Why We Need Softness in Horror

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#emotionalHorror2 #generationalTrauma #healingThroughStorytelling #horrorWithHeart #latineAuthors #magicalRealism #ownVoicesHorror #softHorror #theOrdinaryBruja

Friday Feature: Five Latina Brujas You Should Be Reading Right Now

Now that The Ordinary Bruja has officially stepped into the world (and I’m still over here smiling like a proud mama), I want to celebrate this moment by spotlighting other incredible Latina and Latine authors who’ve filled the world with stories of power, identity, and magic.

These authors are proof that brujas come in many forms — storytellers, worldbuilders, truth-tellers — each one daring to write the kind of stories that honor where we come from and who we’re becoming.

If you loved The Ordinary Bruja, you’ll want these five on your shelf next.

1. The Inheritance of Orquídea Divina – Zoraida Córdova

This book was one of the first to make me feel seen. Córdova’s story of legacy, transformation, and family secrets sits right at the crossroads of life and death — where magic breathes through grief. Like Marisol, Orquídea’s family learns that inheritance isn’t just about blood, but about the truths we carry and the ones we must face.

2. The Hacienda – Isabel Cañas

If you crave gothic atmosphere and haunting history, this is your next read. Think Rebecca meets Mexican Gothic, with a heroine who refuses to surrender to the shadows. Cañas threads together faith, horror, and identity in a way that reminds me why I love psychological tension in storytelling.

3. We Light Up the Sky – Lilliam Rivera

Rivera crafts a sci-fi story that still feels deeply human. Her characters — complex, flawed, real — mirror the emotional vulnerability I try to capture in my own writing. She reminds us that survival and identity are acts of rebellion, and that being different can be its own form of magic.

4. The Gods of Tango – Carolina De Robertis

Set in early-1900s Buenos Aires, this story follows a young woman who reinvents herself to survive. It’s a masterclass in transformation — in how we navigate gender, music, and desire to reclaim our power. It carries that same emotional pulse I love exploring: identity, freedom, and what it costs to be seen.

5. Witchlings – Claribel A. Ortega

For younger readers (and the young at heart), Witchlings is pure, sparkling joy. Claribel captures that coming-of-age wonder with heart and humor, showing that belonging and bravery are as magical as any spell. It’s a story that reminds us why representation matters — because every child deserves to see themselves wielding power.

Why These Stories Matter

Writing The Ordinary Bruja taught me that our voices — Latine, Caribbean, diasporic — carry entire worlds. We don’t just write stories; we preserve memory. These five authors continue that work, each weaving faith, identity, and resilience into narratives that reflect the multiplicity of our culture.

So while I hope you spend time in Marisol’s world this weekend, I also hope you pick up one of these. Every one of them holds a kind of magic that feels like home.

The Ordinary Bruja: Book One of Las Cerradoras Series – Johanny Ortega

Marisol Espinal has spent her life trying to disappear from her family’s whispers of magic, from the shame of not belonging, from the truth she refuses to face. She’s always wanted to be someone else: confident, capable, extraordinary.

But when strange visions, flickering shadows, and warnings written in her mother’s hand begin to stalk her, Marisol is forced to confront her deepest fear: what if she isn’t extraordinary at all? What if she’s painfully ordinary?

Yet Hallowthorn Hill doesn’t call to just anyone. And the more Marisol resists, the stronger its pull becomes. The past she’s buried claws its way back, and something in the mist is watching—waiting for her to remember.

If Marisol cannot face the truth about who she is and where she comes from, the same darkness that destroyed her ancestors will claim her, too.

Somewhere in the shadows, something knows her name.

And it’s time for Marisol to learn why.

The Ordinary Bruja Is Officially Out in the World!

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#bookLaunch #indiePublishing #latineAuthors #magicalRealism

Stuff Your Kindle Day: The Ordinary Bruja Joins the MilSpouse Authors Lineup!

Every so often, something magical happens in the book world—and this time, it’s happening for one day only. On October 26, 2025, readers everywhere can stuff their Kindles with free digital books from the talented members of the MilSpouse Authors group, a collective of military spouse writers creating everything from romance and thrillers to memoirs and magical realism.

I’m thrilled to announce that The Ordinary Bruja is one of the featured titles in this year’s Stuff Your Kindle Day (SKYD) lineup! ✨

Hosted by MilSpouseAuthors.com, this event celebrates the creativity and resilience of military spouse authors by giving readers the chance to discover new voices—and fill their e-readers without spending a dime.

For one day only, you can download a free digital copy of The Ordinary Bruja, my haunting and heartfelt novel about ancestral magic, identity, and self-acceptance.

About The Ordinary Bruja

For readers of Mexican Gothic and The Inheritance of Orquídea Divina, this slow-burn psychological horror blends Dominican magical realism with coming-of-age self-discovery.

