So this is the opening section or “chapter” of my latest story, “Munecas.” I can’t decide on the format, but know it must be illustrated…I don’t mind the chapter book format, but prefer picture books for older readers. Shadra pointed out that other books have been successful with that format–like Becoming Billie Holiday by Carole Boston Weatherford or Tales from Outer Suburbia by Shaun Tan–mature content accompanied by gorgeous images. We’re hoping to collaborate on this project, but so far nothing’s happening b/c I can’t find an agent and am sick of sending things “blind” to editors I don’t know. But for now I’m just trying to focus on finishing it up. Senor Pepe’s story takes us to the Caribbean/Central America–maybe Belize? Really, I was inspired by Cozbi A. Cabrera and her gorgeous dolls, and she’s from Honduras. This is my second story with an Afro-Latino character–I need to brush up on my Spanish!
Max stood in front of the pastry shop. Behind the glass were rows of sugary tarts, luscious cupcakes, fruit pies, three-layer cakes, and ladyfingers dipped in chocolate. Max pressed his lips together and let his eyes roam past the delicious desserts. He wasn’t hungry at all. What Max really wanted was to go next door…
Beside the pastry shop on President Street was a very special boutique. Inside were fancy, frothy dresses that looked like cotton candy, and beautiful hand-made dolls. Every day, on their way home from school, girls clustered around the boutique’s window, admiring the ever-changing display. Max wanted to press his face against the glass and admire the dresses, too. But boys didn’t like lace, and satin, and tulle—did they?
Max knew he would be teased if he ever admitted that he liked looking at dolls. He didn’t want to play with them, really…he just wanted to know how they were made. Each doll in the boutique’s window had a perfectly painted face. Some had skin the color of coffee; others had skin the color of cream. Each doll had a unique dress trimmed with pearls or glass beads or intricate lace. Some of the dolls had coils of yarn piled atop their head. Others wore carefully embroidered caps that flipped up to reveal pierced ears! “How do you make jewelry for dolls?” Max wondered. He wished there was a way to find out.
Max had never been inside the beautiful boutique. Once in a while he would stand behind the tight knot of tittering girls, shifting from foot to foot. “Hey, Ava,” Max would say real casual-like. “What homework do we have for Math?”
Ava would groan and roll her eyes, but she always turned around, unzipped her bag, and took out her notebook. “The homework was written on the board, Max,” Ava would say with more than a hint of aggravation. Max would just grin, and pretend to copy Ava’s notes while taking a closer look at the boutique window. Sometimes the other girls noticed that Max was looking at the dresses and dolls. One or two times they laughed at him, and Max’s face flushed with shame. Other times the girls didn’t really seem to mind. They even told him which dresses they planned to wear when it was time for their confirmation.
One day while Max was standing with the girls admiring the new display, a bell tinkled softly and the door to the boutique opened wide! “Bienvenido!” said an elderly gentleman with warm brown eyes. “Welcome, everyone—come in!” The girls rushed inside, each one pausing to say, “Buenos dias, Senor Pepe!” The old man smiled at the girls and then looked at Max. “Are you coming, mi hijo?”
Max pressed his lips together and quickly glanced up and down the block. What if someone saw him going into the doll shop? From within, Max could hear the excited ooohs and aaahs of the girls as they discovered new and wonderful things. Max swallowed hard, nodded once, and slipped inside the boutique.
What a sight met his eyes! Carousel ponies pranced across the wall…glittering crystals dangled from the chandelier…and everywhere—everywhere!—DOLLS…
Max felt like he was dreaming! While the girls gushed over the gorgeous gowns, Max went from doll to doll, marveling at their beautiful bracelets, elegant earrings, and pretty pearl necklaces. Senor Pepe sat on a stool behind the counter and watched Max over his slender spectacles. “Do you like dolls, mi hijo?” he asked finally.
Max felt his face grow hot. He nodded shyly and put his hands in his pockets though he yearned to touch the soft chenille hair cascading down one doll’s back.
“You know,” said Senor Pepe, “I once knew many boys who loved to work with dolls.”
Max looked up, amazed. “Really?”
Senor Pepe nodded, but kept his eyes on the new dress he was making. Max drew closer and watched as the silver needle dipped in and out of the shimmering fabric. “When I was a boy,” Senor Pepe began, “there was no shame in making something beautiful with your hands. Sewing is a skill, just like hitting a baseball or fixing a car.”
Max had never thought of it that way. “How did you learn to sew?” he asked.
“Do you really want to know? It is a very long story,” warned Senor Pepe.
Max set his heavy book bag down on the floor. “I don’t mind,” he replied.
Senor Pepe smiled but his eyes looked somewhat sad. “I learned from the best when I was a small boy. But that was long ago and far away.”
