The ninety-two minimalist, at times surrealist and magical realist, pieces tackle the absurdity of what it means to be human and honor how moments, not plots, compose our lives. The collection is an attempt to capture these fleeting moments, while also trying to remember the intensity of the mundane and the abyss of the beautiful.

Published by

The Nasiona, 2021

Paperback (Barnes & Noble; Amazon): USD $15.00
Amazon Kindle: USD $7.99

Poems From My Heart Podcast INTERVIEWs JULIÁN

Episode 4: "Author Interview: Identity and Activism through Poetry." Poet Angela Rideau interviews Julián on Poems From My Heart Podcast about his poetry collection, Ninety-Two Surgically Enhanced Mannequins. They discuss identity, language, heritage, lineage, and craft. Julián reads from his poetry collection, touches on the political situation of the Great Colombian Uprising of 2021, and performs a passionate spoken-word piece on his hometown of Medellín; episode published in May, 2021.

Praise for #92SEM

"Daring and risky, [the poems] challenge readers to think beyond the norms of language and cultural history, as each is broken down and reinvented. Think of Derrida working toward a written Picasso." Carl Boon author of PLACES & NAMES and professor of literature "The short poems in this collection are more like aphorisms than poetry, and the work pushes the bar between a fleeting narrative to a concise generational lesson, a dance between couples, a truth-discovery, something true revealed inside glimpses of still-life." Millicent Borges Accardi CantoMundo Fellow & author of Only More So "I was stunned by the infusion of history and lineage, joy and disappointment in this lyric collection. Torres López bends quotidian moments through a prism, slowing time in a way that celebrates the wonder of wakeful living." Deborah Taffa winner of the 2019 SFWP Literary Award for Kiva Song "This collection is a night sky full of fireflies, flirting with a jar, but never trapped." Ra Avis award-winning blogger & author of Sack Nasty: Prison Poetry "Even when these poems speak of the darkest moments of life, those moments that threaten to stop us with their misery and suffering and sorrow, the reader still feels the miracle of joy." John Guzlowsk author of Echoes of Tattered Tongues, winner of the 2017 Ben Franklin Award for Poetry "Reading [the poems] is like reading the writings of Russian poet and avant-gardist Daniil Kharms or one of the many heteronyms of Fernando Pessoa. But the poems' minimalism reminds one of Zen koans: absurd, irrelevant, contradictory, imaginative, fun and beautiful." Bunkong Tuon poet and associate professor of English at Union College "A looking glass of humanity that rakes at your soul asking for one more tiny bite. Julián's poems flicker life into seemingly mundane events." Krizia Isamar Bruno author of Dominicana Americana "A brilliant collection of vibrant flickering. [...] wonderful glimpses into a world always lilting into the surreal and the absurd. There are equal parts terror and whimsy." Robin Gow author of Our Lady of Perpetual Degeneracy "Rhythmic and concise, each line is a surprise and a truth." Anika Fajardo author of Magical Realism for Non-Believers "Torres López has recorded his meditations, at turns funny and thought-provoking, that lift like 'the exoskeleton of a butterfly / trying to find its way home.'" Tucker Lieberman author of Bad Fire "This collection of poetry is a discovery of territories, sprawling and intimate. Underneath it all is Torres López's steady heartbeat." Dr. Kelly A. Dorgan writer & professor at East Tennessee State University "To step into [these] micro poems is to step into otherworldliness itself. [...] Julián Esteban Torres López has created a world where history, erudition, and vulnerability are challenged, where colonialism, veneers, and appetites are sharply scrutinized -- and what a world it is." Aïcha Martine Thiam author of AT SEA

The ninety-two minimalist, at times surrealist and magical realist, pieces tackle the absurdity of what it means to be human and honor how moments, not plots, compose our lives. The collection is an attempt to capture these fleeting moments, while also trying to remember the intensity of the mundane and the abyss of the beautiful.

Published by

The Nasiona, 2021

Paperback (Barnes & Noble; Amazon): USD $15.00
Amazon Kindle: USD $7.99

Poems From My Heart Podcast INTERVIEWs JULIÁN

Episode 4: "Author Interview: Identity and Activism through Poetry." Poet Angela Rideau interviews Julián on Poems From My Heart Podcast about his poetry collection, Ninety-Two Surgically Enhanced Mannequins. They discuss identity, language, heritage, lineage, and craft. Julián reads from his poetry collection, touches on the political situation of the Great Colombian Uprising of 2021, and performs a passionate spoken-word piece on his hometown of Medellín; episode published in May, 2021.

