How to Be a Chicana Role Model

The wisecracking, bicultural/bilingual, self-deprecating, post-Valley Girl author of Chicana Falsa once again serves up a slice of her own life, this time focusing on the lessons she has learned about being a writer and de facto role model. Chronicling the experiences and responsibilities of semisuccessful Chicana poet and writer ""Michele Serros,"" the book is divided into a series of The House on Mango Street-style vignettes, each titled with a numbered ""role model rule,"" like ""Seek Support from Sistas"" and ""Honor Thy Late-Night Phone Calls from Abuelita."" Sandwiched between these stories are thematic riffs--an ongoing debate with a conference organizer over an honorarium that was never paid, or correspondence with teacher fans who want to correct the fictional Serros's English or her Spanish. ""Let's Go Mexico,"" one of the longer stories, is a humorous take on immersion language classes set in a tourist town outside of Mexico City. For all of Serros's wit--and she can be absolutely hilarious--there is a darker side to her humor. The fictional Serros moves from menial job to menial job. She recognizes that like her father (a ""brown ghost"" to his Anglo co-workers), she is too often either invisible or assumed to be a maid, and that Latinos can be as prejudiced as whites. She takes several swipes at academics and critics who assume that one Latina writer is much like another. She comes down especially hard on anyone who doubts her talent: ""To my family, writing was not important. Writing was somewhat selfish. Writing was just plain rude."" Though this outing lacks some of the fizz of Chicana Falsa, Serros turns out a funny yet poignant defense of her craft. 4-city author tour. (July)