La Misión Ártica por Minda Gomez el segundo libro de la serie Las aventuras de los niños Martinez (Martinez Kids Adventures). En este libro, Diego, Rico y Araceli se entretienen en el LAAAARGO viaje de Minnesota a Ciudad Juárez con las gafas de realidad virtual de su vecino inventor Don Toño. Sus hazañas refuerzan los valores de cooperación, responsabilidad, constancia y ánimo.
Cuando la familia llega a su destino, el lector puede echar un vistazo a algunas de las costumbres y comidas tradicionales mexicanas que se encuentran en las áreas cercanas a la frontera entre EE. UU. y México. Las aventuras continúan a través de las gafas de realidad virtual en el viaje LAAAARGO de regreso a Minnesota.
El libro termina con la receta de atole de avena de Tita y la canción de la piñata, ¡que siempre es una gran canción para cantar!
La versión en inglés (The Arctic Quest) contiene una lista traducida de las palabras en español utilizadas en el libro con una guía de pronunciación. La versión en español (La Misión Ártica) hace lo mismo con el término en inglés que contiene. Como beneficio adicional, este libro de la serie contiene algunas palabras inuit para un mayor aprendizaje del idioma. Las ilustraciones hacen que la lectura de este libro de capítulos sea aún más agradable.
After a stellar start to the year, February was a flop. I did not get any of the writing projects I had in the lineup completed.
I started working on the Shopping in Rural Mexico editing and found that I will need to retake a good portion of the pictures again. What was good enough for a blog post is certainly not clear enough for a print book. So I’m moving this project to the simmer setting on the stove. I didn’t even look at the other books in the series.
Instead, I’ve been revamping my website. My goal is to get everything under one roof, so to speak. Teachable raised its prices to use the platform to the point where it’s not profitable for me to continue using it. Teachers Pay Teachers blacklisted some of my Women of the Bible printables because someone found them offensive. So I’ve taken my toys and gone home, literally. And now I need a new place to display my wares.
It has been a frustrating experience with the WooCommerce and PayPal plug-ins so far. I hope to finish up in March. You can see the new storefront on the homepage. Pardon the dust while I get it all set up.
I also spent part of the month trying my hand at networking. As an introvert, this is waaaayyy out of my comfort zone, but if I want to find the right readers for my books, well, I’m going to have to come out of my shell a bit more. Of course, networking is a long game, so I don’t know if my efforts will bear fruit for a bit. I guess it’s a start, though, right?
I am also going to switch back to the herb books as a focus for March. I have four herbs to research to finish the first draft of Herb book #4. And hey, it’s my writing challenge, so I can do what I want to (It’s also my birthday month, and I can’t think of a better way to celebrate my 50th than by researching a new plant.)
In 2018, Shinji Yoshikawa, a Japanese ex-pat living in Mexico City, decided that since his family was away during Christmas, he would travel out of his comfort zone and visit a place he’d read about in a magazine. He had no idea about the adventures that awaited him.
El Rancho Evergreen is located in San Isidro Chichihuistan near San Cristobal, Chiapas. It is run by an American, Samuel, a French woman named Stephanie, and their two multicultural daughters, Zoe and Cheyenne. To get there, our fearless traveler took a smooth plane ride to Tuxtla Guiterrez, the nearest airport, which he slept through, then a bumpy and uncomfortable bus ride he did not sleep through. Finally, his voyage culminated in a shared taxi ride to his destination, which was neither comfortable nor uncomfortable.
The author’s adventures are sprinkled with humor as he thoroughly enjoys his vacation, even when things don’t go exactly as planned. For those that have not experienced ex-pat life in Mexico, he shares some tidbits about Mexican culture, such as no central heating systems, the rarity of on-time transportation schedules, and the reality that the nearest wi-fi signal is quite a hike up the hill and by the big tree which you can climb to improve your reception.
I’d have to say that my favorite part was Yoshikawa’s description of Christmas Eve with his host family and other guests. Despite being shy and retiring, the author voluntarily added to the festivities by borrowing a guitar and singing in three languages. What a memorable experience for everyone!
Although Yoshikawa’s high-jinks amused me greatly, there were some writing issues that could be improved upon. As the author’s first language was Japanese and his second Spanish, this English version had multiple vocabulary and word use errors, punctuation mistakes, and a few things that, well, just got lost in translation. Another pass-through by an editor for some additional spit polish and shine would not be amiss here.
Any world or armchair traveler would love this book, which amounts to a travelogue. It isn’t a long read. After all, the author’s visit to El Rancho Evergreen lasted just four days. Nor is it a tedious read, as many travel stories can be. Yoshikawa pokes fun at his own expectations and finds that the road less traveled is delightful in its own way.
