On today’s show, our host Meda Trelles is joined by Crystal Maldonado, the author of Fat Chance Charlie Vega. If you have not heard of this book, it is a beautifully written Young Adult novel about a fat brown girl learning to find comfort in her skin, it is a love story at its core. We are so grateful to Crystal for chatting with me about the complexities of friendship, going beyond the fat-positive surface level messaging that is so pervasive in SM, the need for more Latinx representation in literature, and her message to aspiring writers. Hope y’all enjoy!
Books & Resources mentioned in this episode:
- Fat Chance, Charlie Vega by Crystal Maldonado
- House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros
- My Big Fat Manifesto by Susan Vaught
- Dumplin’ by Julie Murph
Our Guest:

Crystal Maldonado
Instagram: @crystalwrote
Website: www.crystalwrote.com