Author | Public Speaker | Marketing Professional
Adriana Erin Rivera is a New York-based novelist, singer-songwriter, public speaker, and marketing professional.
A few weeks ago, I recorded a podcast episode as a special guest on the Encuentras Your Voice Podcast with host Consuelo Crosby. The episode is now available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and anywhere you listen to podcasts. Listen to our conversation about my writing journey, the stories behind PALOMA’S SONG FOR PUERTO RICO, and so much more!
WOW! I'm so thrilled to announce that my book PALOMA'S SONG FOR PUERTO RICO won the Gold Medal/First Place award in the Best Educational Chapter Book category at the International Latino Book Awards 2024!! This win came as such a surprise! I wasn't able to attend the awards ceremony in Los Angeles yesterday, but I'm incredibly honored that PALOMA'S SONG FOR PUERTO RICO was considered among the thousands of books that were submitted this year.
I can’t believe it! I'm still in shock! I’m officially an award-winning author. PALOMA’S SONG FOR PUERTO RICO really is the little book that could and I’m so proud of the work I did researching and writing it.
The International Latino Book Awards press release included an insight about Rivera’s book from the ILBA judges: “'This is a story that needs to be told and heard. Excellent! I loved the fact that it had questions for discussion at the end and other notes.’”
This award means so much to me and I can’t wait until the medal arrives in the mail!
I’m still on the book tour! This fall 2024, you can see me and PALOMA’S SONG FOR PUERTO RICO at the following events:
Saturday, September 28 at 1pm, Montclair Public Library
Montclair, New Jersey
Monday, October 7 at 11:30am, Pennsylvania Library Association Conference
Hilton Harrisburg, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
Saturday, October 12 from 11am-5pm, Latin American Book Fair
Julia de Burgos Bookstore/Taller Puertorriqueño
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Monday, October 28 at 4:30pm, Bernards Township Public Library
Basking Ridge, New Jersey
Saturday, November 2, Hoboken Public Library
Hoboken, New Jersey
Tuesday, November 19 at 4pm, Jersey City Library/Biblioteca Criolla
Priscilla Gardner Main Library, Jersey City, New Jersey
I’m still planning speaking events and book presentations for Hispanic Heritage Month, Puerto Rican Heritage Month, and beyond. If you would like to book me for your event, please fill out the form on this page to Contact Me.
This fall is going to be a busy season! Below you’ll find a full schedule of upcoming public events celebrating PALOMA’S SONG FOR PUERTO RICO for this September, October, and November. I hope to see you there!
Saturday, September 30 - Newark Public Library from 2pm-4pm
Newark, NJ
Latino Celebration event, Imagery in Children’s Literature: A Conversation with Children’s Book Author Adriana Erin Rivera
Saturday, October 7 - Morristown Festival of Books from 11am-4pm
Morristown, NJ
Morristown Festival of Books: Kids Fest, book selling and signing
Thursday, October 12 - Mercy University from 5:30pm-7pm
Dobbs Ferry, NY
Hispanic Heritage Month Celebration event, presenting PALOMA’S SONG FOR PUERTO RICO including book reading, selling, and signing
Saturday, November 4 - Martin Public Library
York, PA
Special Event in Conversation with Author Adriana Erin Rivera and Ms. Pennsylvania Senior Delma Rivera-Lytle with a reading, book selling, and signing of PALOMA’S SONG FOR PUERTO RICO
Thursday, November 16 - White Plains Public Library from 5pm-6pm
White Plains, NY
Puerto Rican Heritage Month event: Readers in Conversation with PALOMA’S SONG FOR PUERTO RICO author Adriana Erin Rivera
My conversation with Christianne Meneses Jacobs, host of the Latino Book Chat podcast was so fun! In this episode dedicated to PALOMA’S SONG FOR PUERTO RICO: A DIARY FROM 1898, we discussed the writing process for this exciting new book, my travels to Puerto Rico, and so much more. I also read an excerpt from the book - a first listen! You can listen to the podcast here.
PALOMA’S SONG FOR PUERTO RICO: A DIARY FROM 1898 will be released on August 1, 2023 and the press tour has begun!
I’ve recorded an episode of the Latino Book Chat podcast that will be released later in July. We discussed all things PALOMA’S SONG FOR PUERTO RICO and I can’t wait to share the episode with everyone.
A segment on the PBS television show ¿Qué Pasa NJ? will be dedicated to an interview with me talking about the book with host Carlos Medina. The episode will air on PBS in early August.
On Saturday, September 30, I’ll be participating in a Latino Celebration at the Newark Public Library in Newark, New Jersey for a Hispanic Heritage Month event.
I’ll be at the Morristown Festival of Books KidsFest on Saturday, October 7. Find my table on the Downtown Morristown Green in Morristown, NJ.
I’m also prepping for an event with the 100 Hispanic Women of Westchester for this fall.
More news and updates on the press tour are to come!
