Casa Luna Unshelved

Melly Ramirez
  • 5.0 (1)
  • Books

Casa Luna Unshelved is the podcast companion to Casa Luna Books — a home for the stories, voices, and fights that don't always make it to the front table. Each episode, we dig into the world of Latine, BIPOC, and indie literature: the newest releases worth your time, the quiet gems getting passed over, and the real conversations happening around book bans and the fight to keep these stories on the shelf. You'll hear honest reviews and recommendations, chats with indie authors, and spotlights on the small bookish businesses keeping community-first storytelling alive — all from someone who reads (and sells) this stuff for a living. Pull up a chair under the moon. Let's talk about what we're reading, why it matters, and who's being left out of the conversation.

Episodes

  1. 4d ago

    1. The Ugly Truth About Diversity in Publishing

    Send us Fan Mail Did you know that only 5% of widely read novels from major publishers between 1950 and 2018 were written by BIPOC authors? Grab your cafecito and sit down for this one, because in this week's episode, we explore what it truly looks like for BIPOC authors in the publishing industry, how Indie Bookstores support them, and how you can make a difference in these statistics with minimal effort and more conscientious choices.  What are you willing to give up in the name of representation? Additional Show Notes: Reflect sources for factual data presented in this episode.  **Primary source:** Richard Jean So & Gus Wezerek, *"Just How White Is the Book Industry?"* — *The New York Times*, Dec. 11, 2020. Based on a dataset of ~8,000 fiction books by ~4,100 authors published by major U.S. houses between 1950–2018.  - The study found **95% of these books were by white authors**, meaning BIPOC authors accounted for the remaining ~5%.  - Independently confirmed by PEN America's *"Reading Between the Lines"* report, which cites the same 95%/5% figure. - Penguin Random House released internal survey data showing **23.5% of authors published 2019–2021 identified as people of color.**  - Hachette Book Group's 2022 diversity update reported **34% of 2021 book acquisitions were with self-identified BIPOC authors/illustrators**, up from 29% (2020) and 22% (2019). Source: Hachette Book Group, *"An Update on HBG's Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Efforts,"* March 2022.  - PEN America's report confirms that, as of August 2022, the other three of the Big Five had not made comparable author diversity data public. Cristina Rivera Garza — awards named in the episode  - **Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz Prize** — won twice (one of only two authors to do so).  - **MacArthur Fellowship** — awarded 2020.  - Confirmed via Wikipedia, University of Houston faculty page, and multiple news outlets (Houston Chronicle, Houston Public Media, CultureMap Houston).  - Rivera Garza also won the **2024 Pulitzer Prize for Memoir or Autobiography** for *Liliana's Invincible Summer*  If you enjoyed this episode, consider sharing it with a friend or tag us on social media @casalunabooks across all platforms!  Be sure to follow the podcast and keep the conversation going!  Representation and change happen with small, intentional actions!

  2. Season 1, Episode 1 Trailer

    Welcome to Casa Luna Unshelved

    Send us Fan Mail  Episode 0: Welcome to the Shelf Before we dive into books, guests, and everything in between, take five minutes to hear what is behind Casa Luna Unshelved. In this quick intro, I share why representation in literature matters so much, what pushed me to open Casa Luna Books, and what to expect from the show going forward. Welcome to the shelf — glad you're here. Hope you stay.  If you enjoyed this episode, consider sharing it with a friend or tag us on social media @casalunabooks across all platforms!  Be sure to follow the podcast and keep the conversation going!  Representation and change happen with small, intentional actions!

Trailer

About

Casa Luna Unshelved is the podcast companion to Casa Luna Books — a home for the stories, voices, and fights that don't always make it to the front table. Each episode, we dig into the world of Latine, BIPOC, and indie literature: the newest releases worth your time, the quiet gems getting passed over, and the real conversations happening around book bans and the fight to keep these stories on the shelf. You'll hear honest reviews and recommendations, chats with indie authors, and spotlights on the small bookish businesses keeping community-first storytelling alive — all from someone who reads (and sells) this stuff for a living. Pull up a chair under the moon. Let's talk about what we're reading, why it matters, and who's being left out of the conversation.

Information

  • Creator
    Melly Ramirez
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    2
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Casa Luna Unshelved
  • Show Website
    Casa Luna Unshelved