On Thursday, Jan. 9, Christina Henriquez, young adult fiction author of “The Book of Unknown Americans”, spoke to students from El Diablo (yearbook) and Devils’ Advocate (online and newsmagazine) in room 249 during ninth period.
Henriquez came to Central to explain how she became successful and how her writing career began.
“When I was in high school I was in love with this boy, I kept on bothering him so much that he told me to write my feelings down about him instead of telling him for a year,” Henriquez said, “Gradually I started writing less about him and more about things that interested me that’s how I found my passion,” said Henriquez.
Henriquez has received many awards for “The Book of Unknown Americans”.
“The Book of Unknown Americans” was the Daily Beast Novel of the Year, a Washington Post Notable Book, an NPR Great Read, a Target Book of the Month selection, and was chosen as one of the best books of the year by BookPage, Oprah.com, and School Library Journal. The book also became a finalist for the Dayton Literary Peace Prize.
Other books of hers include, “The World In Half”, and “Come Together, Fall Apart: A Novella and Stories”.
Henriquez shared how she became a writer and how to overcome writer’s block.
Courtesy of Ms. Cherise Lopez
Journalism students listen to author, Cristina Henriquez talk about her book and how she began her writing career.
“I find writing on paper a good way to overcome writer’s block it takes away the pressure of being online,” Henriquez said.
Students remarked on what they learned from Henriquez.
“I thought it was interesting to hear her writing style like she mentioned that it was easier for her to write in a notebook instead of a laptop. I also thought it was interesting how she writes her stories one sentence at a time, without planning ahead on what’s going to happen next. It seems like an ambitious way to write,” said Samantha Gonzalez, junior.
Some students appreciated the advice she gave.
“I thought Cristina Henriquez was a well spoken intelligent author that gave excellent advice on how to push your passion of writing,” said Gabi Camara, junior.
Currently Henriquez is working on a historical fiction novel which she will publish as her next book.