Richie Narvaez

Richie Narvaez (born 1965) is an American author and professor. In 2020, he won an Agatha Award and an Anthony Award for his novel Holly Hernandez and the Death of Disco. His work focuses on the Puerto Rican and Nuyorican experience.

Early life and education

Narvaez's parents came to New York from Puerto Rico, and he was born and raised in Williamsburg, Brooklyn.[1] He attended Brooklyn Technical High School.[2] After graduating from the State University of New York at Stony Brook with a master's degree, he worked as a journalist for magazines such as Cable Guide and TV Guide.[3] He currently teaches at the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York City[4] and at Sarah Lawrence College.[5]

Career

Narvaez writes in multiple genres about Puerto Rico, urban culture, and social issues.[6][7] He has a "penchant for placing complex and intriguing Latinx characters at the center of his work."[8] His short stories have appeared in a number of magazines and anthologies, including Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine,[9] Mississippi Review, Storyglossia,[10] and Long Island Noir[11]

His first book, Roachkiller and Other Stories, a collection of short stories, was listed by Book Riot as one of the 100 Must-Read Works of Noir.[12]

Narvaez's first novel Hipster Death Rattle explores gentrification and displacement in Williamsburg, Brooklyn.[13][14] The book was optioned for CBS TV Studios as a possible TV series for the CW.[15][16]

His second novel, Holly Hernandez and the Death of Disco, a young adult murder mystery, received positive reviews.[17][18] The book received an Agatha Award for Best Children's/YA Book and an Anthony Award for Best Juvenile/Young Adult.[19][20]

In 2020, Narvaez published another collection of short stories, Noiryorican. The title is a portmanteau of "noir" and "Nuyorican." The book was nominated for an Anthony Award for Best Anthology.[21]

In September 2020, LeVar Burton read Narvaez's speculative fiction short story “Room for Rent,” from the anthology Latinx Rising: An Anthology of Science Fiction and Fantasy, on his podcast LeVar Burton Reads.[22]

In 2022, he joined the advisory board of Cambridge University Press's Cambridge Elements in Crime Narratives, which publishes research from scholars and practitioners of crime writing.[23]

Works

Novels

Hipster Death Rattle (2019)
Holly Hernandez and the Death of Disco (2020)

Short story collections

Roachkiller and Other Stories (2012)
Noiryorican (2020)

Awards and honors

2013 Spinetingler Award for Best Anthology/Short Story Collection for Roachkiller and Other Stories[24]
2015 Punchnel’s Hybrid Flash Fiction Contest: “How to Write Flash Fiction”[25]
2018 Named Artist in Residence at the Morris Park Library[26]
2019 Best of 2019 Suspense Thriller by Suspense Magazine for Hipster Death Rattle[27]
2020 Agatha Award for Holly Hernandez and the Death of Disco[28]
2020 Anthony Award for Holly Hernandez and the Death of Disco[29]
2021 Bronx Recognizes Its Own (BRIO) Award, from the Bronx Council on the Arts[30]
2022 SUNY Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Adjunct Teaching[31]
2024 Letras Boricuas Fellowship, from the Flamboyan Foundation[32]

