A Sneak Peek at "Get Real, Chloe Torres" + Other Feelings
I’ve been describing my next young adult novel — “Get Real, Chloe Torres” — as my fat, sapphic, Latina retelling of “Crossroads,” the iconic 2002 film written by Shonda Rimes and starring Britney Spears, Zoe Saldana, and Taryn Manning.
Does the film have a 3.8/10 star rating on IMDB? Yes. Is it one of my favorite films of all time? Also yes.
A little about the book:
Chloe Torres’ birthday has always marked the end of summer—but as she turns eighteen and prepares to leave for her freshman year of art school, it feels like the end of more than that. It’s the end of her adolescence, which means it’s time to leave the past behind… but can she really let go of the two estranged best friends she left there?
NOPE. Chloe decides to take one more shot at healing the friend breakup she’s always regretted: planning the bucket-list trip neither girl can say no to. She’s taken care of everything: the car, the hotels, and concert tickets to see their favorite boy band’s reunion show in Las Vegas—stage seats, so close they can fangirl right in front of the boys’ faces. But first, her ex-BFFs have to say yes.
And to say yes, they’d all have to be talking… which they haven’t done since Ramona kissed Chloe, and everything imploded.
But with some clever finagling (and some undignified begging) Chloe gets them all on board. Of course, being in a car together for two weeks brings back old feelings… a lot of old feelings… and soon enough, Chloe wants Sienna, Ramona wants Chloe, and everything is on fireeeee.
A heartfelt romcom with a little something for everyone: fat positivity, sapphic romance, a blazing love triangle, ADHD representation, a diversity of Latine identities, a once-in-a-lifetime roadtrip—and the perfect it’s-finally-happening kiss.
And now…
A Peek at the Cover
Here she is! I’m in love. It features the cover illustration by Saniyyah Zahid (AKA Nia / Peach Pod) and jacket design by Chelsea Hunter. Today, Book Riot graciously hosted the official cover reveal AND included an excerpt from chapter one!
Saniyyah perfectly captured Chloe (and her beautiful, lavender hair!) at the center, surrounded by her besties, Ramona (left) and Sienna (right). The butterflies and the flowers feel so ethereal, while the makeup and the tiny bow on Chloe’s dress feel feminine and sweet.
“Get Real, Chloe Torres” releases on May 13, 2025. Preorder the book here!
Feeling Spooky in Houston
Last month, Julie Murphy and I stopped by the Houston area and visited Aldine ISD to celebrate spooky season and “Camp Sylvania: Moon Madness.”
It was the most fun experience getting to meet all of the amazing students, librarians, and educators and to celebrate CAMP SYLVANIA: MOON MADNESS, werewolves, vampires, and everything spooky. It was an absolute blast, and Aldine ISD has set the bar for school visits impossibly high. 🐺🧛♀️⛺️👻
Things I’m Loving
Jason June’s newsletter, Ventorship, is one of the best author newsletters I’ve read . It’s focused on anonymously sharing writerly vents (as well as love and connection, of course), and I was particularly appreciative of his recent issues on royalty statements. His transparency is so refreshing, and he’s also an all-around amazing human! (P.S. He also just released his queer Christmas romcom, “Flopping in a Winter Wonderland.”)
“The Interpreter” is my author bestie Olivia Abtahi’s picture book debut and it’s amazing. Illustrated by Monica Arnaldo, the book is about a young soccer-loving girl who has two jobs: as a kid and an interpreter for her Spanish-speaking parents. It has earned FOUR starred reviews so far (!!) and the illustrations are beautiful.
“And Yes” by Kate Baer was exactly the poetry collection I needed to read post-election. It has a beautiful collecting of poems on motherhood, connection, bodies, marriage, and the general state of the world. Here’s one of my favorites from the collection.
Current…
eBook: “The No-Brainer's Guide to Decomposition” by Adrianna Cuevas
Audiobook: “Parable of the Sower” by Octavia E. Butler
Obsession: Rewatching “Broad City”
Final Thoughts
This time of year always goes by way too fast for me, so I’m trying to enjoy it as much as I can. Given the political climate and general state of the world, I hope you find joy in whatever you can. Joy is an act of resistance, and you deserve all the good things.
XOXO
Super excited for the new book! I read The Fall of Whit Rivera and loved it!