February 2021

That firework summer

Wedding 2013

Today’s my youngest sister, Deanna’s birthday, and I realize it’s also the longest time we’ve gone in our lives without seeing each other. Some of my best memories are of vacations together with our two families—Deanna with her husband David and their girls, Mackenzie, Astrid, and Mia; and me with Tim, Olivia, and Mateo. They’d come to California or we’d go to Boston. One year we all met in Maine for our nephew’s wedding. Deanna and I have grown up together and our kids have, too.

At President Biden’s inauguration this past January, when thousands of fireworks blasted off and Katy Perry sang her indelible “Firework,” I remembered Deanna’s visit in 2013. In 2017, I wrote a short post about it, which I’m reposting below.

Happy birthday, Deanna! Xoxo

That Firework Summer

Tonight was the kids’ Spring Concert at school and one of the classes sang Katy Perry’s “Firework.” As I sat and listened, I remembered the moment a few years ago when Katy Perry’s “Firework” was everywhere, you couldn’t move without hearing “Baby, you’re a firework. Come on, show ‘em what you’re worth.”

That Firework summer, my three beautiful nieces came to visit us from Boston, and with three teenage girls, you better believe, honey: we were singing that anthem at the top of our lungs, nonstop. Dancing it, too.

And sitting at the concert I thought of them, those three teenage girls, now young women, Mackenzie, Astrid, and Mia, with their whole big lives ahead of them.

To my beautiful nieces and sister, I’m sending you these lines, with much love:

Maybe a reason why all the doors are closed
So you could open one that leads you to the perfect road
Like a lightning bolt, your heart will glow
And when it’s time you’ll know

You just gotta ignite the light and let it shine
Just own the night like the 4th of July
Cause baby you’re a firework. ~ xoxoxo

That firework summer Read More »

In the library

My friend texted me to say my novel, Mother Mother, is circulating in the San Diego County Library system. This makes me so inordinately happy! When you’re a famous, big name author, of course your book will be in every library, on book store shelves, topping Amazon’s Hot Hits list. But when you’re a small press author like me, whose books sell in modest numbers, to know your work has earned a spot that’s permanent–that’s the definition of absolute thrill.

So if you live in San Diego and hold a library card, please request my novel: Mother Mother by Jessica O’Dwyer.

I’d love for you to read it. Xoxoxo

In the library Read More »

Sister Dianna Ortiz

Sister Dianna Ortiz died on Friday at the age of 62. Sister Ortiz was a US-born Catholic nun teaching indigenous children in Guatemala’s western highlands when she was abducted, tortured, and gang-raped by a Guatemala security force in 1989.

From her obituary in the NY Times: “[Sister Ortiz] went on to become a global champion for people subjected to torture, and her case would help compel the release of classified documents showing decades of U.S. complicity in human rights abuses in Guatemala during its 36-year civil war, in which 200,000 civilians were killed.”

The details of Sister Ortiz’s story are horrifying. Her memoir, The Blindfold’s Eyes: My Journey from Torture to Truth, is haunting.

May her brave soul in peace.

New York Times article is here.

Image from Washington Post.

Sister Dianna Ortiz Read More »

“Picturing Calixta” essay

I’m posting a link to a fascinating, in-depth article that examines the Guatemalan armed conflict (1960-1996) through the story of Kaqchikel poet and spiritual guide, Calixta Gabriel Xiquin. Calixta lost 3 brothers to the violence; she herself was one of the first Maya to attend university. Written by Mary Jo McConahay (Maya Roads), “Picturing Calixta” looks at the clash between liberation theology and Maya spirituality.

Writes McConahay: “In the 1970s and 1980s, [the] central highlands were contested territory among armed groups. They were also a battleground of faiths… Calixta suffered through the storm, and gravely distressed by the war within the war—among believers—left Christianity behind, to embrace Maya spirituality.”

Read the entire article here.

Photo of Maximon church in San Lucas Toliman. Photo by Jessica O’Dwyer

“Picturing Calixta” essay Read More »

La Llorona shortlisted for an Oscar

Jayro Bustamante’s film, La Llorona, already nominated for a Golden Globe in Best Foreign Language Film, was just shortlisted for an Oscar, in Best International Feature!

Films from 93 countries were eligible in the Oscar category; La Llorona is one of 15 films to advance to the next category. Below is a link to an interview with Jayro Bustamante and Jane Fonda, as well as a clip from the film.

Film description: “Filmmaker Jayro Bustamante (Ixcanul) combines horror with political filmmaking in this adaptation of the legend of the Weeping Woman. In Guatemala, Alma is murdered with her children during a military attack. Thirty years later, the general who ordered the genocide is found not guilty, and Alma comes back to the world of the living to torment him. In Kaqchikel and Spanish with English subtitles. Director Jayro Bustamante (Guatemala 2019) 97 min.”

Watch: Jane Fonda & Jayro Bustamante Talk Awards Contender ‘La Llorona’ – Deadline

Movie poster of La Llorona from internet.

La Llorona shortlisted for an Oscar Read More »