Maria E. Andreu
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  • Books
    • LOVE IN ENGLISH
      • Praise for LOVE IN ENGLISH
      • Resources for teachers, librarians and students
      • Quotes from LOVE IN ENGLISH
      • Sneak Peek into LOVE IN ENGLISH
    • The Secret Side of Empty
      • Praise for THE SECRET SIDE OF EMPTY
      • Meet the Characters from THE SECRET SIDE OF EMPTY
      • Resources for teachers, librarians and students
      • Quotes from The Secret Side of Empty
    • Anthologies and essay collections
      • COME ON IN: 15 STORIES ABOUT IMMIGRATION AND FINDING HOME
        • Come On In: Contributor Interviews
      • EXAMINING IMAGES OF URBAN LIFE: A RESOURCE FOR TEACHERS OF YOUNG ADULT LITERATURE
      • FIVE MINUTES AT THE HOTEL STORMCOVE
  • Events
  • Latest + Blog
    • What’s New
    • For Writers
  • Media
  • Book a School Visit
  • Home
  • About
    • Contact
    • Subscribe for giveaways, events and more
    • Connect on Instagram
    • FAQ
  • Books
    • LOVE IN ENGLISH
      • Praise for LOVE IN ENGLISH
      • Resources for teachers, librarians and students
      • Quotes from LOVE IN ENGLISH
      • Sneak Peek into LOVE IN ENGLISH
    • The Secret Side of Empty
      • Praise for THE SECRET SIDE OF EMPTY
      • Meet the Characters from THE SECRET SIDE OF EMPTY
      • Resources for teachers, librarians and students
      • Quotes from The Secret Side of Empty
    • Anthologies and essay collections
      • COME ON IN: 15 STORIES ABOUT IMMIGRATION AND FINDING HOME
        • Come On In: Contributor Interviews
      • EXAMINING IMAGES OF URBAN LIFE: A RESOURCE FOR TEACHERS OF YOUNG ADULT LITERATURE
      • FIVE MINUTES AT THE HOTEL STORMCOVE
  • Events
  • Latest + Blog
    • What’s New
    • For Writers
  • Media
  • Book a School Visit

Faqs

Home ยป Faqs

What did you do before you became a writer?

November 17, 2021

I’ve always looked for “writing adjacent” roles. I did marketing for various companies, which involves writing webpages and email copy, among other things. In my twenties, I [...]

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When did you know you wanted to be a writer?

November 17, 2021

I have a diary from when I was twelve years old that says, “…most of all, I want to be a writer.” But I had no idea how to make that happen! I didn’t start selling my [...]

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What are your other interests besides reading and writing?

November 17, 2021

I love going new places and trying new things. I like eating any kind of new food. I’ve missed travel a lot during the pandemic. I love painting and drawing, although I wish I did it more. [...]

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What was the first piece you published?

November 17, 2021

My first nationally published piece was a piece in Newsweek in which I talked about my undocumented status. I’d never shared that publicly before and I was so scared. But it set me on a [...]

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What was the first piece of writing that you felt confident about?

November 17, 2021

Confidence in one’s writing is a funny thing. Sometimes I love something I write but nobody wants to publish it. Other times I think something I’ve written is just fine but it gets [...]

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What work do you aspire to publish?

November 17, 2021

I have an extensive “parking lot” of ideas. Some are fully-drafted novels that need a good edit so they can (hopefully) find their readers. Others are just quick notes in my phone, [...]

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What new works are in the making?

November 17, 2021

I just turned in a draft of my next book to my editor this week! I’m really excited about that. Once I’m allowed to give details, I will update the site with information about it, [...]

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In what ways do you relate to Ana?

November 17, 2021

Like Ana, I also did not speak English when I first moved to the U.S. I mined a lot of those memories for the scenes in which Ana is confused in class, or in conversation with new friends. I have [...]

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In what ways do you relate to M.T.?

November 17, 2021

I appreciate characters, especially female ones, who let themselves feel their anger. I think girls in our society are taught to be pleasing, to smile, to not be angry. But sometimes things [...]

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Did you experience any social isolation/stigma in American schools?

November 17, 2021

I don’t know that any social isolation I experienced was due to my immigration status, since my family kept it hidden and never talked about it. I sometimes felt isolated because, without a [...]