References

  1. ^ Rodriguez, Ivelisse. "The Rat-Tat-Tat of the J and M Train: An Interview with Richie Narvaez". Centro. Center for Puerto Rican Studies. Retrieved 26 January 2022.
  2. ^ Narvaez, Richie (September 2021). "The Mysteries of Creative Writing". English Journal. 111 (1): 98–100. doi:10.58680/ej202131405. Retrieved 26 January 2022.
  3. ^ slade, mark (7 April 2013). "DARK DREAMS RICHIE NARVAEZ "OLD PENDEJO" (made with Spreaker)". YouTube. Retrieved 28 January 2022.
  4. ^ "FIT Authors". Fashion Institute of Technology. Retrieved 26 January 2022.
  5. ^ "Richie Narvaez (MFA Writing Program) | Faculty at Sarah Lawrence College". Graduate Program MFA Writing Program. Retrieved 26 October 2024.
  6. ^ "Latinx Horror: Interview with Richie Narvaez". Horror Writers Association. October 2021. Retrieved 26 January 2022.
  7. ^ Galán, Jessica (June 10, 2021). "Adding an Accent to the Noir: Jessica Galán Interviews Richie Narvaez". Latino Stories. Retrieved 26 January 2022.
  8. ^ Rivera, Adrian Erin (2 April 2021). "Richie Narvaez's Noiryorican: A Criminal Short Fiction Collection". LibroMobile. Retrieved 26 January 2022.
  9. ^ Narvaez, Richie (23 October 2019). "My Father Made Me a Crime Writer!". Something Is Going to Happen. Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine. Retrieved 26 January 2022.
  10. ^ "The Helper - by R. Narvaez". www.storyglossia.com. Retrieved 2022-03-05.
  11. ^ Kindall, James (March 29, 2012). "A Preview of 'Long Island Noir,' Edited by Kaylie Jones". New York Times. Retrieved 4 February 2022.
  12. ^ Barranti Klein, Annika (9 November 2016). "100 Must-Read Works of Noir". Book Riot. Riot New Media Group. Retrieved 26 January 2022.
  13. ^ "HIPSTER DEATH RATTLE by Richie Narvaez". Down & Out Books. Retrieved 26 January 2022.
  14. ^ Kolakowski, Nick (March 2020). ""The Liar's Room" and "Hipster Death Rattle": The Thrill of Familiarity". Mystery Tribune (March 2020). Retrieved 26 January 2022.
  15. ^ Andreeva, Nellie (May 20, 2020). "Wilmer Valderrama Re-Ups First-Look Deal With CBS TV Studios". Deadline. Retrieved 26 January 2022.
  16. ^ Cordero, Rosy (December 7, 2021). "'Hipster Death Rattle' Drama Series From Rafael Agustín, Marvin Lemus, & Wilmer Valderrama In Development At The CW". Deadline. Retrieved 26 January 2022.
  17. ^ "A fun murder mystery with a side of disco fever". Kirkus Reviews (April 15, 2020). March 29, 2020. Retrieved 26 January 2022.
  18. ^ "Holly Hernandez and the Death of Disco". The School Library Journal (March 2020). March 2020. Retrieved 26 January 2022.
  19. ^ "2021 AGATHA AWARD WINNERS: More Than Malice!". Mystery Fanfare. July 17, 2021. Retrieved 26 January 2022.
  20. ^ Schaub, Michael (August 25, 2021). "Winners of the Anthony Awards Are Revealed". Kirkus Reviews. Retrieved 26 January 2022.
  21. ^ "Bouchercon 2021 Anthony Award Nominations". Bouchercon 2021. Retrieved 26 January 2022.
  22. ^ "LeVar Burton Reads". Omny Studio. Retrieved 26 January 2022.
  23. ^ "Cambridge Elements". Elements in Crime Narratives. Cambridge University Press. Retrieved 26 November 2024.
  24. ^ Lindenmuth, Brian. "2013 Spinetingler Award Best Anthology/Short Story Collection – WINNER". Spinetingler. Archived from the original on 6 September 2015. Retrieved 26 January 2022.
  25. ^ "We Have Winners". Punchnel's. Archived from the original on 23 March 2016. Retrieved 26 January 2022.
  26. ^ Rocchio, Patrick (February 3, 2019). "Pelham Bay Writer's First Novel Addresses Gentrification". Bronx Weekly. Retrieved 26 January 2022.
  27. ^ "Suspense Magazine". .087 (Winter 2019). Winter 2019. Retrieved 29 August 2022. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  28. ^ "The 2020 Agatha Award Nominees and Winners". Malice Domestic. Retrieved 26 January 2022.
  29. ^ "2021 Anthony Awards Winners". Locus Magazine. August 31, 2021. Retrieved 26 January 2022.
  30. ^ "2021 BRIO Awardees". Bronx Council on the Arts. Retrieved 26 January 2022.
  31. ^ "Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Adjunct Teaching". State University of New York. SUNY. Retrieved 23 February 2022.
  32. ^ Ramos Meléndez, Rosiris. "Mellon and Flamboyan Foundations Announce 2024 Letras Boricuas Fellows Following Three-Year Extension of the Program". Flamboyan Foundation. Flamboyan Foundation. Retrieved 30 October 2024.