Month: May 2025

Seolic Tales: Literary Horror and the Legacy of Sheol

16/06/2025
Invitación a la presentación del libro 'Cuentos Seólicos Antología' con un cuento de Jéssica de la Portilla Montaño. Viernes 13 de junio a las 18:00 h en el Salón Morelos, Casa de Cultura Jesús Reyes Heroles, Coyoacán. Participan: Teresa Cervantes y Alicia Flores Morales. Invitation to the book presentation of "Seolic Tales Anthology" featuring a story by Jéssica de la Portilla Montaño. Friday, June 13th at 6:00 p.m. in the Morelos Room, Jesús Reyes Heroles Cultural Center, Coyoacán. Participants: Teresa Cervantes and Alicia Flores Morales.

📚 You’re Invited to the Book Launch of Seolic Tales!

Read my latest short story before anyone else:

“Fue el diablo” by Jéssica de la Portilla Montaño.


📅 Friday, June 13th | 🕕 6:00 PM
📍 Salón Morelos, Casa de Cultura Jesús Reyes Heroles (Av. Francisco Sosa 202, Santa Catarina, Coyoacán, Mexico City).
🎤 Featuring: Teresa Cervantes and Alicia Flores Morales.
🎉 Copies will be available! #Literature #SeolicTales


Seolic Tales: Literary Horror and the Legacy of Sheol

The term Sheol (or Seol) originates from Hebrew, appearing in the Bible to denote hell, the abyss, or simply the dwelling place of the dead. We’ve borrowed this word to title this collection of narratives, as each story carries shades of darkness and twists of torment or unease. Whether realist —where “hell is other people”— or fantastical and supernatural, Seolic Tales offers a reading experience where the protagonists confront a conflict known for centuries: humanity’s encounter with its own Hades. This anthology features thirteen sharp-witted short story writers of diverse styles and generations. They approach horror with unflinching suspense and mysterious literary devices. Ghosts and apparitions intrude without warning, alongside unsettling themes that awaken latent fears. Yet, throughout, there is poetry, imagination, emotion, and surprise —beyond the terror they may evoke. The settings and plots are multifaceted, weaving together a world of possibilities, real or imagined, that will astonish readers through uncharted paths.

Abraham Téllez España and Ana Segovia Camelo,

Augural Ediciones.

List of Authors in Seolic Tales:

TALEAUTHOR
Calabaza ganadoraPaola Molina Palafox
OrfeaLisa Owen
Un nido infalibleAbraham Téllez España
Tenis azulesMartha Elena Lucero Sánchez
Fue el diabloJéssica de la Portilla Montaño
DespertaresAna Segovia Camelo
Entretenimiento para todas las edadesEnrique Urbina
La lagartijaMarco Ulises Emeséta
CrianzaLaura G. Eguiarte
Danny DiezdedosCésar García Zúñiga
PelusaManuel Barroso
CinocéfaloEmilio Contreras

Latin American Flash Fiction Anthology

25/05/2025
Cuento 'Blues para todos mis sueños' de Héctor Juárez Lorencilla en la antología Cuéntame un Blues, Antología de minificciones (La Tinta del Silencio). Latin American flash fiction by Mexican writer Héctor Juárez Lorencilla.

Latin American Flash Fiction Anthology: Cuéntame un Blues

BLUES FOR ALL MY DREAMS


Héctor Juárez Lorencilla.

I sink into the armchair, close my eyes, and let the Best of Blues mp3 wash over me. Ella Fitzgerald, Bessie Smith, Sonny Boy Williamson, Muddy Waters, Memphis Slim…
Each song paints a new scene. I see myself with a cigar and a whiskey glass in some noir-toned nightclub. Then, another track transports me —I’m fighting mobsters with a shotgun beside Elliot Ness. Marvelous! My favorite tune plays, and suddenly I’m in a Parisian battle, dragging a wounded soldier alongside Clint Eastwood…
Then my boss barks at me to guard the warehouse and lock the main gate.
I close my eyes again: now I’m distilling moonshine to survive the night.

