Lone Star Legend [Paperback]

In Lone Star Legend by Gwendolyn Zepeda the Latina heroine Dominga Saavedra a.k.a. Sandy S. is a serious young writer for a respected web site LatinoNow as well as the keeper of an anonymous personal blog My Modern TragiComedy. All of this changes when LatinoNow is transformed into Nacho Papi, a gossipy Latino web site.

The novel follows Sandy S.'s dance with the devils at Nacho Papi who offer nuggets of fame and fortune in exchange for journalistic integrity. To stay gainfully employed Sandy undergoes a personal makeover and learns to write snarky celebrity copy. Soon Sandy S. becomes a minor celebrity with all of the corresponding benefits and detriments that go with living in the public eye. She also befriends an elderly goat farmer, "the Chupacabra" (literally translated as the goat sucker) who offers Sandy S. and her readers common sense advice.

Although Lone Star Legend follows a fairly predictable plotline trajectory, the characters and blog entries are unique and refreshing! Zepeda knows how to craft witty passages and interesting characters. In addition, the book also features a bilingual reading guide with great discussion questions.

Lone Star Legend is a fun multicultural read!


Publisher: Grand Central Publishing (January 25, 2010), 352 pages
Advance Review Copy Provided Courtesy of the Publisher.

Reviewed by Connie Anderson

Texas author Gwendolyn Zepeda's first book was "To the Last Man I Slept With and All the Jerks Like Him"-so you know she is an in-your-face kind of writer. All this fits very well with the storyline of "Lone Star Legend" that takes place in Texas where the heroine, Sandy S (legal name Dominga Saavedra) writes for a Latino Web site that really goes after Latinos in the public eye-actors, writers, etc.

Sandy has two blogs, a personal one called My Modern TragiComedy, and the one she writes for the popular Latino Now! Somewhat an idealist, and a lot naïve, she spews out some very hurtful stuff about her recently ex boyfriend-and her divorced parents, especially her mom. However, she says enough identifiable information that people start to know it is her, and then recognize her. The comments about her blog entries run from funny, to supportive to mean. When readers connect the two blogs, the back and forth begins.

How thick skinned is she? Can she dish it out to the Latinos in the public eye, but not be able to take it herself? When she is the focus of a blog post from a rival site, she has to decide whether she is going into hiding--or face this head-on.

The Latino Now! bloggers make extra money based on the number of hits to their postings, and Sandy needs to keep coming up with ideas. When she and her mother went to clean out the home of a recently deceased aunt, they meet the neighbor, Tio Jaime. He has been keeping on eye on Aunt Linda's home while she has been ill, and everything is already all packed up.

Sandy is intrigued by Tio and his wisdom, and soon he allows her to record him talking. When the video is posted, it becomes a hit, and people ask him questions. Sandy does more interviews-but she has not gotten Tio to sign the release to use them or his likeness-anywhere, anyhow. He becomes a mythical Chupacabra, revered in legends, and the viewers can't get enough of his sage advice.

Lots of backstabbing, 21st Century style, via screen name hits. Is this demeaning others what it takes to make this Internet site a sensation? Can Sandy do this every day? When she is the victim of a cyber attack, her wise mother said (paraphrasing), "what made you think they wouldn't figure out it was you?" and, "if you wouldn't say it to his face, why would you say it online for all the world to read?"

Is there a message here?

Throw in a little romance, Tio's suspicious lawyer nephew, Sandy's conscience, her reconciliation with her mother-and you have a book filled with rich descriptions of action, emotions and people-all combined with her storytelling to give a really good page-turner read.

I have been placed in situations where I had to choose between my family and my job. My morals would not allow me to put a job first. I have walked away from a couple of positions for that reason. However, when you are young and just starting out like Sandy Saavedra, the main character in Lone Star Legend by Gwendolyn Zepeda, you may see things a little differently.

Sandy's dream job is to be a successful writer. After a major company purchases the Web site she works for, her world is turned upside down and she finds herself doing things she would not normally do. Sandy is writing trash and gossip about actors, singers, and any other person who enters into her world. She is jet setting all over the United States attempting to have fun.

When a mythical creature is supposedly spotted close to where Sandy's aunt used to live, she finds herself interviewing a family friend. By interviewing him, Sandy's page views skyrocket; sending her into celebrity status. But is this the attention she was seeking when she started her journey as a writer? How much more is she willing to sacrifice in order to stay on top?

Ms. Zepeda created a realistic story of what really goes on behind the scenes of gossip magazines and celebrity news. However, the story could have moved along a little faster if some of the repetitive scenes were left out. I recommend Lone Star Legend to readers who like stories about Latinos and/or life as a reporter/writer.

I received this book from the publisher for review purposes.

Jennifer Coissiere
APOOO BookClub

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