Praise for #92SEM

"Daring and risky, [the poems] challenge readers to think beyond the norms of language and cultural history, as each is broken down and reinvented. Think of Derrida working toward a written Picasso." Carl Boon author of PLACES & NAMES and professor of literature "The short poems in this collection are more like aphorisms than poetry, and the work pushes the bar between a fleeting narrative to a concise generational lesson, a dance between couples, a truth-discovery, something true revealed inside glimpses of still-life." Millicent Borges Accardi CantoMundo Fellow & author of Only More So "I was stunned by the infusion of history and lineage, joy and disappointment in this lyric collection. Torres López bends quotidian moments through a prism, slowing time in a way that celebrates the wonder of wakeful living." Deborah Taffa winner of the 2019 SFWP Literary Award for Kiva Song "This collection is a night sky full of fireflies, flirting with a jar, but never trapped." Ra Avis award-winning blogger & author of Sack Nasty: Prison Poetry "Even when these poems speak of the darkest moments of life, those moments that threaten to stop us with their misery and suffering and sorrow, the reader still feels the miracle of joy." John Guzlowsk author of Echoes of Tattered Tongues, winner of the 2017 Ben Franklin Award for Poetry "Reading [the poems] is like reading the writings of Russian poet and avant-gardist Daniil Kharms or one of the many heteronyms of Fernando Pessoa. But the poems' minimalism reminds one of Zen koans: absurd, irrelevant, contradictory, imaginative, fun and beautiful." Bunkong Tuon poet and associate professor of English at Union College "A looking glass of humanity that rakes at your soul asking for one more tiny bite. Julián's poems flicker life into seemingly mundane events." Krizia Isamar Bruno author of Dominicana Americana "A brilliant collection of vibrant flickering. [...] wonderful glimpses into a world always lilting into the surreal and the absurd. There are equal parts terror and whimsy." Robin Gow author of Our Lady of Perpetual Degeneracy "Rhythmic and concise, each line is a surprise and a truth." Anika Fajardo author of Magical Realism for Non-Believers "Torres López has recorded his meditations, at turns funny and thought-provoking, that lift like 'the exoskeleton of a butterfly / trying to find its way home.'" Tucker Lieberman author of Bad Fire "This collection of poetry is a discovery of territories, sprawling and intimate. Underneath it all is Torres López's steady heartbeat." Dr. Kelly A. Dorgan writer & professor at East Tennessee State University "To step into [these] micro poems is to step into otherworldliness itself. [...] Julián Esteban Torres López has created a world where history, erudition, and vulnerability are challenged, where colonialism, veneers, and appetites are sharply scrutinized -- and what a world it is." Aïcha Martine Thiam author of AT SEA

"As I held the pen in contemplation my finger's back broke — it carried the weight of all my unspoken thoughts on its shoulders"

Julián Esteban Torres López is a storyteller who expresses his thoughts by way of poetry, journalism, memoir, essays, short fiction, and experimental soundscapes. For many years he was a spoken word artist. He’s a Pushcart Prize and Best Small Fictions nominee, a finalist for the Trilogy Award in Short Fiction, a recipient of the McNair Fellowship, a winner of the Rudy Dusek Essay Prize in Philosophy of Art, a former columnist for Colombia Reports, and the author of three books:

Read More Read More Read More

Poems From My Heart Podcast INTERVIEWs JULIÁN

Episode 4: "Author Interview: Identity and Activism through Poetry." Poet Angela Rideau interviews Julián on Poems From My Heart Podcast about his poetry collection, Ninety-Two Surgically Enhanced Mannequins. They discuss identity, language, heritage, lineage, and craft. Julián reads from his poetry collection, touches on the political situation of the Great Colombian Uprising of 2021, and performs a passionate spoken-word piece on his hometown of Medellín; episode published in May, 2021.

"The skeleton of my memory has two broken ribs and a fractured spine, but if listened to closely, the barking of my heart can still be heard"

Julián is also working on a collection of short stories, a memoir, a collection of interviews, editing an anthology on womanhood and trauma, and helping bring to the world the first Spanish-to-English edition of the 1916 book Pensamientos de un Viejo (Reflections of an Old Man) by Colombian writer and existentialist philosopher Fernando González — “el filósofo de Otraparte” (The Philosopher from Somewhere-Else).

Below you can engage with examples of Julián's work.

Selected works

"An Ill-iterate Birth," poetry in The LKMNDS Podcast (produced in partnership with The Kneeland Center for Poetry, Inc., and The Elevation Review), forthcoming, September 2021.

"The Wind," spoken word poem and experimental soundscape in Rigorous, forthcoming, June 2021.

"The Airplane Panic of 2011, and Other Palpitations," memoir in Fahmidan Journal, forthcoming, May 2021.

"Sleepwalking through the 20th," experimental audio story in Havik 2021: Inside Brilliance, May 2021.

"The Post-Marbella Trauma," memoir in Novus Literary Arts Journal, May 2021.

"The Right Wing May Have Lit the Fire, but the Left Wing May Dig the Grave," editorial in The Nasiona, Issue 23, 12 Jan. 2021.

"On Faith and Other Demons: Why I Do Not Have (Nor Want to Have) Faith In Humanity," editorial in The Nasiona, Issue 22, 23 Dec. 2020.

"Mother's Records, Mother's Books," flash fiction in The Acentos Review, December 2020.

"To the Border Crossers: It’s Time to Start Biting Their Tongues Instead of Ours," an essay in PANK Magazine's Latinx Lit Celebration folio, August 2020.

"Apart, but Together for Change," editorial in The Nasiona, Issue 19, 22 Apr. 2020.

"Rain Date," poetry in SUSAN / THE JOURNAL, August 2018.

"The Obituaries Editor," flash fiction in Into The Void Magazine, Issue 9, July 2018. Into the Void nominated this piece for both the Pushcart Prize and Best Small Fictions.

"Colorful," flash fiction in Burningword Literary Journal, Issue 86, April 2018.

Julián Also wrote the foreword to nicole zelniker's book, mixed

Read the foreword HERE.

MIXED is available in paperback on Amazon, on Amazon Kindle, and on Barnes and Noble‘s website.

The definition of families is widening, whether it’s because of mixed-race relationships, interracial adoption, or numerous other factors. Today, it is important to hear from a growing population about race, their shifting identities, and what family means to them. At the heart of the issue are the mixed-race families. Many mixed-race children have had difficulties fitting in, whether with one race or the other. In mixed-race relationships, one partner may face racism, while the other may not, or else they will experience racism in different ways. Children who have been adopted into families that identify as a race that is not theirs often find that they struggle to fit in with their families as well as with people who identify as their own race. Not only are these families navigating US American culture at large, but they also must navigate their own family structures and what it means to be mixed.

About MIXED

By Nicole Zelniker

SIGN UP FOR
THE NASIONA NEWSLETTER

Subscribe for updates regarding Julián's current project, The Nasiona. Keep up with each magazine issue, which authors he's publishing through his publishing house, and who he's interviewing for the podcast.