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What was it like coming to America? Were you with your whole family?

November 17, 2021

I came to the U.S. twice. My immigration story is complicated, as so many are. The first time I was a newborn and my mom and I came on a plane and overstayed a visitors’ visa. The second [...]

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How can I keep up with book news, events, etc.?

March 23, 2021

The easiest way is to sign up for my newsletter by filling out the form below. You’ll note that it asks for a snail mail address. You only have to fill this out if you want to receive a [...]

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What’s your favorite book?

March 23, 2021

This is like asking which is my favorite child! Impossible to answer. Often my favorite is the one I’m reading in the moment. But here’s an attempt at writing about books that moved [...]

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Do you have a playlist for your books?

March 22, 2021

I created one for LOVE IN ENGLISH. You can find it here.

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What’s the first thing you wrote?

March 22, 2021

I have stories and poems dating all the way back to when my mom taught me to read and write in Spanish when I was four. I also have a diary from when I was about thirteen in which I reported that [...]

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Did you write when you were younger?

March 22, 2021

I have a diary entry I wrote when I was twelve years old. It said, “Most of all, I want to be a writer.” I was an avid reader, and it stands to reason that a kid who loved books [...]

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How can I help immigrants?

October 18, 2020

As a former undocumented immigrant, and someone who speaks at schools and events about the immigrant experience, one of the questions I get most commonly is “How can I help?” It is [...]

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What issues do you address in LOVE IN ENGLISH… and which do you stay away from and why?

October 18, 2020

Love in English is a book about finding one’s voice, about what it feels like to be new in the U.S. (as I once was) and how to navigate things like dating and friendships with that as a [...]

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What is LOVE IN ENGLISH About?

October 18, 2020

Love in English is a story near and dear to my heart. It is about Ana, who moves to the U.S. and doesn’t speak much English, just like I once didn’t. While she’s trying to learn [...]

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Do you have a blog?

October 18, 2020

I do! Sometimes I update it all the time. Other times, like when I’m on deadline, not so much. You can find it here.

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Are you white, Argentinian, Spanish… what are you?

June 20, 2020

I sometimes hear from readers who have questions about my cultural identity. My family’s immigration story is complicated, and I always try to be as clear and specific as possible, so you [...]

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Are M.T./her little brother/her mom going to be okay?

February 10, 2018

It broke my heart when I started to do appearances to promote THE SECRET SIDE OF EMPTY and I began to get this question. Readers had really connected with the characters, and were worried for [...]

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Is the town where THE SECRET SIDE OF EMPTY based real?

February 10, 2018

Nope! But I’d love to live in a town named Willow Falls… wouldn’t you? Willows and waterfalls, two of my favorite things. The town is intended to be in suburban New Jersey, and [...]

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Was Nate based on a real person?

February 10, 2018

Ummm… kinda sorta, yeah. Many details changed to protect the innocent, but I had a wonderful first love, and he was a lot like Nate. And that’s all I’m telling! Meet the [...]

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Was Chelsea based on a real person?

February 10, 2018

I’ve been lucky to have great, lifelong friends in my life, so I definitely drew from those experiences to write a trusted, loyal, true friend. But Chelsea isn’t really like any of my [...]

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Who are the Characters in THE SECRET SIDE OF EMPTY

February 10, 2018

They have their own page! Click here to see it.

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Are there Spark Notes for THE SECRET SIDE OF EMPTY?

February 1, 2018

Alas, no. I’m sorry if you have a paper due tomorrow. (I really mean that!). You can find out about the main characters and other things here. But I’m told it’s a fast read. So [...]

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What does it feel like to be undocumented?

February 1, 2018

I wrote a piece about it. Click here to read it.

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Is it true that THE SECRET SIDE OF EMPTY is really about your life?

February 1, 2018

No! Well, not really. Not exactly. It’s true that, like M.T., I was undocumented as a teenager. Some other details fit, too. But M.T. is a teenager now (you know… as far as fictional [...]

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I’m a journalist and need information/photos

February 1, 2018

Hello there! Happy you’re here. You can find all you need on my Media page. There you’ll find high-resolution book covers, author photos, an official bio, and more. Still didn’t [...]

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