Brief dispatch from San Antonio

The welcome dinner at the Macondo Writers' Workshop, which takes place on the Sunday evening before the first day, is a special time. Aside from visiting with friends you haven't seen in a year, and meeting new ones, there are usually a few special guests.

This year was no exception. As a small press publisher, it was a particular treat dining beside Tino Villanueva, and picking his brain about what I consider one our legendary publications, which published a total of six numbers back in the 80s:

And of course it was great to ask and learn more learn about two books I've long admired:

It was also exciting to learn of a new, many-years-in-the-making poemario by Tino Villanueva inspired by the figure of Penelope. And since Tino lives in Boston, it was with great pleasure that I personally invited him to the special program that Letras Latinas and the Poetry Society of America will be presenting on November 8, in collaboration with the Woodberry Poetry Room at Harvard University. I told him it would be an honor at have someone of his stature present at the inaugural reading of the multi-year "Latino/a Poetry Now."

Tino Villanueva

Tino Villanueva