Today’s featured author is Minda Gomez, who writes bilingual children’s chapter books about the multi-cultural Martinez family! She lives with her husband and three kids in a suburb of Minneapolis, Minnesota.
The Martinez Kids Adventures are a children’s chapter book series centered around a bicultural Mexican-American family. Rico, Diego, and Araceli Martinez are three spunky bilingual siblings who live in Minnesota with their Mami and Papi.
In The Secret Door, the family discovers that their next-door neighbor, Don Toño, has developed an invention that will transform them into animals through virtual reality, simply by walking through a secret door. They travel to the forest as squirrels, the coral reef as marine animals, and the Mexican rainforest as spider monkeys. In each adventure, they make new animal friends and learn lessons that can be applied to their lives.
In The Arctic Quest, the Martinez family is driving to Mexico to visit family for Christmas. Along the way, the kids are transported to the Arctic and turned into animals through special virtual reality sunglasses that allow them to fly, swim, and communicate with other animals. Through new challenges and friendships, they learn important lessons through their adventures. Upon arriving in Mexico, they experience a rich, warm Navidad celebration that they will never forget.
The Martinez Kids Adventures are available online through Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and many other online booksellers. Links to the books can be found at my website, www.mindagomez.com.
The Martinez family is modeled after my own cross-cultural family. My husband lived in Mexico until we got married, so Spanish language and culture are an integral part of our family’s dynamics. Over the years I have made it my goal to find quality bilingual and cross-cultural books. I have come across very few books about families that look similar to mine, so it has been a joy to represent them in exciting, wholesome stories.
In addition, I wanted to represent the code-switching and natural flow between Spanish and English that takes place in a bilingual family. Spanish words are incorporated into the dialogue in context in the English book, and a glossary is available for referencing meaning and pronunciation.
My husband and I worked together on the Spanish translation of the books. English words are also incorporated into the dialogue.
These books are tributes to the beauty of language, culture, food, and family. Spanish words are scattered throughout the story in context, offering an opportunity for readers to learn.
I want these stories to draw families together with intriguing stories that activate the imagination and inspire meaningful conversations. It is also a goal that my readers will grow in their appreciation for their own traditions and those of their neighbors.
When I wrote my first book in the summer of 2021, I did not know anything about the world of publishing, and basically had to figure it out as I went along. I did not have any idea what this would grow into, or all of the areas in which I would have to learn new skills.
One of the most challenging skills was learning to illustrate digitally on an iPad. I have always loved art but did not have experience with this medium. It has been very rewarding to develop in this area, and I find the illustration process to be incredibly engrossing. Hours can go by as I am working on one project, and it may feel like it’s only been a short time.
The marketing process has been challenging for me as well, as I do not have any formal training in this area. I have been thankful for the way people so generously share their knowledge online.
Currently I am working on my third chapter book, which is in the editing process. I am also working on a spin-off picture book based on one of the animal characters from my current work in progress. I work during the chances I can find between the responsibilities of parenting and my full-time teacher job. It is my goal to release these books by this summer, but that time is flexible. That is the beauty of self-publishing; my deadlines can adapt to my life.
The best writing advice I’ve ever been given is do it because you love it. I want to keep doing this because it is something I enjoy. If it starts to feel like a chore, I need to take a break. That’s the benefit of doing this for myself and not as my full-time job. Currently it brings me so much joy that I can’t imagine stopping.
I’m tickled pink, well maybe green, that El boticario mexicano: Remedios herbales tradicionales para el resfriado y la gripe has been released! In celebration, both the English and Spanish ebook versions are FREE for the next few days.
The Secret Door/La Puerta Secreta by Minda Gomez introduces young readers to the Martinez children, Rico, Diego, and Aracela, and their fantastic adventures. In this short chapter book, we can enjoy their treetop, ocean, and rainforest exploits via the neighbor’s virtual reality system (hidden behind that secret door) as they learn about the values of contentment, honesty, and wisdom.
Minda Gomez is also the book’s illustrator. Her drawings are vibrant and entertaining. She also did the Spanish translation along with her husband, Moises Gomez. According to the author, the Martinez family is based closely on her own multicultural family, which made it fun to write because she knew the characters so well. The family’s creative neighbor Don Toño is a combination of the author’s actual neighbor and her suegro (father-in-law), although she admits that neither is the inventor of the fabulous VR door featured in the story.
In the English version, there is a guide to pronouncing the characters’ Spanish names and two and a half pages devoted to Spanish/English translation and phonetic pronunciation of the Spanish terms. The Spanish edition defines the English words, and a pronunciation guide is included. Additionally, readers are directed to www.mindagomez.com to hear the English pronunciation.
