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Bio: Christina Diaz Gonzalez

  • Jan. 1st, 2008 at 10:03 AM
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[info]christina_dg

Name: Christina Diaz Gonzalez

'10 Book Title: THE RED UMBRELLA

Publisher: Alfred A. Knopf /Random House

Favorite Bit of Writing Advice: Choose what you are going to do... write or edit.  Don't do both at the same time.

Favorite and least favorite part of writing:
Favorite: When an idea comes together.

Least Favorite: When an idea fizzles out... especially after doing the research and writing the first twenty pages.


Outline or Let it fly?: As crazy as it may sound, I actually outline in my head and then let it fly.  It makes me feel like I'm writing with reckless abandon when I'm really quite methodical.

5 things about me
1. I love to watch soccer, but only if my kids' team is playing. 

2. I'm a lawyer and so is my husband, therefore we never fight... we "discuss".

3. I was born in a small Southern town that didn't get a McDonald's until I was 10.

4. I have a large Cuban family so weekend gatherings usually consist of 40 or more "immediate" relatives (reminiscent of the movie My Big Fat Greek Wedding).

5. I have a hard time writing about myself, so I had to ask my sister for help in doing this.

THE RED UMBRELLA Synopsis: 
A year after the communist revolution, fourteen year old Lucia still leads a carefree life in Cuba thinking only of parties and boys.  But this all changes on the day the soldiers arrive in her small town and she is forced to face certain truths about her family, friends and country.

As the weeks pass and the effects of the revolution are felt all around, Lucia's parents make the heart-wrenching decision to send her and her little brother to the United States... alone.  In a new country, away from her parents, what will Lucia do with her newfound freedom?  Will she ever see her parents or her home again?  And if she does, will she still be the same girl?  

(This story is loosely based on my own parents' experience and that of over 14,000 other children who were part of Operation Pedro Pan --- the largest exodus of unaccompanied minors in the Western Hemisphere.)

 


 

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Comments

( 26 comments — Leave a comment )
[info]boreal_owl wrote:
Nov. 30th, 2008 03:13 pm (UTC)
Your book sounds great!
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[info]sbennettwealer wrote:
Nov. 30th, 2008 04:19 pm (UTC)
Welcome. Wow, your story sounds awesome!
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[info]lkmadigan wrote:
Nov. 30th, 2008 04:22 pm (UTC)
Welcome to the Tenners, and I can't wait to read your book!
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[info]trishdoller wrote:
Nov. 30th, 2008 05:42 pm (UTC)
*waving from Fort Myers* Welcome to the 10'ers! Your book sounds AWESOME and I really, really can't wait to read it!
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[info]christina_dg wrote:
Nov. 30th, 2008 08:05 pm (UTC)
*waving back to you from the east coast of Florida (Coral Gables)* I love being part of this group!
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[info]jberkj wrote:
Nov. 30th, 2008 06:28 pm (UTC)
Gooooooooo Team Knopf! Nice to see you here, Christina. Congrats again! The book sounds great!
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[info]blackaire wrote:
Nov. 30th, 2008 07:00 pm (UTC)
Hey, we're publishing cousins! (I'm with Delacorte.) Welcome!
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[info]christina_dg wrote:
Nov. 30th, 2008 08:09 pm (UTC)
Thanks!
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[info]bec_fitzpatrick wrote:
Nov. 30th, 2008 07:16 pm (UTC)
Welcome, Christina! What a great idea for a book! I love that there's some family history weaved in :)
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[info]angie_frazier wrote:
Nov. 30th, 2008 07:30 pm (UTC)
Welcome! Your novel sounds wonderful, and I know what you mean about outlining in your head and then letting it fly. I think I do the same... Great to have you here!
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[info]phoebe_k wrote:
Nov. 30th, 2008 08:09 pm (UTC)
Can I say wow? And wow!? As soon as I read this I looked up Operation Pedro Pan, and it made me tear up to think of all those kids having to leave their families and make their way in a strange country alone (thank goodness for the wonderful people at the church who helped). Can't wait to read your book.
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[info]christina_dg wrote:
Nov. 30th, 2008 08:17 pm (UTC)
I love the fact that you looked up Operation Pedro Pan. It is an inspiring part of my family history and I'm proud to give a voice to what so many experienced.
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[info]daniellejoseph wrote:
Nov. 30th, 2008 09:14 pm (UTC)
Yeah, Christina--glad to see you posting on the Tenners! They are a great bunch of people! You are in good company:)!
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[info]tlcadence wrote:
Nov. 30th, 2008 09:24 pm (UTC)
Wow, this sounds epic and fantastic! Can't wait to read it :)
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[info]irenelatham wrote:
Nov. 30th, 2008 11:09 pm (UTC)
Welcome Christina! What a great title, and woohoo, another historical fiction writer in the house! Awesome!
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[info]dawn_metcalf wrote:
Dec. 1st, 2008 01:35 am (UTC)
Wow, this book sounds astonishing & welcome to the Tenners community. Thrilled to have you here!
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[info]fabulousfrock wrote:
Dec. 1st, 2008 04:27 am (UTC)
Nice meeting you in chat tonight! Your book sounds really fascinating. You, me and Trish will have to be the Tenners posse at the Miami convention when our books are out!
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[info]christina_dg wrote:
Dec. 4th, 2008 09:21 pm (UTC)
The Tenners will take over in 2010 in Miami!
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[info]stephanieburgis wrote:
Dec. 1st, 2008 07:01 am (UTC)
Wow, that sounds fascinating - and I love that it's working with some of your own family history. I can't wait to read it!
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[info]olugbemisola wrote:
Dec. 1st, 2008 02:02 pm (UTC)
Welcome, Christina! (Hey, I have a Cristina Diaz in my book, and she plays a bigger part in the sequel.)THE RED UMBRELLA sounds like just my thing, and yeah, it's pretty cool that you were able to memorialize your family's experiences.
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[info]christina_dg wrote:
Dec. 4th, 2008 09:22 pm (UTC)
Cool... can't wait to see what that character is all about!
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[info]ggmccall wrote:
Dec. 1st, 2008 11:50 pm (UTC)
WOW... great premise
This sounds like such a great story. I can't wait to read it.
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[info]christyraedeke wrote:
Dec. 2nd, 2008 03:50 am (UTC)
Welcome!
I love the synopsis of your book! It's very cool to see the range of offerings the Tenners bring to YA literature.

Cheers!
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[info]lauramanivong wrote:
Dec. 2nd, 2008 04:52 am (UTC)
Sounds riveting (and familiar: wink, wink). How amazing to put your family's history in print!!

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[info]seaheidi wrote:
Dec. 3rd, 2008 12:10 am (UTC)
This sounds wonderful and I love the title! Yes, my husband is a psychiatrist so we 'discuss' things too--or maybe we analyze not sure.

Welcome to the Tenners! =D
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[info]kay_cassidy wrote:
Dec. 5th, 2008 10:35 pm (UTC)
Welcome, Christina! LOL on the "discussion" with your hubby. :-)

What a totally amazing story, btw. Can't wait to read it!
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( 26 comments — Leave a comment )

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