Mexico Beyond its Stereotypes with Silvia Moreno-Garcia
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This interview is part of a collaboration with Penguin Random House to celebrate Latine and Hispanic Heritage Month. We sat down with award-winning writer and editor, Silvia Moreno-Garcia, author of Mexican Gothic and The Seventh Veil of Salome to discuss challenging Mexican stereotypes through fiction, religious art in Mexico City, and nature excursions in Baja California.
Tell us more about yourself and your journey as an author.
I started writing as a kid but I got serious about it when I was in my twenties. It was a boom time for online magazines, and I sold dozens of stories to small press anthologies and publications. Eventually, I started making something of a name for myself in science fiction and fantasy circles and kept going. My first novel, “Signal to Noise,” came out in 2015—it’s about a group of teenagers in the 1980s who cast spells using vinyl records, but it’s also about loss and sorrow and looking back at your youth.
How has Mexico influenced your work?
I’ve written many books that are set in Mexico or are connected to the country. It’s a nation with a long, complex history which is unfortunately often reduced to its most simplistic stereotypes. “Mexican Gothic” takes place in the mountains of Hidalgo and is based on a real, small mining town called Mineral del Monte, which is nicknamed Little Cornwall. Mexican Gothic uses the British presence in mining settlements in the 19th century as a source of inspiration. Many people don’t understand the complex and long history of Mexico, and “Mexican Gothic” utilizes both an unusual location (Mineral del Monte is high up the mountains, so it can get foggy and cool up there) and an unusual genre (Latin American fiction has seldom been associated with horror or Gothic fiction).
You grew up in Baja California. What are some places or activities you would recommend there?
It’s a biodiverse and ecologically rich peninsula. I wrote a noir called “Untamed Shore” which is set in Baja California and alludes to the shark fishing industry that existed in the area. At one point it was also rich with oyster beds. Despite the depletion of the oyster beds and several ecological issues, it remains a place where you can see whales, pufferfish, angelfish, and many bird species. It’s home to the oldest of three reefs off the coast of North America. Baja California is dotted with tiny coves and sandy beaches. Inland, you can explore the San Francisco Mountain range and its ancient rock paintings or follow the wine route down the peninsula. You can also look at the numerous Spanish missions in Baja California, which were established beginning in the 18th century. Finally, you should stop by the Iglesia de Santa Bárbara, an iron church in Santa Rosalía designed by Alexandre-Gustave Eiffel in 1884.
Top hidden gem in your favorite city in Mexico?
I doubt anything is hidden these days thanks to the Internet, but there are a dozen natural mummies on display at Museo de El Carmen in Mexio City. It was a monastery built in the 17th century, but became a museum in the 20th century. The museum contains a large collection of colonial religious art.
What book should first-time travelers to Mexico pack in their suitcase?
A book about the cuisine is a must. The food is varied and diverse. For instance, Arroz a la tumbada from Veracruz, which is a Mexican take on paella, is entirely different from the street tacos that travelers expect. The more you know, the better you’ll be able to sample a wide variety of dishes.
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