Interview with Federico Erebia

Padma Venkatraman interviews Federico Erebia about his debut novel, Pedro and Daniel.

About the book:

ISBN: 9781646143047 

Publisher: Levine Querido 

Publication date: June 6, 2023

Pedro and Daniel are Mexican American brothers growing up in 1970s Ohio. Their mother resents that Pedro is a spitting image of their darker-skinned father; that Daniel likes dolls; that neither boy plays sports. Both are gay and neurodivergent. They are alike, but they are dissimilar in their struggles, their dreams, their approach to life.

Pedro & Daniel is a deeply personal novel that spans from the boy’s childhood until they are young men. Together, they find joy and laughter as they endure abuses, coming out, first loves, first jobs, and the AIDS pandemic, in a coming-of-age story unlike any other.

“An unforgettable journey of resilience and, most of all, love. Stunning.” - Kirkus Reviews (Starred Review)

“Luminous. Riveting. Uplifting and heart-wrenching.” - Publishers Weekly (Starred Review)

Padma Venkatraman: I love the way PEDRO & DANIEL incorporates poetry and poetic proverbs (dichos). Can you speak about the role, if any, that poetry played or continues to play in your life?

FEDERICO EREBIA: This is a story I've never shared before: When I was in 4th grade, I showed my poems to someone who was unkind in their remarks. It’s one of the reasons I tell folks to find honest, but kind, critique partners. I kept my stories and poems hidden in my neurodivergent mind, until I started writing and sharing my work again a couple years ago!

I’ve always loved rhyming picture books, and the use of various poetic devices and word play. As a kid, I was particularly fascinated by the works of Ogden Nash, who expanded my poetic possibilities with his unconventionality. It’s likely why I love the work of wordsmiths like Stephen Sondheim, Cole Porter, and Oscar Wilde. They influenced the writing in my Pepito The Squirrel picture books, and my writing of Daniel’s character.

Now, I love to read novels in verse. Pedro & Daniel is a sort of hybrid verse novel because of the amount of poetry and poetic devices I use. Poetry helps convey varied emotions and difficult situations that can be cumbersome to write and read in prose.

Padma Venkatraman: Tell us about your use of dichos. What role do they play in PEDRO & DANIEL ?

FEDERICO EREBIA: It’s established in the first pages of Pedro & Daniel that "dichos are useful tools for a precocious five-year-old. They are wise old sayings, on par with a wise old man or woman who should not be ignored or disrespected.” Dichos are interspersed throughout the novel, as a sort of omnipresent, omniscient narrator. It wasn’t intentional, but they [the collective dichos] are a sort of subconscious reader’s guide, a “character" that offers nuggets of wisdom and humor along the way. In many cases, they provide a hug, a laugh, or a lesson when the reader needs them.

I’ve always loved dichos and proverbs, especially those that rhyme, so I created my own versions, as poems in English, that begin each of the sixteen chapters in Part One.

Padma Venkatraman: I also love how beautifully Spanish is mixed in with the English in your writing. I remember so many situations in which I was exposed to Latin that was unapologetically presented, and yet, when my debut, CLIMBING THE STAIRS, was released, over 15 years ago, there was a very different approach to using non-English words than, I think, there is now. I don't understand Spanish, but there's a beauty to seeing the words and hearing the words, even if I'm mispronouncing them, in my head. How have readers rooted in different linguistic traditions reacted to your  beautiful use of both languages?

You’re right, the use of non-English words and sentences, as well as if or when they are translated, have changed a lot in the last decade. I’m thrilled that my editor encouraged my use of untranslated Spanish, and non-italicized Spanish words within sentences. I also turn convention on its head, by italicizing the English translations [when I included translations within the text]. Folks have loved my approach, which is meant to respect both languages equally. Many have said that they’ve learned new Spanish words as they read, which is an added bonus. 

Padma Venkatraman: I noticed that you experimented with the formatting and structure of your book. It’s unusual. Tell us about it.

The format and structure combination in Pedro & Daniel is unlike any I’ve seen before. Each chapter is like a short story comprised of vignettes. Part One is a sort of prologue novella, told in third person. This allowed the presentation of topics that the young boys could not discuss or explain to the reader. Parts Two through Five are told in first person, alternating between the boys, permitting more introspection, and tension associated with one-sided views. With these unexpected elements in place, it was easier to intersperse poetry and my unconventional approach to translations.

Padma Venkatraman: If this novel is shared in a classroom setting, do you have any hopes / thoughts on specific themes you'd like readers to research or discuss? And/or are there any poetry or writing-related activities that they might consider doing, inspired by the book? 

There are many themes that folks could explore in a classroom or book club, including uncommon topics such as colorism and intersectionality. I’m developing a thorough Reader’s/Discussion Guide for Pedro & Daniel because I’d love to be involved in the discussions. Time permitting, I will make guest appearances at book clubs. 

I did a lot of research in writing Pedro & Daniel, even though it is semi-autobiographical, because historical accuracy is important to me. I went down a lot of rabbit holes in my research, which is how I learned about the Doctrine of Discovery, which has negatively affected so many Indigenous peoples for the last five hundred years. That is the one topic I hope folks will research and discuss, to better understand the atrocities committed under the protection of those papal bulls.

I have two other hopes: that some folks will finally see themselves represented in the intersectionalities of race, ethnicity, sexuality, and neurodivergent identities of both Pedro and Daniel, and that others experience empathy and understanding of folks who are unlike themselves.

Writers of all levels and genres might be inspired to break some rules and challenge conventions after reading Pedro & Daniel. That would be so wonderful.

About Federico:

Federico Erebia is a retired physician, woodworker, author, and illustrator. He received a BA from the College of Wooster, and an MD from Brown University. Pedro & Daniel (Levine Querido, June 6) is his debut novel. He is on the SCBWI Impact & Legacy Fund Steering Committee, was in the inaugural Poets & Writers publicity incubator for debut authors, is a Grubbie Debut Author, and is a member of the Boston Author’s Club and several other writing groups. He lives in Massachusetts with his husband, and their westie and whippet, in the home he redesigned and renovated.

Website: https://FJEbooks.com

Twitter: https://twitter.com/FedericoErebia 

LinkTree: https://linktr.ee/FedericoErebia

Book cover and interior illustrations by Julie Kwon 

Headshot credit: Joel Benjamin 

Upcoming Events:

June 20 Books of Wonder, NYC, YA Pride Panel

June 22-26 American Library Association Conference: Panels and book signings

July 9 Book Passage Bookstore, Corte Madera, CA: In conversation and book signing

July 11 St. Joseph’s Arts Society, San Francisco, CA: In conversation and book signing

July 15-16 Columbus Book Festival: Two panels and book signings

August 5 SCBWI Summer Conference: Virtual Panel

October 4 Latinx KidLit Book Festival

Padma Venkatraman (Credit: Connecticut Headshots)