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Cynthia “Cina” Pelayo

@cynthiapelayo.bsky.social

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Cynthia “Cina” Pelayo @cynthiapelayo.bsky.social · Aug 2

“Pelayo’s horror novels do not read like a lot of horror novels…They read less like contemporary horror than Gothic thrillers relocated to a 21st-century Midwest, layering in detective fiction, melodrama…”

Reposting as I accidentally deleted my pinned post.

www.chicagotribune.com/2025/04/08/c...

Cynthia Pelayo blends horror and Chicago history in ‘Vanishing Daughters’ — including legend of Resurrection Mary

Cynthia Pelayo just wrote a novel weaving together a serial killer, the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition, a plane crash at O’Hare, Chet’s Melody Lounge in Justice and Resurrection Mary.

www.chicagotribune.com

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Cynthia “Cina” Pelayo @cynthiapelayo.bsky.social · 11h

Day 69

Hey! If you live in the U.S. it’s scary, right? Do you find writing difficult these days? Guess what? Writing is therapeutic. Writing is calming. Centering. It allows you to focus.

Writing = Self care.

600 words every day started Aug 3 to Dec 31 for a novel draft by end of year.

#600X150

Cynthia “Cina” Pelayo @cynthiapelayo.bsky.social · 15h

What people don’t understand about gutting disability rights is that even if you think it doesn’t affect you today it can one day.

Today, it’s Special Education.

Tomorrow, it’ll be the Americans with Disabilities Act.

1 in 4 people 20 years old today will become disabled before they retire.

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Cynthia “Cina” Pelayo @cynthiapelayo.bsky.social · 19h

From ABC News: Special education staff decimated after Trump administration shutdown firings

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Cynthia “Cina” Pelayo @cynthiapelayo.bsky.social · 20h

Mom of two children with disabilities here —

There are no words for this cruelty.

www.usatoday.com/story/news/e...

Education Department wipes out special ed office in shutdown layoffs, union says

The Education Department laid off nearly everyone at the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services.

www.usatoday.com

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Cynthia “Cina” Pelayo @cynthiapelayo.bsky.social · 1d

"There is a risk that the money to educate their children will not be given to the state, and that their access to support and advocacy for their children with special needs will no longer continue because there is no staff available to administer IDEA," the department leader noted.

Cynthia “Cina” Pelayo @cynthiapelayo.bsky.social · 1d

"The nation's special education services have been significantly impacted after Friday's mass layoffs within the Department of Education and it could have an immediate impact on children with disabilities, education department sources told ABC News."

abcnews.go.com/Politics/spe...

Special education staff decimated after Trump administration shutdown firings: Sources

The nation’s special education services have been significantly damaged after Fridays’s mass layoffs within the Department of Education, sources told ABC News.

abcnews.go.com

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Cynthia “Cina” Pelayo @cynthiapelayo.bsky.social · 1d

Day 68

Speak kindly to yourself, and about yourself and what you’re working on.

600 words every day started Aug 3 to Dec 31 for a novel draft by end of year.

#600X150

Cynthia “Cina” Pelayo @cynthiapelayo.bsky.social · 1d

Fullerton. Belmont. Milwaukee. Diversey.

I’ve been around that long.

Kelvyn Park. Schurz. Clemente.

Latinos have been in Chicago.

Latinos will continue to be in Chicago.

Love you too, South Side Latinos.

Cynthia “Cina” Pelayo @cynthiapelayo.bsky.social · 1d

#CHICAGO

Humboldt Park. Logan Square. Hermosa. Belmont Craigin. Avondale. More.

NW Side Latinos. We’ve been here. We’re here.

The NW Side has been my home for over 40 years.

La Casita de Don Pedro in Humboldt Park

Puerto Rican flag metal fence

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Cynthia “Cina” Pelayo @cynthiapelayo.bsky.social · 1d

Please support Latino businesses if you’re in Chicago. Our small businesses are so important to our communities, and given everything happening they can use your help to support their employees and our neighborhoods.

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Cynthia “Cina” Pelayo @cynthiapelayo.bsky.social · 1d

💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗

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Reposted by Cynthia “Cina” Pelayo

Marguerite/Peg Turley @margueriteturl2.bsky.social · 1d

I wanted to do a highlight of some of my favorite authors for #hispanicheritagemonth these authors are amazing, let’s celebrate them all!
@gabino.bsky.social @cynthiapelayo.bsky.social @isabelcanas.bsky.social @nicholasbelardes.bsky.social @dianawallachauthor.bsky.social @gusmoreno.bsky.social

Flatlay of authors for Hispanic heritage month top left House of bone and rain by Gabino Iglesias children of Chicago by Cynthia Pelayo possession of alba Diaz by Isabel Canas Ten Sleep by Nicholas Belardes this thing between us by Gus Moreno The Silenced by Diana Rodriguez Wallach

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Cynthia “Cina” Pelayo @cynthiapelayo.bsky.social · 1d

Hispanic / Latinx Heritage Month ends Oct 15.

