By Paula Treick DeBoard
You might not know who Julian Zabalbascoa is now, but we suspect you will soon. Zabalbascoa, who hails from the Central Valley, is the author of the debut novel What We Tried to Bury Grows Here, published in 2024. Bookish was honored to host him on the final leg of his book tour on December 21.
Zabalbascoa, from Los Banos and a dual resident of Spain and the United States, talked about his writing and research process relating to his innovative novel about the Spanish Civil War. In conversation with Sarah Sedor-George, he described the process of writing the story, which follows a chorus of characters navigating turmoil and terrain across the Basque region of Spain, as “channeling” – the characters and their stories simply came to him as if through a muse. Bookish staff and an enthusiastic crowd gave the book two thumbs up.
Zabalbascoa currently resides in Boston, where he teaches in the Honors College at the University of Massachusetts Lowell. His novel is available at Bookish.
And on January 14, a standing-room only crowd at Bookish greeted the Meter Maids, who have been writing poetry together for 35 years. Local writers Tina Driskill, Julia Mensinger, Lynn Waddell, Linda Prather Nelson, Andra Greenwald, Martha Martin and Karen Baker shared their poetry and insights about writing, followed by an open mic.
At the next Second Tuesday reading on February 11 at Bookish, poets Joseph Rios and Vielka Solano will take the stage. We also have a full slate of Valentine’s events, including Galentines Day on the 23th, Date Night catered by Cora @ Roseburg Square on the 14th, and Spice Write with bestselling author Audrey Carlan on the 21st. Check out www.bookishmodesto.com/events<www.bookishmodesto.com/events> for more information.