Finally, both versions include a section on Mami’s Spicy Turkey Quesadillas, a recipe even kids could prepare to round out the adventures.
Goal #1 Herb book #4. I did not finish this. However, I need just four more herb studies for an even 30 and publication, so I’m getting there.
Goal #2 Mexican Wellness Garden book. I started making infographics of the plants I want to include.
Goal #3 Spanish cold & flu book is FINISHED! Look for an announcement later this month about that.
Goal #4 Women’s health apothecary is slow going. For every herb I research, there are three more that I’ve never heard of.
Goal #5 Herb coloring book–didn’t even get to this one this month.
With February comes a new focus, the Woman’s Survival Guide series. I haven’t put out a new one in this series in a few years.
The series to date
First I’d like to start with the shopping guide. Believe it or not, there are precious few shopping centers in rural Mexico! The draft is done for this, but it needs some serious editing.
I have been trying to come up with a move-to-Mexico guide for quite some time. I have a few chapters written and some ideas outlined, but this one will need some major work.
I’m not sure if the topic of raising a family should be in a new book or part of the move-to-Mexico guide, but I at least need to work on it to figure that out.
If you’re looking for something new to read, check out today’s author feature, the lovely Vallean Jackson from Birmingham, AL.
I am a children’s book and urban fiction Author. If I had to choose, I couldn’t. I am equally passionate about both genres. I also have a little romance and borderline education (my children’s workbook) under my belt. I am working on introducing other genres that I am more than excited about.
I would say that my biggest challenge to overcome as an Author was getting back into writing. For a minute, I gave up because of a past experience, but a great part of me just felt like something was missing. I had this build-up and stories continuously dancing in my head that, in a sense, frustrated me just as before when I first started. So once I started back writing, I got the relief I was looking for and have been back at it in every sense, and I couldn’t be more content.
My writing goal(s)…..are plenty, honestly. It’s almost like every day I add on something else. I literally have a folder on my phone entitled “book ideas” because something is always hitting me. I just wish sometimes I could write as fast as I thought of these stories. But on a more intentional level of goals, there’s me releasing another children’s book this year, releasing a new genre from me, and maybe some other projects I have in mind. To achieve these goals, the idea is to not give up. Be persistent! As well as keep in mind what I want to see come to fruition.
The best writing advice I’ve ever been given was to not give up honestly because I truly was a good writer and had so much to offer. I didn’t feel like that at the time and was just going to focus on journalism. But hearing those words came as a shock yet as a wake up call. That I was being hard on myself as well as letting a situation have control over my purpose, and that wasn’t right.
As for a book that I would like to focus on at the moment is my latest release Love On Thin Ice 3- Healing. It was released at the end of 2022 and is the last book of the “Love On Thin Ice” trilogy. The last book in the trilogy was bananas, if you ask me! The twist and turns that developed even shocked me. That might sound crazy, but for a minute, it took me a while to see what direction I really wanted to go. I was honestly struggling a bit, then one day it just hit me and everything started to unravel. It was like my characters took me over. I think the best part of the trilogy for me is how my characters each realized healing isn’t the same for everybody. It might carry one definition, but how it’s interpreted is to each’s own.
Love On Thin Ice 3- Healing can be purchased on Amazon, Kindle, Google Books, and www.valleanj.com
They say that time heals all wounds, but for the dynamic couple Keiontay and Nova, the flames of the love between them have fanned out.
Nova’s battle of standing her ground has her embracing the role of a single mother while trying to heal from a failed relationship and conflicted with still believing that love for her is not dead.
With the feeling of rejection that cuts as deep as a sword, the question for Keiontay becomes if he can maneuver out of his own way to get back the love he holds dear.
But the wrath of rejection doesn’t stop there as Tarven thinks he finally has the woman he has always fought for, and Ginger refuses to let go of her heart’s desire. Her take no attitude in this trilogy reveals many anticipated consequences.
And Omar works through some childhood trauma that leads to experiencing the love that he has always craved. In the fight for love, healing, and a healthy relationship…..who will finally get their happy ending?
Meet 5-year-old Lupita. Lupita lives in rural central Mexico y está muy emocionada to share her family’s special events contigo. Today, Lupita and her Abuelita are making a Rosca de Reyes and se están preparando para la llegada de Los Reyes Magos.
Both the Spanish and bilingual versions are FREE for the next few days. Pick up your copy and enjoy! (If you feel so inclined to leave a review, that would be so appreciated!!)
C.E. Flores 