Bonnie S. Mata Author of Faith

Storm Love Featured at Latino LA!

2011-08-18T12:45:00.003-05:00

Featured at Latino LA!
Visit their website, a vibrant forum of ideas, opinions, and creativity that celebrates Latino and Latina voices, lives and soul.
Stop by and leave me a note! :)

Stom Love

2011-08-16T12:46:00.003-05:00

My second book, "Storm Love" is now available at Barnes & Noble and Amazon.

Vist my website for more information under books.
www.BonnieSMata.com

Book Tour for Sandra Lopez author of Beyond the Gardens

2010-04-23T20:50:00.021-05:00

I'd like to welcome Sandra C. Lopez author of Beyond the Gardens to my blog where she will kick off her book tour sponsored by BronzeWord Latino Book Tours.
• Paperback: 432 pages
• Publisher: Outskirts Press
(October 27, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1432746987
• ISBN-13: 978-1432746988

The impossible dream.
For some people, the impossible dream is becoming a famous actor or musician.
For others, it is becoming the next multi-millionaire.
But, for me, it was becoming a writer.
Actually, for me, being a writer was more than impossible, it was unthinkable. It was an idea that never even entered my mind.

When I first started reading at the early age of two, I became instantly fascinated by books. I never liked to join in the daily sports and activities the rest of the children would partake in during recess. As a kid, I discovered that the two things I was good at were reading and doing homework. And when I wasn’t doing either of them, I was miserably bored. My mother would always say that I was happiest when I’d sit in a corner with a book in my hands. I didn’t care what book it was. If I could read it, I was happy. Books were my friends.

As time went on, I became more and more familiar with the written word, and I often thought that it must take great talent to create words like this and make a story out of them. How do they do that? I often wondered. What was their secret? This must be something that they’re born with. I could never do anything like that. I didn’t know what I’d be. Who would know at that age anyways? I did, however, knew what I could never be—a writer. My destiny in life was to go to high school and graduate. If I was lucky, I would get a secretary job in a nice, clean office. But being a writer? Impossible.

Little did I realize then that my destiny had far greater potential than I credited. Not only did I end up graduating from high school, but I did it with honors. That led to me going to community college to study, study, and study everything I could possibly learn. My 3.90 GPA directed me to the Honors Program, where I met a counselor who literally pushed me to transfer to a university—another infeasible task…..or, so I thought.

And even when a life is so consumed by the entire student work load, does an avid book worm ever stop reading? Not ‘til their eyes fall out. I kept on at it. I read more and more books by many great writers. It wasn’t until college that I discovered the works of Latino writers like Sandra Cisneros, Luis Rodriguez, and Gary Soto—all writers that described the raw image of growing up Mexican in a Spanish barrio. I was able to find a part of myself in every single one of their stories. But I couldn’t find the whole “me.” All the Latino stories I read had a protagonist that either crossed the border as an illegal immigrant or lived in a gang. Where was the Latina who just wanted to go to school and make something of her life? Where was the girl that grew up in a non-traditional way? The girl that was neither Mexican nor American but just a person? Where was she? Her story didn’t exist…..until I created it.

At 19, I started writing Esperanza—a story of a 14-year old Latina struggling to make it out of the barrio by pursuing an education. I had just finished high school, so it was fairly easy to capture the voice of a teenager. What was interesting enough was the fact that my main character and I were both going to school at the same time. She was trying to get through high school, and I was trying to get through college. Finding the time to write was a bit of a challenge considering I was taking 12-15 units a semester and had no home computer. I wrote mainly on the weekends and any other day I had off from school.

It took about a year and half for me to finish Esperanza’s story. At that time, my plan was to put the hard copy to rest by laying it on top of a high shelf and let it collect dust forever. But then something inside me sparked. Why not just pitch it to some publishers to see what happens? What have you got to lose? I thought.

So I started writing my letters. I wrote to about 20 or 30 different publishers; most of them came back rejected; some didn’t even come back at all.
“Oh, well, no harm done,” I said.
I was about to give up for good when the editor of Floricanto Press called me up and requested to see the manuscript for Esperanza.
“Sure,” I said.
About four months later, I was offered a contract. Two and half years later, Esperanza: A Latina Story was born into a paperback.

One thing many of you might not be aware of was that during the publishing process, I was still going to school at Cal State Fullerton. The book was published before I even graduated.

