Stephanie Vasquez
Stephanie Vasquez has recently published essays on Refinery29 and The Opal Club. She has also reported for the Tombstone Epitaph in Southern Arizona. As a bi-racial Mexican American who grew up sixty miles north of the US–Mexico border, she was inspired to major in journalism and minor in Latin American Studies at the University of Arizona. Stephanie currently lives in Goodyear, Arizona.
X (formerly Twitter): @e_l_vasquez
Are there particular films that have influenced your writing?
A few! Namely The Tax Collector, Sicario and of course The Godfather. However television shows like Narcos, Snowfall, Mayans M.C. and Ingobernable were huge inspirations as well.
Is there a genre of music that influences your writing/thinking? Do you listen to music while you write?
I HAVE to listen to music while I write! I have playlists for each work in progress for All Our Wars I listened heavily to Majid Jordan, Maluma, Karol G, Rauw Alejandro, Future, Drake, The Marias, Marissa Nadler, DVSN, THEY, 6lack and Glass Animals.
What brings you great joy?
Being outside in the desert when it’s warm and silent. And hearing my husband’s laugh.
What’s the difference (at least for you!) between being a writer and an author? How do you shift gears between the two?
I believe just this year I’ve recognized the difference. Anyone can write, everyone has something unique to say. Being an author requires the dedication to the other parts, the business aspect, as well as having discipline, a routine. A way to still sit down and write when you’re not in the mood or your motivation or inspiration are lacking.
Is your go to comfort food sweet or savory? Is it something you make yourself? Does food inspire your writing?
Food is life! It was important to me to try and touch upon food in All Our Wars, and all my writing, because usually it is an accessible ‘in’ to a culture you’d like to learn about. So sharing about food and food traditions is important to my writing. My comfort food is definitely savory. I enjoy nachos, having a bad day – nachos! Plus they’re so versatile!
