Transcript
Gary Gray: Awesome. All set?
Niña Mata: Yeah.
Gary Gray: Yes. All right. Welcome back, everyone, to another episode of It's Personal. As always, I am super excited for my guest today. um She sent me a book.
Gary Gray: and And you know what? I'm going gloat a little bit. I am super happy for that.
Niña Mata: Oh.
Gary Gray: A beautiful book. I'm going to let her talk about it, but before anything, I'm just super excited for my guest today. um i have been following for a while now, and um definitely someone that I think has done amazing work in the education world for children, the work that she does, um and just continues to do those things. So going to let her introduce herself, and i have a few questions for her. So please.
Niña Mata: Oh, okay. hi my name is Nina Mata and I am a children's book author illustrator and I love doing what I do. This is, it's 2025 and this is my official author era.
Niña Mata: So I have two books, yeah, that came out that I have written. um and illustrated myself. I have been an illustrator for, I think I started in 2010.
Niña Mata: And I don't, I didn't get my first picture book until 2018, 2017.
Gary Gray: wow
Niña Mata: twenty eighteen twenty seventeen And ah ever since then, it's just been a rollercoaster ride. And now I like, I have worked with so many amazing authors that I find myself inspired and wanting to write things on my own now.
Niña Mata: Yeah.
Gary Gray: I love that. ah love that.
Niña Mata: Yeah.
Gary Gray: And what a journey.
Niña Mata: Yeah. Oh.
Gary Gray: I have so many questions about your journey, um but I always ask this question because I think it's very important.
Niña Mata: Well,
Gary Gray: um Tell me about little you, little Nanya. What did that look like growing up?
Niña Mata: ah well I guess it looked like a lot of things. I was as an only child and my mom was a teacher.
Gary Gray: Hmm.
Niña Mata: ah she's She was a teacher for 40 years. And my dad actually was not around when I was born. He was working abroad in Saudi Arabia.
Niña Mata: And from what I gather, it was something about like electrical work for something. He did that for like a whole decade.
Niña Mata: And so i he would come for vacation like every, maybe every seven months.
Gary Gray: Wow.
Niña Mata: So I barely knew him. I didn't know him until, didn't get to know him until I was six. And when my mom sponsored us here to the States and i found myself with him ah lot, trying, getting to know this new place and my dad and our new situation. i mean, in the Philippines, I had tons of cousins. There was at least 12 that I was really close to.
Niña Mata: And i didn't know what an only child felt like until I got here. And it was very lonely. it was like such a big contrast from having lots of family to having just me, my mom, my dad. and you know, it was a was a hard transition.
Niña Mata: was...
Niña Mata: being and you you know, when you're a kid and you get thrown into a school and and it's a new environment and it's a new place, but then, you know, what happens when you're a kid?
Niña Mata: You want your mom and dad with you, but then you can't. It's a school.
Gary Gray: Yeah.
Niña Mata: Yeah.
Gary Gray: Yeah.
Niña Mata: Or I think there was a lot of anxiety going to school because I'm like, okay, from nine to three, I'm going to be on my own trying to dodge bullies, dodge people laughing at me and just like, oh, because of my accent or the way I look or, you know, and it was hard.
Gary Gray: Mm-hmm.
Niña Mata: It was really hard at first.
Gary Gray: Mm-hmm.
Niña Mata: Mm-hmm.
Gary Gray: How did you discover art or just like being creative, the things that you love to do now? Like did that come early on was there something that kind of grew on you as you got older?
Niña Mata: it it was ah It was early on, for sure. My whole family is actually very, very creative. My grandmother is an amazing artist. And um I grew up with my cousin, Rebecca.
Niña Mata: um And we and mine when we would go over to my grandmother's house. She would just you know throw crayons at us. And um there was this chalkboard with, um and and we had a whole bunch of chalk and we would just draw.
Niña Mata: And i mentioned my cousin because she was my main, we were very competitive with each other. She was like a year older than me and she could draw.
Niña Mata: and so I always wanted to one-up her. And so if she drew house, I would try to make a 3D house. It would just start off that way.
Gary Gray: a Wow.
Niña Mata: and And then when I got here, the drawing became something that was was one of the only things that I was able to bring back from the Philippines.
Niña Mata: you know like um and it reminded me of home and it that it became a hum to me and just like, um kind of like a saving grace, just like my safe space.
Gary Gray: Hmm. Mm-hmm.
Niña Mata: And, you know, when you're, we just keep drawing, just keep getting better at it. And my dad would always like became my main, um, competitor or like he just tried to push me to be a little bit better.
Niña Mata: And he was really good.
Gary Gray: Mm-hmm.
Niña Mata: He was a very good landscape artist. So he would try to teach me how to draw trees and um palm trees and mountains and yeah.
Gary Gray: I love that because oftentimes i hear from artists know, you know If it doesn't run in the family, family can see not see that as something that you know can become a profession.
Niña Mata: Right.
Gary Gray: um it is often looked at as just like a passion project or a hobby versus a form of income, right?
Niña Mata: Yeah.
