Diverse Books | Have A Cup Of Johanny
All Things Ordinary Bruja
Mutual Aid Request: Help My Sister Rebuild Her Life
My sister Laura is navigating a difficult divorce while managing chronic illnesses and medical bills. Your support can help her move into a safe home and continue her treatment.
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Mrs. Franchy’s Evil Ring: A Fresh Spin on Christmas Tales
Read more: Mrs. Franchy’s Evil Ring: A Fresh Spin on Christmas Tales“Mrs. Franchy’s Evil Ring” is a refreshing take on Christmas tales, filled with suspense, adventure, and valuable life lessons. Set during a frosty Massachusetts winter, it follows the journey of a brave nine-year-old, Isla, who faces her biggest fear – her stepmom. Along the way, Isla and her family learn to let go of long-held…
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Echoes of Despair: A Glimpse into Gaza’s Crisis Through an Outsider’s Eyes
Read more: Echoes of Despair: A Glimpse into Gaza’s Crisis Through an Outsider’s EyesThus Far: An Overview On October 7, 2023, an act of violence broke through our subconscious and enlightened most to see something that has been going on for 75 years. Hamas, a rebellious group from Palestine that has been categorized as a terrorist group by various countries, attacked and killed Israeli civilians attending a concert.…
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Abuela’s Jarabe Lives On: A Dominican Remedy I’m Now Passing Down
Read more: Abuela’s Jarabe Lives On: A Dominican Remedy I’m Now Passing DownThere’s a jar in my fridge right now that smells like childhood and tastes like resistance. I’ve been giving my family el famoso jarabe—the homemade remedy my mamá used to make for my sister and me when we were sick growing up in the Dominican Republic. We didn’t really do store-bought medicine back then. We…
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Marisol Is Me — Hesitant, Haunted, and Holding On
Read more: Marisol Is Me — Hesitant, Haunted, and Holding OnThere’s something deeply sacred about writing a character who holds a piece of your truth—especially the parts you kept hidden, even from yourself. In the final episode of The Why Behind the Bruja podcast series, I talk about how Marisol isn’t just a fictional character. She’s me. The hesitant girl who didn’t want to be…
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Stop Waiting for Inspiration—Write Anyway
Read more: Stop Waiting for Inspiration—Write AnywayIf I wait for inspiration to hit, I will be waiting a long time. I used to romanticize the idea of “the muse.” I thought I had to be moved—emotionally, spiritually, cosmically—before I sat down to write. Like some lightning bolt had to strike and grant me permission. But over the years, I’ve learned the…
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The Martyrdom Myth: When Parenting Looks Like Self-Erasure
Read more: The Martyrdom Myth: When Parenting Looks Like Self-ErasurePart 3 There’s something I’ve been sitting with—well, more like driving with. Because, as usual, my clearest thoughts don’t come when I’m staring at a screen. They come when I’m in motion. Alone. Processing. This one came after a hard conversation with my husband. And it made me think more deeply about a pattern I’ve…
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Shadows in the Sugarcane: Dominican Folklore and the Mythic Beings That Still Haunt Us
Read more: Shadows in the Sugarcane: Dominican Folklore and the Mythic Beings That Still Haunt UsDominican folklore is a tangled web of myth, caution, and ancestral memory. It whispers through the mountains, lingers in the campos, and curls under the beds of children who still won’t go to sleep. Our island’s stories are not just bedtime tales or scary campfire anecdotes—they’re reflections of our colonial past, spiritual resistance, and the…
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Brujas, Mothers, and the Complicated Women Who Raised Us
Read more: Brujas, Mothers, and the Complicated Women Who Raised UsRaw, tender, and profoundly honest—this episode peels back the layers of maternal relationships that shape not just our lives, but the stories we tell. “I was raised by women who loved me and hurt me, and that’s who I wrote.” With these words, I invite you into the emotional core of “The Ordinary Bruja,” revealing…
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