Excited to announce the second installment of Selena Sol-Valencia Episodios, LIVIN’ LA VIDA LLORONA.
Selena Sol-Valencia is trapped in an institutionalized adventure where breaking free from the psych ward before her full moon transformation is a high stakes journey of self discovery, self control, and the ‘pro-social’ behaviors she must master as she adapts to her new neurodivergent diagnoses and medications. But the haunting figure of Cualli, La Llorona, is making it more difficult than Selena ever imagined.
Selena must dive deep into her family history and Mexican-Indigenous lore to figure out how and why the haunting spirit is so drawn to her. Friends and family are near and far, and help as they can. But Selena’s on her own against the ghosts of her family’s present and past. She must win her release before the full moon or face a lifetime of werewolf incarceration.
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From Author Angelica Martinez
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Colorful People vs. “Patients”
I remember during one of my stays in the psychiatric ward that I had referred to my comrades as “patients” and one of them confronted me about my language. It was clinical, othering, and dehumanizing. I used this language because I grew up watching doctor shows and was a Psychology major in the 2010s. But then he made a point that has stuck with me to this day: “We are people. Not patients.”
This lesson has resonated with me so much that when writing this book, I wanted these people to reflect the different people I’ve met along my own life journey, with both friends and staff. It is easy for us to distance ourselves from mental illness, “oh that could never happen to me.”
There was a time when I thought that as well. One minute you’re in a biopsychology class, and the next you’re experiencing religious delusions of grandeur. Nothing has been as humbling as wearing scratchy scrubs and grippy socks, and in hindsight, I’m grateful to have this specific human experience due to the people I have met along the way. Some instances and friends I’ve written about are based on real people with names changed for privacy’s sake.
Psych Ward
Selena grows as a character in the Psych ward. She is forced to either completely self-sabotage and isolate (which tends to happen during depressive episodes) or reach out to her network of support and socialize. Although she doesn’t welcome it at first, Selena finds her own way of making friends, something that does not come naturally. Then, she’s able to maintain those relationships long enough to rescue herself. Because when you have a mental illness, no one is coming to save you except for yourself. You’re the one who changes your life. You take your medication. You go to therapy. And you make plans to destress with friends. It’s difficult, but it is possible with support. But you also have to ask for help first.
Now, as for the judge experience, while I didn’t punch anyone in the face, I did threaten a staff member and throw a couple of chairs, which made the judge less sympathetic to my cause. My social worker even thought I was violent enough to push my mother because of intrusive thoughts I was experiencing, but would never act on. Luckily, my mother could clarify things over the phone.
Stigma
This series, and this book specifically, is about breaking the stigma of severe mental illnesses and mental health issues. Selena, Benji, and Angus all show non-compliant or aggressive behavior. However, with the right relationships, they behave differently. My goal is to humanize people who show these challenging behaviors because what we need and respond to is compassion and empathy, not judgment and vilification. As a former special education teacher, I have worked with students who have emotional disabilities, which in the past were classified as “emotionally or behaviorally disturbed.” What I noticed was that they didn’t respond to people who were afraid of them; they responded to people who “liked” them and saw redeeming qualities in them. Similarly, I find redeeming qualities in all my characters. Yes, even Angus.
Ghosts
The legend of La Llorona is a folktale that many Mexicans and Mexican Americans are familiar with growing up. I believe this is where my obsession with ghosts started. I love movies like Poltergeist or The Conjuring series. I’ve watched ghost hunter shows, including Ghost Files with Ryan and Shane. I wanted to take a storyline many know and add my own twist to it. Common advice about ghosts is:
Don’t allow the ghost to follow you home.
Avoid giving it your attention.
Avoid cold spots, or where you feel nauseous, dizzy, or sad.
Some of my research made its way into the book, and some of it didn’t. As for the Llorona legend, I may have changed a few things for poetic creativity.
End Note
Overall, I hope you enjoy and get to escape with Selena and her new friends. I’m still new to writing in the Thriller Horror genre, so I anticipate that the books will get gradually spookier over time (within reason). I genuinely love writing for young adults, but “mature” adults can read this book too, whenever you want to engage with your inner angsty teen.
Thank you, and until next time,
Angelica Martinez
ANGELICA MARTINEZ, an Orange, California author, explores neurodivergent life through fiction, when not breaking up cat battles between her two cats. She holds degrees in psychology, education, and an M.F.A. in creative writing, with her thesis, “Scared Straight,” centering on the psychological and moral lessons present in the Horror genre. Martinez can often be found reading romance, watching horror films through tense fingers, reading manga, and practicing Tai Chi with friends.
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