So I have a new book out...

And something about anxiety?

House of Bone and Rain is here! Ah, I’m so happy to be sharing this one with everyone. It’s a book that I started thinking about in 1999 after one of my best friend’s mom was killed during a drive-by. It’s a tale of devotion and love and revenge and friendship and growing up. It’s also about monsters and bad people doing bad things and voodoo and Santeria and grief and chaos during and after a really awful hurricane. Oh, and it’s my love letter to Puerto Rico. Anyway, yeah, I’m super happy that it’s out, but I’ve also had a rough couple weeks because there’s a LOT riding on this book. You see, I’m out of a contract, and I would very much like to keep doing this for a living, so while I was stoked about HOBAR coming out, I have also been extremely anxious about the book doing well and my future. Thankfully, I started the tour on August 6th, and that helped a lot.

I love being on the road. I love talking to people. I love talking about books with booksellers at indie bookstores. I love seeing old friends and meeting new readers. After two weeks of anxiety, things finally started getting better when I started the tour. Hugging folks and shaking hands and signing books and being in the car by myself for hours with some of my favorite music playing was therapeutic. Also, some nice things happened to the book, and that helped as well. Here are some highlights:

• The tour! I kicked things off with the great Meg Gardiner in Austin at BookPeople and then did the same with Shaun Hamill in Dallas at Interabang, with Johnny Compton in San Antonio at Nowhere Bookshop, and with Rhonda Jackson Garcia in Houston at Murder by the Book. Thanks to all of them for their time and energy, thank you to everyone who came out, and thank you to the four awesome bookstores that hosted us. And the tour isn’t over! I’ll be in Scottsdale, AZ on Thursday the 15th at Poisoned Pen at 7:00pm and then in Oxford, MS on August 20th at Square Books with William Boyle. Oh, and I have three events in Florida in September and…I’m cooking up some more stuff, so stay tuned.

• HOBAR was reviewed in the New York Times. They called it “ferocious” and said this: “It is in Iglesias’ stark, authoritative, sometimes surprisingly beautiful descriptions of the grit and pessimism of urban Puerto Rico that his prose turns electric.”

  Here’s a free link: https://www.nytimes.com/2024/08/08/books/review/house-of-bone-and-rain-gabino-iglesias.html?unlocked_article_code=1.Bk4.kR-P.TIDRiLttYz4k&smid=url-share

• I was on NPR’s Weekend Edition with Ayesha Rascoe. She asked me to read a bit and then we had an awesome conversation. You can listen to it here: https://www.npr.org/2024/08/11/nx-s1-4967471/gabino-iglesias-on-his-book-house-of-bone-and-rain

• I won’t share everything, but these two reviews were also really cool:

  • KTLA had this to say: “In “House,” Iglesias presents a terrific summer read for those wanting a page-turner that’s also thoughtful, emotional and substantive. Much like the characters at the heart of the novel, you’ll find yourself living with its ghosts even after you’ve turned the last page. “House of Bone and Rain” is a knockout literary release for 2024.”

    Here’s a link: https://ktla.com/entertainment/review-house-of-bone-and-rain-is-a-puerto-rico-noir/

  • Capes & Tights said this: “Iglesias’ writing in House of Bone and Rain has a genuine and passionate feeling to it. His writing is lyrical yet gritty, with vivid descriptions that bring the world of Puerto Rico to life with dialogue screams with authenticity. The story has such an amazing setting, vibrant culture and rich history that feels like Gabino is telling the story with his heart. He skillfully weaves together elements of crime, horror and folklore to creative a tale that is thrilling and thought-provoking. Including supernatural twists and turns, while also exploring deeper themes about fate, destiny, and the consequences of our actions adds so much depth to the story.”

    Here’s the link: https://capesandtights.com/house-of-bone-and-rain-haunting-intense-horror/

I have more, but that’s enough for now. Here are some photos from the tour so far:

That’s it for now. Go read this thing so I can keep doing my thing! Many thanks.