Silvia Moreno-Garcia, author of “Silver Nitrate.” (Photo by Martin Dee Photography)
The USF College of Arts and Sciences Humanities Institute will welcome author Silvia Moreno-Garcia for a discussion and book signing on Tuesday, October 10. The event, which will be held in the Marshall Student Center Oval Theater beginning at 7:00 p.m., promises to be an evening of unique opportunities, from an open Q&A session to a book signing.
Moreno-Garcia will discuss her highly anticipated new novel, “Silver Nitrate,” which blends Mexican horror movies and Nazi occultism into a dark thriller about a cursed lost film.
Mexican by birth, and Canadian by inclination, Moreno-Garcia is the author of a number of critically acclaimed novels, including “Gods of Jade and Shadow,” “Mexican Gothic,” “The Daughter of Doctor Moreau,” and “Velvet Was the Night.” She has won multiple “Best Books of the Year” awards from The New Yorker, Vanity Fair, NPR, Vox, and Book Riot. The Los Angeles Times says “Moreno-Garcia works in a tradition in which chills and thrills tap into elemental cultural fears—runaway science, carnal passion.”
Humanities Institute director Elizabeth Kicak, who is coordinating bringing Moreno-Garcia to campus for the event, emphasized the importance of connecting authors to the community.
“Silvia Moreno-Garcia is a brilliant writer—young, innovative, and exciting,” Kicak said. “I’m really looking forward to giving our students, faculty, and community members the opportunity to meet her and learn more about her approach to literature.”
“It’s always inspiring to talk with people who are passionate about their field, whether that’s literature, science, etc.,” she continued. “I love for audience members to see a variety of creators—those people writing the literature that will be studied 20, 50, or even 100 years from now. By hosting a variety of writers and scholars it lets our students see successful representations of themselves. In this case, the student who loves writing fantasy, or an aspiring Latinx author, or a scholar interested in gothic literature will hopefully come away feeling energized and inspired.”
USF alumna and book reviewer Carmen Alvarez will moderate the discussion.
Carmen Alvarez, host of Tomes and Textiles, and moderator for the Moreno-Garcia event. (Photo courtesy of Carmen Alvarez)
Carmen Alvarez is a Cuban-American book lover whose passion for books drove her to establish the Instagram and TikTok accounts Tomes and Textiles. She uses these platforms to review and recommend Latinx books from across the diaspora and push back against the lack of representation in traditional publishing.
“Anyone who enjoys a good book will enjoy the conversation between Moreno-Garcia and Carmen Alvarez. It will be a great opportunity to meet other book lovers and listen to the author’s own thoughts on her newest novel,” Kicak said.
“I hope people leave feeling like they got a true ‘behind the scenes’ look at this exciting novel as well as the opportunity to hear from an author who is destined for great things.”
This event is free and open to the public. To learn more, please visit the event webpage.