Bessie Flores Zaldívar will read from Libertad, a queer YA coming-of-age novel set during the rigged Honduran presidential election about a young poet discovering the courage it takes to speak her truth about the people and country she loves.  Kirkus Reviews calls it “An emotionally charged must-read,” and in a starred review, Publishers Weekly says, “Through the eyes of a strong, sympathetic protagonist, Zaldívar crafts a hefty novel that offers detailed depictions of life in Honduras where characters experience random power outages, widespread corruption, and violent political demonstrations, and the personal tragedies they often bring, alongside daily comforts such as snacking on fried plantains and cold Coca-Cola.”

Bessie Flores Zaldívar (all pronouns) is a queer writer and educator from Tegucigalpa, Honduras. They teach fiction at Quinnipiac University and are a Lambda Literary LGBTQ Writer in Schools. Bessie received her MFA in Fiction from Virginia Tech. Libertad is Bessie’s debut novel.

Libertad comes highly endorsed by the Prairie Lights Children’s Department Buyer, Molly Roberts, who will moderate the event.