So was the impossible dream truly impossible?
For me, it was more of an unrealized idea that lay dormant somewhere in the back of my head until a trip through college woke it up. And it hasn’t been able to sleep since then.

One copy of Beyond the Gardens will be given away at the end of the tour to the blog reader who visits the most blogs hosting Sandra Lopez throughout her tour and leaves a question or comment for Sandra at each blog.

TOUR IS AS FOLLOWS
for Beyond the Gardens by Sandra Lopez:

Monday April 26 Bonnie S. Mata http://authoroffaith.blogspot.com/

Tuesday April 27 Mayra Calvani http://www.examiner.com/x-6309-Latino-Books-Examiner

Wednesday April 28 Christina Rodriguez http://www.christinarodriguez.com/

Thursday April 29 Lori Calabrese http://loricalabrese.com/blog/
http://www.examiner.com/x-7597-Childrens-Books-Examiner

Friday April 30 Mary Jo http://writerinspired.wordpress.com/

Monday May 3 Erin O'Riordan http://www.erinoriordan.blogspot.com/

Tuesday May 4 Joylene Nowell Butler http://cluculzwriter.blogspot.com/

Wednesday May 5 Terri Lee-Johnson http://www.browngirlspeaks.com/book-speak.html

Thursday May 6 Romina Tybitt http://www.mamaxxi.blogspot.com/

Friday May 7 Leslie Toledo http://thatchickthatreads.blogspot.com/

Buy your book today at

Dulce Bread & Bookshop!

Dulce Bread & Book Shop
BEYOND THE GARDENS
By Sandra C. Lopez
Price: $19.50
ISBN-13: 9781432746988
Published: Outskirts Press
www.dulcebreadandbookshop.com

Read the first 5 chapters of FAITH

2010-01-07T21:09:00.001-06:00

Why are people talking about this book?
What’s the story about that everyone is talking about?
Don’t stay behind, keep up with what’s going on!

Here is your opportunity...Read the first 5 chapters of FAITH on PDF.
Enjoy the story,

Sincerely,
Bonnie

New Years & Buñuelos

2010-01-01T19:00:00.001-06:00

Ate my fair share of tasty buñuelos to celebrate in ringing the New Year!

Since I was a little girl, mom always made buñuelos on New Years Eve and as always, I wanted the one that had the most brown sugar and cinnamon on it. That I can remember, that was the only time that she made them, so when the New Year was coming close, we’d always ask, “Mom are you going to make those circle things with sugar on them?” They were so good and you had to wait to eat them once a year, why? Who knew, you were just told back when that buñuelos were only eaten on New Years.

So this, year I ate some and wished for a blessed New Year!

Interview with Mayra Calvani - Latino Books Examiner

2009-11-02T21:17:00.002-06:00

The month of October was busy, busy, busy and I forgot to post that I was featured and interviewed with Mayra Calvani of Latino Books Examiner!

ENVY & HATE

2009-09-04T14:28:00.005-05:00

Why Do People Envy & Hate So Much?

I don’t get it?
Despite the world falling apart all around us in these difficult times with people losing their jobs, houses, cars, and credit. Should I keep going… not having money to buy food, to gas up your car, pay utilities much less health insurance. God forbid you get sick and with what money will you pay the doctor and the medicines. I’m talking about the bare essentials in order to survive here. I’m talking about what all it takes not to become neighbors with the homeless man that hangs around under the expressway begging for money for food and sharing that small space with him and making sleeping arrangements in sharing that small space under the expressway.
You did notice I didn’t mention not being able to afford going out to eat, going to the movies, going on a shopping spree and taking that weekend trip. Ay que nice! Que pretty! Verda?
Despite all of this, what I just told you… WHY, why do people envy and hate so much? The economy is going to hell and people are so ignorant and closed minded to want what the other guy has. Materialist crap!
What the idiots might not know is that maybe, the people that they envy and now hate because they went on that luxury cruise… is that they went because it had always been a dream of theirs. And now with the cancer that one of them has, they thought that they should use some of their saving money to go on this trip. So now do you envy being sick with cancer? Hell no that is not of benefit to you? Is it? Pues no!
How about a close friend of yours or a family member who just bought a huge luxury home? Oh, yeah you envy her so much. Actually you hate her all ready and she hasn’t even moved in yet! Do you envy her for having a cheating husband who beats on her too? Do you want to switch places with her now to get that huge house that you’ve always dreamed of?
Here’s another one. How about a friend who just lost lots of weight? They look so good now in anything they wear and you wish you could look just like your friend. You tried every diet there is out there and still haven’t been able to lose more than five pounds. So now you envy your friend and hate them too. But did you know that maybe your friend is as unhappy as ever. You think that she/he went on a diet to look that good but instead lost that weight from PLAIN worries, from not eating. She/he is about to lose their house because they are behind on their taxes and a few house payments. Their house that they have lived in for the pass ten years. Do you still envy and hate your friend and want to trade places so you can look good with your weight loss living with the homeless guy under the expressway because you lost your house?