SUBSCRIBE

The ninety-two minimalist, at times surrealist and magical realist, pieces tackle the absurdity of what it means to be human and honor how moments, not plots, compose our lives. The collection is an attempt to capture these fleeting moments, while also trying to remember the intensity of the mundane and the abyss of the beautiful.

Published by

The Nasiona, 2021

Paperback (Barnes & Noble; Amazon): USD $15.00
Amazon Kindle: USD $7.99

Poems From My Heart Podcast INTERVIEWs JULIÁN

Episode 4: "Author Interview: Identity and Activism through Poetry." Poet Angela Rideau interviews Julián on Poems From My Heart Podcast about his poetry collection, Ninety-Two Surgically Enhanced Mannequins. They discuss identity, language, heritage, lineage, and craft. Julián reads from his poetry collection, touches on the political situation of the Great Colombian Uprising of 2021, and performs a passionate spoken-word piece on his hometown of Medellín; episode published in May, 2021.

Praise for #92SEM

"Daring and risky, [the poems] challenge readers to think beyond the norms of language and cultural history, as each is broken down and reinvented. Think of Derrida working toward a written Picasso." Carl Boon author of PLACES & NAMES and professor of literature "The short poems in this collection are more like aphorisms than poetry, and the work pushes the bar between a fleeting narrative to a concise generational lesson, a dance between couples, a truth-discovery, something true revealed inside glimpses of still-life." Millicent Borges Accardi CantoMundo Fellow & author of Only More So "I was stunned by the infusion of history and lineage, joy and disappointment in this lyric collection. Torres López bends quotidian moments through a prism, slowing time in a way that celebrates the wonder of wakeful living." Deborah Taffa winner of the 2019 SFWP Literary Award for Kiva Song "This collection is a night sky full of fireflies, flirting with a jar, but never trapped." Ra Avis award-winning blogger & author of Sack Nasty: Prison Poetry "Even when these poems speak of the darkest moments of life, those moments that threaten to stop us with their misery and suffering and sorrow, the reader still feels the miracle of joy." John Guzlowsk author of Echoes of Tattered Tongues, winner of the 2017 Ben Franklin Award for Poetry "Reading [the poems] is like reading the writings of Russian poet and avant-gardist Daniil Kharms or one of the many heteronyms of Fernando Pessoa. But the poems' minimalism reminds one of Zen koans: absurd, irrelevant, contradictory, imaginative, fun and beautiful." Bunkong Tuon poet and associate professor of English at Union College "A looking glass of humanity that rakes at your soul asking for one more tiny bite. Julián's poems flicker life into seemingly mundane events." Krizia Isamar Bruno author of Dominicana Americana "A brilliant collection of vibrant flickering. [...] wonderful glimpses into a world always lilting into the surreal and the absurd. There are equal parts terror and whimsy." Robin Gow author of Our Lady of Perpetual Degeneracy "Rhythmic and concise, each line is a surprise and a truth." Anika Fajardo author of Magical Realism for Non-Believers "Torres López has recorded his meditations, at turns funny and thought-provoking, that lift like 'the exoskeleton of a butterfly / trying to find its way home.'" Tucker Lieberman author of Bad Fire "This collection of poetry is a discovery of territories, sprawling and intimate. Underneath it all is Torres López's steady heartbeat." Dr. Kelly A. Dorgan writer & professor at East Tennessee State University "To step into [these] micro poems is to step into otherworldliness itself. [...] Julián Esteban Torres López has created a world where history, erudition, and vulnerability are challenged, where colonialism, veneers, and appetites are sharply scrutinized -- and what a world it is." Aïcha Martine Thiam author of AT SEA

The ninety-two minimalist, at times surrealist and magical realist, pieces tackle the absurdity of what it means to be human and honor how moments, not plots, compose our lives. The collection is an attempt to capture these fleeting moments, while also trying to remember the intensity of the mundane and the abyss of the beautiful.

Published by

The Nasiona, 2021

Paperback (Barnes & Noble; Amazon): USD $15.00
Amazon Kindle: USD $7.99

Poems From My Heart Podcast INTERVIEWs JULIÁN

Episode 4: "Author Interview: Identity and Activism through Poetry." Poet Angela Rideau interviews Julián on Poems From My Heart Podcast about his poetry collection, Ninety-Two Surgically Enhanced Mannequins. They discuss identity, language, heritage, lineage, and craft. Julián reads from his poetry collection, touches on the political situation of the Great Colombian Uprising of 2021, and performs a passionate spoken-word piece on his hometown of Medellín; episode published in May, 2021.

