In this episode of The Missing Book Podcast, host Luz Maria Mack sits down with poet, essayist, and educator Lisa Gil Ventura for an honest conversation about love, identity, creativity, and the courage to embrace life as a full-time writer.

Lisa shares her journey from journaling in private to becoming a published poet, how the Dominican Writers Association helped her discover her voice, and why representation in literature matters. Together, Luz and Lisa discuss poetry, publishing, motherhood, social work, imposter syndrome, self-promotion, and the importance of preserving our stories for future generations.

They also explore:

✨ Writing as healing

✨ Dominican identity and cultural pride

✨ The realities of making a living as an artist

✨ Why underrepresented voices deserve to be celebrated

✨ Raising children who are confident in who they are

✨ The power of love, community, and storytelling

📖 Featured Book:¿Con qué papel me envuelves la luna? by Lisa Gil Ventura

🎙️ Subscribe to The Missing Book Podcast for conversations with authors, illustrators, educators, poets, and storytellers whose voices deserve to be heard.

About The Missing Book Podcast:

Hosted by Luz Maria Mack, The Missing Book Podcast highlights authors, illustrators, educators, and creatives whose stories deserve to be seen, heard, and celebrated. Each episode explores the inspiration behind the work, the publishing journey, and the impact stories can have on readers, families, and communities.

#DominicanRepublic #LatinoBooks #RepresentationMatters#Book #LisaGilVentura #DominicanWriter #Poetry #LatinaAuthor #AfroLatina #DominicanRepublic #CreativeWriting #WritersLife #RepresentationMatters #LatinoBooks #Memoir #BookPodcast #Storytelling #AuthorsOfYouTube

In this episode of The Missing Book Podcast, Luz Maria Mack sits down with author Tony Plata to discuss the inspiration behind his children's books Weekend with Papi and The Sweetness of My Island. Together, they explore fatherhood, co-parenting, cultural identity, Puerto Rican history, and the importance of preserving family stories for future generations.

Tony shares his journey from first-time author to self-published creator, the challenges of bringing books to life, and why every family has a story worth telling. This heartfelt conversation highlights the power of representation, oral history, and creating books that help children see themselves and their communities reflected on the page.

✨ Topics discussed:

📚Fatherhood and co-parenting

📚Puerto Rican heritage and migration stories

📚Preserving family history through books

📚Self-publishing and children's literature

📚Turning books into 2D animations

📚Why diverse stories matter

If you enjoy conversations about books, culture, family, and storytelling, be sure to like, subscribe, and share this episode.

📚 Featured Books: Weekend with Papi, The Sweetness of My Island

🎙️ About The Missing Book Podcast:

Hosted by Luz Maria Mack, The Missing Book Podcast celebrates the authors, illustrators, creators, and storytellers whose work helps fill the gaps on our bookshelves and in our communities.

#TheMissingBookPodcast #TonyPlata #ChildrensBooks #PuertoRicanAuthors #FamilyStories #RepresentationMatters #LatinoBooks #Fatherhood #SelfPublishing #LuzMariaMack #DiverseBooks #LiteracyMatters #WeekendWithPapi #TheSweetnessOfMyIsland

In Episode 6 of The Missing Book Podcast, Luz Maria Mack sits down with educator, author, and community advocate Jennifer Cruzado for a conversation about storytelling, literacy, cultural representation, and the neighborhoods that shape us.

Jennifer shares the inspiration behind her children's book Coco Cherry Mango, a love letter to Harlem, Washington Heights, and Uptown New York City. Together, Luz and Jennifer explore why so many books about New York focus on famous landmarks while overlooking the rich history, traditions, and communities found in Harlem, Hamilton Heights, the Bronx, and beyond.

The conversation also highlights the importance of culturally relevant literature, supporting local street vendors, preserving community stories, and helping children see themselves reflected in the books they read. Jennifer shares her journey creating a Free Little Library in Pelham Bay Park, her commitment to increasing access to books in the Bronx, and why collaboration, not gatekeeping, is essential for uplifting diverse voices.

Plus, get a sneak peek at Jennifer's upcoming picture book, Calling All Cucos, inspired by Caribbean folklore and stories passed down through generations.

Whether you're an educator, parent, writer, or community builder, this episode is a reminder that some of the most important stories are waiting right outside our front doors.

📚 Coco Cherry Mango
📚 Harlem, Washington Heights & Bronx history
📚 Children's books and cultural representation
📚 Free Little Libraries and literacy access
📚 Caribbean folklore and Calling All Cucos
📚 Street vendors and community traditions
📚 Collaboration vs. gatekeeping
📚 Legacy, leadership, and storytelling

Featured Book: Coco! Cherry! Mango!About The Missing Book Podcast

The Missing Book Podcast explores the stories behind the stories—the people, communities, experiences, and conversations that inspire books, creativity, and meaningful change. Hosted by Dominican-American children's author and storyteller Luz Maria Mack, each episode celebrates the voices that help families feel seen.

#TheMissingBookPodcast #JenniferCruzado #CocoCherryMango #ChildrensBooks #Harlem #Bronx #Literacy #DiverseBooks #CommunityStorytelling #LatinoStories #RepresentationMatters

Topics Discussed:

In Episode 4 of The Missing Book Podcast, Luz Maria Mack sits down with author, educator, poet, and mother Carisa Musialik for a heartfelt conversation about representation, literacy, and the power of seeing yourself in a story.

Growing up in Valverde Mao, Dominican Republic, Carisa noticed that the books around her rarely reflected the people, homes, and culture she knew. That experience inspired her to create stories where children could recognize themselves and feel proud of where they come from.

