“In a woman’s world, time is the most precious commodity, and we don’t have it to waste.” – Xochitl Gonzalez, Olga Dies Dreaming
Hello Family,
It is my pleasure to introduce you to Xochitl Gonzalez, a member of the Lit 16 Final Four.
She is The New York Times bestselling author of Olga Dies Dreaming. Named a Best of 2022 by The New York Times, TIME, Kirkus, Washington Post, and NPR, Olga Dies Dreaming was the winner of the Brooklyn Public Library Book Prize in Fiction and The New York City Book Awards. Gonzalez is a 2021 M.F.A. graduate from the Iowa Writers’ Workshop. Her non-fiction work has been published in Elle Decor, Allure, Vogue, Real Simple, and The Cut. Her commentary writing for The Atlantic was recognized as a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize. A native Brooklynite and proud public school graduate, Gonzalez holds a B.A. from Brown University and lives in her hometown of Brooklyn with her dog, Hectah Lavoe.
Here is what Rumaan Alam, the author of Leave the World Behind had to say about Xochitl’s novel":
“The extraordinary accomplishment of Olga Dies Dreaming is in how a familiar-enough tale―a woman seeking love, happiness, and fulfillment in the big city―slowly reveals itself to be something else altogether. It’s a book about a New York that isn’t always celebrated, the one that belongs to immigrant communities; about money, class, and political power; about one vividly-imagined family and the very idea of the American Dream.”
You will get to hear Xochitl read from Olga Dies Dreaming, alongside three other authors, at the virtual Lit 16: Final Four event hosted by:
Cindelle’s Bookstore
Thursday, July 13, 2023
7 p.m. ET
RSVP: HERE
You can purchase the books of Lit 16 authors from Cindelle’s Bookstore: HERE.
This is the last Lit 16 event for the inaugural class. But it is by no means the end of the Lit 16. We shall return at a future time. Keep your ear to the ground and eye on the word for announcements.
And, as always: Buy Banned Books!
*Fist to the sky*
Blessings upon blessings,
Robert
In the spirit of community over competition, the Lit 16 is how Deesha Philyaw, Kiese Laymon, and I use our platforms to shine a light on emerging writers whose art has impacted, inspired, and moved us in ways that we wanted to honor and share with you.
We could have easily created a Lit 64; there are so many fantastic recent debuts that we adore. Unfortunately, for many reasons, we are unable to accommodate that large of a scope. However, we do encourage all of our artistic peers to advance toward the directive set forth by the iconic and legendary Ancestor Toni Morrison: “If you have some power, then your job is to empower somebody else.”
Be sure to follow the #Lit16 hashtag on social media and subscribe to Witness to stay up-to-date on upcoming Lit 16 events. Thank you so very much for joining us in celebration.