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MEET RENE COLATO LAINEZ
by Bonnie O'Brian

Who influenced you most when you were growing up?

René Colato Laínez

It was like going to the library when my mom and I visited my greatuncle Jorge Buenaventura Laínez in El Salvador. He was,“un escritor”, awriter and always was in front oh his typewriter. His house was full of books that I enjoyed and took home. When I was 12 years old, I read his latest book LOS LAINEZ from Soledad. In the dedication page he wrote:his story is not complete. I hope that someone from the family will become a writer to complete the story. It was there that I realized that I could be that person, that I could be a writer. Of course, someday I will write LOS LAINEZ from Los Angeles.

Did you write stories when you were growing up?At school? Or at home as a hobby?As a young child, or as a teenager, or both?

I wrote many poems when I was growing up in El Salvador. I even sent a poem to a magazine and it was published. Unfortunately, they omitted my name. I ran around the school showing the magazine to all my friends. “Look, this is my poem.” “Sure!” They responded with disbelief. In high school, I wrote poems and articles for the Spanish school paper and I made sure that my name was credited in all my writings.

When you went to college, were you already pursuing a writing career?

During my college years at California State University Northridge, I wrote some novels and two plays that were performed by college students. But it was not until I became an elementary teacher that I discovered the beauty of picture books. I started writing books for my students and soon I became “The teacher full of stories” at Fernangeles Elementary School.

How soon after that was your first book published?

I started to submit my manuscripts in the spring of 2001. My first book was accepted for publication one year and half later. Anticipating WAITING FOR PAPA/ESPERANDO A PAPA to be in the bookstores in November 2004 was difficult. I will always remember the day that I held my very own book for the first time.

What are the topics on some of your books?

My books are about Latino children living in the United States and their conflicts to adapt to the new country and culture without losing their roots. My books are bilingual, English/Spanish. My goal as a writer is to write good multicultural children’s literature. Stories where minority children are represented in a good positive way. Stories where they can see themselves as heroes. Stories where children can dream and have hopes for the future. I want to show readers authentic stories of Latin American children living in the United States.

Have any of your books earned special recognition?

I AM RENE, THE BOY/YO SOY RENE/EL NINO was a Junior Guild Selection, received an International Latino Book Award for Best Bilingual Picture book and was chosen for Special Recognition in the 2006 Paterson Prize for Books for Young People. PLAYING LOTERIA/ EL JUEGO DE LA LOTERIA was also a Junior Guild Selection and received an International Latino Book Award for Best Illustrations.

Do you write every day and do you have set hours that you work?

I teach during the day and in an ideal day, I write from 8:00 to 10:00 pm and read from 10:00 to 11:00 pm.

When you do school visits, what question do children ask you most?

Can you write a book about me? Did the stories happen to you? Can we play lotería? (After I read Playing Lotería which is Mexican Bingo).

Has anyone ever told you how your books had touched their lives?

An 11 year old boy told me with tears in his eyes, “Thank you for writing my story” on WAITING FOR PAPA. His father was in Mexico and he missed him with all his heart. Also a teacher from San Francisco told me that she loved WAITING FOR PAPA so much that she took it to El Salvador and read it to rural schools all over the country. A parent congratulated me for writing PLAYING LOTERIA and showing the importance of being bilingual.

Do you do other types of writing - for example, educational, nonfiction, magazine work?

I write poems and short stories for Iguana Magazine, a Spanish Magazine for Children.

When is your next book going to be in bookstores?

My electronic Book A COLORFUL STORY/ UN CUENTO DE COLORES will be released in 2007 and my picture book MY SHOES AND I is coming out around 2009.