In a time when immigrants are under attack, Rudy Ruiz’s fiction book debut Seven for the Revolution is both timely, and brave. Seven immigrant stories that have hit a cord and propelled the book into an award-winning streak, winning four prizes at the 2015 International Latino Book Awards’ Latino Books into Movies Awards.
The four stories are varied and rich in cultural relevance. An idealistic Mexican colonel obsessed with building a better Mexico loses his daughters to the allure of America. A young Latina struggles to communicate with her immigrant grandfather when her mother prohibits her from speaking Spanish. A boy grapples with the slippery nature of laws, rules and ambition along the US-Mexico border in his quest for the American Dream. An elderly woman’s land, life and loyalties are divided by a controversial border fence. A South American immigrant encounters racism and love in an LA elevator as turmoil swirls around a radical change in immigration policy. In post-apocalyptic New York, a Latina fights to defend the last vestiges of a nation’s pride as disgruntled creditors threaten to confiscate the Statue of Liberty. And a resourceful American survivor seeks freedom and peace on foreign soil.
The Latino Books Into Movies Awards are organized by Latino Literacy Now, the non-profit organization founded by Latino movie star Edward James Olmos, with the goal of cultivating more Latino-themed content for Hollywood films. Finalists and Winners are packaged and promoted by the organization to Hollywood producers and directors.
“I’m very honored to be recognized and included in this innovative program. We definitely need more Latino-themed content, and more opportunities for Latinos within publishing and entertainment,” author Ruiz stated. “It is the only way that our voices and our stories will be humanized and heard nationally and internationally. I’m very grateful for the wonderful advocacy effort that is being made by Latino Literacy Now in this influential arena.”
The Awards were created to bring attention to books with Latino stories, the Latino Books into Movies Awards bring together a panel of literary luminaries to judge the submitted books. Held on November 7th during the 2015 Los Angeles Latino Book & Family Festival at Mount SAC College in Los Angeles County, the 2015 submissions were the largest group to date.
The four 2014 International Latino Book Awards presented to Rudy Ruiz were: Best Popular Fiction Book (1st Place), Most Inspirational Fiction Book (2nd Place), Best First Book – Fiction (1st Place), and Best Cover Design – Fiction (Honorable Mention).
The book has resonated with readers and Ruiz is pitching the story rights for either a TV or film deal.
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