Ava came over to the counter. “We’re going now, Max,” she said. Max shifted from foot to foot. He glanced at Senor Pepe, but the old man was busy sewing. “I—I think I’m going to stay,” Max said timidly.
Senor Pepe stood and reached for a painted tin full of biscuits. He offered them to the girls as they filed out of the store, then Senor Pepe returned to his stool behind the counter. “Pull up a chair and have a cookie,” he told Max. Then Senor Pepe’s story began…
OMG, Zetta this is so so beautiful. Thank you for sharing. Can I link to it?
of course! thanks, doret…
I really, really, really, really can’t wait to work on this story! Fingers, eyes, toes, crossed.
More more more! This is so good!
you asked for it…but I can’t post any more until I sit down and FINISH this story!
Very cool. So next chapter is when? 🙂
Wow, lovely! I would read this book!
What a warm, necessary book! I work with adolescent young men and imagined myself reading this aloud to them. I think we need this book more than you know. Onward, and thanks. Can’t wait to have it in my hands.
Hi, Kim! I actually tested the story out on a class of 4th graders here in Brooklyn…I read a few sentences, then asked them to describe the illustration they felt would best suit the scene. At first the boys scoffed at Max, but wouldn’t you know it–THEIR hands were waving wildly after just a few passages…with the recent suicide of two 11-year old boys, I share your sense of urgency. If only the publishing industry understood the brink our boys are tottering on…
Thanks so much for sharing, Zetta!
I am visualizing good things for its continued unfolding. How lucky we are to run alongside you.
Btw, do you Twitter? Just a curiosity as I notice my favorite fellow writers on there…Still a joy to read your blogs each day. 🙂
Sparkles,
Martine
Hey, Martine! I haven’t succumbed to twitter yet…and doubt I will; I can’t imagine anyone would want to know my every move! Fortunately, I notice that some of my online friends include my news in their twitter updates, so I’m living vicariously through them…is your semester over? If so, enjoy your summer of freedom/writing!
Oh yes, I feel very boring using Twitter to report on my life but it’s been fun to follow random quirky writers and artists.
I’m on blog hiatus because I can’t seem to pick a theme to write about. Want to do it though. Soon.
Yes, semester done! Thanks for asking! Yippee. I’ve graduated and had a lovely time during those festivities. I managed to get through my commencement speech and quote Gandhi and Captain Planet so all seems right with the world. I’ve moved back to California and now I’m settling into my own time writing and figuing out what kind of job I can get and already wheels are turning for grad school. I’m SO happy to be done with undergrad.
I’m going to apply for New Voices this year so that should an interesting time…
Beautiful, Zetta.
Thanks, Don! I’m hoping to finish it up today and will post more excerpts as soon as they’re ready.
Hey, folks! If you’re interested, I just posted two more chapters of “Munecas”…feedback’s welcome!
[…] Chapter 1 […]
girl, you KNOW i ADORE this story. it’s so delicious. i can’t believe it made me hungry! your details are masterful. bueno, lo unico que te falta es aprender a hablar espanol, chica!
you KNOW I had to use my trusty Spanish-English translation website to figure that out, Mayra! Glad you like it…”bun & cheese” is more Anglo-Caribbean–is there a Spanish-Caribbean equivalent?
we don’t eat buns with cheese. we have pastelitos de queso. check out the following though. muy importante!
“M’ijo” is the contraction of “mi” and “hijo” and what’s commonly used in all Latino households–only a father would use the formal, “mi hijo” which directly translates to, “my son.” you can also use “Mijo.”
Bienvenidos! (with an “s” at the end) is plural for Bienvenido!/Welcome! In your story, there are many kids rusing into the store. Add an “s” at the end. : )
your words are breathtakingly beautiful.
Gracias, Mayra!! I’ll make those changes now. Still have to change out all the “senoras” for “Dona”…and add the accent. I’ve got pasteles in another chapter…perhaps coffee and a hot buttered roll for a quick breakfast to go? sigh…LOTS more research to do! And it doesn’t help that I’m not picking a precise country, b/c customs vary from place to place…but I really appreciate your help!
Zetta- this is great- I was thinking you were still working on Judah’s Song….I know you mentioned a story about boys who liked to make dolls but I didn’t know it was so comprehensive- what a wonderful story- I can see why Shadra is excited about the possibility of working on it…what fabulous images…just when I think you are the most wonderful talented person alive, you step forward and jump further, higher and deeper….
I need to subscribe to your blog in google reader- so I don’t miss important things like this…. : )
Hey, cuz! Much as I love you, you do NOT have time to be reading my blog right now…the stories will be there once the wedding’s over and your health is back at 100%…