 

This story is part of the book:

Latin American Flash Fiction: Cuéntame un Blues

from the Blue Cat Collection (fiction series) by La Tinta del Silencio Press.
Edited and designed by Anaïs Blues and Luis Flores Ramos, who also wrote the foreword.
Featuring flash fictions by Mexican writers like Ulises Paniagua, Mariano F. Whatle, and José Luis Zárate.

My Flash Fiction Podcasts on Amazon Music

24/05/2025
Mis minificciones 'Habilidades para la vida', 'Del país o de importación' y 'Encantador de fieras' en Amazon Music, narradas por Cristina Urías. My microfictions 'Life Skills', 'From Home or Imported' and 'Beast Charmer' on Amazon Music, narrated by Cristina Urías.

My Flash Fiction Podcasts on Amazon Music

 

Years ago, my flash fiction piece “Blue Devils” was published in the book Cuéntame un Blues: Antología de minificciones (La Tinta del Silencio Press). It shared pages with “Blues para todos mis sueños” —the debut literary work of Héctor Juárez Lorencilla (my husband!), who got published on his very first try (lucky him, right?).

🔗 Read our tales in Spanish my review of the “Cuéntame un Blues” anthology.

 

My flash fiction as Podcasts: Now on… Amazon Music

 

Listening my own tales in a podcast was surreal. Read them here in Spanish:

  • “Del país o de importación” and“Habilidades para la vida” (from the Antología Virtual de Minificción Mexicana) aired on En su tinta MX (IMRT radio).

  •  “Encantador de fieras“ (from my circus-themed series Vamos al circo for Prosa Nostra) also found their voice.

🎧 While the original links are gone, you can now listen my tales on Amazon Music (narrated by Cristina Urías & Rubén Esponda).

(Loved them? Tag me on social media!)

Scapula: The Back Bone (Not “Homoplato” but “Omóplato” in Spanish) | Definition & Anatomy

17/06/2025
Foto de una mano señalando el omóplato (no homoplato) en la espalda superior. Photo of a hand pointing at the shoulder blade or scapula (not homoplato) on the upper back.

Scapula: The Back Bone (Not “Homoplato” but “Omóplato” in Spanish) | Definition & Anatomy

Lee este texto en español: Omóplato: El Hueso de la Espalda (No “Homoplato”) | Definición y Anatomía

The Back Bone (Not “Homoplato”) | Definition & Anatomy

If you’re searching for ‘homoplato’ or ‘omóplato’, you’ve come to the right place. The correct term for this back bone is the scapula, also widely known as the shoulder blade.

Here, we’ll explain what the scapula is, its key functions, and why confusion with terms like “homoplato” is so common.

The Real Shoulder Blade of the Back

The shoulder blade is the flat, triangular bone located in the upper back, behind the shoulder. It’s sometimes informally called a “wing bone” or “chicken wing” due to its shape.

Its primary function is to connect the arm to the torso, enabling a wide range of shoulder movements. It’s a fundamental part of human anatomy.

In Spanish, the correct term is “omóplato” (without an initial ‘h’).

The Spanish word ‘omóplato’ comes from the Greek ‘omos’ (shoulder) and ‘platys’ (wide/flat), hence its description. You can verify its precise definition in the RAE dictionary.

The SEP’s Error: When “Homoplato” Slipped into Textbooks

A notable fact is that the term “homoplato” (with an initial ‘h’) appeared in some free textbooks from Mexico’s Secretariat of Public Education (SEP), specifically in the Third Grade Natural Sciences textbook (Block I, page 14 in certain editions). I even took photos as evidence of this serious editorial oversight.

Error 'homóplato' en libro de la SEP. Spanish lessons: omóplato (shoulder blade)
The correct spelling is ‘omóplato’, even if the SEP published otherwise. Errors in their free textbooks.

This error caused confusion and was widely noted, as the correct and recognized form in both anatomy and the Spanish language is “omóplato”. Such typos highlight the importance of careful review in educational materials.

Similar Words That Do Exist

While “omóplato con h” (homoplato) is not a valid word, the prefix “homo-” (meaning ‘same’ or ‘similar’) is correctly used in many other words. For example:

  • Homonym: Words that sound or are spelled the same but have different meanings (e.g., “hi” and “high”).
  • Homogeneous: Having the same nature or composition.

