In his first novel, Bernardo and the Virgin (Northwestern University Press, 2007), Sirias takes the reader to the village of Cuapa, Chontales, in central Nicaragua. The book fictionalizes the story of a campesino to whom the Holy Virgin appeared in 1980 while providing a vivid slice of recent history through the eyes of everyday Nicas.

His latest book, Meet Me Under the Ceiba (Arte Publico Press, 2009, winner of the Chicano/Latino Literary Prize), is also a work of fiction. It takes place in the tiny twin villages of La Curva and Pio XII, in the hills south of the capital. Maybe I’m biased since I actually lived in Pio XII as a Peace Corps trainee in 1998 (as Sirias writes, “…very few people in Managua had even heard of this miserable little town”), and I can vouch for the book’s authenticity. Ceiba is based on a true crime that occurred in 1999, and on the intolerance of Nicaraguan culture to homosexuality. I wrote a short review of his book here, then had the opportunity to sit down with the author (he in Panama, where he teaches literature, and me in Colorado).

Enjoy:

JB: I’ve been to the places you’ve written about in your books and I’m amazed by your simple-yet-accurate portrayal of these communities and the characters. Is part of your goal with these books to give readers a true Nicaraguan experience by showing them the thousand little details that makes it such a unique country? Or is the setting always secondary to your narrative?

SS: My top priority when writing a novel is develop a strong plot—the storyline has to hold a reader’s interest from the opening sentence through the concluding one.  But I’m also convinced that a good tale must have interesting characters; and interesting characters require an interesting setting.  So, as you can see, the setting is a key ingredient in my fictional mosaic.  But I also want the reader to experience life in Nicaragua as vividly as possible.  As you well know, Josh, Nicaragua is a place of wonders.  Yet for me to take the reader there successfully story, character, setting, and cultural authenticity must each be dealt with meticulously, as well as lovingly.

 READ MORE->

I just saw Invictus, so sports-politics combo is on my mind. Here's a recent TIME magazine piece by Granada-based journalist Tim Rogers on a related subject: 

Can U.S. Baseball Diplomacy Get the Save in Nicaragua?

"I think the State Department is coming to realize, belatedly, that [baseball] can be a very effective tool in public diplomacy," Callahan told TIME. In the case of the U.S. and Nicaragua, he said, "of all the things that unite us, I think the great sport of baseball is the most important."

From the sketchy Reagan-Contra files, here is a fascinating flashback to the capture of Eugene Hasenfus in Nicaragua. "Shot down Oct. 5, 1986, while kicking crated cargo to anti-government terrorists from a CIA plane over the back-country of Nicaragua, his capture by Sandinista militiamen led to the exposure of what would become known as the Iran-contra affair."

Be sure to read through the bottom where you get an update this Nicaragua player: "Hasenfus ... faded into his old life in small-town Wisconsin.... accused of indecent exposure ... killed a bear without a license," etc. LINK->

New article by Zach Weisberg on living abroad in Nicaragua:

A Retiring Life on the Beach in Nicaragua, Despite Risks

"Some might see an element of financial risk in the Schmidts’ purchase of the sort of property that one segment of buyers view as an investment, but Mr. Schmidt said that he and his wife were not driven by the profit motive. 'We came down here really not as an investment per se,' he said. 'It was more of a lifestyle change.”

Those are the kind of people we hope are buying our book, Moon Living Abroad in Nicaragua, i.e. those who are NOT looking to cut up their lot, turn a quick profit, and leave -- but foreigners who want to adapt to the tranquilo Nica lifestyle, learn Spanish, and have a positive impact on their new communities.

My compañero (and fellow Returned Peace Corps Volunteer) Rodney McDonald would like to tell you about a worthy campaign in northern Nicaragua, administered by the organization he helped found, Emergency Response Services for Latin America (ERSLA). He writes: "...give the gift of health and life to one family in one of the most impoverished countries in the world. Your gift donation can help save lives. Local firefighters are teaming up with ERSLA to help identify the families most at risk and provide them with a simple water filtration system that will keep them safe and healthy. Simple, yet effective."

They have to sell 84 more filters to meet the needs of the community and their goal. Learn more about these low-tech, low-cost, colloidal silver-enhanced ceramic water purifiers from Potters for Peace, who helped develop them.

From ERSLA: "The water filtration systems can eliminate up to 99.88% of water-born disease agents, and can filter enough water for the daily use of a typical family  Helping the local economy, the filter is produced in Nicaragua under the highest standards of quality controls to ensure their effectiveness and the filters can last for more than 5 years. Each $50.00 donation will purchase a water filter system for a needy family. The filters will be delivered to the families by local firefighters. www.ersla.org