If there’s a romance author you should be taking notice of, it’s Adriana Herrera. Her stories are full of queer Afro-Latinx passion and love, all while writing about social issues that affect marginalized communities in nuanced ways. Having read the first three installments in her Dreamers series, I wished to have an opportunity to ask Adriana, mi tocaya, about her writing, despecho playlists, and representation.
You have been unapologetic about your writing, be it by writing Afro-Latinx characters or by tackling issues like colorism, misogyny and machismo, gentrification, discrimination, as well as unbalanced power dynamics, all while still maintaining romance and love as the central themes of your books. What does it take for a writer to write a balanced romance novel full of nuanced and compelling characters while still hitting on critical social and political issues?
I had a very clear vision of what I wanted to bring to the romance space when I started writing. I’m advocate and I am a person who loves where I come from and who I am. I knew that I wanted to write stories that were dynamic, (very) sexy, and romantic. I also wanted to write from an intersectional and Afro-Latinx gaze, uncompromisingly. You could say that’s my mission.
Community is a big theme in each of your books, and they explore how nothing can be done in isolation, no one can soldier through their problems all by themselves. Why was it important to showcase that facet of the characters’ lives in your books?
To write romance centered in the Afro-Latinx experience, and everything that encompasses. I think the moment that we are living right now in America, writing stories that give a realistic picture of our lives AND that affirm that we are not only here, but that our futures are hopeful, full of love and joy…That’s revolution.
In both American Dreamer and American Fairytale there are scenes where one of the main characters is mourning their relationship and they blast their “despecho” playlists. What’s an essential song that should be in a “despecho” playlist?
That’s such a hard question *sobbing emoji*
These are just a few… But are by NO MEANS an exhaustive list because Latinx can write a despecho song like NOBODY!
La Gran Tirana and Que Te Pedí by La Lupe… Whew those songs… That’s rip your heart out energy.
Si Una Vez by Selena
Perdóname by Gilberto Santa Rosa…Ayyyyyyyyyyy
Te Conozco Bien by Marc Anthony (or pretty much the entire Todo A Su Timepo álbum is a full on despecho fest)
Si Te Vas and Moscas en La Casa by Shakira (it makes me so sad that people think Shakira’s music in English is her best work *single tear*)
I could go on and on…but this is a good place to start! LOL
You have free reins to collab with another Latinx creative and they’re free and on board as well, who are you picking and what are you making?
That’s a hard one too!! If I got an American Dreamer movie (I dream big LOL) I would love Vicente Garcia to do the music…That would be so amazing!
How does your identity affect your writing?
My identity, my roots, my struggle, my gaze, my place in the world are at the center of how I tell a story.
Who do you write for?
My people, and that’s not just Dominicans, or women, or the queer community, or immigrants…It’s all of us, who are here trying to hold space for a word that’s kinder and more inclusive of everyone.
What movie(s) would you pair your book with?
I’m so glad I have an answer for this!!! Always Be My Maybe would be a perf pairing for Dreamer.
Shoutout a Latinx writer or creator whom you admire!
Sooo many!!! I love Elizabeth Acevedo— The Poet X is literally a perfect book. I just finished Dominicana by Angie Cruz and it was beautiful. Don’t Date Rosa Santos by Nina Moreno was always lovely… Carmen Maria Machado I think might be one of the most interesting voices I’ve read in the last decade. She blows me away. Mia García writes gorgeous books. Ibi Zoboi is wonderful.
Music...I'm obsessed with Residente. I love me some Bad Bunny. Vicente Garcia. Rita Indiana y los Misterios, iLE… We got a lot of brilliance in our midst!
Anything else you can share about your upcoming projects?
The third book of the Dreamers series American Love Story will be out on October 7th and American Sweethearts the last book in the series will be out March 30th!!
American Dreamer and American Fairytale are available for purchase and American Love Story is available for pre-order (e-book out October 7th, 2019) now.
Follow Adriana Herrera on Twitter and Instagram!
Adriana Herrera
Adriana was born and raised in the Caribbean, but for the last 15 years has let her job (and her spouse) take her all over the world. She loves writing stories about people who look and sound like her people, getting unapologetic happy endings.
When she’s not dreaming up love stories, planning logistically complex vacations with her family or hunting for discount Broadway tickets, she’s a social worker in New York City, working with survivors of domestic and sexual violence.
Her debut novel, American Dreamer, has been featured on Entertainment Weekly, NPR and was one of the TODAY Show on NBC’s Hot Beach Reads picks. She’s one of the co-creators of the Queer Romance PoC Collective and serves as the VP of Programs for the Romance Writers of America New York City Chapter.
Represented by Linda Camacho, Gallt & Zacker.