Vanessa Garcia

"In 2008, Horace Engdahl, then-secretary of the Swedish Academy, criticized American writers. He said that 'the U.S. is too isolated, too insular. They don't translate enough and don't really participate in the big dialogue of literature.' I beg to differ. There are plenty of us American writers working very much in 'dialogue' with the world. But he was right about one thing—the publishing world still does not represent that. It's time the Big Five publishers catch on."

— Vanessa Garcia

for Creatives  |  writing, publishing, Vanessa Garcia

"I wrote because I knew things were changing, and I knew it was my responsibility to record this change."

— Vanessa Garcia

for Creatives  |  writing, value the art, Vanessa Garcia

"The very denial of politics was a political statement.  And I knew this, as I continued to write."

— Vanessa Garcia

for Creatives  |  writing, artist's message, Vanessa Garcia

"Cliché as the idea of the 'writer's responsibility' might sound, I felt it in my bones.  I had always felt it, despite having tried to keep it at bay for so many years."

— Vanessa Garcia

for Creatives  |  artist integrity, writing, artist's message, Vanessa Garcia

"My family begged me to remain apolitical when writing about Cuba.  I understood where they were coming from, but I wasn't sure it was possible.  Wasn't writing itself a political act?"

— Vanessa Garcia

for Creatives  |  writing, artist's message, creative freedom, Vanessa Garcia

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