Brittany Kelley
BUDA — Local resident I. Angelica Garcia has achieved her dream of becoming an author, all while paying homage to her mother and Salvadoran roots.
Despite not having the best education growing up, Garcia has always loved reading. She recalled the first time she received a library card in middle school and the hours she’d spend inside, reading books and escaping to other worlds. However, it wasn’t until she read “The Catcher in the Rye” by J.D. Salinger that she really fell in love with the act. From there, she had a dream of becoming an author.
Although she loved books, she explained that there were never many that showcased representation for the Latino community. This continued to be an issue, she said, even for her daughter decades later.
So, when crafting a story, Garcia knew that she wanted to create a character that other Latinas could see themselves in.
Ultimately, the inspiration came from her mother, who grew up in El Salvador and migrated to the United States during the Civil War. As a child, she faced difficult situations and wasn’t able to finish grade school.
This experience is reflected in “The Enchanted Notebook,” which follows a young girl named Maya who is gifted an enchanted notebook that allows her anything she writes to come true. But, ultimately, said Garcia, she learns that magic cannot erase life’s hardships and recognizes that love and her family is all that she needs.
The author shared that when she initially pitched the story, it was in the form of a novel, but that the publisher suggested shifting it toward a younger audience. Although hesitant, Garcia decided to move in this direction, due to her career as an educator and the continued lack of representation for her daughter, who is the visual representation and namesake of the character.
“My daughter is of mixed cultures. I’m Salvadorian; my husband’s Mexican and I feel that the Mexican culture, especially here in Texas, was very abundant, but as far as the other side of her heritage, not so much. So, I really wanted to highlight that because I feel that I was still very connected to El Salvador growing up because my mom would take me [there],” said Garcia. “But as generations grow, I feel like there’s a disconnect between El Salvador and my daughter, so I wanted to make this as a way to bridge that gap a bit and now, she’s asking, ‘When are we going to go visit?’”
Along with seeing themselves in the book, she hopes that other Latinos feel the element of hope through the story.
“I feel the Latino community and especially the community that I serve here in education, a lot of the kids are going through very, very hard things. So, I just hope to give them a little bit of that hope back to them,” she emphasized.
Garcia also noted that the political climate can sway the way the Latino culture is viewed, so she hopes that she can provide a different light on her community that is more representative of what it really is.
“I initially just did this to have a voice or reflection out there of a world that I find to be very important to myself,” said Garcia. “[But] if it can positively influence one kid, I would be so grateful. I don’t really expect anything in return. I just hope that it’s something that can go out there and just give hope to anybody, even if it’s one person.”
“The Enchanted Notebook” releases Thursday, Oct. 1. It can be ordered at bit.ly/4dWDOT4 or anywhere books are sold. There will be a celebration for the book launch at 1 p.m. Oct. 24 at Red Salmon Arts and Resistencia Book Store, located at 2000 Thrasher Lane, Austin.
To keep up to date with Garica, follow @authoriangelicag on Instagram.
