Latin Connection Magazine (South Carolina)
Editor/Publisher Wayne Zamora

Dr. Thelma T. Reyna and Victor Cass
California Mother-Son Duo Authors of New Books, Defy Odds!

Statistically, what are the odds of a mother and son each having a new book published within months of one another? What are the odds of this author duo being Latino in America? Throw in a few more factors:  She’s the product of a long line of ancestors without formal education, but she has four college degrees, including a Ph.D. from UCLA. He holds two degrees, is a fulltime police officer, an exhibiting artist, and has just completed his fourth book. (An artistic, literary cop?!)

How common is this?

Meet Dr. Thelma T. Reyna and her son, Victor Cass, both from Pasadena, California. Her book, The Heavens Weep for Us and Other Stories, was released in September. His book, Telenovela, was issued in February of this year. Both books have received praise.  Reyna’s writing has been compared by a reviewer to that of Jhumpa Lahiri, a Pulitzer Prize winner, and to Sandra Cisneros, the top Latina writer in America today. Cass’ book, a romantic, sexy page-turner, is steaming up the California writing scene.

“We inspire one another,” says Reyna. “I give him feedback on his books and give editing advice. He motivates me to put my writings out there, to keep pushing.” A professional editor, Reyna owns a writing consultancy called The Writing Pros. Her stories, poetry, and nonfiction have been published in literary and academic journals, textbooks, anthologies, and regional media beginning in the 1970’s. At that time, some of her writings were published in El Grito, which is now sometimes considered a “pioneer” journal in modern Chicano literature.

Cass, however, is the “disciplined writer in the family,” says Reyna. “It’s his great love.” His oil paintings, which hang in commercial places and private homes, give him joy.  His police work, which includes heavy community outreach, is also satisfying to him, she says, “but writing defines him and his passion in life.”

This “writing policeman,” as he’s sometimes called, first wrote a book at the age of 16 but never showed it to anyone. He was commissioned by the Pasadena Police Department in 1999 to write a book about the 100-year history of the department. It took Cass two years to research and produce Pasadena PoliceDepartment: A Photohistory 1877-2000. He followed it up in 2005 with a novel inspired by his actual experiences as a police officer. Set in Pasadena, this gripping book—Love, Death, and Other War Stories—throws light on the bloody gang wars between the notorious Bloods and Crips in southern California and, Cass says, “on the daily threats faced by cops trying to balance family, relationships, and life itself.”

Cass’ new novel, Telenovela, is also set in Pasadena. Though born in Kingsville, Texas, Cass has lived in Pasadena since infancy, and he uses the city as a backdrop in much of his writing. Telenovela alternates the plot of a Mexican soap opera, the fictitious “Sofia de Amor,” with the love lives of two beautiful, sophisticated Latinas who happen to be the daughters of immigrants. The book explores friendship, culture clash, and betrayal.

Reyna’s book is a collection of 12 new short stories. The title story, “The Heavens Weep for Us,” was published by a national literary/ academic journal while her book was being prepared for publication.  The book received early praise from various published authors and has been called “thoughtful, moving, sensitive,” as well as “quiet and intense, insightful, poetic, and literary.”

Mother and son start each morning at their laptops and devote many daily hours to their writing.  “The fact that we both love writing brings us closer,” says Reyna.

They also each have blogs: She writes “American Latina/o Writers Today,” which includes her reviews of other Latino authors’ books. Cass writes “Sons and Daughters of Liberty.” Reyna is also a guest blogger on Aurelia Flores’ website, “Powerful Latinas.” Cass’ editorial essays have been published over the years in local Pasadena newspapers. So have hers. She also contributes to the “One Community” blog, a community advocacy website.

Cass has balanced his writing passion with serving as a police officer in Pasadena for 17 years. His adult life has been devoted to community service. He has created and led volunteer arts programs for disadvantaged youth and homeless adults. He received a fine arts degree from the renowned Art Center College of Design in Pasadena and a Master of Arts degree in Military History.

Reyna holds two degrees in English and has always loved the written word. She has also served the community all her adult life. In addition to teaching high school English in Pasadena for 16 years, she served as a high school principal and school district administrator. She is a Pasadena city commissioner and community advocate and teaches graduate education at California State University, Los Angeles, helping teachers to become school leaders.

Cass’ recently-completed new book is a science fiction thriller that has a time-traveling detective going into the future. Reyna is working on her second book, a new collection of short stories.

All their books are available through bookstores, or at amazon.com and barnesandnoble.com. Cass can be reached at denavictor5@aol.com . Reyna can be contacted at drthelly1@aol.com.  Her business website is www.TheWritingPros.com.

* * * * * *

The article as it appears here was slightly revised and reformatted for website purposes. This article was originally published in Editor/Publisher Wayne Zamora’s e-zine, Latin Connection Magazine (South Carolina) in December 2009.