It’s important to differentiate these valid words from the incorrect use.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

How do you spell “omóplato”?
It’s spelled “omóplato” in Spanish, without an initial “h”.

What bone is the “omóplato”?
The “omóplato” is the flat, triangular bone located in the upper back, just behind the shoulder. It is also known as shoulder blade.

What is the function of the “omóplato”?
The “omóplato” connects the arm to the torso, allowing for a wide range of shoulder and arm movements for various actions.

How do you say “omóplato” in English?

In English, the “omóplato” is commonly known as the shoulder blade.

If this article helped clarify your doubts, please consider sharing it on your networks!

Latonería: The Art of Tin and Brass Crafting (and Why Everyone Confuses It with “Lataría”)

23/05/2025
Este ángel fue creado con la técnica tradicional de latería

Latonería: What It Is, How Brass Is Worked, and Its True Meaning
—or the art of shaping tin sheets…

 

🔨 Looking for a “latonería” workshop?

Latonería (or hojalatería) is the craft of working with brass (copper + zinc alloy) and tinplate (steel coated with tin). Here’s everything you need to know —including the story behind my brass angel (pictured above), bought at the León Fair in Guanajuato, Mexico.

📚 What does the Royal Spanish Academy say?

“latonería (from lata, ‘tin’):

  1. A collection of food cans.

  2. In Andalucia and Latin America: hojalatería (tinsmithing).”

So, latonería is where tin and brass are crafted. My angel? Born in a latonería.

🛠️ What is latonería? Definition and uses

 

It’s the traditional craft of shaping brass and tinplate into:

  • Decor: Angels, crosses, candlesticks.

  • Utensils: Pots, pitchers, baking molds.

  • Tools: Funnels, gutters.

  • Architecture: Roof ornaments, weathervanes.

🔧 How it’s done:

  1. Cutting: With tinsmith’s shears.

  2. Shaping: Hammered over anvils.

  3. Soldering: Joined with tin.

  4. Polishing: Buffed to a shine.

🌎 History and tradition

  • A colonial-era craft in Latin America.

  • In Spain, linked to lanterns.

  • Today, a dying art —except in places like Zacatecas, Mexico, where it’s used for religious ex-votos.

Why do people confuse latonería with lataría?

 

(Or: How I spent years arguing with my mom over grammar)

The RAE defines latir (“to beat,” like a heart) but not later —yet 99% of Spanish speakers say “me latería” instead of “me latiría.”

 

⚔️ The Great Debate:

  • My mom (Team Grammar): “It’s ‘latiría’! ‘Later’ isn’t even a verb!”

  • Me (Team Real World): “But 117,000 Google results say ‘latería’! Language evolves!”

💡 The verdict?
Like latonería reshapes metal, speakers reshape language. The RAE eventually accepts popular usage (e.g., “okupar” with a *k*, “bloguero”). So, will “latería” stick? Stay tuned.

🎭 A linguistic rollercoaster

From “cantinflear” (to babble nonsense) to “googlear” (to Google), the RAE resists —then surrenders. My favorite?

“okupar (with a *k*, because rebellion):
To squat in an empty building.”

Moral? If millions say “latería,” it’ll say latir in the dictionary someday. Until then: ¡Inguesú! (Also not RAE-approved.)

A Song of Ice and Fire

23/05/2025
Canción de hielo y fuego

A Song of Ice and Fire

I was pregnant when I started watching Game of Thrones, the show that had half the world obsessed. But I couldn’t handle all that graphic violence with a baby in my belly. So instead, I picked up the first book at the Central State Library of Guanajuato, Wigberto Jiménez Moreno. The series is called A Song of Ice and Fire.

Then my maternity leave began. And since I never got a library card, I downloaded the book as a PDF (poor me!).

For the rest of my leave, I watched every single Adam Sandler movie. From his early roles as a side character (like the ridiculously stupid Airheads, with that ugly Brendan Fraser guy) to the mind-numbingly boring The Cobbler. Heck, I even rewatched Jack and Jill… No wonder my poor laptop chose a quick death. One day, it just refused to turn on. Poof.

I downloaded the first book of A Song of Ice and Fire.

