You know how there are Supermoms, who appear to be able to do everything, to be everywhere they’re needed, and still look flawless? I think Yamile Saied Méndez qualifies as one. Her catalog of works seems to never end, and I, for one, welcome the endless stream of content she’s bringing out— whether it’s a middle grade about friendship and family in the midst of a snowstorm, or a picture book about identity, or a YA based on Bend It Like Beckham. Pair this with the amount of compassion and unbridled enthusiasm with which she seems to do things, Yamile is a writer you should be paying attention to, and it’s why I interviewed her.
Yamile, you are on a roll! First, with Blizzard Besties, then, with Where Are You From?, plus all your upcoming projects (Random Acts of Kittens, Furia!, On These Magic Shores, and three anthology contributions, just to name a few known ones). Is there a genre or an age group you’re dying to write?
I have blessedly been so busy with so many projects, mainly because timing in publishing is a weird thing. It takes so long for a book to be published after that first idea germinates! I've been writing for many, many years, and a lot of my projects being announced now have been years in the making. Others more than others. I write everything from picture books to YA, including short stories, and I'm excited to adapt one of my favorite manuscripts into a graphic novel. I'd also love to write a historical fantasy, which I'm playing with in between projects.
In Blizzard Besties, Vanesa is struggling with some toxic friendships as well as reconciling with the strange relationship siblings have with one another. When you started writing the book, was it always going to go the way it ended up? Or do you come up with “a girl goes to a ski lodge and gets stuck with strangers in the middle of a snow storm; shenanigans ensues?”
Poor Vanesa! She's dealing with so much! I guess the process was a combination of both these approaches. I had a full outline and synopsis before I started writing, but I was still caught by surprise by how the story and Vanesa's struggles evolved from draft to draft. It's also amazing to see the seeds our brain leaves for us, which germinate from version to version. As an author, you have the chance to either pluck out those seedlings or nurture them. A lot of the drama with Beck and the Sunshine Darlings were some of those seedlings that grew in importance as I worked on the story. I had a specific feeling I wanted to achieve at the end (Vanesa trusting her guts, and recognizing what makes a good friend), and I shot for that.
Where Are You From? also deals with struggling with what your identity is in the face of seemingly innocuous questions that are actually microaggressions. The character’s answer to the question of “where are you from?” is as complicated as the question itself, but from the mouth of a grandfather it means a lot more, due to the generational trauma our ancestors have carried with them. What does the question mean to you in today’s historical context?
Very much like the young girl in this story, my own heritage is a mixture of many cultures and histories. And yes, I carry a lot of generational trauma, some of which I'm still learning to unpack and process. I grew up hearing about some of my ancestors, but not about others. I'm fascinated in knowing about where my family came from, the people who made it possible for me to be where I am right now. I'm constantly exploring this question of origin and heritage, and the possibility of rediscovering your own unique identity in all my works. Trying to answer this question in a picture book format has been one of my hardest challenges, but at the same time, the most rewarding. Abuelo's answer is one I carry in my heart when I'm faced with some of the situations my character encounters in the book. It's an ever evolving answer too, and since not a day goes by without a person asking me where I'm from, I have the opportunity to ponder it every day.
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?
There are so many people I'd love to collaborate with, but without a doubt, the main one is Aida Salazar, my fellow Musa and dear friend. I'm happy that there is something in the works already, so I can't say what we're making. It will be beautiful and transcendental though, at least for me, and I hope our readers as well.
Who do you write for?
I write for my young readers who are seeing themselves in an adventure in which they're the heroes for the first time.
I write for my children, my great inspirations, cheerleaders, and fans.
I write for myself, especially the young writer with big dreams I once was.
I write for the ancestors who paved the way for me to do what I love most. I feel like I'm their medium. I hope to honor them with my stories, whether they're commercial and fun, or serious and literary.
Shoutout a Latinx writer or creator whom you admire!
Margarita Engle! She's so prolific, talented, kind, and generous! She's always positive and such a great role model for me.
Anything else you can share about your upcoming projects?
I'm just very excited about my next three books and an anthology I'm collaborating in coming out within this year:
TAKE THE MIC: STORIES OF EVERYDAY RESISTANCE (Arthur Levine/Scholastic, October 1, 2019): In my short story AURORA RISING, Aurora learns to find her voice to speak up to the people she loves.
RANDOM ACTS OF KITTENS (Scholastic, December 26, 2019): Natalia Flores finds a mama cat and her babies, and she needs to find a home for them. She devises a plan to find them the best homes ever, but her good intentions don't have the good results she expects.
ON THESE MAGIC SHORES (Lee and Low/Tu Books, Spring 2020): Minerva Miranda has a plan to become the first Latina president of the US, and the first step to get to her goal is securing the role of Wendy in the school's Peter Pan play. But when her mom doesn't return from work, Minerva has to step up to protect her little sisters before they're taken away, all while she befriends a mysterious boy without a shadow.
FURIA (Algonquin, Fall 2020): Camila Hassan dreams of becoming a professional soccer player, but in Argentina, her dream is just that, a dream. Until her team qualifies to play an international competition where she'll have the chance to be seen by scouts from all over the world. Too bad the love of her life, Diego, who's a soccer star playing in Italy, comes back to derail her plans and make her question if maybe a girl like her can have both of her dreams: soccer and love.
Pre-order Take the Mic and Random Acts of Kittens today!
You can find Blizzard Besties and Where Are You From?/¿De dónde eres? where books are sold.
Follow Yamile on Twitter and Instagram!
Yamile Saied Méndez
Yamile (sha-MEE-lay) Saied Méndez is a fútbol-obsessed Argentine-American who loves meteor showers, summer, astrology, and pizza. She lives in Utah with her Puerto Rican husband and their five kids, two adorable dogs, and one majestic cat. An inaugural Walter Dean Myers Grant recipient, she’s also a graduate of Voices of Our Nations (VONA) and the Vermont College of Fine Arts MFA Writing for Children’s and Young Adult program. She’s a PB, MG, and YA author. Yamile is also part of Las Musas, the first collective of women and nonbinary Latinx MG and YA authors. She’s represented by Linda Camacho at Gallt & Zacker Literary.