Award Winning California Author Thelma T. Reyna to perform her poetry at Altadena Library

Meet Pasadena writer Dr. Thelma T. Reyna. Despite coming from a long line of ancestors without formal education, she has manged to earn four college degrees, including a Ph.D. from UCLA.  Reyna’s writing “has been compared by a reviewer to that of Jhumpa Lahiri, a Pulitzer Prize winner, and to Sandra Cisneros, the top Latina writer in America today.” (Latin Connection Magazine, South Carolina,Editor/Publisher Wayne Zamora)

On Thursday, October 17, Dr. “Thelly,” as some refer to her, will feature at Altadena Library in an event entitled Three Latinas. Other poets sharing the limelight include Dr. Gerda Govine Ituarte and Vibiana Aparicio-Chamberlin.

Dr. Reyna is author of The Heavens Weep for Us and Other Stories (2009: Outskirts Press), which has received 4 national honors: National 2010 “Best Books” Award (USA Book News), Finalist, Short Story Fiction; 2011 Eric Hoffer Award, Honorable Mention, Grand Prize Round, General Fiction; The Montaigne Medal 2011, Finalist; and 2011 National Indie Excellence Book Award, Finalist, Multicultural Fiction.

Her stories, poems, essays, book reviews, and other nonfiction have been published in literary and academic journals, textbooks, anthologies, blogs, and in regional media for over 30 years. Her first poetry chapbook, Breath & Bone (2011), was a Semi-Finalist in the 2010 National Poetry Chapbook Competition by Finishing Line Press.  She has recently completed her second book of short stories and another volume of poetry and plans to publish both in the near future.

Dr. Reyna writes the blogs “American Latina/o Writers Today” (http://www.LatinoWritersToday.blogspot.com ) and “The Literary Self” (http://www.TheLiterarySelf.blogspot.com ).  She is also a monthly guest blogger on “Powerful Latinas” (http://www.PowerfulLatinas.com ). In addition she is also an editor, ghost writer, and writing consultant with her business, The Writing Pros, based in Pasadena, CA (http://www.TheWritingPros.com ).

Despite her busy writing schedule she says she is always delighted to share her work at readings, signings, class visitations, workshops, and lectures, as well as one-on-one consultations. Her books are available through Outskirts Press, Finishing Line Press, booksellers, and through www.amazon.com.

Three Latina Poets is the second event of the ALTA-L.A. 3rd Thursday Poetry Series hosted by Linda Dove, the library’s Poet Laureate. Dr. Reyna's books will be available for sale and signing that evening. This free series is sponsored by the Friends of the Altadena Library. Open mic readers may perform their poems in either Spanish or English. This event is supported by Poets & Writers, Inc. through a grant it has received from the James Irvine Foundation.

The Main Altadena Library is located at 600 E. Mariposa Street, Altadena. For more information: 626-798-0833 orhttp://www.altadenalibrary.org