Praise for #92SEM

"Daring and risky, [the poems] challenge readers to think beyond the norms of language and cultural history, as each is broken down and reinvented. Think of Derrida working toward a written Picasso." Carl Boon author of PLACES & NAMES and professor of literature "The short poems in this collection are more like aphorisms than poetry, and the work pushes the bar between a fleeting narrative to a concise generational lesson, a dance between couples, a truth-discovery, something true revealed inside glimpses of still-life." Millicent Borges Accardi CantoMundo Fellow & author of Only More So "I was stunned by the infusion of history and lineage, joy and disappointment in this lyric collection. Torres López bends quotidian moments through a prism, slowing time in a way that celebrates the wonder of wakeful living." Deborah Taffa winner of the 2019 SFWP Literary Award for Kiva Song "This collection is a night sky full of fireflies, flirting with a jar, but never trapped." Ra Avis award-winning blogger & author of Sack Nasty: Prison Poetry "Even when these poems speak of the darkest moments of life, those moments that threaten to stop us with their misery and suffering and sorrow, the reader still feels the miracle of joy." John Guzlowsk author of Echoes of Tattered Tongues, winner of the 2017 Ben Franklin Award for Poetry "Reading [the poems] is like reading the writings of Russian poet and avant-gardist Daniil Kharms or one of the many heteronyms of Fernando Pessoa. But the poems' minimalism reminds one of Zen koans: absurd, irrelevant, contradictory, imaginative, fun and beautiful." Bunkong Tuon poet and associate professor of English at Union College "A looking glass of humanity that rakes at your soul asking for one more tiny bite. Julián's poems flicker life into seemingly mundane events." Krizia Isamar Bruno author of Dominicana Americana "A brilliant collection of vibrant flickering. [...] wonderful glimpses into a world always lilting into the surreal and the absurd. There are equal parts terror and whimsy." Robin Gow author of Our Lady of Perpetual Degeneracy "Rhythmic and concise, each line is a surprise and a truth." Anika Fajardo author of Magical Realism for Non-Believers "Torres López has recorded his meditations, at turns funny and thought-provoking, that lift like 'the exoskeleton of a butterfly / trying to find its way home.'" Tucker Lieberman author of Bad Fire "This collection of poetry is a discovery of territories, sprawling and intimate. Underneath it all is Torres López's steady heartbeat." Dr. Kelly A. Dorgan writer & professor at East Tennessee State University "To step into [these] micro poems is to step into otherworldliness itself. [...] Julián Esteban Torres López has created a world where history, erudition, and vulnerability are challenged, where colonialism, veneers, and appetites are sharply scrutinized -- and what a world it is." Aïcha Martine Thiam author of AT SEA

"As I held the pen in contemplation my finger's back broke — it carried the weight of all my unspoken thoughts on its shoulders"

Julián Esteban Torres López is a storyteller who expresses his thoughts by way of poetry, journalism, memoir, essays, short fiction, and experimental soundscapes. For many years he was a spoken word artist. He’s a Pushcart Prize and Best Small Fictions nominee, a finalist for the Trilogy Award in Short Fiction, a recipient of the McNair Fellowship, a winner of the Rudy Dusek Essay Prize in Philosophy of Art, a former columnist for Colombia Reports, and the author of three books:

Read More Read More Read More

Poems From My Heart Podcast INTERVIEWs JULIÁN

Episode 4: "Author Interview: Identity and Activism through Poetry." Poet Angela Rideau interviews Julián on Poems From My Heart Podcast about his poetry collection, Ninety-Two Surgically Enhanced Mannequins. They discuss identity, language, heritage, lineage, and craft. Julián reads from his poetry collection, touches on the political situation of the Great Colombian Uprising of 2021, and performs a passionate spoken-word piece on his hometown of Medellín; episode published in May, 2021.

"The skeleton of my memory has two broken ribs and a fractured spine, but if listened to closely, the barking of my heart can still be heard"

Julián is also working on a collection of short stories, a memoir, a collection of interviews, editing an anthology on womanhood and trauma, and helping bring to the world the first Spanish-to-English edition of the 1916 book Pensamientos de un Viejo (Reflections of an Old Man) by Colombian writer and existentialist philosopher Fernando González — “el filósofo de Otraparte” (The Philosopher from Somewhere-Else).

Below you can engage with examples of Julián's work.

Selected works

"An Ill-iterate Birth," poetry in The LKMNDS Podcast (produced in partnership with The Kneeland Center for Poetry, Inc., and The Elevation Review), forthcoming, September 2021.

"The Wind," spoken word poem and experimental soundscape in Rigorous, forthcoming, June 2021.

"The Airplane Panic of 2011, and Other Palpitations," memoir in Fahmidan Journal, forthcoming, May 2021.

"Sleepwalking through the 20th," experimental audio story in Havik 2021: Inside Brilliance, May 2021.

"The Post-Marbella Trauma," memoir in Novus Literary Arts Journal, May 2021.

"The Right Wing May Have Lit the Fire, but the Left Wing May Dig the Grave," editorial in The Nasiona, Issue 23, 12 Jan. 2021.

"On Faith and Other Demons: Why I Do Not Have (Nor Want to Have) Faith In Humanity," editorial in The Nasiona, Issue 22, 23 Dec. 2020.

"Mother's Records, Mother's Books," flash fiction in The Acentos Review, December 2020.

"To the Border Crossers: It’s Time to Start Biting Their Tongues Instead of Ours," an essay in PANK Magazine's Latinx Lit Celebration folio, August 2020.

"Apart, but Together for Change," editorial in The Nasiona, Issue 19, 22 Apr. 2020.

"Rain Date," poetry in SUSAN / THE JOURNAL, August 2018.

"The Obituaries Editor," flash fiction in Into The Void Magazine, Issue 9, July 2018. Into the Void nominated this piece for both the Pushcart Prize and Best Small Fictions.

"Colorful," flash fiction in Burningword Literary Journal, Issue 86, April 2018.

Julián Also wrote the foreword to nicole zelniker's book, mixed

Read the foreword HERE.

MIXED is available in paperback on Amazon, on Amazon Kindle, and on Barnes and Noble‘s website.

The definition of families is widening, whether it’s because of mixed-race relationships, interracial adoption, or numerous other factors. Today, it is important to hear from a growing population about race, their shifting identities, and what family means to them. At the heart of the issue are the mixed-race families. Many mixed-race children have had difficulties fitting in, whether with one race or the other. In mixed-race relationships, one partner may face racism, while the other may not, or else they will experience racism in different ways. Children who have been adopted into families that identify as a race that is not theirs often find that they struggle to fit in with their families as well as with people who identify as their own race. Not only are these families navigating US American culture at large, but they also must navigate their own family structures and what it means to be mixed.

About MIXED

By Nicole Zelniker

SIGN UP FOR
THE NASIONA NEWSLETTER

Subscribe for updates regarding Julián's current project, The Nasiona. Keep up with each magazine issue, which authors he's publishing through his publishing house, and who he's interviewing for the podcast.