After finishing it, I tried reading a bunch of other books. But I abandoned them all halfway: Norwegian wood by Haruki Murakami, A Man in Full by Tom Wolfe (and I even suffered through I Am Charlotte Simmons again just because I was too lazy to find another book)…

So after The Sweetest Dream by Doris Lessing and Brothers by Yu Hua (a masterpiece you just can’t put down) and Don Quixote… I couldn’t read anything that wasn’t A Song of Ice and Fire / Game of Thrones.

When my laptop died (thanks, Adam Sandler), I started using the forgotten tablet my husband gave me like ten Christmases ago. Honestly, it’s the only reason I survived months without a computer!

So I kept reading and downloading the remaining four books in the series:

  • A Clash of Kings,

  • A Storm of Swords,

  • A Feast for Crows, and

  • A Dance with Dragons.

Of course, not all of them are equally gripping.

Once they start introducing new characters like the Krakens or those sand snakes, you lose interest because you can’t keep track of who’s who —and really, you only care about two or three people (I love the Lannisters, such a karmic soulmate fairy tale). At first, you adore the Khaleesi, but after five books, she turns into Dumbteesi, and all you want is to smack some sense into her thick skull.

I had no idea what to read next that I wouldn’t abandon halfway: The Lord of the Rings wasn’t available in my tiny home library, The Hobbit was… BUT I got used to reading comfortably on my tablet, which I later replaced with an Amazon Kindle —no more hauling around three kilos of bound paper.

Low Calorie Pancakes: Easy, Quick, and Guilt Free Recipe!

27/05/2025
Low calorie pancakes. Hot cakes bajos en calorías

Low Calorie Pancakes for Weight Loss (Only 150 Cals!) – My 22-Lb Success Recipe

Craving pancakes but watching calories? These oatmeal & All-Bran pancakes helped me lose 22 lbs (without starving!). Try my easy, high-fiber recipe— ready in 10 mins!

Can you eat pancakes and still lose weight? OH YES YOU CAN!

My low-calorie oatmeal pancakes (150 calories!) helped me drop 22 lbs in 4 months —and without giving up flavor.Believe it or not.

Here’s my not so secret recipe, perfected with All-Bran for extra fiber. Or you can ditch the All-Bran and stick to oats.

Why These Pancakes Work for Weight Loss?

How These Pancakes Boost Metabolism…


    • High fiber (All-Bran + oats) keeps you full longer.



    • Low sugar (compared to traditional pancakes).



    • Protein-rich (egg + milk combo stabilizes blood sugar).


Add a comparison table:

Ingredient Traditional Pancakes This Recipe
Calories per pancake ~250 cal 150 cal
Fiber 1g 5g
Sugar 10g 3g (natural from fruit)

Low-Calorie Oatmeal & All-Bran Pancakes (Ready in 10 Mins!)

 

Blend these weight-loss-friendly ingredients:


  • ⅓ cup whole-grain pancake mix (or oat flour for gluten-free)



  • ⅓ cup rolled oats (not instant!)



  • ⅓ cup All-Bran cereal (for extra fiber)



  • 1 egg (keep the yolk for nutrients!)



  • ¾ cup unsweetened almond milk (or light milk).


In the picture is my final result: 3 low cal pancakes for an original birthday cake! It was my husband’s 50th birthday and I wanted to cook him a pancake birthday cake!

Tips for Even Lighter Pancakes


  • Use sugar-free syrup.



  • Zero-calorie cooking spray.



  • Freeze for quick breakfasts.


Tried my low calorie pancakes for weight loss? Tag me on social media @eltarotmx (X: @todomepasa) with your low fat pancakes pics! I’ll feature my favorites.

My healthy pancake recipe is perfect for weight loss —fluffy, filling, and just 150 calories each! Just don’t bing-eating on them! Your house is not an all-inclusive resort…

Low calorie oatmeal pancakes for your diet

 My Famous Weight-Loss Recipe!

I promised I’d share how I lost weight without diets, pills, supplements, or nutritionists. Turns out, my diet oatmeal pancakes helped me drop 10 kg (22 lbs) in just four months before vacations —plus around 5 jeans sizes! I wasn’t even aiming for a drastic weight loss (I liked my curves!), but eating healthy and exercising 6x a week boosted my metabolism like crazy.

