Friday, August 07, 2009

MC Spotlight #7: Mexican WhiteBoy by Matt de la Pena

YA Fresh MC Spotlight #7...

Mexican WhiteBoy

DANNY’S TALL AND skinny. Even though he’s not built, his arms are long enough to give his pitch a power so fierce any college scout would sign him on the spot. A 95 mph fastball, but the boy’s not even on a team. Every time he gets up on the mound he loses it.

But at his private school, they don’t expect much else from him. Danny’s brown. Half-Mexican brown. And growing up in San Diego that close to the border means everyone else knows exactly who he is before he even opens his mouth. Before they find out he can’t speak Spanish, and before they realize his mom has blond hair and blue eyes, they’ve got him pegged. Danny’s convinced it’s his whiteness that sent his father back to Mexico. And that’s why he’s spending the summer with his dad’s family. Only, to find himself, he might just have to face the demons he refuses to see right in front of his face.
Check out an excerpt here.

Matt de la Peña's debut novel, Ball Don't Lie, was published by Delacorte in September of 2005. The book will soon be a major motion picture starring Ludacris, Nick Cannon, Emelie de Ravin, Grayson Boucher, and Rosanna Arquette (Night and Day
Pictures).

In August of 2008 de la Peña's second novel, Mexican WhiteBoy, was released by Delacorte, and his short story “Last Red Light Before We’re There” appeared in the anthology Does This Book Make Me Look Fat.

His third novel, We Were Here, will be published by Delacorte on October 13, 2009.

He has also published short fiction in various literary journals, including: Pacific Review, The Vincent Brothers Review, Chiricú, Two Girl’s Review, George Mason Review, and Allegheny Literary Review.

Matt received his MFA in creative writing from San Diego State University and his BA from the University of the Pacific, where he attended school on a full athletic scholarship for basketball.

de la Peña currently lives in Brooklyn, NY, where he teaches creative writing. Visit the author's website, http://www.mattdelapena.com.

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