SUBSCRIBE

The ninety-two minimalist, at times surrealist and magical realist, pieces tackle the absurdity of what it means to be human and honor how moments, not plots, compose our lives. The collection is an attempt to capture these fleeting moments, while also trying to remember the intensity of the mundane and the abyss of the beautiful.

Published by

The Nasiona, 2021

Paperback (Barnes & Noble; Amazon): USD $15.00
Amazon Kindle: USD $7.99

Poems From My Heart Podcast INTERVIEWs JULIÁN

Episode 4: "Author Interview: Identity and Activism through Poetry." Poet Angela Rideau interviews Julián on Poems From My Heart Podcast about his poetry collection, Ninety-Two Surgically Enhanced Mannequins. They discuss identity, language, heritage, lineage, and craft. Julián reads from his poetry collection, touches on the political situation of the Great Colombian Uprising of 2021, and performs a passionate spoken-word piece on his hometown of Medellín; episode published in May, 2021.

Praise for #92SEM

"Daring and risky, [the poems] challenge readers to think beyond the norms of language and cultural history, as each is broken down and reinvented. Think of Derrida working toward a written Picasso." Carl Boon author of PLACES & NAMES and professor of literature "The short poems in this collection are more like aphorisms than poetry, and the work pushes the bar between a fleeting narrative to a concise generational lesson, a dance between couples, a truth-discovery, something true revealed inside glimpses of still-life." Millicent Borges Accardi CantoMundo Fellow & author of Only More So "I was stunned by the infusion of history and lineage, joy and disappointment in this lyric collection. Torres López bends quotidian moments through a prism, slowing time in a way that celebrates the wonder of wakeful living." Deborah Taffa winner of the 2019 SFWP Literary Award for Kiva Song "This collection is a night sky full of fireflies, flirting with a jar, but never trapped." Ra Avis award-winning blogger & author of Sack Nasty: Prison Poetry "Even when these poems speak of the darkest moments of life, those moments that threaten to stop us with their misery and suffering and sorrow, the reader still feels the miracle of joy." John Guzlowsk author of Echoes of Tattered Tongues, winner of the 2017 Ben Franklin Award for Poetry "Reading [the poems] is like reading the writings of Russian poet and avant-gardist Daniil Kharms or one of the many heteronyms of Fernando Pessoa. But the poems' minimalism reminds one of Zen koans: absurd, irrelevant, contradictory, imaginative, fun and beautiful." Bunkong Tuon poet and associate professor of English at Union College "A looking glass of humanity that rakes at your soul asking for one more tiny bite. Julián's poems flicker life into seemingly mundane events." Krizia Isamar Bruno author of Dominicana Americana "A brilliant collection of vibrant flickering. [...] wonderful glimpses into a world always lilting into the surreal and the absurd. There are equal parts terror and whimsy." Robin Gow author of Our Lady of Perpetual Degeneracy "Rhythmic and concise, each line is a surprise and a truth." Anika Fajardo author of Magical Realism for Non-Believers "Torres López has recorded his meditations, at turns funny and thought-provoking, that lift like 'the exoskeleton of a butterfly / trying to find its way home.'" Tucker Lieberman author of Bad Fire "This collection of poetry is a discovery of territories, sprawling and intimate. Underneath it all is Torres López's steady heartbeat." Dr. Kelly A. Dorgan writer & professor at East Tennessee State University "To step into [these] micro poems is to step into otherworldliness itself. [...] Julián Esteban Torres López has created a world where history, erudition, and vulnerability are challenged, where colonialism, veneers, and appetites are sharply scrutinized -- and what a world it is." Aïcha Martine Thiam author of AT SEA

The ninety-two minimalist, at times surrealist and magical realist, pieces tackle the absurdity of what it means to be human and honor how moments, not plots, compose our lives. The collection is an attempt to capture these fleeting moments, while also trying to remember the intensity of the mundane and the abyss of the beautiful.

Published by

The Nasiona, 2021

Paperback (Barnes & Noble; Amazon): USD $15.00
Amazon Kindle: USD $7.99

Poems From My Heart Podcast INTERVIEWs JULIÁN

Episode 4: "Author Interview: Identity and Activism through Poetry." Poet Angela Rideau interviews Julián on Poems From My Heart Podcast about his poetry collection, Ninety-Two Surgically Enhanced Mannequins. They discuss identity, language, heritage, lineage, and craft. Julián reads from his poetry collection, touches on the political situation of the Great Colombian Uprising of 2021, and performs a passionate spoken-word piece on his hometown of Medellín; episode published in May, 2021.