For now, here’s my upgraded high-fiber, diet-friendly pancake recipe —now with All-Bran for extra nutrition!

 

Why These Pancakes Work for Weight Loss

 

My first time trying diet pancakes was years ago at a government cafeteria (where meals cost almost nothing—lucky bureaucrats!). Over time, I tweaked the recipe: swapped half the flour for oats, and now I’ve added All-Bran for even more fiber.

 

Oatmeal & All-Bran Diet Pancakes

 

Blend in this order (start with milk to avoid clumps):

– ⅓ cup pancake mix 

 (I used regular mix this time, but light/whole-grain works too.) 

– ⅓ cup oats 

 (Use plain, whole oats —no instant/flavored kinds!) 

– ⅓ cup All-Bran 

 (The red-box “Original Extra Fiber” is best.) 

– 1 egg 

 (Any color! I don’t waste yolks—nutrients matter more than fat.) 

– ¾ cup light milk 

 (Skim or lactose-free works. If using low-fat milk, treat yourself to real butter guilt-free!) 

 

Cooking Tips 

  1. Lightly butter the pan to prevent sticking.
  2. Cook until bubbles pop, then flip. (Be careful with small pans —they burn fast!) 
  3. Top with fruit (I used banana + agave honey from Guanajuato).
  4. Add 2 slices of low fat Philadelphia cream cheese (6g fat—worth it!).

 HEB stores sell a near-zero-fat alternative. 

  1. Best with strawberries or blackberries !

 Try it and tell me how yours turns out! 😊

 

The Vigilante

20/05/2025
El Justiciero

The Vigilante: Killing in Self-Defense in Mexico

By: Héctor Juárez Lorencilla.

 

Mexico has crowned its new folk hero: “The Vigilante”—the Lone Ranger of buses and taco stands, the Zorro of highways. Truth is, most citizens cheer this bald man’s unbeaten streak (rumored to be a bodyguard).

The authorities, ever the legalists, invoke the Rule of Law: No one may take justice into their own hands, they intone. This isn’t the age of lex talionis; retributive justice is archaic. Meanwhile, the hyper-moralistic crowd shrieks that no one has the right to take a life, ever. And the media? They churn out daily clickbait, treating the story like a jigsaw puzzle—digging, speculating, hungry for the next blurry photo to unmask this avenger.

Enter biopower (Foucault’s pet concept): the modern state’s art of control through economics, politics, police, media, even faith. But Mexican society is done —done with lies, injustice, hunger, sickness, and poverty. The President and his coterie of intellectual-lites wax poetic about Mexico’s greatness. Tell that to the 70 million poor who’d disagree.

 

Now, the antihero emerges. They call him The Vigilante. Beware.

 

Cases of “DIY Justice” multiply; the façade of institutional legitimacy tears at the seams. Corrupt governors, once shielded by power, are now abandoned by it. The elite pull strings, but no one’s safe when stability cracks.

What’s brewing? Gas price hikes, currency devaluation, budget cuts, inflation —a recipe for more antiheroes. Grandmas whacking assailants with frying pans, mobs tying thieves to lampposts after a beating, women defending their purses in broad daylight and leaving attackers in critical condition.

Thieves, rapists, fraudsters —they all risk being caught, lynched, and sentenced ipso facto to corporal punishment.

Byung-Chul Han, Europe’s darling philosopher, offers metaphors for our neoliberal, globalized post-modernity in “The Burnout Society”. But Mexico’s 21st-century mantra is simpler:

 

“We’re sick of this fucking bullshit”.

 

A soap opera former President, his comedy-princess sidekick, and an endless cops-vs-army-vs-cartels farce—all shackled by Rule of Law but strategy-free against crime. Farmlands lie fallow; Mexico can’t feed itself. Daily insecurity means criminals rob pennies from workers, not the rich —they have bodyguards, guns, and friends in the judiciary.

The poor bear the catastrophe. So antiheroes gain traction, and imitation spreads. “Wild Wild West Mexico”  is a myth; Vindicta Mexico is real. Just dare to challenge government corruption, and the dominoes tremble—remember the Arab Spring?

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