Together, Luz and Carisa discuss:

📚 Why representation in children's books matters

📚 What it means to be Dominican

📚 Raising children who love reading and storytelling

📚 Literacy challenges facing today's students

📚 Self-publishing versus traditional publishing

📚 Why everyone has a story worth telling

This episode is a reminder that books do more than entertain they help us understand who we are, where we come from, and how we belong.

About The Missing Book Podcast

The Missing Book Podcast explores the stories behind the stories—the people, communities, experiences, and conversations that inspire books, creativity, and meaningful change. Hosted by Dominican-American children's author and storyteller Luz Maria Mack, each episode celebrates the voices that help families feel seen.

#TheMissingBookPodcast #CarisaMusialik #DominicanAuthors #DominicanRepublic #RepresentationMatters #ChildrensBooks #LatinoAuthors #AfroLatinoStories #DiverseBooks #LiteracyMatters #ReadingIsPower #Storytelling #SelfPublishing #AuthorLife #BilingualBooks #SeeYourselfInBooks #BooksThatMatter #ParentingAndLiteracy #EducationMatters #CulturalRepresentation #PodcastRecommendations #WritersCommunity #ReadingCommunity #BookPodcast #OwnVoices

What happens when the child who inspired your book becomes your guest?

In this deeply personal episode of The Missing Book Podcast, host Luz Maria Mack sits down with her daughter, Andrea Luz Heredia, on her 20th birthday to discuss the real-life journey behind the children's book Annalise's Determined and Happy Dazzle.

Together, they reflect on Andrea's childhood ADHD diagnosis, the challenges and joys of growing up neurodivergent, and the lessons they learned as a family navigating mental health, education, self-acceptance, and love.

From cartwheels in the living room and chocolate chip pancakes to college life at Temple University, Andrea shares her perspective on growing up, finding her voice, and embracing what makes her unique.

This heartfelt mother-daughter conversation explores:

💜 Growing up with ADHD
💜 The power of family and community support
💜 Mental health and self-acceptance
💜 Why representation in children's books matters
💜 The difference between "dazzle" and "drive"
💜 Finding purpose beyond success and money
💜 How our children inspire the stories we tell

Luz also shares why she believes Andrea is one of her "missing books," the people whose lives and experiences shape the stories we create and cherish.

Whether you're a parent, educator, caregiver, young adult, or someone navigating ADHD yourself, this episode is a reminder that every child deserves to feel seen, celebrated, and loved exactly as they are.

🎙️ Because behind every book is a story.
📚 And behind every story is a person who inspired it.

About The Missing Book Podcast

The Missing Book Podcast explores the stories behind the stories—the people, communities, experiences, and conversations that inspire books, creativity, and meaningful change. Hosted by Dominican-American children's author and storyteller Luz Maria Mack, each episode celebrates the voices that help families feel seen.

#ADHD #Neurodiversity #MentalHealth #Parenting #RepresentationMatters #ChildrensBooks #AndreaLuzHeredia #TempleUniversity #TheMissingBookPodcast #LuzMariaMack #NeuroSpicy #DominicanAmerican #LatinoFamilies #FamilyStories #AuthorPodcast #Education #Inspiration #PersonalGrowth #MotherDaughterConversation #ADHDAwareness

In Episode 2 of The Missing Book, Luz Maria Mack sits down with author and illustrator J. De La Vega for an honest conversation about neurodiversity, Caribbean identity, parenting, publishing, and why culturally relevant books matter so deeply.

Together, they discuss ADHD in Black and Latino households, the pressure many children face to fit into boxes they were never meant for, and the beauty of creating stories where children feel seen instead of shamed.

J. shares the inspiration behind Wepa!, her upcoming Analise series, and the emotional messages she received from readers who unexpectedly found healing through children’s books.

This episode also explores:
✨ Neuro-spicy families and parenting
✨ Representation in children’s literature
✨ Publishing barriers for BIPOC creators
✨ Caribbean culture, food, and language in storytelling
✨ Why books can become mirrors for both children and adults

Sometimes stories do more than entertain.
Sometimes they remind people:
“You’re fine. You were always fine.”

About The Missing Book Podcast

The Missing Book Podcast explores the stories behind the stories—the people, communities, experiences, and conversations that inspire books, creativity, and meaningful change. Hosted by Dominican-American children's author and storyteller Luz Maria Mack, each episode celebrates the voices that help families feel seen.

What happens when our stories are missing from books, classrooms, and publishing?

In the first episode of The Missing Book, Dominican-American children’s author Luz Maria Mack sits down with poet and author Roxana Calderon for a powerful conversation about identity, literacy, poetry, publishing, and preserving culture through storytelling.

Together, they discuss representation in books, growing up Dominican in New York, traditional vs. independent publishing, poetry as healing, and the literacy crisis affecting millions of adults and children.

This episode explores how culturally relevant stories empower Latino and Black children to see themselves as worthy, intelligent, and capable — and why our stories deserve space.

✨ Featured Topics:
Afro-Latina identity • Dominican culture • Bilingual storytelling • Literacy • Publishing barriers • Poetry as resistance

📚 Featured Book:
Esto No Es Poesía by Roxana Calderon

About The Missing Book Podcast

The Missing Book Podcast explores the stories behind the stories—the people, communities, experiences, and conversations that inspire books, creativity, and meaningful change. Hosted by Dominican-American children's author and storyteller Luz Maria Mack, each episode celebrates the voices that help families feel seen.