The PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction honors the best published works of fiction by American permanent residents in a calendar year.
The family izquierdo Earns a Kirkus starred reView!
“An Instant Tejano Classic”
The family izquierdo earns a PW starred review
The first review for The Family Izquierdo!
ANNOUNCING: THE FAMILY IZQUIERDO!
Rubén’s novel-in-stories, The Family Izquierdo, will be published in 2022. Curses, brujos, visions, miracles, signs, and wonders coalesce in these tales about the Izquierdos, which expand the world first introduced in THROW.
Podcast: The Chills At Will with Pete Riehl
Ruben and Pete discuss Ruben’s history in the Río Grande Valley, ideas around identity, pochismo, and representation in literature and the media.
Border Book Bash Panel: Exploring Identity Through Novels
Appearing at the virtual Border Book Bash and moderated by Margie Longoria, Rubén discusses identity in novels with e.E. Charlton-Trujillo, Matthew Mendez, Francisco Stork, and Dominic Carrillo. Click the link below for the full interview.
Latinx Kidlit Book Festival Panel: “The Culture of Machismo and Toxic Masculinity”
Rubén discuses experiences relating to machismo, the portrayal of Latino characters, and healthy male role models in Latino YA literature. Moderated by Rebecca Balcárcel, Ruben is joined by authors Anika Fajardo and Fred Aceves. Matt Mendez was unable to attend as scheduled.
Texas Book Festival TIL Award Winners Discussion
The Texas Institute of Letters 2020 award winners discuss their work via an online chat. Moderated by Texas Institute of Letters President and author Sergio Troncoso, Rubén joins poets Naomi Shihab Nye and Lupe Mendez.
Podcast: Living and Writing in the In-Between Spaces
Hosted by Shawn Smucker, award winning author of These Nameless Things.
Podcast: Forever Complicated - Familial Love & the Question of Belonging in YA
Austin writer Natalia Sylvester, author of the forthcoming YA novel Running (May 2020), organized and moderated this panel at Diverse Literary Voices of Texas on February 22. The panel featured Texas-based writers Rubén Degollado, Addie Tsai, and Sherry Thomas, whose stories all share complex familial bonds and explore the meaning of loyalty among parents, siblings, and the families we are born into versus the ones we create.
Throw makes TAYSHAS 2020 Reading List
The Texas Library Association names THROW to the 2020 TAYSHAS recommended list for high school readers. The goal of the TAYSHAS reading list is to motivate young adults to become lifelong readers and to participate in the community of readers in Texas. Students in grades 9 – 12 are encouraged to read books for pleasure from the list which includes fiction and nonfiction titles.
Author Visit: Young Warriors Reading Project
Rubén spent an evening with Luis Guerrero, director of the Young Warriors Reading Project. Speaking about dreams and ganas, he read an excerpt from THROW and gave away several books to the attendants. It was these types of at-risk youth that were the inspiration for THROW and Rubén was honored to get the opportunity to reach out to them. Last spring, many generous friends purchased copies of THROW to donate to this worthy cause. If you’d like to know more about this project, click HERE.
Lucha Libre and Throw
One of the mainstays of Mexican culture is the colorful world of Lucha Libre. Rubén had the unique opportunity to be a featured speaker promoting literacy at Texas Wrestling Association’s event at Cine El Rey which included a book raffle. One of the attendees, who has considered quitting music, was inspired to keep pursuing his dream of being in a band, thanks to an inspirational talk with Rubén.
Reading At Jimmy Carter Early College High School
Rubén got the honor of being invited to speak to students at Jimmy Carter ECHS. He talked to students about Dreams, Ganas and Plans, and read from his novel. Students shared about their dreams and books were raffled off. He was invited back in the Fall where he will again connect with students.
Austin Book Launch At Malvern Books
The Austin Book Launch was an incredible experience and a huge success! Malvern Books has created a wonderful literary space where writers and readers can connect with one another. Rubén was joined by poets and writers Gerard Robledo, ire’ne lara silva, and Natalia Sylvester.
