Fifteen candles : 15 tales of taffeta, hairspray, drunk uncles, and other Quinceañera stories : an anthology

For the uninitiated, the quinceanera celebrates the passage of a fifteen-year-old girl into adulthood: It's a bit bat mitzvah with a dash of debutante ball, and loaded with the same potential for hilarity and adolescent angst. In this original anthology, fifteen of the brightest and funniest Latino writers, men and women alike, share their own memories of these moving and often absurd extravaganzas—tales of that unique form of familial humiliation that is borne of the best intentions, fierce love, and the infectious joy of parents finally allowing their little girl to grow up. Title Page......Page 3 Dedication Page......Page 4 Table of Contents......Page 5 An Introduction......Page 7 The Romantics......Page 13 El Quinceañero: Alberto Rosas......Page 15 Love Rehearsals: Angie Cruz......Page 41 Fifteen and the Mafia: Constanza Jaramillo-Cathcart......Page 63 Queens for a Day......Page 81 The Year of Dreaming: A Tale of Two Quinceañeras: Fabiola Santiago......Page 83 It All Started with the Dress: Leila Cobo-Hanlon......Page 104 Uprooted: Nanette Guadiano-Campos......Page 118 The Party Crashers......Page 141 Quince Crashers: Malín Alegría-Ramírez......Page 143 La Mamasota: Adelina Anthony......Page 163 Barefoot: Eric Taylor-Aragón......Page 187 Reluctant Damas & Chambelanes......Page 213 No Quinces, Thanks: Barbara Ferrer......Page 215 The Perpetual Chambelán: Michael Jaime Becerra......Page 234 The Dress Was Way Too Itchy: Monica Palacios......Page 251 The Dreamers......Page 277 Quince Never Was: Felicia Luna Lemus......Page 279 A Blue Denim Quince: Berta Platas......Page 300 Recuerdo: My Sister Remembered: Erasmo Guerra......Page 320 Contributors......Page 339 Acknowledgments......Page 345 About the Author......Page 346 Credits......Page 347 Copyright Notice......Page 348 About the Publisher......Page 349 For the uninitiated, the quinceañera celebrates the passage of a fifteen-year-old girl into adulthood: It's a bit bat mitzvah with a dash of debutante ball, and loaded with the same potential for hilarity and adolescent angst. In this original anthology, fifteen of the brightest and funniest Latino writers, men and women alike, share their own memories of these moving and often absurd extravaganzas—tales of that unique form of familial humiliation that is borne of the best intentions, fierce love, and the infectious joy of parents finally allowing their little girl to grow up. Collection of reminiscences about coming-of-age ritual for Latino girls. The Quinceañera celebrates the passage of a fifteen-year-old girl into adulthood: it's a bit bat mitzvah with a dash of debutante ball, and loaded with the same potential for hilarity and adolescent angst