GREETINGS, BOOKWORMS! I’m Aisha Kandisha, Head Librarian at Kandisha Press. Join me in the dusty stacks of the library I will never leave again as I chat with some of my favorite Women in Horror. Today we feature author Carmen Baca!
Carmen Baca taught high school and college English for thirty-six years before retiring in 2014. As a Chicana, a Norteña native to New Mexico, she keeps her culture’s traditions alive through regionalism to prevent them from dying completely. She is the author of six books and multiple short publications from prose to poetry in a variety of genres. She is also a recipient of New Mexico Magazine’s 2023 True Hero award for preserving her culture through story telling.
What made you want to become an author? Did you have an “Aha!” moment when you knew you were born to write? Or perhaps a beloved book inspired you?
When my father’s paternal religious brotherhood disbanded in 1986, the last surviving members and the Verónicas, the women’s auxiliary society, left me, the youngest Verónica, their artifacts and a wooden box which had been locked all my life. After breaking open the lock, my husband and I discovered their documents dating back to 1850 and their relics which included implements they used to perform penance. My lifelong suspicions were confirmed, and I knew then the part my father had played in being Hermano Mayor of the fraternity. Because of my having grown up amongst these pious people and because of my university studies about los Hermanos Penitentes, I knew I had to write their story—without the sensationalism in other works about them. And though I wrote that book over a 2-month period in 1992, it took me 25 years to publish.
What do you believe are your strengths in writing? And when you feel you need to improve on a particular writing skill, how do you go about it?
My strengths come through my lifelong studies of languages and teaching English where I learned the craft of writing and a great deal of editing, both prose and poetry. My use of regionalism is what attracts my loyal readers who often tell me my stories transport them to their own childhoods.
I tend to be verbose, so writing very short stories from the daily #vss, #vsshorror prompt, #HorrrorInSix” (words), and #haikuhorror prompt on X has benefited my writing noticeably. I’m more concise, but I also agonize of the just the right word to convey effect, whether to eliminate a filler word or leave it because it contributes to the sentence, that sort of minute detail. I often rewrite, reword, or rephrase in my revisions several times, so I spend a a lot more time on getting the final copy just right. Not that I’m complaining. Quality trumps quantity for me.
What are your thoughts on the book industry today, or more importantly, about the book community? Do you feel it is getting harder or easier to make it as an independent author these days?
I’m limited in my knowledge of the industry in general since I write for myself and my readers and ignore the rest. I don’t pay attention to trends, market, what’s selling, etc. since that’s not my reason for writing. Not that royalties when they come aren’t welcome. It’s still a great feeling to get paid to do what I love.
Because of self-publishing, pretty much anyone can publish. The number of us making a good run of it as independent authors is fewer than those who succeed because we fail to attract an audience. It’s up to us authors to do the larger share of our own marketing. We have to target readers by demographics and attract them to our brand and genres.
Tell us about your work. What story are you most proud of?
That question always brings my debut novel to mind. El Hermano—my father’s story—is most special. It also made me an author after decades of my wanting to make that dream a reality. When it published in 2017, I thought it would be my one and only. Then, I fell in love with writing short stories and published several. Before I knew it, I had a collection. I kept experimenting with writing different genres, styles, and prose. Then came poetry. I’m hooked on all of it.
What are your upcoming works and plans for the future?
Last year passed so fast I never got around to finishing any of the 7 books I started. I fell in love with poetry in October of 2022, published my first poem a month later and kept writing more between essays and creative non-fiction. I have 3 sequels I’d like to write, one based on the antagonist of my fifth book. La Azteca needs her story told. I have four short story/poetry/essay collections organized by theme, and my first novel needs a re-editing. I’m planning to release a new edition with bonus material.
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