So I tell you this before you go envying or hating other people.
Wake up and see what’s happening around you. Be happy with what you STILL have. Someone buys a new house or a car. Be polite and say, “Hey nice house. Nice car.” And mean it.
Someone got a promotion or a part in a movie. A once in a life time thing. Tell them, “Hey congratulations. Wish you all the best.”
Don’t envy, hate or pretend not to know by not wishing or congratulating someone! Because you don’t know the rest of the story like Paul Harvey does!

Featured at Hissip

2009-08-30T10:03:00.004-05:00

HISSIP is one of the most popular gossip sites about Hispanic celebrities. It’s based in the capital of the Latino community.
You are probably wondering What does Hissip stand for? It is a merging of Hispanic + Gossip= HISSIP. Isn’t that clever!
AND I’m featured in their Latino Book Club!!
Come visit me there and don’t forget to leave me a comment and visit their website. They have plenty of love there for Latino celebrities. The pictures on their site are fantastic! They have Fashion & Style, Movies & TV & Music. Oh and let's not forget the Latino Book Club. Come check it out.

Featured at Latino LA

2009-08-23T19:35:00.004-05:00

I’m featured at Latino LA in their Arts & Entertainment section!

Come visit their fantastic website filled with lots of information for and about our Latino RAZA!

Oh… and don’t forget to leave me a comment there.

Until then
Bonnie

De Colores

2009-08-20T17:43:00.004-05:00

Map Pencils

Did you know that I’m a map pencil freak! I think… I think that I just might have over 100 colored pencils.

You ask, why so many? Well, let me explain how I came to have so many of them.

Both of my kids, Andrew and Laura Ashley attended Catholic School and those nuns… aye, ya ya. They are so good to wring money out of you.
Every year all children were sold school supplies per grade level. So when registration came up they had all of your stuff ready for you labeled with your name, waiting for you to pick it up AND of course pay for it.

Over the ten years of Catholic School, map pencils were included in the supplies. And me being raised to take care of everything you had because times were hard back when, saved every colored pencil, considering that most of them were like brand new.

So now I keep some of them at my desk and have come to love using them! I use them instead of highlighters. They come in many colors, won’t ruin your paper and don’t smell bad. I use them on bank statements, to highlight book pages, notes to myself and go crazy during IRS income tax time! Oh… may I add that I use the color green to highlight paydays on my planner!

I'm a Berry Girl!

2009-07-16T20:56:00.000-05:00

As I sit here writing my next story Storm Love based on a large south Texas ranch—I’m eating cherries and I was thinking… how I’m a berry girl. Yes, I’m a berry girl, I love to eat cherries, strawberries, raspberries, you name it I like them all. This got me thinking about a tree I used to climb when I was a little girl. It was a Mora Tree (Black Berry Tree) that my friends had right in the front yard of their house, those friends of mine were sisters, Prissy and Sara Gonzalez and they lived right next to the school in Mirando City. We would sit on the tree branches all day long, picking and eating the berries. Forget about picking them and THEN washing them, hell no this was back in the 70’s, we would pick them and straight into our mouths they would go. After hours of eating these black berries our lips, tongues, and fingers would be stained with the color of purple. Oh and lets not forget the dripping stains of purple lines on our arms from where the juices of the moras would run. When we were all done, we’d climb on down and get a drink from the water hoes. Those were the good old days!!

I recently drove to Mirando City and saw Prissy, Sara and their parents and I asked about the Mora Tree and they said, “It’s still there and still producing sweet berries.”

