I’m really excited to introduce you all to Tomás Baiza today. I spoke to him briefly a few weeks ago, and his books look great. Get to know him a little bit and then click the links below and give his books a look.
Before we get into things, why don’t you give the reader a brief introduction to you and your work.
I’m originally from San José, California, and have lived in a lot of different places since moving away from the Bay Area. I started writing relatively late and tend to write fairly flawed characters trying to figure out who they are, where they fit in or don’t, and what they might do about it. I’m fortunate to have had three books published: Delivery (Running Wild Press), A Purpose to Our Savagery (RIZE), and Mexican Teeth (Inlandia).
What brought you to Idaho in the first place? What is it about Idaho that keeps you here?
I came here for work and stayed in order to provide my daughter with a stable home base through high school.
Are you tied into some sort of local author/bookish group/culture? If so, tell us about it and how it helps you as an author. If you’re not, is there a reason for it?
I’m loosely tied with a handful of local writers. It started through Storyfort and spread into involvement with a couple of writing/critique groups. I’ve met more people through readings (my own and others) and literary events and places like Campfire Stories and Oldspeak. I’m not an innately social person, so I owe my contacts really to the kindness of others who have been very welcoming.
For the sake of those who aren’t in the area and/or are so crowd averse that they avoid all the -fort things in Boise (read: me), describe Storyfort a little – and how you’re involved. Also, I don’t think I’ve heard of Campfire Stories before – what’s that?
Storyfort is one of the various “-forts” that happen simultaneously with Treefort. It was created by Boise-area writer, Christian Winn, and is now run by Sam Berman. It’s a great series of literary events that feature national, regional, and local writers. There are feature readings, panels, and themed readings throughout the week. It’s an excellent program for both the artists and the reading public. I first got involved in Storyfort when one of my early stories was picked for a reading at one of the events. Since then, I’ve done a few readings, and I’ve had the privilege of riding the coattails of Rebecca Evans, a local writer who organizes a themed panel each year.
Campfire Stories is a monthly event that takes place from March through October. It is organized by Christian Winn and features 3-5 readers each month. Last year I was brought on to host a couple of events and I’ll do the same this year. Each month focuses on a theme. The theme can be abstract or very topical. In recent years, the Modern Hotel has hosted the event. It’s a great night where people can come early, grab dinner, and then stick around for stories.
What kind of events in the area do you attend—either to sell/promote your books or to network with authors?
I try to stay involved with Storyfort each year, and I’m always interested in public readings. My books have all come out through independent publishers, which means they’re tragically under-marketed and the readership will always be limited, so I try to do as much in public as possible to get them as much attention as I can without being really obnoxious about it.
What’s the breakdown of your audience—do you have a strong local base, or are your readers from other parts of the world?
Most of my readers have some kind of local tie, but I have also had people reach out from other places. I’ve done some remote class visits and random folks will occasionally contact me to comment on my writing, which is always a welcome surprise. Since I often (but not always) write through the lens of identity and Latinidad, my readership is more limited. I don’t tend to write things that are likely to have a very broad audience.
Most of the authors I’ve talked to about class visits are people going into elementary schools to read to the children—Latinidad vibes or not, you don’t strike me as that kind of author (by all means, set me straight if I’ve misjudged you). So what kinds of classes are you visiting? Writing classes?
I’d LOVE to go into classrooms and talk to kids, but since my writing is pretty adult, I don’t get those kinds of requests. I’ve done some remote talks with college writing courses and I’ve really enjoyed the experience. In one case a class was reading a collection of environmental stories that had one of my stories (“A Seal’s Song”). One of the students enjoyed it enough to track me down on Instagram. She ended up working with the instructor to have me Zoom in. In other “visits,” I’ve spoken with early writers on the ups and downs of publishing. I have a lot of hard-earned experience there, so I hope that those talks are helpful to the students.
Do you think there are particular challenges or advantages to being a writer in the Treasure Valley? (possibly both)
It’s a small community with a lot of scrappy, talented writers. It can be both supportive and intensely and passively competitive. Depending on your mindset, that “fishbowl” environment can be either motivating or dispiriting, or both.
Do you bring Idaho (or some sort of Idaho-sensibility, assuming one exists) to your work? Whether or not anyone else sees it, can you look at some aspect of your writing and think “That’s Idaho” or “I would do ____ differently if I was a Kentuckian or from Illinois?”
I write from the perspective of a dyed-in-the-wool Californian who happens to live in Idaho. I write as an outsider because that’s my natural voice and perspective, for better and for worse. I definitely don’t try to larp around as an “Idahoan.” This is a great place that I’m fortunate to have found for as long as I’m here.
I love the idea of Idahoan LARPing…what comes to mind isn’t very flattering, but I’m amused by it.
One final question, is there a book (or two…or 18, if you get really carried away), that embodies Idaho/the Idaho spirit to you to recommend to my readers?
It’s not Idaho, per se, but I always recommend Edward Abbey’s DESERT SOLITAIRE to anyone who’s interested in the American West and our attitudes towards the environment. He had a few problematic views, but I’ve always loved Abbey’s rebellious, anti-establishment perspective. He lived his values, which I respect.
I’d never heard of this book before, but it looks promising—and at least fairly Idaho-adjacent (beyond the obvious literal adjacentness)
Yeah, Abbey was a GREAT writer. I don’t always love how he depicts women and particularly Native people in his stories, but I do believe that his writing has done far more good than harm. I think what resonates with me the most is that he was a white dude destined for privilege who decided that it was far more important to challenge evil systems of exploitation than settle into a comfortable writer’s life. It shows in his writing.
Thanks for your time and participation! Hope you enjoyed it!
