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Celebrate Author's Day with Laura De La Cruz!
Hi, readers, writers, and lowrider lovers, too! We're shifting our celebrations here at #SeasonsOfKidLit to an important holiday we take very seriously: Author's Day! What better way to celebrate than with debut author Laura De La Cruz and her heartwarming picture book, Lowrider For Sale!
When Gabi’s beloved family car is put up for sale, she becomes determined to find a way to save it in this multigenerational story perfect for fans of My Papi Has a Motorcycle. Get ready for a story filled with family memories, community spirit, and a whole lot of love for a very special lowrider!
Want to know more about Laura and her beautiful book PLUS want to hear some writing inspiration and collect an adorable coloring page to share with others? Read on...
Q: Hi Laura! Thanks so much for joining us at #SeasonsOfKidLit. We're thrilled to feature you for Author's Day and hear all about you and your debut book. What inspired you to write Lowrider for Sale, and how did your own experiences influence Gabi’s story?
A: My dad was my inspiration for this book. He was funny, generous, talented, and, of course, a great dad. He passed away when I was only eight years old, and I’ve never forgotten him. I wanted to write a story to honor his memory, and that’s why I introduced Abuelo Chucho, the grandfather in this story. He is based on my dad. I also based the relationship between Gabi and Abuelo Chucho on the relationship I had with my dad.
I grew up in Pico Rivera, California, where we lived not far from Whittier Boulevard. Lowriders would cruise through our town all the time. In the eighties, cruising was a common occurrence on the weekends. So, when I was putting this story together, I not only wanted to honor my father’s memory, but I also wanted to include something from my culture. I asked myself, what is something that is part of my culture but is rarely seen in picture books? And when I looked back at my own childhood and my experiences growing up, I thought, why not a lowrider?
Q: What’s your favorite part about lowrider culture?
A: There’s so much to love about lowrider culture, but one of my favorite things is how expressive it is! From the murals painted on the hoods and sides of the cars to the plush, custom interiors, every detail reflects the owner’s personality and artistic taste. No two cars are exactly alike.
But I also love the sense of community that comes with lowrider culture. Many lowriders belong to car clubs that come together for fundraisers, community events, and other ways of giving back. And sometimes they just get together to celebrate their cars, their culture, and each other. Lowriders bring people together, and I think that’s one of the most beautiful things about the culture.
That is so amazing. Thanks for sharing it with us!
Q: What was it like working with your illustrator, and what are your favorite spreads from the book?
A: Working with Vanessa Morales was great! Not only is she super talented and an amazing artist, but she is also funny and so easy to talk to. When Vanessa was given the manuscript, she did a lot of research to understand lowrider culture. Vanessa was born and raised in Mexico and had never traveled to the United States, yet she managed to capture the Southern California vibe perfectly! From “El Arco” over Whittier Boulevard to the palm tree-lined streets, her illustrations made me miss living in Los Angeles.
I love all of the illustrations, but this one is my favorite! The palm trees, the SoCal sunset, the colors—it’s all just amazing. It feels like a little piece of Southern California captured on the page.
This one is fantastic too and depicts “El Arco” over Whitter Bloulevard, a real landmark in East Los Angeles.
What STUNNING artwork! We adore these.
Q: Another exciting holiday your book fits into is Hispanic Heritage Month which occurs from September 15th - October 15th each year. What does Hispanic Heritage Month mean to you, and why is it important to you?
A: Hispanic Heritage Month is a time to honor the histories, cultures, and contributions of Americans who have ancestry from countries like Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Central and South America.
I think this month is very important to me because of my parents. My mother and father came from Mexico, and when we were young, my parents would take us to Mexico to visit our extended family. We would spend our summer vacations there, sometimes staying for about two months. While we were there, one of my uncles would drive us around to different states, and we’d explore and learn more about our ancestral country.
Mexico is a beautiful country, rich in customs, traditions, and culture. I’m so happy my parents exposed us to Mexico and gave us the opportunity to experience our culture firsthand. I’m very proud of my heritage.
