We chat with debut author Jessica Parra about Rubi Ramos’s Recipe for Success, which is a joyful novel of first romance, new possibilities, and the chance to define yourself.
Hi, Jessica! Can you tell our readers a bit about yourself?
I’m a lawyer and daughter of Guatemalan and Cuban bakers, so I’ll never object to an extra slice of cake! I’m a Star Wars nerd and Disney adult—so when I’m not cuddling with my cats, you can find me co-piloting the Millennium Falcon at Disneyland’s Galaxy’s Edge.
When did you first discover your love for writing and stories?
My love for creative writing didn’t come until much later in life, but since I grew up during the Disney renaissance and always lived close to Disneyland, my love for stories imprinted when I was very young! Some of my earliest memories are of watching the classic movies and shows, or going to the park to interact with the characters, or immersing myself with other elements of the park. All that living and breathing story led me to eventually taking a stab at creating my own.
Quick lightning round! Tell us the first book you ever remember reading, the one that made you want to become an author, and one that you can’t stop thinking about!
The first book I remember reading is Little Women by Louisa May Alcott. I still have that copy, too! The one that made me want to become an author was Don’t Date Rosa Santos by Nina Moreno. It wasn’t until I saw another Cuban-American, Disney Adult (who still carried a flame for Pacey Witter) publish a YA contemporary, centering joy and featuring a Cuban-American protagonist, that I went from “writing” to “pursuing publication.”
Representation matters. And seeing often leads to believing.
The book I can’t stop thinking about is Olga Dies Dreaming by Xochitl Gonzalez. It’s an unflinching exploration of the American Dream and the intergenerational trauma so many immigrant families carry. It’s also one of the funniest books I’ve ever read, and has my favorite fictional boyfriend ever.
Your debut novel, Rubi Ramos’s Recipe for Success, is out now! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?
New life recipes never expire.
What can readers expect?
Readers can expect a SoCal version of The Great British Bake Off, the swoons of first love, and an indulgent amount of baking puns. While the story does discuss meatier issues of diaspora, inherited aspirations, and familial expectations, reader will find hope and joy at the center of the novel.
Where did the inspiration for Rubi Ramos’s Recipe for Success come from?
Once upon a time, one of my cousins wanted to become a chef. During senior year, he requested informational brochures from several culinary schools. When they arrived, my mom opened them. She was horrified that the brochures weren’t for “more prestigious institutions,” and she legit ripped them up and threw them into the trash.
I felt horrible for him, but also for myself. My parents had done the same thing to me in high school. Not with cooking, but with other passions I had. It was pre-med or pre-law, or bust. Since, like Rubi, I sucked at math, I became a lawyer.
I created Rubi when I desperately needed a reminder that I could change the recipe of my life—and I hold onto the image of the torn up brochure as I wrote the story.
Were there any favourite moments or characters you really enjoyed writing or exploring?
I loved writing Rubi’s arc! No matter how hard it was for her parents to obtain some of the “ingredients” for her success, no matter how much time she’d invested in baking them, Rubi learns that it’s okay for her to adjust her life’s recipe. Or even start from scratch.
This is the heart of the book, and one I wanted to say to every young person (and those simply young at heart)—life is what you bake it.
Let’s talk about food! Was extensive research and cake taste testing required? 😉
Great question! You may be surprised to learn this, but I don’t have a sweet tooth, and I hardly did any taste testing lol! I did tons of research though! I read lots of cookbooks and watched every single episode of the Great British Bake, even the ones not currently on Netflix! My sister owns a bakery so I also was researched other senses, like what the bakes felt and smelled like. Even without tons of taste testing, I think my research paid off though because the general consensus from readers has been: don’t read on an empty stomach!
Can you tell us a bit about your journey of getting Rubi Ramos’s Recipe for Success published?
As soon as I finished the first draft of RUBI, I applied to Las Musas mentorship program. Weeks later, I was selected by Nina Moreno (a full-circle moment), and we revised for about three months. Many of the other mentees in the mentorship program immediately queried, and got offers of representation shortly after. In my gut, I knew RUBI wasn’t ready, but to keep up with them, I queried anyway. I got lots of full requests—so I knew the concept was good—but all ultimately resulted in rejections; which told me I still had work to do.
I did another revision, but still felt like it needed more help, so I entered the newest draft into Pitch Wars and got in! Besides the community, one of the other great things about Pitch Wars (RIP) was that the revision period ended with an agent showcase.
I got several agent offers, and after another quick revision with my agent, we submitted RUBI to editors. We received the first offer within a month! RUBI did end going to auction, too, so after months and months of revision and rejections, the last part of the journey happened VERY fast!
What’s next for you?
I’ve got another YA contemporary due to hit shelves Summer 2024 with Wednesday Books. I lean hard into my love of the Disney renaissance movies in that one. It may or may not be a mash-up of Disney Princess tropes and a very iconic J Lo movie! After that, I would LOVE to write IP for Disney and Star Wars. I’m also gearing up to dive into some horror comedy, so we’ll see!
Lastly, are there any 2023 releases our readers should look out for?
I have so many recs! If you want Latine Pirates of the Caribbean you’ll love Sinner’s Isle, by Angela Montoya. If you want more baking, Courtney Kae’s m/m romance, In The Case Of Heartbreak, with satisfy your sweet tooth. And for the YA Fantasy fan, Miranda Sun’s, If I Have To Be Haunted, follows a teenage Chinese American ghost speaker who (reluctantly) makes a deal to raise her nemesis from the dead. 2023 did not come to play!
Thank you for having me! This was so much fun!