I am thrilled to share that my latest book “Paloma’s Song for Puerto Rico: A Diary from 1898” will be released on August 1, 2023! In collaboration with the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum for the American Latino, this historical fiction middle grade book for readers ages 8-12 is already available for pre-order from Barnes & Noble, Amazon, Bookshop.org and other major booksellers. You can also save the book to your Goodreads reading list!
About the book: It is 1898, and twelve-year-old Paloma lives in Puerto Rico with her Papi, Mama, and little brother, Jorge. They are coffee farmers, and Paloma loves the goats, chickens, and fruit trees that she helps to care for. She also loves music—the song of the coqui frogs who sing her to sleep, and the melodies from Papi’s tiple guitar. But Paloma’s world begins to change when United States soldiers invade Puerto Rico, long controlled by Spain. What will happen to their farm, their culture, the island? As Paloma and her family navigate changes they can’t control, they hold tightly to each other and hope for a better future.
This is a very exciting day!
I’ve been working on my latest novel, currently titled, REMEMBER TO FLY for over a year and a half. It’s been a passion project that I poured my heart and soul into. The premise is a coming of age story of a teenage girl from Puerto Rico during post-Hurricane Maria. It’s sounds simple, but so much went into writing this book.
As of today, a version of the first chapter is available to read online. Barzakh Literary Magazine published the first chapter in the Fiction category of their Winter 2023 issue. I am more than thrilled and excited about it! I’ve been shouting it from the rooftops all day! I’m thankful that the Magazine chose my work, were impressed by it, and celebrated it in their publication. It means the world to me.
The first chapter of REMEMBER TO FLY is available to read via this link: https://www.barzakhmag.net/winter-2023-fiction-content/2023/2/13/adriana-erin-rivera
I hope you read it and enjoy the story. This is just the beginning for REMEMBER TO FLY.
I recently got on the TikTok band wagon. I’m expanding my social media audience as an author and am working on joining the #BookTok conversation. Follow me! My handle is @therealadrianaerin
Here is my first post:
I started writing my current work-in-progress in October 2020. I had written 34,352 words or 134 pages. That’s about 1/3 of the way through the novel I’ve been working on. It’s a story I’m passionate about telling, but I had written myself into a proverbial brick wall. I had lost the voice of my protagonist and the plot had begun to unravel. There were already some significant changes made as I was working on the manuscript and several chapters would need to be rewritten from scratch anyway.
Earlier in October 2021, I decided to hit the reset button. I've been writing like a fiend trying to get back on track. I'm proud to report that I am now at 14,433 words in my new draft and still writing. Now with the start of National Novel Writing Month, I’m keeping up the progress and aiming to finish this draft as a full Young Adult-genre novel telling a Latinx story that deserves to be told. Keep a look out for my updates on this work in progress.
Thanks for all the support!
I was so honored to be included in the Latina Author Roundtable last year! Host and fellow Latina author, Christina Montoya, was wonderful! It was a thrill to have the opportunity to discuss SWING SETS with her and share the story with her and others who watched and participated on Instagram Live!
I found a clip of the conversation, which you can watch below! Enjoy!
Remember, you can purchase your copy or e-book of SWING SETS here: https://www.amazon.com/Swing-Sets-Adriana-Erin-Rivera/dp/150072727X/
I wrote a book review! Agatha Award-nominated author and writing mentor Richie Narvaez invited me to write a review of his latest short story anthology, NOIRYORICAN, for California bookstore LibroMobile. I’m proud to announce it has been published! The editor from LibroMobile said the review was “clever, funny, and insightful.” I’ll let you be the judge. You can read the review here: https://www.libromobile.com/post/richie-narvaez-s-noiryorican-a-criminal-short-fiction-collection
Enjoy!
Someone had recently asked me how I got into writing since I had initially had my heart set on pursuing a career as an actress. The truth is that when I wasn’t singing or performing, I was writing. As a kid, my mom and I would go to the library often. One day, I told my mom I wanted to write a book so it could be on the shelf at the library. She encouraged me to write one and so I did. I don’t remember the story, but I remember writing and illustrating this book. I proudly brought the finished book to the library and handing it to the librarian. She was gracious enough to put it on a shelf for me in the children’s section. I’m sure she eventually tossed it out.
After that, I wrote short stories and poems for fun. I read the literary magazines for kids and tweens, but never thought to submit my own work to be considered for publication. In high school, I was the Arts & Entertainment Editor for the school newspaper. After reading Sandra Cisneros’s “The House on Mango Street,” I dabbled in writing vignettes. I recently found some old copies of some of the random short stories I had written as a teenager in my parents’ house. That was a trip!
I pursued acting in college and eventually, my writing evolved from prose to playwriting. A few of my plays were performed or put up in staged readings. It was rewarding to see the reactions to my writing from complete strangers. The laughter that erupted from quippy one-liners and applause response made me think, “Maybe I could do something with a writing career.” I went back to school to get a degree in Advertising and Marketing Communications from the Fashion Institute of Technology. During those years, I landed editorial internships at Latina Magazine, the New York Metro newspaper, and Footwear News. Latina Magazine and Metro promoted me to freelance writer. I was also busy writing my first novel, SWING SETS. I graduated Magna Cum Laude from FIT and immediately started working at advertising agencies.
