Ask the Author: Alex Temblador
Answered Questions (5)
Alex Temblador
For Half Outlaw: My white uncle who rides motorcycles turned to me one day and said, "You know I'm an outlaw. That makes you half outlaw." I just loved that term because it reminded me how I always tell people, "I'm half white," or "I'm half Mexican." It inspired me to write a story that delved into my Mixed identity and how it feels to be brown among family who are not and in a world that wasn't designed for BIPOC people and especially not Mixed people. As far as the motorcycles part of the novel goes, I was definitely inspired by my uncle who rides bikes and lived during a time where motorcycle clubs became more popular during and after the Vietnam War. I've always been fascinated by why people join certain groups -- whether it's a fraternity in a college, a religious community, or a motorcycle club -- and so I loved exploring the motorcycle club culture of the 1970s in this book.
For Secrets of the Casa Rosada: While in graduate school, I was exploring my cultural identity of being half Mexican. I wondered what would happen if I threw a girl who knew nothing about her Mexican heritage into Laredo, Texas, a border town that is primarily Mexican-American (and happens to be where part of my Mexican family is from). What would she have to learn? How would she interact with her culture for the first time? These were all exciting questions that I wanted to find answers for. As far as the curanderismo (Mexican folk healing) aspect of the story, I became really into learning about this system in undergrad and onward. I've always known about curanderismo but I didn't know it had a name, and when I discovered the name, I started looking for any bits of research or fiction relating to it. I still find it fascinating today which is why you'll see it in a lot of my other bits of creative work, too.
For Secrets of the Casa Rosada: While in graduate school, I was exploring my cultural identity of being half Mexican. I wondered what would happen if I threw a girl who knew nothing about her Mexican heritage into Laredo, Texas, a border town that is primarily Mexican-American (and happens to be where part of my Mexican family is from). What would she have to learn? How would she interact with her culture for the first time? These were all exciting questions that I wanted to find answers for. As far as the curanderismo (Mexican folk healing) aspect of the story, I became really into learning about this system in undergrad and onward. I've always known about curanderismo but I didn't know it had a name, and when I discovered the name, I started looking for any bits of research or fiction relating to it. I still find it fascinating today which is why you'll see it in a lot of my other bits of creative work, too.
Alex Temblador
My main source of inspiration comes from my personal life. I tend to work through my emotions and experiences through fictional stories. That said, I also find inspiration by reading different genres, listening to podcasts, and watching TV shows. I love that there are so many different avenues of storytelling for me to dive into. It's always funny to see how random things I've picked up from these different forms of media inform whatever I'm working on. Lastly, connecting with other writers at literary events is most definitely inspiring. Writing is such a solitary experience, so it's nice to connect with other writers over our love of writing, reading, and storytelling.
Alex Temblador
There are so many pre-conceived notions about how you become an author, or even a successful author. If I've learned anything, it's that your path doesn't have to be traditional. You don't have to get an MFA or even have a literary agent to get a book deal. You don't have to get a six-figure deal on your debut to be successful either. Free yourself from those ideas and you'll discover so many other paths to publication and success that you didn't know existed.
Alex Temblador
I can't truly convey how impactful it is to hear how my words or my stories make people feel seen and understood. That's what books did for me and that's what I want my books to do for others.
Alex Temblador
I go for a walk. It might sound too simple to work -- but it does! I usually figure out whatever I'm stuck on within about 15 minutes of the walk.
If that doesn't work, I find a book that's in the same genre or subject as the one I'm working on and I read it for inspiration. I may also try to just write my way through the block by setting a timer for seven minutes. I have to write those seven minutes and though it may be awful and unusable material, it often helps me write to where I'm trying to go.
If that doesn't work, I find a book that's in the same genre or subject as the one I'm working on and I read it for inspiration. I may also try to just write my way through the block by setting a timer for seven minutes. I have to write those seven minutes and though it may be awful and unusable material, it often helps me write to where I'm trying to go.
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