An Evening with Miriam Zoila Pérez

A Cuban-American author brings their debut young adult novel exploring anxiety, identity and coming-of-age to Miami's premier independent book store. An Evening with Miriam Zoila Pérez takes place on Sunday, April 13 at Books & Books, where they will present Camila Núñez Year of Disasters (Page Street YA, $18.99).

Pérez, a writer whose work has appeared in The New York Times and various anthologies, crafts a story that delves into themes of first queer love alongside family dynamics, body image and the universal challenges of teenage life. Their protagonist, Camila Núñez, navigates these experiences while grappling with anxiety and tarot card predictions that seem to foretell impending disasters.

The evening features discussion moderation by Aurora Dominguez, an accomplished educator and journalist who teaches at Boca Raton High School and several universities. The event also includes insights from Yenni Ann, the audiobook's narrator and a first-generation Cuban-American voice actress known for her work across various media.

Pérez brings significant recognition to this debut, including being named a Lambda Literary Emerging LGBT Voice in Non-Fiction, with their TED talk on racism and maternal health reaching over a million viewers. While admission is free, copies of the book will be available for purchase at the event.