Marisol Espinal never thought she was extraordinary—just another small-town girl trying to find her place. But when whispers echo from the mirrors and smoke curls where there is no fire, she’s forced to confront a legacy buried in silence.

Generations ago, the Espinal women’s magic was bound by a patriarch who believed power belonged only to him. Now, the curse is unraveling and Marisol must uncover the truth behind her family’s buried shame before it consumes her completely.

It’s a story for anyone who’s ever felt like they were too much and not enough at the same time.

Why This Event Matters

As someone who constantly moves because of the military I know how important community is—especially in this often transient, unpredictable lifestyle. The MilSpouse Authors group has been an incredible hub for connection, creativity, and support among writers and readers navigating deployments, relocations, and everything in between.

By participating in SKYD, we’re not just sharing stories; we’re building bridges between readers and authors whose voices might otherwise go unheard. And as indie authors, that means the world.

So, if you’ve been curious about The Ordinary Bruja or just love discovering stories rooted in identity, culture, and a touch of the supernatural—this is your chance.

I also think you should check out other talented authors sharing their voice there.

How to Join the Magic

📅 When: October 26, 2025 — one day only
📍 Where: MilSpouseAuthors.com
📘 What: Download your free digital copy of The Ordinary Bruja

Add it to your Kindle, tablet, or e-reader, and let Marisol’s journey remind you that the most extraordinary power of all is believing in yourself.

#DominicanAmericanFiction #freeBooks #indieAuthors #LatineAuthors #magicalRealism #MilSpouseAuthors #PsychologicalHorror #StuffYourKindleDay #TheOrdinaryBruja

Are My Books About Me? Writing From the Seed of Truth

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New Latine Picture Books

These new Latine picture books dive into history, culture, and personal stories, perfect reads for little ones this Latine Heritage Month.
https://bookriot.com/new-latine-picture-books/

#Childrens #TheKidsAreAllRight #HispanicHeritageMonth #latineauthors #Latinebooks

¿Quien Fue? 6 Mysteries and Thrillers by Latine Authors

These mysteries by Latine authors include fiction for true crime lovers, a series starter for foodies, coming-of-age noir set in 1979, and more.
https://bookriot.com/mysteries-by-latine-authors/

#LatineLit #MysteryThriller #latineauthors #latinxauthors
@indieauthors

Marisol Is Me — Hesitant, Haunted, and Holding On

There’s something deeply sacred about writing a character who holds a piece of your truth—especially the parts you kept hidden, even from yourself.

In the final episode of The Why Behind the Bruja podcast series, I talk about how Marisol isn’t just a fictional character. She’s me. The hesitant girl who didn’t want to be seen. The woman still learning how to love herself without conditions. The bruja who carries power in her blood but sometimes doubts she deserves it.

Growing up with a lazy eye made me hyperaware of how people saw me—before they ever heard me speak or felt the warmth I carry. I wanted to hide. But I also wanted to shine. I’ve always lived in that tug-of-war: the desire to be invisible and the hunger to be witnessed. That tension shaped everything, including the way I write.

And it didn’t help that the world around me—like many Dominican girls—trained me to earn my worth through achievement, through behavior, through silence. Pride felt dangerous. Joy felt indulgent. Love had to be earned.

But I remember one moment. My mamá, fierce like Mamá Belén, holding my chin and saying:
“Don’t you dare walk with your head down. You’ll get a hump. And you don’t want that.”
So I held it up. Even when they laughed. Even when they called me a monster or a weirdo.
Eventually, I didn’t need her hand anymore.

That’s the beginning of self-love, right? Not the kind they sell you in affirmations, but the kind you fight for.
The kind you give to yourself not when you’re proud—but especially when you’re not.

That’s what The Ordinary Bruja is really about.

Marisol’s magic isn’t flashy.
It’s ancestral. Uncomfortable. Buried under years of self-denial and fear.
But it’s real. And it pulses in her even when she doesn’t believe she’s worthy of it.
Just like mine pulsed in me—during the pandemic, during the silence, during the writing of this book.

This episode is my full-circle moment. The confession and the celebration.
Because sometimes the story you’re telling is also the story you’re finally living.

#brujaIdentity #characterConfession #childhoodHealing #DominicanStorytelling #LatineAuthors #magicalRealism #radicalSelfLove #selfWorthJourney #TheOrdinaryBruja

I’m Headed to LATINA Fest—And I’m Bringing the Books!

✨ Cue the cafecito and the ancestral drums—this brujita is going to LATINA Fest 2025! ✨

I’m beyond excited to share that I’ll be joining this year’s 7th Annual LATINA Fest at Gloria Molina Grand Park in downtown Los Angeles on June 1st, and I’ll be posted up at the Author’s Corner—a space dedicated to celebrating Latina authors, storytellers, and the written word that shapes our world.

