Award-winning author, bilingual writer, and designer Susana Illera Martinez joined Inside South Florida for an insightful conversation about her journey as an author, her recent collaboration with Disney, and her proud moments as a writer and cultural influencer.
Martinez shared her disbelief at the number of books she has authored, emphasizing that her journey as a writer was not something she envisioned overnight. She revealed her excitement and gratitude for the opportunity to create books based on a popular movie, “Encanto”, after being approached by Disney. The experience was driven by her love for her country, its music, diversity, and food, all of which she aimed to capture in her writing.
Martinez's proudest moment came when she was invited back to her hometown in Cali, Colombia, where she received a prestigious medal from the governor for her cultural impact and for bringing recognition to her hometown internationally.
Throughout the interview, Martinez emphasized the importance of dreams and their influence on her writing. She shared a poignant line from her work, "Escribo dormida para que no se borren mis sueños" (which translates to, “I write in my sleep so that my dreams are not erased”), underscoring the healing and transformative power of writing, not only for herself but also for readers of all ages.
For those interested in learning more about Martinez and her work, she directed them to her social media, @susanailleramartinez, expressing her eagerness to connect with her audience and share her inspiring message.
