me! What a great resource. How long did you work on this project?

Paulina: I devoted approximately 4.5 months to the project. I still remember with a shudder the week I spent doing nothing else but writing and re-writing (seventeen hours a day) toward the end of the project in order to meet a deadline!

Julia: Wow, that's amazingly quick, actually!! This is the type of book I would have loved to read in my Chcano Studies classes. Is there a plan to offer it to colleges for their programs?

Paulina: The American Southwest: Pride~Prejudice~Perseverance is currently being reviewed by the University Librarian Dean and the Associate Dean of Undergraduate Studies at California State University, San Bernardino. I plan to offer it to other universities as well for inclusion in their Chicano Studies Courses.

Julia: Great! I hope they pick it up. So, let's talk about you as an author. Have you always been a writer? Or have you pursued other careers as well?

Paulina: My Master’s degree is in Rehabilitation Counseling. The previous two books that I wrote, A Time To Heal and Life Interrupted deal with grief recovery resulting from any type of loss: Foreclosure, employment, divorce, health, bereavement, etc. I also conduct workshops on grief recovery. I will be doing a book signing and workshop at Borders Books in Montclair on October 9, 2010 (1-3 pm).
My professional writing career began while I was in graduate school. I wrote for the Inland Empire Hispanic News and did freelance writing for magazines and other publications.

Julia: Since this is Hispanic Heritage month, can you share a little about your Latina background?

Paulina: I’m proud of my culture and consider myself a positive role model.

Julia: What future projects do you have planned?

Paulina: I have a few ideas but nothing concrete yet.

Julia: Well, make sure and let me know when you do! Thank you for being my guest today, Paulina!

Paulina: Thank you so much for including me in the piece you’re posting on your blog in celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month.

If bloggers want to meet Paulina, make sure to attend her book signing at Borders on October 9th. We are also doing a joint book signing at The Frugal Frigate in Redlands on October 16th at 11am.

Also, make sure to check out Paulina's website: http://www.paulinajaramillo.com/

Have a great weekend everyone!!

Julia