Elba Iris Pérez: Embrace Criticism
Elba Iris Pérez is from Aguas Buenas, Puerto Rico. She spent her early childhood in Woronoco, MA, taught theater and history at the University of Puerto Rico in Arecibo, and now lives in Houston, TX. She is also the author of El teatro como bandera, a history of street theater in Puerto Rico. Follow her on X (Twitter), Facebook, and Instagram.
Photo by Cristie Reddehase
In this post, Elba discusses her desire to preserve collective memories in her debut novel, The Things We Didn’t Know, her advice for other writers, and more!
Name: Elba Iris Pérez
Literary agent: Laurie Liss, Sterling Lord Literistic
Book title: The Things We Didn’t Know
Publisher: Gallery Books
Release date: February 6, 2024
Genre/category: Fiction
Elevator pitch: The inaugural winner of Simon & Schuster’s Books Like Us contest, Elba Iris Pérez’s lyrical, cross-cultural coming-of-age debut novel explores a young girl’s childhood between 1950s Puerto Rico and a small Massachusetts factory town.
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What prompted you to write this book?
When I was two years old, my parents and I moved from Puerto Rico to the factory town of Woronoco, Massachusetts, drawn by my father’s employment at a papermill.
Soon after, many of his relatives and friends joined this migration, and a tight-knit Puerto Rican community blossomed in the Tekoa Avenue cul-de-sac, coexisting with families of many other ethnicities. We cultivated a summer cornfield and our winter holiday celebrations resonated with the spirited tunes of aguinaldos during traditional parrandas, creating a Puerto Rican haven in the snow-covered mountains. At the age of 12, I returned to Puerto Rico.
Fast forward 40 years later to when I visited Woronoco and found a stark transformation—the closure of the paper mill and the disappearance of the once-vibrant homes.
It was at that moment that I felt a deep-seated need to preserve the collective memory of those Puerto Rican families, who in pursuit of the 1950s “American Dream” ventured to the U.S. to live and labor. This personal journey, steeped in cultural richness and societal shifts, became the catalyst for the creation of The Things We Didn’t Know.
How long did it take to go from idea to publication? And did the idea change during the process?
The original idea was to write a history book, and it came in 2002 when I returned to Woronoco as an adult. But at the time, I had difficulty finding people to interview and abandoned that idea.
It was in 2013 when a character that never existed came alive in my mind, and I decided to venture into creative writing, using the history and setting of Woronoco as a backdrop. I’d say it took over 10 years to go from idea to publication. I finished the first draft in 2014 and shared it with editor Marcela Landres, who advised me to take online writing classes. I took the classes. I read books on writing.
When I picked up the manuscript in 2019, I made major revisions before sharing it with editor Chuck Sambuchino. Feeling more confident, I submitted to 15 agents, all of whom passed.
Were there any surprises or learning moments in the publishing process for this title?
The first learning moment was having to accept 15 rejections, but persistence comes in many forms. I set the manuscript aside and started a new novel.
I had forgotten about The Things We Didn’t Know and was writing a romantic fantasy novel in 2021 when I saw an announcement for Simon and Schuster’s Books Like Us First Novel Contest. I was hesitant but applied. A magnificent surprise came when I won the contest in 2022.
The lesson learned: Focus on your writing skills, produce the best manuscript you possibly can, and then don’t miss an opportunity that’s a good fit for your work.
Were there any surprises in the writing process for this book?
Yes. I was going to write a history book, but instead, I made up the whole story! When I allowed myself to venture into creative writing, I found that there is a fine line between history and fiction. After all, they both narrate a story.
What do you hope readers will get out of your book?
As a child growing up in Massachusetts in the 1950s, I experienced a warm embrace from the community and school, and yet a lingering sense of disconnection persisted, a feeling of not quite fitting in. This followed me to Puerto Rico, when I was 12 years old.
In The Things We Didn’t Know, I aspire to provide readers with an exploration of the alienation one encounters while maneuvering between cultures. The journey of Andrea, my main character, unveils the intricate struggle of reconciling expectations coming from the diverse circles that shape our lives, ranging from the societal expectations of school or work to the intricate dynamics within family, friendships and community. It can be a constant emotional tightrope walk—never feeling quite rooted, always adapting to ever-shifting social landscapes.
The conflicts I portray are not confined solely to the realm of cultural disparities. They resonate universally with anyone grappling with multifaceted layers of identity. My hope is to bring awareness to the needs of anyone who experiences the burden of alienation and to emphasize the vital role of supportive allies, like my characters Machi, Socorro and Caridad, who guide and encourage self-acceptance.
If you could share one piece of advice with other writers, what would it be?
Write your first draft without the weight of seeking perfection, but once you’ve written the end, embrace criticism. The ability to receive feedback with an open mind can be transformative. Approach criticism as an opportunity for growth and recognize its potential for enhancing the overall quality of your work.
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