Praise for #92SEM

"Daring and risky, [the poems] challenge readers to think beyond the norms of language and cultural history, as each is broken down and reinvented. Think of Derrida working toward a written Picasso." Carl Boon author of PLACES & NAMES and professor of literature "The short poems in this collection are more like aphorisms than poetry, and the work pushes the bar between a fleeting narrative to a concise generational lesson, a dance between couples, a truth-discovery, something true revealed inside glimpses of still-life." Millicent Borges Accardi CantoMundo Fellow & author of Only More So "I was stunned by the infusion of history and lineage, joy and disappointment in this lyric collection. Torres López bends quotidian moments through a prism, slowing time in a way that celebrates the wonder of wakeful living." Deborah Taffa winner of the 2019 SFWP Literary Award for Kiva Song "This collection is a night sky full of fireflies, flirting with a jar, but never trapped." Ra Avis award-winning blogger & author of Sack Nasty: Prison Poetry "Even when these poems speak of the darkest moments of life, those moments that threaten to stop us with their misery and suffering and sorrow, the reader still feels the miracle of joy." John Guzlowsk author of Echoes of Tattered Tongues, winner of the 2017 Ben Franklin Award for Poetry "Reading [the poems] is like reading the writings of Russian poet and avant-gardist Daniil Kharms or one of the many heteronyms of Fernando Pessoa. But the poems' minimalism reminds one of Zen koans: absurd, irrelevant, contradictory, imaginative, fun and beautiful." Bunkong Tuon poet and associate professor of English at Union College "A looking glass of humanity that rakes at your soul asking for one more tiny bite. Julián's poems flicker life into seemingly mundane events." Krizia Isamar Bruno author of Dominicana Americana "A brilliant collection of vibrant flickering. [...] wonderful glimpses into a world always lilting into the surreal and the absurd. There are equal parts terror and whimsy." Robin Gow author of Our Lady of Perpetual Degeneracy "Rhythmic and concise, each line is a surprise and a truth." Anika Fajardo author of Magical Realism for Non-Believers "Torres López has recorded his meditations, at turns funny and thought-provoking, that lift like 'the exoskeleton of a butterfly / trying to find its way home.'" Tucker Lieberman author of Bad Fire "This collection of poetry is a discovery of territories, sprawling and intimate. Underneath it all is Torres López's steady heartbeat." Dr. Kelly A. Dorgan writer & professor at East Tennessee State University "To step into [these] micro poems is to step into otherworldliness itself. [...] Julián Esteban Torres López has created a world where history, erudition, and vulnerability are challenged, where colonialism, veneers, and appetites are sharply scrutinized -- and what a world it is." Aïcha Martine Thiam author of AT SEA

"As I held the pen in contemplation my finger's back broke — it carried the weight of all my unspoken thoughts on its shoulders"

Julián Esteban Torres López is a storyteller who expresses his thoughts by way of poetry, journalism, memoir, essays, short fiction, and experimental soundscapes. For many years he was a spoken word artist. He’s a Pushcart Prize and Best Small Fictions nominee, a finalist for the Trilogy Award in Short Fiction, a recipient of the McNair Fellowship, a winner of the Rudy Dusek Essay Prize in Philosophy of Art, a former columnist for Colombia Reports, and the author of three books:

Read More Read More Read More

Poems From My Heart Podcast INTERVIEWs JULIÁN

Episode 4: "Author Interview: Identity and Activism through Poetry." Poet Angela Rideau interviews Julián on Poems From My Heart Podcast about his poetry collection, Ninety-Two Surgically Enhanced Mannequins. They discuss identity, language, heritage, lineage, and craft. Julián reads from his poetry collection, touches on the political situation of the Great Colombian Uprising of 2021, and performs a passionate spoken-word piece on his hometown of Medellín; episode published in May, 2021.

"The skeleton of my memory has two broken ribs and a fractured spine, but if listened to closely, the barking of my heart can still be heard"

Julián is also working on a collection of short stories, a memoir, a collection of interviews, editing an anthology on womanhood and trauma, and helping bring to the world the first Spanish-to-English edition of the 1916 book Pensamientos de un Viejo (Reflections of an Old Man) by Colombian writer and existentialist philosopher Fernando González — “el filósofo de Otraparte” (The Philosopher from Somewhere-Else).

Below you can engage with examples of Julián's work.

Selected works

"An Ill-iterate Birth," poetry in The LKMNDS Podcast (produced in partnership with The Kneeland Center for Poetry, Inc., and The Elevation Review), forthcoming, September 2021.

"The Wind," spoken word poem and experimental soundscape in Rigorous, forthcoming, June 2021.

"The Airplane Panic of 2011, and Other Palpitations," memoir in Fahmidan Journal, forthcoming, May 2021.

"Sleepwalking through the 20th," experimental audio story in Havik 2021: Inside Brilliance, May 2021.

"The Post-Marbella Trauma," memoir in Novus Literary Arts Journal, May 2021.

"The Right Wing May Have Lit the Fire, but the Left Wing May Dig the Grave," editorial in The Nasiona, Issue 23, 12 Jan. 2021.

"On Faith and Other Demons: Why I Do Not Have (Nor Want to Have) Faith In Humanity," editorial in The Nasiona, Issue 22, 23 Dec. 2020.

"Mother's Records, Mother's Books," flash fiction in The Acentos Review, December 2020.

"To the Border Crossers: It’s Time to Start Biting Their Tongues Instead of Ours," an essay in PANK Magazine's Latinx Lit Celebration folio, August 2020.

"Apart, but Together for Change," editorial in The Nasiona, Issue 19, 22 Apr. 2020.

"Rain Date," poetry in SUSAN / THE JOURNAL, August 2018.

"The Obituaries Editor," flash fiction in Into The Void Magazine, Issue 9, July 2018. Into the Void nominated this piece for both the Pushcart Prize and Best Small Fictions.

"Colorful," flash fiction in Burningword Literary Journal, Issue 86, April 2018.

Julián Also wrote the foreword to nicole zelniker's book, mixed

Read the foreword HERE.

MIXED is available in paperback on Amazon, on Amazon Kindle, and on Barnes and Noble‘s website.

The definition of families is widening, whether it’s because of mixed-race relationships, interracial adoption, or numerous other factors. Today, it is important to hear from a growing population about race, their shifting identities, and what family means to them. At the heart of the issue are the mixed-race families. Many mixed-race children have had difficulties fitting in, whether with one race or the other. In mixed-race relationships, one partner may face racism, while the other may not, or else they will experience racism in different ways. Children who have been adopted into families that identify as a race that is not theirs often find that they struggle to fit in with their families as well as with people who identify as their own race. Not only are these families navigating US American culture at large, but they also must navigate their own family structures and what it means to be mixed.

About MIXED

By Nicole Zelniker

SIGN UP FOR
THE NASIONA NEWSLETTER

Subscribe for updates regarding Julián's current project, The Nasiona. Keep up with each magazine issue, which authors he's publishing through his publishing house, and who he's interviewing for the podcast.

