Thursday, February 25, 2010

Thursday, February 11, 2010

"Sin Alley" in Midway Journal



I have a short story, "Sin Alley," up in the current issue of Midway Journal. The subject matter is hinted at in the photograph above, which happens to have been taken during my most recent trip to Costa Rica, where "Sin Alley" takes place.

Holding the sign above is the curator Jacob Karpio, who owns the eponymous gallery in San José, Costa Rica. My friend Karina Salguero is a magazine editor in San José. She invited me to come along to Jacob's gallery for a press release breakfast party for the show he curated called LOVE. Back when I lived in Costa Rica as a volunteer teacher 15 years ago, I would have died to have found an arts community like the one Karina is now a part of. During his welcome, Jacob said that he felt Costa Rica's time was here as a nation celebrated not just for its natural beauty, but for its arts and urban culture. Things have changed drastically and quickly in the arts community in San José in recent years. It's flourishing thanks to folks like Jacob.

In my writing about Costa Rica and the works by Costa Rican authors I've chosen for translation (mostly fiction by Carmen Naranjo), I've always tried to take on issues that had nothing to do with the environment, its wildlife, the beaches. "Sin Alley" is gritty and urban. And - you've been warned! - it's rated R.

I miss Costa Rica...