Adrift (adj./adv.): floating without being either moored or steered. 

If 2025 were a word, this one should be up for consideration. 

Politically, socio-culturally, financially, regarding weather, globally, and anything really; adrift doesn’t just apply to one thing, it applies to most things. If anything possesses the ability to not be stable, it has not been stable this year. On a personal level, it’s been a year where I’ve learned patience in new and intense ways and where I’ve had to find my way personally, professionally, and as a writer. 

Limbo: (in some Christian beliefs) the supposed abode of the souls of unbaptized infants, and of the just who died before Christ's coming. Neither heaven nor hell. 2. An uncertain period of awaiting a decision or resolution; an intermediate state or condition. 

Focus on the second definition and the feeling of the first one. That’s been 2025 in a nutshell. Back at the beginning of the year, my wife and I decided it was time to move back to Puerto Rico. Although we’d visited the Island pretty much every year since we had moved to Atlanta, one thing is to visit, another is to move. And let me tell you, moving shall by far be one of the suckiest experiences anyone has to endure because SO much goes into it and just the nature of this change would be enough to rattle anyone.

Take nine years of life and put it in boxes to ship, sell, or donate. To be succinct, it was a lot. When I say it was a lot, beyond the effort and the sheer amount of stuff, emotionally it was also a lot to take on in a very short period of time. Notifying at work, sorting benefits and finding out how most of them don’t apply to Puerto Rico, moving my car, finding a place to live…it was quite overwhelming.

So how did I feel? Adrift in Limbo would be a great way to describe it…and I still kind of feel that way, just less.

The situation and timeline forced us to compartmentalize, focus, and later divide and conquer tasks. Finding an apartment was an adventure. But we got it done. Finding a company to ship a car to Puerto Rico. An adventure, but we got it done (SIDE NOTE: if you’re moving to PR and need help with a shipper, ask. This process was a pain in the ass.) 

Looking back, February to May is kind of a blur. A chaotic, neurotic, draining blur, yet with mutual support and the love of our families, we made it through the craziest parts. We also lucked out on many things and I’m sure more than one angel worked overtime to help us out.

Back on the Island, as we were starting to get some sort of order back in our lives, we had other adventures healthwise, including another dance with COVID that definitely threw us for a loop. Curiously, this happened even though we still mask up often and always when we travel. In addition, I cracked a molar and discovered the adventures of a root canal and getting a dental crown. I also discovered the adventures of long wait times for appointments, which I am well aware is not just PR exclusive. Long story short: cracked a molar in June and I FINALLY got my crown put in right before Thanksgiving. 

Professionally, the word adrift also applies and although for a while there was uncertainty, eventually certainty came and it required a career change. This particular change I foresaw, though it was no less jarring. Seeing the current state of the job market, the last thing you want is to say goodbye to stability. At one point during this year, I was in this type of Limbo, and fortunately, life was kind to me once again, and angels put on their HR hats and I was able to find another job. Now I’m deciphering the rhythms of a new job, a new team, and there’s still the jitters of being adrift.

Which is why I’ve continued working on other things to offer.

My Substack. I’ve shifted focus from this blog to my Substack for a couple of reasons. This blog shall continue so I can write the more personal pieces that I benefit from writing. The Substack shall focus on its title to promote Organic Creativity. I shall also offer a lot of exclusive content on this platform. Stay tuned and sign up if you’re curious.

Workshops. I shall offer workshops in the new year on creativity, translations/transcreations, and more. If you're interested, DM me and I'll keep you in the loop. 

Books. This was the first year I didn’t publish a book. I had the temptation to push myself to do so, but instead, I focused on the Substack and getting organized. All I’ll say is make room in your bookshelves. 2026 will be bonkers. 

Local author events in Puerto Rico. With some phone calls and text messages, I was able to have 3 events in 2025 that worked with my schedule. That’s not a flex, that’s me sharing how active the writing and reading communities are in Puerto Rico and it’s a thrilling time. Here's to MUCH more of that. 

So for now, here’s to riding the waves and currents to where they take us, hunkering down, batting down the hatches, and getting some sort of normalcy, and giving out best regardless of the curve balls thrown our way.

Peace, love, and maki rolls.

Yo escribo lo que me da la gana

Hay quienes escriben siguiendo las tendencias del mercado o intentando predecirlas.

 

Yo, no.

 

Yo siempre he escrito lo que me da la gana.

 

Y así seré siempre.

 

Si no me llena el alma, si no cumple con algún deseo creativo o meta, si no me reta y si no me interesa, no lo escribiré. La vida es demasiado corta para conformarse y aunque hay quienes se aprovechan de las fiebres de temas, géneros y estilos de novela, yo escribo para que si lees un libro mío en 1, 5, 10, o 40 años, todavía te lo podrás disfrutar y posiblemente te encante.

 

Conste, si me dieran un dólar por cada vez que me han preguntado que por qué escribo tanto en inglés, no sería millonario, aunque estaría encaminado hacia un retiro temprano. La realidad es que hay dos razones primordiales por la cual escribo en inglés. Por un lado, me siento cómodo con el lenguaje y no lo veo como una amenaza a mi puertorriqueñidad. La segunda razón es que lo veo como un reto y una invitación a nuevamente demostrar que de Puerto Rico salen obras de calibre mundial y no sólo algo que conecte con el mercado y la audiencia local. Si quieres una tercera razón, pues es de lo que más leo porque los cuentos que más me encantan han sido en inglés. Le podemos echar la culpa a los currículos que me asignaron o que lo que me encontré que conectó profundamente fue en inglés.

 

Cuando escribí la serie de The Human Cycle, me decían que eso fue una buena movida porque los libros de vampiros se venden bien. Fantástico, pero aunque hay vampiros en los libros, no es una serie de vampiros. Hay Therians (cambiaformas que no sólo son hombres lobos). Hay ángeles. Hay demonios. Hay Photogeni (inspirados pero no copiados de los Ents de El Señor de los Anillos). Además, la serie es mi exploración de todo lo que conlleva la condición humana e incluso, explorándola a través de otras criaturas que muy a menudo muestran más humanidad y empatía que los humanos que aparecen en la serie.

 

Con cada poemario resalto la importancia de la poesía y como este género es infinitamente más abarcador de lo que muchos piensan. Si me da por explorar fantasía juvenil, ahí doy rienda suelta a la imaginación en busca de aventuras sin violencia porque me parece que hay un lugar para aventurar, disfrutar y soñar sin tener que recurrir a la violencia que es tan común.

 

Luego con Penumbra me adentré en el horror puertorriqueño, aunque no por diseño, sino porque unos colegas me invitaron a su antología. Quería dar lo mejor de mí así que escribí tres cuentos y envié el que pensaba que era el más sólido. Ahora, me disfruté tanto escribir para esa colección que escribí tres cuentos más y una novela corta explorando MI definición de lo que es el horror puertorriqueño. Evité los clichés y cada trama y personaje fue creado buscando capturar algo 100% puertorriqueño, relacionable, auténtico y de una perspectiva particular.

 

Así soy con todo.

 

Lo más importante es que lo que escriba necesita nacer de mí porque los cuentos, los poemas, los ensayos y todo escrito nace de un manantial del alma.

 

Ese es mi compromiso como escritor: que no importa lo que explore, siempre daré lo mejor de mí y abarcaré el tema de una manera que nadie más lo pueda hacer.

 

Así soy y así escribo.

 

Gracias por leerme.

 

Dos abrazos.

 

JD