Video Chat With Grulla Middle School
After visiting Grulla Middle School in Rio Grande City, Rubén held an online video chat with students who are reading Throw. He got to answer questions and connect with these students who are loving the book and couldn’t wait to find out what happens next. So many questions!
Estrella's House Benefit at Barnes & Noble
Rubén held a reading and book signing at Barnes and Noble in McAllen, TX. A portion of the proceeds went towards benefitting Estrella’s House, the Children’s Advocacy Center of Hidalgo County for abused children. It was incredible to help support this cause during Child Abuse Awareness Month. It was also wonderful to touch base with new readers!
Young Warrior Reading Project Fundraiser
Houston Juvenile Probation Officer Luis Guerrero started the Young Warriors Reading Project in an effort to provide quality books for juveniles in detention and at-risk youth with the goal of keeping them from re-offending or getting involved in the juvenile justice system. He leads reading groups with the youth and talks to them about choices.
For more information about Luis Guerrero and the work he is doing, click HERE.
After Luis read Throw, he realized that it would be a high interest book that these readers will connect with. Luis and Rubén got together and came up with the idea to raise money to provide copies of Throw to the project. The goal is for donors to purchase a total of 25 copies of Throw at a discounted price of $14 plus tax.
Please consider buying a copy of Throw for this amazing project! You can make a difference in these youths’ lives!
To buy a donation copy of Throw to support the Young Warriors Reading Project click the button below.
**Please note, this fundraiser has ended.**
Advanced Praise for Throw
"Ruben Degollado joins the list of honored writers exploring this ancient and mythic Texas land. His novel shimmers and burns with extraordinary light. I can hear the people talking in my dreams."
--Luis Alberto Urrea, author of The House of Broken Angels
"Throw completely transported me back to the 1990s Rio Grande Valley and the critical turning points in a teenager's life. In his unforgettable protagonist, Güero, Rubén Degollado beautifully depicts the many-layered beings we all are: vulnerable and tender-hearted beneath a hard exterior as we navigate a world of love, family, and friendships--all in hopes of finding a place to belong."
-- Natalia Sylvester, author of Everyone Knows You Go Home and Chasing the Sun
"There are books written with the mind and books written with the heart. Throw by Ruben Degollado is written with both. It's not just that you see a familiar reality presented intensely, accurately, la pura verdad, the way you know it really is. It is also that you see it, finally, the way it should be seen, the way it should be understood and loved, by all."
--Francisco X. Stork, author of Disappeared
"Ruben Degollado's debut young adult novel Throw . . . captures many of the obstacles young men and women face growing up: gangs, alcoholism, broken homes, the need to be loved; at the same time, Throw lifts the spirit, reminding us of the importance of forgiveness, acceptance, and letting go. . . . The tale of La Llorona, her love, loss, and inability to forgive, is a part of the Mexican-American experience and Degollado's fresh take on an abuelita's cautionary tale captures its essence and spins it with a modern perspective for future generations to enjoy."
--Malin Alegria, author of Estrella's Quinceanera
"I have waited, literally, a decade or more to see this book in print. Here it is . . . I am not alone any more. Degollado has done what only a handful in my beautiful Rio Grande Valley of South Texas have done: captured it in its full glory and grit to share it with the world: among them, Americo Paredes, Rolando Hinojosa-Smith, Narciso Martinez, Freddy Fender, and Genaro Gonzalez. Now, Ruben Degollado."
--Dr. Rene Saldana, author and professor, Texas Tech University
KBOO Tejano Radio Interview
In this interview, conducted in both Spanish and English, Rubén speaks with radio host Armando Puentes about Throw, his inspiration for the book, his favorite authors and music, and his experience as a child who loved to write.
The interview starts at about the 24:30 minute mark, but the rest of the radio show is well worth your listen!
Listen HERE.