Here's a wishlist from Bookshop . org.

Each of these authors appear in Ghosts of Where We Are From, which releases next year from Atria / Primero Sueño.

The book will be distributed in the U.S., Latin America and Spain.

bookshop.org/wishlists/6d...

Ghosts of Where We Are From

Bookshop.org Custom Wishlist

bookshop.org

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Reposted by Cynthia “Cina” Pelayo

Sadie Hartmann (Mother Horror) @sadiehartmann.bsky.social · 1d

Latinx Heritage Month is not over until the 15th! We celebrate from September 15th-October 15th and all year long. Here are some book recommendations from someone who primarily reads horror @silviamg.bsky.social @isabelcanas.bsky.social @cynthiapelayo.bsky.social @cynthiasaysboo.bsky.social

The Bewitching
Our Share of Night
The Bullet Swallower
In the Dream House
The Witches of El Paso (tbr)
Tiny Threads (tbr)
Lotería
Halloween Slaughter
Nineteen Claws and A Blackbird
Cockfight
The Houseguest (tbr)
Coyote Songs
Jawbone
Paradias (tbr)
River Woman, River Demon
Eartheater
Of Cattle and Men
Eat the Mouth that Feeds You
Pink Slime (tbr)
The Secret Life Of Insects
Not a River
The Nightmare Box
Itzá
Out of Aztlan, Pĩnata, Mexican Gothic, and Fever Dream, Cenote City

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Cynthia “Cina” Pelayo @cynthiapelayo.bsky.social · 1d

Coffee with my kid in Humboldt Park this morning. 🇵🇷

#Chicago forever

Humboldt Park
Division Street
Steel Puerto Rican flag

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Cynthia “Cina” Pelayo @cynthiapelayo.bsky.social · 1d

I really love all of Alma Katsu’s work and Alma Katsu as a person because she’s absolutely brilliant.

She’s also right, and sharing things we like is how we build a bigger ecosystem of support.

FIEND is available now: bookshop.org/p/books/fien...

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Cynthia “Cina” Pelayo @cynthiapelayo.bsky.social · 2d

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Cynthia “Cina” Pelayo @cynthiapelayo.bsky.social · 2d

Absolutely gut wrenching to see how much we’re hated here.

The Pelayos are doing what we can.

Be careful, Chicago.

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Cynthia “Cina” Pelayo @cynthiapelayo.bsky.social · 2d

No one should have to open their socials and see images of people in their community being dragged from cars, pushed into the ground, hearing them screaming…seeing clergy hit with rubber bullets.

I doubt I’ll sleep much tonight again.

Many folks are under reacting.

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Cynthia “Cina” Pelayo @cynthiapelayo.bsky.social · 2d

In the city — Hermosa. Belmont Cragin. Humboldt Park. Logan Square. Pilsen. Avondale. Roger’s Park. Downtown. More.

Throughout the suburbs, towns miles away and farming communities in Illinois…it’s happening everywhere.

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Cynthia “Cina” Pelayo @cynthiapelayo.bsky.social · 2d

www.tiktok.com/t/ZTMDhGW9f/

explaining how ICE is everywhere in northern Illinois - not just Chicago #ICE #Chicago #Illinois #contextiskey #geography

TikTok video by Lauren

www.tiktok.com

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Cynthia “Cina” Pelayo @cynthiapelayo.bsky.social · 2d

I wish I could post about this all day and share what we’re seeing, hearing, but for safety reasons I’ve been advised to keep what I say on socials to a minimum. The dangers are very real.

Just don’t forget about us.

It’s bad.

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Cynthia “Cina” Pelayo @cynthiapelayo.bsky.social · 2d

I’ve lived in Hermosa in Chicago nearly my entire life. It’s an 80+% Latino community. There are no words for what we’re experiencing right now. I can’t stress this enough—

My home, my people are being psychologically terrorized
People are going missing
People are terrified

Don’t forget about us.

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Cynthia “Cina” Pelayo @cynthiapelayo.bsky.social · 2d

😃

Cynthia “Cina” Pelayo @cynthiapelayo.bsky.social · 2d

Day 67

Life is strange, silly, beautiful, scary, delightful sometimes. Put it all in the writing.

600 words every day started Aug 3 to Dec 31 for a novel draft by end of year.

#600X150

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