Today I’m interviewing Amparo Ortiz, the author of the Young Adult Fantasy novel, Blazewrath Games, which debuted in October of 2020.
Amparo was born in San Juan, Puerto Rico, and currently lives on the island’s northeastern coast. She holds an M.A. in English and a B.A. in Psychology from the UPR’s Río Piedras campus.
Her short story comic, “What Remains in The Dark,” appeared in the Eisner Award-winning anthology PUERTO RICO STRONG , and SAVING CHUPIE, her middle grade graphic novel, comes out with HarperCollins in 2022.
When she’s not teaching ESL to her college students, she’s streaming Kpop music videos, vlogging for her eponymous YouTube channel, and writing about Latinx characters in worlds both contemporary and fantastical.
Today, we’re talking about scheduling moments of joy, music as an emotional entry point into story, and giving yourself permission to suck.
Amparo is so witty and funny and full of optimism. Her anecdotes and advice left me feeling so much lighter and I hope our conversation leaves you feeling lighter too. So curl up in a cozy spot, maybe even with a snack nearby, and then enjoy my conversation with Amparo Ortiz.
If you’d like to learn more about Amparo or her books, please visit her website at http://www.amparoortiz.com/ or find her on social media @Amparo_Ortiz on Instagram and Twitter. Also be sure to buy her book, Blazewrath Games, published by Page Street Kids, at your local indie bookstore.
