As temperatures begin to drop, we welcome the arrival of the cozy season — a time that ignites a craving for captivating readings. Whether nestled on the couch or tucked in bed, there’s something uniquely comforting about indulging in a good book or an intriguing story while savoring your favorite hot beverage.
To embrace the inviting atmosphere this month, author and creative writing professor Luis Jaramillo shared with De Los his new book, “The Witches of El Paso,” a captivating coming-of-age novel that takes readers on a back-and-forth journey across time and generations. It follows the story of two women, Nena and Marta, who aim to escape their challenging realities in different stages of life, from 1940 to the present, by using their abilities to interact with “La Vista,” a mighty source of magic, accompanied by an aquelarre (coven) of nuns from a secretive convent.
Jaramillo has lived in New York City for the past 25 years, but his roots trace back to Salinas, Calif. — a farming community known for its production of strawberries and grapes. Growing up, his father worked as a lawyer for farmworkers while his mother taught their children English as a second language. During his childhood, Jaramillo resided briefly in El Paso, a place that left a lasting impression.
When he visited El Paso, it felt like a place of deep connections — as if everyone was a cousin, familiar faces everywhere. This sense of closeness created a uniquely rich experience, one he hadn’t encountered elsewhere.
”Sometimes we would go at Christmas, and there would be luminarias out, and cold air, and then we have hot chocolate,” said Jaramillo, adding that those visits were rooted in family tradition. “In some ways, El Paso feels like a spiritual home for me.”
His inspiration for the book began with stories from his family, particularly his grandmother and her sisters, who grew up in El Paso in the late 1930s and came of age during World War II. These women were strong and smart — his grandmother even earned a Fulbright scholarship to Southern Methodist University, though she couldn’t attend due to the family’s financial limitations.
Jaramillo was drawn to exploring these women’s constraints, especially those related to racism, poverty and gender. He wanted to capture the challenges they endured but also the possibilities they envisioned in transcending those limitations. To bring these ideas to life, he incorporated magical elements in his writing by presenting alternative realities for the main characters.
“Magic, or the idea of it, is a way for the powerless to imagine they can become powerful,” says Marta, one of the book’s main characters, who later encounters the power of “La Vista.”
The book’s exploration of mysticism is deeply tied to the cultural history of the El Paso and New Mexico regions. These areas have long been immersed in stories of La Llorona, witch folklore and a unique blend of Catholicism with Indigenous spiritual practices,” Jaramillo explains. Known today as the Land of Enchantment, New Mexico’s identity reflects a fascination with otherworldly realms and alternative ways of understanding the world.
While conducting research for the book, he visited the historical Mexican market Mercado Cuauhtémoc in Juarez, Mexico, known for its focus on traditional healing practices like curanderismo and shamanism. There, he observed piles of fresh herbs, marigolds and other items used in rituals and potions — including peyote root and real animal skeletons with their tails still attached — reflecting how these mystical traditions are still alive. This rich blend is integral to life on the border, where multiple forms of knowledge and belief coexist in dynamic and lasting ways.
Magic is often portrayed as a force that can improve things, but in the case of “The Witches of El Paso,” it’s a power that brings more difficulties than benefits.
“I like the definition of a coming-of-age story as a narrative in which somebody has to give up something or pay something in order to gain wisdom,” Jaramillo said. “I think the same thing is true with the magic. There’s something that has to be given up or paid in order to have that magic out in the world.”
This idea is woven into the characters’ journeys, each of whom undergoes a passage — through time, crossing back and forth or from one life stage to the next, from youth to old age. The author sees these passages as transitions that inherently demand sacrifice. For his personas, magic serves as both a tool and a test, offering potential benefits, but requiring something in return. Through this lens, he examines the balance of gains and losses that accompany the use of magic, reinforcing the novel’s deeper exploration of consequences and personal transformation.
This idea of crossing back and forth and the effects that it produces in his characters has similarities with life in El Paso, where people live not only biculturally, but also binationally. For many, crossing the border is a regular part of daily life, whether for school, work or even solely for a meal.
“All of us possess enormous amounts of creativity, and there’s a lot of power [in] that creativity,” Jaramillo said. ”Sometimes it feels like we don’t have access to it but we do, and at key moments in our lives we realize what that power of creativity is.”
Jaramillo is scheduled to speak at the Texas Book Festival in Austin on Nov. 16 and 17.
De Los Reads November picks:
“Daybreak at Chavez Ravine” by Erik Sherman (University of Nebraska Press, May 2023)
Honoring the life of Fernando Valenzuela, this captivating book chronicles how the young Dodgers pitcher bridged cultural divides and healed old wounds in Los Angeles. The 21-year-old’s historic season as a starter in 1981 sparked “Fernandomania.” His success both on the field and within the community helped transform the legacy of the Dodgers and turned him into a hero whose impact resonates in baseball and beyond. This book reveals the remarkable influence of an icon who forever changed America’s sporting and cultural landscape.
“Clean” by Alia Trabucco Zerán (Riverhead Books, October)
This novel tells the story of Estela, a young woman from the countryside who uncovers the hidden fractures within the family she has faithfully served for seven years. While cleaning, cooking and raising her employers’ child, she silently observes the brewing tensions in the household. Beneath her quiet demeanor, Estela has held on to their secrets, her keen gaze capturing every unsettling detail. Following the tragic death of the couple’s daughter, she finally speaks up, revealing a chilling tale of betrayals and intricate family power dynamics.
“The Ofrenda That We Built” by Jolene Gutiérrez and Shaian Gutiérrez. Illustrated by Gabby Zapata. (Chronicle Books, August)
This vibrant picture book brings Día de Muertos to life, celebrating the tradition of building an ofrenda as a family, layer by layer. Inspired by “The House That Jack Built,” it unfolds in rhyming verse that invites readers of all ages to create a colorful altar filled with meaningful symbols and memories. The book reminds readers that the spirit of this tradition lives in love and togetherness, crossing generations and cultures alike.