Now, when I’m not working as Marketing Manager at Mercy College in New York, I am writing. My latest project got started in October 2020. I’m very passionate about getting this story right - accurate and authentic. It’s taking a lot of research; every source gets me more inspired and motivated! Stay tuned for more!
The 2020 Comité Noviembre Virtual Artisans Fair and Book Expo begins today! More than 50 artists and authors are participating this year. and I am one of the featured authors in this year’s event. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, the fair was not able to gather in-person, so they are presenting online.
I had participated in the fair in 2014 when SWING SETS was first released. It was a thrill to be surrounded by such talented Puerto Rican artists and authors who all have a passion for sharing our culture and stories with the public.
Comité Noviembre 2020 will be online through September 2021. It’s a great opportunity to buy handmade gifts for loved ones throughout the year.
Check out my author page for the fair and explore the directory: https://www.comitenoviembrevirtualfair.org/adriana-erin-rivera
National Puerto Rican Virtual Artisans Fair & Book Expo 2020, presented by PRIDA
I started a new writing project this week. I’m nearly 4,000 words in so far (nearly 2 full chapters).
The process of starting to writing a new novel is scary. It requires a high level of long-term commitment and once you’re really in it, it’s hard to go back or quit. At some point you just have to trust in the work.
In this particular piece, I’m already getting in-tune with my characters. Their voices already sound like people I know. I haven’t felt this connected to a work in progress in a long time.
I was inspired specifically by the lack of representation in the Young Adult Fiction genre for stories about this experience (that will not be named yet) and how it has affected so many people, specifically young people. I realize this sounds very cryptic. The themes of home, family, identity, and culture shock are main aspects of this new novel. I’m so excited about it!
The way I see the first draft writing process is like writing all the words of the story down like sand in a sandbox. Once I have all the sand, I’ll be able to mold and build it like a sandcastle. I can’t wait until I have that sandcastle!
After the Latina Author Roundtable on July 12, I felt honored and inspired.
Honored to be a member of a community of such talented, like-minded authors who share similar goals as writers. A major takeaway was this: “If we don’t write our stories, who will write them for us?” It’s true. We as minorities must write and share our own voices and stories with the world. It’s so important.
Inspired because the discussion was amazing. To hear these other authors speak about why they write and how powerful we are as Latina authors was mind-blowing.
We had all written works in a variety of literary genres. We discussed how representation of Latinx characters in all genres is so critical for the future generations. We have a responsibility to our community and I intend to keep up my end of that bargain in my future works.
I’m looking forward to keeping in touch with the authors who participated and seeking out more opportunities to share my work with others.
From the Latina Author Roundtable
Conversation between me and author Christina Montoya via Instagram Live.
I am so thrilled and honored to be participating in an upcoming virtual Latina Author Roundtable on Sunday, July 12 on Instagram LIVE!
Read MorePresenting the second book of my #QuarantineReadingList: Nilda by Nicholasa Mohr
Nilda by Nicholasa Mohr
I’m actually re-reading this gem of a novel. This book was one of my favorites growing up as a young Puerto Rican girl.
I remember when I finished reading it as a kid, I told my mom that this was my book and not to pass it onto any of her friends’ kids. She likes to share her books with friends and then complains that she never gets them back.
This book is a perfect read for children and adults. I’m thrilled to revisit this title character’s coming of age story in New York during World War II.
Now, as a writer of color, I’m finding inspiration from the books that shaped me as a younger reader. This week, I am participating in the Kweli Journal’s 2020 Color of Children’s Literature Conference (now virtual) and I’m looking forward to learning and connecting with other authors who love to share stories and elements of their culture within their writing. I feel representation is so important, and for me, as a child reading a book with a Puerto Rican protagonist was a big deal. That’s why I am re-reading Nilda.
What are you reading?
During this quarantine period, I’ve been taking the time to catch up on some reading. Who knows how long we will be staying at home with social distancing? We need to keep our minds and imaginations engaged and alive.
The first book on my Quarantine Reading List is Attachments by Rainbow Rowell. So far, I’m loving these characters. It’s funny. It’s got heart. It’s a fantastic book to kick off my Quarantine Reading List.
Stay tuned to see which other books I add to my reading list. I have a feeling it’s going to be eclectic with some fun surprises.
Support authors and writers! Read some books! Tell me what’s on your Quarantine Reading List in the comments!
I am proud to announce that my second novel is complete! What started as a blank page is now a full-length story.
It’s a contemporary adult fiction novel with a coming of age vein for 30-year-olds in New York City as a toast to love, life, and friendship. According to my early readers at Gotham Writer’s Workshop, it reads as authentic, heart-warming, relatable, and funny.
I’m currently working on pitching it to literary agents. As we know, this next step is also an uphill battle since there is so much competition in the market and a limited number of agents and publishers to represent the novel, but I am hopeful and determined.
Drop me a line if you have any leads on a literary agent who might be interested in such a story for representation. Fingers crossed, everyone!
-Adriana Erin Rivera