I think Hispanic Heritage Month is a chance to celebrate where I come from, but it’s also an important time to share our culture with others, whether they’re Hispanic or not. It’s an opportunity for people to learn about our histories, traditions, and customs, especially those who may not have had the chance to visit their ancestral homelands. For me, it’s a reminder of how fortunate I was to grow up knowing where my family came from and to have those wonderful experiences exploring Mexico with my parents and extended family.
Q: As a debut author, what is one thing you wish you could tell yourself when you first started writing Lowrider for Sale?
A: The one thing I wish I could have told myself when I first started writing LOWRIDER FOR SALE is not to take every critique as an absolute change. I should have only made the changes that resonated with me and that I felt were right for my story. Because only I know what story I want to tell.
When I first started writing this manuscript, I had my critique partners give me advice. I sent the manuscript out for professional critiques, and I even participated in workshops where I could submit my work for feedback. I was very green (not that I’m any less green!), and I felt that because I was so new to writing, listening to people who had way more experience than I did would be the smart thing to do.
Wrong!
I eventually got to the point where I didn’t even recognize my own story. I had to go back and look at earlier versions of the manuscript to remind myself what I was trying to say and then scale the story back until it felt like the story I had intended to write.
So, I would tell my younger writing self: Listen to the feedback, but remember that you are the writer. You don’t have to take every suggestion. Trust your instincts and your story.
Q: Would you like to share a Tip and words of encourgament with our readers who might be stuck in the query trenches?
A: Yes, Heather, I do have some tips and words of encouragement. First, keep going! Publishing is a tough business, but if you’re determined, have a story that’s fresh and original, and don’t get discouraged easily, you’re on your way.
Also, don’t do what I did, and think that every critique you receive is a change you must make. If you don’t agree with a suggestion, you don’t have to take it. However, if you keep receiving the same feedback over and over, you might want to consider it. Ultimately, it’s up to you. What is the story you want to tell? Make sure the changes you make serve that story.
Publishing is very subjective. What one editor thinks may be very different from what another thinks. When my agent and I went out on submission with LOWRIDER FOR SALE, we sent the manuscript to thirteen different editors during our first round. We received rejections from all thirteen. I was starting to feel discouraged, especially since I had received such positive feedback from others.
My agent told me not to worry because we were only in the first round. And she was right!
We went out on submission again on February 22, 2023, and by March 13, we received an email from Regan Winter, an editor at Disney-Hyperion, letting us know how much she loved the manuscript and that she wanted to share it with her team. She later emailed us with the great news. Her team loved it, too, and the manuscript was headed to acquisitions. Finally, on March 27, we received an offer from Regan, just days before my birthday! What an awesome birthday present, right?
All this to say, if you love writing for children and dream of becoming an author, keep going! Don’t let rejection discourage you from pursuing that dream. And remember what we say in Spanish: ¡Sí se puede! Yes, you can!
Such excellent advice! Thanks again for joining us, Laura, and congratulations again on your beautiful book! We loved getting a closer look at it and getting to know you.
Also, as an extra-special TREAT, Laura has generously offered a FREE coloring page for you and your little artists to enjoy!
Please join us in thanking her for stopping by!
About Laura De La Cruz
Laura De La Cruz is a Latina children’s book author from Los Angeles, California, now living in the Austin, Texas area. Before becoming an author, she spent eight years managing an elementary school library, where she fell even more in love with children’s literature while sharing books with students every day. After reading countless picture books, Laura discovered she had stories of her own to tell and began writing heartfelt stories inspired by family, food, culture, community, and the experiences that shaped her life. Laura is represented by Leah Pierre at Ladderbird Literary Agency. Follow Laura’s writing journey at www.lauraadelacruz.com
For more about Laura, visit her online at:
Congrats on the book and thanks for sharing! I loved the advice to your "younger self" - "So, I would tell my younger writing self: Listen to the feedback, but remember that you are the writer. You don’t have to take every suggestion. Trust your instincts and your story."
Congratulations, Laura, on this fun and meaningful story. Looking forward to reading it.
Wonderful interview, Laura! I love that you wrote this beautiful story to honor and remember hour dad. ❤️ Congrats on all!
As all successful picture books must be, “Lowrider” looks like a great combination of story and illustrations. I feel certain the cover will capture the attention of browsing readers!
Thank you for sharing your story to publication and the wise advice!