About this Event
Meet local author, Scott Russell Duncan reading and signing copies of his first novel, Old California Strikes Back. He will be in conversation with author, Grey Sotelo.
Old California Strikes Back is a magical memoir and meta-novel that chronicles the journey of its mixed-race author—SRD—as he dismantles the myths surrounding Californios and the Chicano condition. Accompanied by the talking head of the folk hero Joaquin Murrieta, he records his journey on a guidebook by a self-styled Zorro as they race to grab the “Jewels of Ramona” the last unstolen relic of mythic Old California. Through this internal tour of history, personal and collective, SRD reconnects with his California Mexican and Native ancestors, who endured two waves of colonization and creates a dream where he can truly belong.
"Old California Strikes Back is that rare thing: a truly original work. An inventive blend of history, hilarity, and outlandish fabrication, Scott Duncan interrogates our collective dreams about California and wakes us up to its complex realities." - Cristina Garcia
Scott Russell Duncan was editor of the first Xicanx sci-fi anthology, El Porvenir, ¡Ya! and the upcoming Xicanxfuturism: Gritos for Tomorrow (Riot of Roses Press). He is director of Palabras del Pueblo, an online writing workshop, and co-creator of Maíz Poppin' Press, a decolonial publishing collective. He is at work on a collection of short stories called Plurality. His novel, Old California Strikes Back, a magic memoir and meta-novel road trip through California with the head of Joaquín Murrieta, has been called Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas meets Yo Soy Joaquín. It is published by FlowerSong Press.
Grey Sotelo is a gender queer Filipino artist from Central Luzon and three times survivor of dengue and chronic illness. They work primarily in comics and character design, but also dabble in poetry and watercolor. Grey grew up between the rural rice farms of the Philippines and the urban heart of the arts that is the Bay Area. Their first released book, Glass Houses, illustrates their diaspora experience and the feelings of grappling with identity and loss. Grey Sotelo’s work is most inspired by the duality of their lived experiences.
Event Venue & Nearby Stays
Books Inc., 1344 Park Street, Alameda, United States
USD 0.00