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The ninety-two minimalist, at times surrealist and magical realist, pieces tackle the absurdity of what it means to be human and honor how moments, not plots, compose our lives. The collection is an attempt to capture these fleeting moments, while also trying to remember the intensity of the mundane and the abyss of the beautiful.

Published by

The Nasiona, 2021

Paperback (Barnes & Noble; Amazon): USD $15.00
Amazon Kindle: USD $7.99

Poems From My Heart Podcast INTERVIEWs JULIÁN

Episode 4: "Author Interview: Identity and Activism through Poetry." Poet Angela Rideau interviews Julián on Poems From My Heart Podcast about his poetry collection, Ninety-Two Surgically Enhanced Mannequins. They discuss identity, language, heritage, lineage, and craft. Julián reads from his poetry collection, touches on the political situation of the Great Colombian Uprising of 2021, and performs a passionate spoken-word piece on his hometown of Medellín; episode published in May, 2021.

Praise for #92SEM

"Daring and risky, [the poems] challenge readers to think beyond the norms of language and cultural history, as each is broken down and reinvented. Think of Derrida working toward a written Picasso." Carl Boon author of PLACES & NAMES and professor of literature "The short poems in this collection are more like aphorisms than poetry, and the work pushes the bar between a fleeting narrative to a concise generational lesson, a dance between couples, a truth-discovery, something true revealed inside glimpses of still-life." Millicent Borges Accardi CantoMundo Fellow & author of Only More So "I was stunned by the infusion of history and lineage, joy and disappointment in this lyric collection. Torres López bends quotidian moments through a prism, slowing time in a way that celebrates the wonder of wakeful living." Deborah Taffa winner of the 2019 SFWP Literary Award for Kiva Song "This collection is a night sky full of fireflies, flirting with a jar, but never trapped." Ra Avis award-winning blogger & author of Sack Nasty: Prison Poetry "Even when these poems speak of the darkest moments of life, those moments that threaten to stop us with their misery and suffering and sorrow, the reader still feels the miracle of joy." John Guzlowsk author of Echoes of Tattered Tongues, winner of the 2017 Ben Franklin Award for Poetry "Reading [the poems] is like reading the writings of Russian poet and avant-gardist Daniil Kharms or one of the many heteronyms of Fernando Pessoa. But the poems' minimalism reminds one of Zen koans: absurd, irrelevant, contradictory, imaginative, fun and beautiful." Bunkong Tuon poet and associate professor of English at Union College "A looking glass of humanity that rakes at your soul asking for one more tiny bite. Julián's poems flicker life into seemingly mundane events." Krizia Isamar Bruno author of Dominicana Americana "A brilliant collection of vibrant flickering. [...] wonderful glimpses into a world always lilting into the surreal and the absurd. There are equal parts terror and whimsy." Robin Gow author of Our Lady of Perpetual Degeneracy "Rhythmic and concise, each line is a surprise and a truth." Anika Fajardo author of Magical Realism for Non-Believers "Torres López has recorded his meditations, at turns funny and thought-provoking, that lift like 'the exoskeleton of a butterfly / trying to find its way home.'" Tucker Lieberman author of Bad Fire "This collection of poetry is a discovery of territories, sprawling and intimate. Underneath it all is Torres López's steady heartbeat." Dr. Kelly A. Dorgan writer & professor at East Tennessee State University "To step into [these] micro poems is to step into otherworldliness itself. [...] Julián Esteban Torres López has created a world where history, erudition, and vulnerability are challenged, where colonialism, veneers, and appetites are sharply scrutinized -- and what a world it is." Aïcha Martine Thiam author of AT SEA

The ninety-two minimalist, at times surrealist and magical realist, pieces tackle the absurdity of what it means to be human and honor how moments, not plots, compose our lives. The collection is an attempt to capture these fleeting moments, while also trying to remember the intensity of the mundane and the abyss of the beautiful.

Published by

The Nasiona, 2021

Paperback (Barnes & Noble; Amazon): USD $15.00
Amazon Kindle: USD $7.99

Poems From My Heart Podcast INTERVIEWs JULIÁN

Episode 4: "Author Interview: Identity and Activism through Poetry." Poet Angela Rideau interviews Julián on Poems From My Heart Podcast about his poetry collection, Ninety-Two Surgically Enhanced Mannequins. They discuss identity, language, heritage, lineage, and craft. Julián reads from his poetry collection, touches on the political situation of the Great Colombian Uprising of 2021, and performs a passionate spoken-word piece on his hometown of Medellín; episode published in May, 2021.

