Did you ever wonder about the intricacies of cross-cultural families, reasons for immigration, and family history? It’s so interesting…and complex.
I have SUCH a wonderful book on this very topic to share with you today. Maria Antonia y sus Retoños: Legacies of Motherhood, by one of our longtime editors, Rosie Carbo, is a fascinating read. It’s a love letter to her abuelita: a portrait of a phenomenal woman, a rich tapestry of location and family, and an awe-inspiring account of being the helper. The book is published by Conocimientos Press.
I learned so much while reading this – of history in Mexico, of history and family and connections both in Michigan and Texas, about a remarkable life and woman, and of such familial love that it inspired an entire book.
Highly recommended!
Rosie Carbó is a former print journalist whose work has appeared in many Texas newspapers, including the Dallas Morning News, the Dallas Times Herald, Houston Chronicle and several suburban newspapers in Texas.
The award-winning journalist has also written for several magazines and a variety of online media. Ms. Carbó graduated from the University of North Texas, where she earned a bachelor of arts degree in journalism.
We caught up with Rosie to ask her about her book, abuelita, and more. Here’s what she had to say…
Please tell us about your new book, Maria Antonia y sus Retoños: Legacies of Motherhood...
My debut novel, Maria Antonia y sus Retoños: Legacies of Motherhood, is a book that’s been on my mind and in heart for many years. But first, I’ll explain that the Spanish word retoños, translates to offshoots or sprouts in English.
Grandmother, lovingly called abuelita, always referred to her progeny as if they were sprouts who took root when she and her husband left Mexico and entered the United States.
What inspired you to write this book?
My maternal grandmother was a fascinating storyteller in her native Spanish. She inspired me to write about her life beginning at a young age. Whether she was just knitting, sewing, cooking or whatever, she would relate a story about her past.
What might readers be surprised to learn about Maria Antonia's history and lifelong resilience and love?
Readers might be surprised to learn that despite her lifelong resilience, courage, morals, and values, the one thing she lamented most was losing her mother when she was a child.
Families are so complex. How did you find an honest way to portray that?
Although I started writing the manuscript more than ten years ago, I would put it aside for fear of how my mother, grandmother, and other family members would react to a book about them. That fear led me to change most of the names in my book.
This book can be creative nonfiction, since it’s based on a true story in which I use devices used in fiction. But some readers, including the independent publisher of my book, may also view it as a memoir, as well.
One of the most important lessons I learned from writing my first-ever book is that the skills I learned in Journalism school and as a newspaper reporter do not completely apply when trying to write a novel.
That’s why, for me at least, writing a book has been like learning a whole new career. A career I will doggedly pursue with another book---fiction.
What's up next for you?
I will have a book reading and signing at The Twig Book Shop, 306 Pearl Parkway at the Pearl shopping hub in San Antonio from 5:30 to 7 pm Thursday, July 24, 2025.
How can readers find your work?
The book is available at barnesandnoble.com, amazon.com, conocimientos press, and other book websites.
The cover was designed by Ash Good.