LATINA Fest isn’t just an event—it’s a whole vibe. It’s about amplifying the magic, resilience, and power of our stories. And as a Dominican writer who walks the line between reality and the otherworldly, I’m bringing two books that represent everything I stand for: healing, truth-telling, and a little bit of literary mischief.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P-6ZLuJcE1M

✨ What I’m Bringing to LATINA Fest

📙 Mrs. Franchy’s Evil Ring and the Six Months That Changed Everything

This award-winning middle grade novel follows Isla Delgado, a girl caught in the middle of a cursed ring, homeschool chaos, and the messy beauty of blended family life. Inspired by my own experience parenting during the pandemic, this story is equal parts funny, touching, and honest. It’s for the kids who feel like they don’t belong—and the adults who once felt that way too.

🧿 Themes: identity, stepfamilies, loss, neurodivergence, and learning to speak your truth.
🏆 Winner of The BookFest Award for Juvenile Multicultural Fiction + Social Issues.

🔮 A Physical Sneak Peek of The Ordinary Bruja

For the first time ever, I’ll be sharing a physical preview of The Ordinary Bruja—my magical realist, psychological horror novel about a reclusive brujita named Marisol Espinal who’s haunted by ancestral silence, internalized shame, and the terrifying possibility of being seen.

This book is my heart. It was born during pandemic isolation, whispered to me in between grief, burnout, and the slow climb back to myself. If you’ve ever struggled with not feeling Latina enough, or doubted your worth, or felt like the ghosts of your family still speak through you—you’ll see yourself in this one.

👻 Think: Dominican magical realism meets psychological horror.
✨ Perfect for fans of Silvia Moreno-Garcia and Zoraida Córdova.

📚 Why LATINA Fest Matters

Being accepted into LATINA Fest means being seen. It means standing alongside powerhouse Latinas in wellness, activism, literature, beauty, and business. It means carving space for our voices, especially the ones that don’t always fit the mold. It means I get to show up as myself—full of contradictions, full of heart, and full of stories.

And you’re invited.

Come through to LATINA Fest if you’re in or near L.A. on June 1st. Bring your comadres, your primas, your journals, and your curiosity. Let’s talk about identity, ancestors, storytelling, and how literature is one of the most powerful forms of magic we have.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zgDksmMlsrk

🎟️ Details & Tickets:

🗓️ Date: Saturday, June 1st, 2025
📍 Location: Gloria Molina Grand Park, Los Angeles
🎟️ Tickets: Available now on Eventbrite
📚 Where to Find Me: Author’s Corner

Come Grab a Book, a Blessing, or Just a Brujita Vibe

If you’ve been waiting to get your hands on The Ordinary Bruja or gift Mrs. Franchy to a young reader in your life—this is the perfect chance. I’ll have signed copies, exclusive bookish goodies, and maybe even a cafecito blessing or two.

https://haveacupofjohanny.com/product/mrs-franchys-evil-ring-and-the-six-months-that-changed-everything/

#BookEventsInLA #BrujaBooks #DominicanWriters #IndieAuthorSpotlight #LATINAFest2025 #LatineAuthors #MagicalRealismBooks #middleGradeFiction #MrsFranchySEvilRing #ownvoicesFiction #TheOrdinaryBruja

From Pandemic Isolation to Magic: Creating The Ordinary Bruja

Magic doesn’t always arrive with a flash and fanfare. Sometimes it emerges quietly from our darkest moments, when we’re hiding from the world and even from ourselves.

During the silence of pandemic lockdown, when the world outside my window fell eerily still, I found myself drawn to create something that could bridge the isolation. That’s when Marisol—a curvilicious Latina bruja reluctant to leave her cottage after quarantine—first whispered her story to me. What began as simple Instagram story posts soon became something deeper, a mirror reflecting my own fears about reconnection and being truly seen.

Through writing Marisol’s journey, I discovered parts of myself I had been avoiding: feelings of inadequacy, of not being Dominican enough, brave enough, or simply good enough. The magic I wove into her story wasn’t about wands or spells, but something ancestral and gut-deep, magic that pulses through her blood whether she wants it or not. Much like creativity pulsed through me during those difficult days, demanding expression even when I felt most ordinary.

The Ordinary Bruja emerged not from careful plotting but from raw emotion, from a tired woman sitting at her kitchen table whispering stories into the digital void, hoping someone might hear and respond. And respond they did—readers connected with Marisol’s reluctance to emerge from her pandemic cocoon, her fear of being seen for who she truly is. Because aren’t we all, in some way, hiding parts of ourselves from the world?

What version of yourself did you meet during isolation? What magic might you be hiding? Join me next Wednesday for “The Post That Broke Me” as I continue unpacking how this soft story took a hard turn after one Instagram comment about Dominican identity that awakened the bruja’s anger. Your own magic is waiting—sometimes we just need someone else’s story to help us find it.

#ancestralMagic #brujaStories #DominicanIdentity #identityAndIsolation #LatineAuthors #magicalRealism #pandemicCreativity #selfDiscovery #TheOrdinaryBruja #writingDuringLockdown