Marie Delgado Travis is an inspiration to those of us who have always felt that we had a good story or poem in us, but never got around to putting them down on paper. She started what is proving to be an admirable and acclaimed writing career at the tender age of 50. In the span of a few years, Marie has produced over 150 stories and poems, in both English and Spanish. Marie's writing has received a number of distinctions. Most recently, Marie's gripping poem "The Window" received Second Place in the prestigious international TOM HOWARD POETRY CONTEST. In the same contest, two of her poems ("Bijoux" & "The Bedspread") were commended. These three poems were published in the anthology, Across The Long Bridge (2005), edited by John H. Reid . In November, 2005, Marie was named "VIP of the Day" at Radio WOSO (1030 AM), the leading English language station in Puerto Rico.
Marie receives many invitations to read her work: Marie has appeared on NPR in Houston's NUESRA PALABRA; LATINO WRITERS HAVING THEIR SAY, on the Houston based show THE MEXICANZ (KLOL, MEGA 101), the popular community television program VIVA HOUSTON. Marie has also been an avid reader of her work at book stores and literature festivals. most recenty, in January, Marie read at Barnes and Noble in Austin TX (along with Jackie Mendez and Norma Oquendo) and she was also interviewed by Sergio Fernández on the radio show COFFEE BREAK on Radio WOSO in San Juan, PR. On Feb. 26th Marie will be reading at the Hispanic Book Festival in Houston (www.hispanicbookfestival.com). And Marie is currently organizing a Latino Soul authors discussion panel and reading for the Edward James Olmos 4th Annual Latino Book and Family Festival in Houston, on May 7th. For more information about the book fair, please go to www.latinofestivals.com
A proud Nuyorican who was born in Manhattan and moved to the North Bronx at an early age, Marie considers herself to be a "post-9-11 writer". After the horrific events of Sept. 11, Marie says that she felt an urgent need to sift through the rubble to find some meaning for herself and offer whatever comfort she could to others. Her story Me and Don Paco is an inspiring story of friendship and forgiveness, and for me its main message is that while we can't change the past, we CAN change our relationship to it by acting consciously and compassionately in the present. It's a gentle message, and a personal one, that also hints to us that we need to stay awake in life, and recognize the opportunities that we are given to rise to our spiritual potential.