Welcome to another Author Spotlight! These spotlights are for showcasing author’s (predominantly women and people of color) writing talents and published works. As you may or may not know, I do themed weeks of prominent holidays/events throughout the year on my site. Every time I do these I always feature other authors (usually ones of color and women). And for Latinx/Hispanic Heritage Month I am trying to feature authors who have Latin or Hispanic backgrounds. So without further ado let’s get on with the Author Spotlight!
This post contains affiliate links. If you use these links to purchase a product, I may earn a small commission, no extra charge to you.
About the Author:
Award-winning author, bilingual parenting expert, speaker, writer, podcast host, IG-Live host, and social media influencer, Maritere R. Bellas combined her passion for writing and her devotion to motherhood to create a diverse platform of resources for parents, becoming a pioneer in offering
information for parents looking to raise bilingual, multilingual, and multicultural children long before online resources were available.
What and when started your love for writing?
I I was in 10 the grade when I realized I loved writing.
Of all of the book genres, what drew you to write about yours?
I wrote two parenting books about language and culture because I had no resources when I was raising two children with two languages and three cultures. They are both International Book Awards winners: Raising Bilingual Children and Arroz con Pollo and Apple Pie:Raising Bicultural Children. Both in English and Spanish editions.
How has your Latinx/Hispanic background and culture shaped what you write and how you write?
It was important to me to help immigrant, and expats parents find a balance between the culture they left behind and the culture they were adopting. Becoming a bilingual parenting mentor supporting bilingual and multicultural families has been the highlight of my career.
If you could meet your favorite Latinx/Hispanic author, who would it be and why?
Isabel Allende. She is an icon author who happens to be a Latina and I would be honored to meet her!
What book do you think everyone should read is based (or inspired by) around Latinx/Hispanic culture?
So many. A few I recommend:
- The time among the whites: Notes from an Unfinished Education by Jennine Capó Crucet
- Dominicana – Angie Cruz
- Ordinary Girls: A Memoir by Jaquira DÃaz
- The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros
- When I was Puerto Rican by Esmeralda Santiago
- In the Country We Love by Diane Guerrero
- Perfectly Yours by Mariana Atencio
What makes your book(s)/writing special?
When my books were out, there were no books for parents raising bilingual and bicultural parents. They became easy guides that help parents navigate their family’s language and cultural journey. My bilingual children’s books are meant to inspire children to be proud of their language and their heritage.
So…what are you working on now?
Just finished a manuscript for the second book in my Yunitos’ Adventures Series, now being reviewed by a publisher and I am creating a new character for a new bilingual children’s book that will be released by a Latina owned publishing house in 2023.
Many thanks, Maritere for all the new book recommendations. My TBR list just keeps growing! Thank you again for sharing your story on my blog! If you want to get in contact or connect with her, you can follow her on:
Thank you all for reading and remember:
Live. Love. Laugh.