Music Play List

2009-05-19T21:53:00.002-05:00

Just added a playlist from my Romance Novel FAITH for your enjoyment! These songs are actually in the story. You must read it!!

What's new with me!!

2009-05-06T23:05:00.001-05:00

Must be wondering where I’ve been?
Long story, but was helping my 82 year old mother. In the end I think I needed more help then she did (*-*).

ANY WAY… I’m back and I’ve pick up writing again working on a Wild West romance to die for. I haven’t been able to sleep as this is all I think of. This is what happens to me when I get a new idea for a new story. I should be working orders for my business but have put them aside to write. I become completely obsessed and could careless about anything else. And sometimes it bothers me, because I put things off that shouldn’t be. Don’t know if other writers go crazy like I do. It is just so weird as the ideas keep coming and in my mine I have written three chapters. So then I freak out and need to get the chapters written out and as I’m typing away… guess what? The story just continues in my head. Have I completely lost it?? Anyway that’s where I’m at right now!!

ALSO… I have submitted another story “A Cowgirls Divided Heart.” So let’s see how all of this goes and hope for no more interruptions as I’ve also begun my first True Crime Story. My goal for that story is to have it completed by the end of December of this year.

Now available at MobiPocket

2009-02-25T12:41:00.002-06:00

I’m so excited to say that FAITH is now available at MobiPocket!

Listed under FAVORITE book covers!

2009-01-28T08:45:00.002-06:00

I am featured today at Romance Writers in the Rough as FIRST choice for favorite book covers!

I was so surprised and excited to see this write up.

Author Lindsay Townsend picked the cover for FAITH as her first choice for favorite covers. She says that she loves romantic suspense as a genre and that mix of life-and-death stakes and romance! Which is so for the story of FAITH.
Visit Romance Writers in the Rough to read the write up!

FAITH IN THE SPOT LIGHT

2009-01-22T15:50:00.002-06:00

I’m being interviewed by Iuliana Petre, features editor at the Killeen Daily Herald tomorrow January 23rd!

FAITH was featured in Laredo Morning Times on Friday, January 16th in Que Pasa!

FAITH is on page 13 in La Voz Newspaper out of Austin, Texas for the January/February issue with Alfredo Santos, Editor!

FAITH will be featured in February’s issue in La Voz of Rochester, New York with Melisa Vega, Editor.

FAITH is being reviewed by Vista Magazine Cathleen Farrell, Publisher/Editor from Miami, Florida!

FAITH is being reviewed by La Voz del Latino Joanne Webster, Publisher/Editor from Ft. Walton Beach, Florida!

FAITH is featured on the front HOME PAGE of the Bruni, Texas Website!

FAITH hits the BEST SELLERS list at Siren

2009-01-21T11:09:00.002-06:00

FAITH is selling rapidly since it's release and is climbing the BEST SELLERS list chart at Siren Publishing!

The idea behind FAITH

2009-01-18T17:49:00.003-06:00

The idea behind FAITH
I was watching a documentary on coffee one day while ironing when I got the idea back in 2000. Coffee documentary!! People exclaim.

Yeah, it all started while watching a program on how coffee was processed. They were interviewing the owners who were brothers. In that moment the hero, Manolo Guerra was born.

From that day the story started to build in my head and everyday it grew until one evening I stopped working and just began to type to get it out of my head. You know so I could clear it and be done with it. But guess what? It continued, as I was driving, cooking and trying to sleep I couldn’t get it out of my head as the thoughts kept coming, so I kept writing until I came to the end of their relationship.

Then the book just sat there for two years. I wanted to have somebody read it that could be honest and tell me what they thought. So one day I just happen to mention it to my friend Monica Garza. And she said sure! I immediately took it to her and then it so happened that she got very sick with the flu. She was absent from work for many days, and guess what she read the book instead of sleeping.
When she returned to work she brought in the 300 pages in the black binder wrapped with a big rubber band with her notes. She then said that she liked it, but didn’t like the ending and recommended that I change it.

I told her that I couldn’t change it, because then I’d have to retract to the middle of the book in order to change it. I was surprised that she thought it was worth trying to find someone to publish it.