Praise for #92SEM

"Daring and risky, [the poems] challenge readers to think beyond the norms of language and cultural history, as each is broken down and reinvented. Think of Derrida working toward a written Picasso." Carl Boon author of PLACES & NAMES and professor of literature "The short poems in this collection are more like aphorisms than poetry, and the work pushes the bar between a fleeting narrative to a concise generational lesson, a dance between couples, a truth-discovery, something true revealed inside glimpses of still-life." Millicent Borges Accardi CantoMundo Fellow & author of Only More So "I was stunned by the infusion of history and lineage, joy and disappointment in this lyric collection. Torres López bends quotidian moments through a prism, slowing time in a way that celebrates the wonder of wakeful living." Deborah Taffa winner of the 2019 SFWP Literary Award for Kiva Song "This collection is a night sky full of fireflies, flirting with a jar, but never trapped." Ra Avis award-winning blogger & author of Sack Nasty: Prison Poetry "Even when these poems speak of the darkest moments of life, those moments that threaten to stop us with their misery and suffering and sorrow, the reader still feels the miracle of joy." John Guzlowsk author of Echoes of Tattered Tongues, winner of the 2017 Ben Franklin Award for Poetry "Reading [the poems] is like reading the writings of Russian poet and avant-gardist Daniil Kharms or one of the many heteronyms of Fernando Pessoa. But the poems' minimalism reminds one of Zen koans: absurd, irrelevant, contradictory, imaginative, fun and beautiful." Bunkong Tuon poet and associate professor of English at Union College "A looking glass of humanity that rakes at your soul asking for one more tiny bite. Julián's poems flicker life into seemingly mundane events." Krizia Isamar Bruno author of Dominicana Americana "A brilliant collection of vibrant flickering. [...] wonderful glimpses into a world always lilting into the surreal and the absurd. There are equal parts terror and whimsy." Robin Gow author of Our Lady of Perpetual Degeneracy "Rhythmic and concise, each line is a surprise and a truth." Anika Fajardo author of Magical Realism for Non-Believers "Torres López has recorded his meditations, at turns funny and thought-provoking, that lift like 'the exoskeleton of a butterfly / trying to find its way home.'" Tucker Lieberman author of Bad Fire "This collection of poetry is a discovery of territories, sprawling and intimate. Underneath it all is Torres López's steady heartbeat." Dr. Kelly A. Dorgan writer & professor at East Tennessee State University "To step into [these] micro poems is to step into otherworldliness itself. [...] Julián Esteban Torres López has created a world where history, erudition, and vulnerability are challenged, where colonialism, veneers, and appetites are sharply scrutinized -- and what a world it is." Aïcha Martine Thiam author of AT SEA

"As I held the pen in contemplation my finger's back broke — it carried the weight of all my unspoken thoughts on its shoulders"

Julián Esteban Torres López is a storyteller who expresses his thoughts by way of poetry, journalism, memoir, essays, short fiction, and experimental soundscapes. For many years he was a spoken word artist. He’s a Pushcart Prize and Best Small Fictions nominee, a finalist for the Trilogy Award in Short Fiction, a recipient of the McNair Fellowship, a winner of the Rudy Dusek Essay Prize in Philosophy of Art, a former columnist for Colombia Reports, and the author of three books:

Read More Read More Read More

Poems From My Heart Podcast INTERVIEWs JULIÁN

Episode 4: "Author Interview: Identity and Activism through Poetry." Poet Angela Rideau interviews Julián on Poems From My Heart Podcast about his poetry collection, Ninety-Two Surgically Enhanced Mannequins. They discuss identity, language, heritage, lineage, and craft. Julián reads from his poetry collection, touches on the political situation of the Great Colombian Uprising of 2021, and performs a passionate spoken-word piece on his hometown of Medellín; episode published in May, 2021.

"The skeleton of my memory has two broken ribs and a fractured spine, but if listened to closely, the barking of my heart can still be heard"

Julián is also working on a collection of short stories, a memoir, a collection of interviews, editing an anthology on womanhood and trauma, and helping bring to the world the first Spanish-to-English edition of the 1916 book Pensamientos de un Viejo (Reflections of an Old Man) by Colombian writer and existentialist philosopher Fernando González — “el filósofo de Otraparte” (The Philosopher from Somewhere-Else).

Below you can engage with examples of Julián's work.

Selected works

"An Ill-iterate Birth," poetry in The LKMNDS Podcast (produced in partnership with The Kneeland Center for Poetry, Inc., and The Elevation Review), forthcoming, September 2021.

"The Wind," spoken word poem and experimental soundscape in Rigorous, forthcoming, June 2021.

"The Airplane Panic of 2011, and Other Palpitations," memoir in Fahmidan Journal, forthcoming, May 2021.

"Sleepwalking through the 20th," experimental audio story in Havik 2021: Inside Brilliance, May 2021.

"The Post-Marbella Trauma," memoir in Novus Literary Arts Journal, May 2021.

"The Right Wing May Have Lit the Fire, but the Left Wing May Dig the Grave," editorial in The Nasiona, Issue 23, 12 Jan. 2021.

"On Faith and Other Demons: Why I Do Not Have (Nor Want to Have) Faith In Humanity," editorial in The Nasiona, Issue 22, 23 Dec. 2020.

"Mother's Records, Mother's Books," flash fiction in The Acentos Review, December 2020.

"To the Border Crossers: It’s Time to Start Biting Their Tongues Instead of Ours," an essay in PANK Magazine's Latinx Lit Celebration folio, August 2020.

"Apart, but Together for Change," editorial in The Nasiona, Issue 19, 22 Apr. 2020.

"Rain Date," poetry in SUSAN / THE JOURNAL, August 2018.

"The Obituaries Editor," flash fiction in Into The Void Magazine, Issue 9, July 2018. Into the Void nominated this piece for both the Pushcart Prize and Best Small Fictions.

"Colorful," flash fiction in Burningword Literary Journal, Issue 86, April 2018.

Julián Also wrote the foreword to nicole zelniker's book, mixed

Read the foreword HERE.

MIXED is available in paperback on Amazon, on Amazon Kindle, and on Barnes and Noble‘s website.

The definition of families is widening, whether it’s because of mixed-race relationships, interracial adoption, or numerous other factors. Today, it is important to hear from a growing population about race, their shifting identities, and what family means to them. At the heart of the issue are the mixed-race families. Many mixed-race children have had difficulties fitting in, whether with one race or the other. In mixed-race relationships, one partner may face racism, while the other may not, or else they will experience racism in different ways. Children who have been adopted into families that identify as a race that is not theirs often find that they struggle to fit in with their families as well as with people who identify as their own race. Not only are these families navigating US American culture at large, but they also must navigate their own family structures and what it means to be mixed.

About MIXED

By Nicole Zelniker

SIGN UP FOR
THE NASIONA NEWSLETTER

Subscribe for updates regarding Julián's current project, The Nasiona. Keep up with each magazine issue, which authors he's publishing through his publishing house, and who he's interviewing for the podcast.

SUBSCRIBE