Again, years passed and every time I would run into Monica or when she would send me a Christmas card she always asked, “And the book? Are you going to have it published? You should.” That was always her comments when ever she would see me. So finally in early May of 2008 I decided to do some research on how to submit a book. I re-read my book for editing and re-worked the love scenes for Siren as they expressed that the love scenes had to be written with nothing left to the imagination. I thought to myself, WOW, can I? How embarrassing! I Felt a bit uncomfortable, but thought to myself that this was my only option since I didn’t meet any of the other publishers requirements because my book did not have a happy ending that was so required in order to submit.
I said what the heck, I have nothing to lose. I really thought it was a long shot and I just wanted to get it out of my system that I had tried. I never thought that they would say YES.

When I got the news from Siren, I just happened to have missed their email by an hour and left on my camping vacation. So when I got back which was after the 4th of July I was in total shock! I read the email like four times before I realized that it was real. Yep! They said we like your book and would like to publish it. Let us know so we can send you the contract for you to sign.
During that period, my niece Krstyal was very excited for me and kept that excitement up for over two weeks. So I told myself, let me let Krystal read it and see what she thinks, since she is like a bookworm. Always, reading!! So I e-mailed the unedited manuscript. She read it over a weekend and also said for me to consider changing the ending.

Meanwhile, the manuscript was under going editing and when I got it back, the editor also suggested changing the ending.
I thought about it for three days, as I thought to myself how I could change the ending. Then I thought of how I could and did. The book NOW met any publishers’ guidelines, without the need to be so explicit on the sex scenes, but it was too late as I had already signed the contract with them.

THE BOOK COVER
The first book cover they sent I didn’t like the candles and the fact that the rosary was like pasted on the model. I picked up the phone and called my niece Krystal. Why Krystal? Well, because she does this for a living. She received her degree from Saint Mary’s, San Antonio in Marketing. Krystal works for a big marketing firm out of Houston and her client … yes, she has only one to keep her busy is McDonalds!

She said that she also didn’t like the candles and the rosary and suggested to remove the candles and have them use a crucifix in place of the T in the word faith. So then they made the changes and it changed again.

The cover changed one more time with the Siren logo when the ending changed. So then the cover came to be what it is now!

FAITH scheduled to release January 15th

2009-01-12T21:01:00.005-06:00

The day awaited is finally here!!

Several people have pre-ordered and are anxiously waiting for Wednesday to read FAITH.

Visit the website for fun stuff where you can listen to music from the book. You will also be able to see who the hero, Manolo I wrote with in mind!

until then

Bonnie

Diana's 50th Birthday

2008-11-10T14:21:00.004-06:00

On Friday, November 7th I drove to Alice, Texas to celebrate my sister-in-law Diana’s 50th birthday! She is my sister-in-law, but has been more like a sister to me throughout the years. She is married to my brother Jake, and if I remember correctly, they have been married for 28 years.

All her three children were there to help celebrate this special day, son William drove in from San Antonio, daughter Krystal drove in from Houston and daughter Connie drove in from Corpus Christi.

All her sisters were also there to help celebrate, Dina drove in from Houston, Gracie drove in from Kingsville and Belia drove in from Hebbronville. Diana’s mother, Blasita who is 81 years old was also there to help celebrate.

Her children worked hard in the past weeks secretly finding pictures and put a beautiful slide show for the party! Many, many and many friends and co-workers came to their home to celebrate! When I drove up I didn’t know WHERE to park!!

Shown left to right: "Las Manita's" Belia, Gracie, Diana, Dina, Bonnie

2008-11-08T20:47:00.005-06:00

My cover for my book
FAITH
is here!

Excerpt:
What's a beautiful young virgin of strong Catholic faith to do when she meets up with a wealthy, sex-deprived, handsome bachelor?During one of Manolo Guerra's monthly visits to his mother's grave site, finding a beautiful, young and single woman was not on his agenda that day. But that day out of nowhere, things would change forever for both of them as destiny had finally come full circle. She was of strong Catholic faith and her values had been set high, a total virgin she was and this made Manolo desire her even more. She was Tatiana Madrigal from San Antonio, Texas and was in Miami for just a short while. Finally, a woman that could love him for who he was and one that could bear his child to leave his millions to. It would be eight months of heavenly nights and days with her as he had lost years of sexual lovemaking and her of never experiencing any, as they would explore each other countless of times each day and night.

Coming Soon in
January 2009 E Book $5.99
and June in Print

ISBN: 1-60601-216-9
Heat Level: Scorching
Word Length: 94,000
Published by: Siren-Bookstrand