Niña Mata: but and then and
Gary Gray: So um i think it's really cool to hear that like it started with like grandma and shout out to grandmas and grand and granddads.
Niña Mata: Yeah.
Niña Mata: yeah Yeah.
Gary Gray: like they
Niña Mata: like Well, yeah.
Gary Gray: yeah
Niña Mata: i mean, my my family, they're really good and they're really good artists and creative, but you're right. Nobody ever did anything with it. I think I was the only one that actually Um, or my generation did, cause my, I have family, my cousins are graphic designers. And, um, I think the generations before so did see it as that, where it was like, it's just a hobby and it's just something that you're good at personally, but it's like, you can't make a career out of it.
Niña Mata: No way.
Gary Gray: Yeah. And it's so interesting. I think it's a good segue into like one of the questions I have here is like you, you have been able to make a living out of it. And because of that, you've been able to work with such powerful voices in the literary world, in the celebrity world.
Niña Mata: Yes.
Gary Gray: And I'm trying to think, like how was the creative process different when you stepped into the role of both author and illustrator for new Because that could be a little bit different when you're writing a book for somebody else, or sorry, illustrating a book for somebody else versus doing it for you.
Niña Mata: Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.
Gary Gray: And your ownership is the words and the illustrations as well.
Niña Mata: Yeah, oh, I love that question. um Yeah, was it was, it's different. It is like night and day, because when you went as an illustrator, my job is to add what isn't being said on on the text necessarily, and it is somebody else's story, somebody else's idea, and versus where I am the author and illustrator.
Niña Mata: these are, this is all me. And don't know, I've always thought ah when, when I was an illustrator, I always tell people that I feel like a DJ where like, it's like the, you know, like I'm behind the scenes and then somebody else is, you know, like the MC and let them have the shine.
Gary Gray: Mm-hmm.
Gary Gray: Mm-hmm.
Niña Mata: And I just, you know,
Gary Gray: Mm-hmm.
Niña Mata: I just, I like that. But um when I became an author, it's like now I have to talk to people. And now people want to hear what I have to say.
Niña Mata: And I'm such a, you know, like my friends don't believe me when I say an introvert, but I really am. I'm so shy.
Gary Gray: Same.
Niña Mata: I have social anxiety.
Gary Gray: Me too.
Niña Mata: And now I'm being asked to to talk a lot.
Niña Mata: And just the process of creating are period, when when it comes to your work, there's a lot of pressure. I think I put a lot of pressure on myself when I when i made new, um just in the process of making new.
Niña Mata: um
Gary Gray: Mm-hmm.
Niña Mata: I think there was like, you know not only was it, it's my first time um writing and drawing my own picture book,
Niña Mata: It was also the first time that I'm telling the story and I'm being very vulnerable. So I was, there's a lot of um anxiety and pressure that came with doing it.
Gary Gray: Yeah.
Niña Mata: Yeah. And even when the book, it was like, I didn't know I would be so vulnerable feeling like, like, you know, like just scared, like what if somebody made fun of it and it's like second grade all over again?
Gary Gray: Yeah.
Gary Gray: yeah
Gary Gray: Yeah, yeah. And you do put yourself in a...
Niña Mata: yeah
Gary Gray: When it's your words, you put yourself in a different space as to the illustrations because like someone is taking those words and they are...
Niña Mata: Mm-hmm. Yeah.
Gary Gray: And we do. like Even as a teacher, we're analyzing them. like We're analyzing them to figure out.
Niña Mata: Mm-hmm. Right.
Gary Gray: you know We're inferring about things. We're making predictions.
Niña Mata: Right. Mm-hmm.
Gary Gray: um We're trying to comprehend like your story. So as an author, you are you know sitting back and you're wondering, like what are these people thinking?
Niña Mata: Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.
Niña Mata: Yeah. Yeah. What are they really thinking? Oh my God.
Gary Gray: who but
Niña Mata: but
Gary Gray: But with that, I mean, and I mentioned this to you before, like what a beautiful job that you did. I think that it is...
Niña Mata: Oh, thank you.
Gary Gray: so lyrical and I think you, as always, do such a phenomenal job with bringing your words to life on the page through your illustrations. um And I think I am so excited to see even more of that um because of what you've done.
Gary Gray: So shout outs to you.
Niña Mata: Oh, thank you.
Gary Gray: Congratulations to you.
Niña Mata: Thank you so
Gary Gray: um You did such a such a phenomenal job. And It's so universal. Like new comes in so many different forms, so many different sizes.
Niña Mata: Yeah.
Gary Gray: Like that can relate to everybody and not even just kids, but adults as well.
Niña Mata: Mm-hmm.
Gary Gray: We are constantly starting new things and having that feeling of just like anxiety and pressure of something new.
Niña Mata: Yeah.
Niña Mata: Right.
Gary Gray: So I think it's such a great concept, um but you for you to package it in a way that represents like who you are and your identity
Niña Mata: Yeah.
Gary Gray: Such a phenomenal job. Such a phenomenal job.
Niña Mata: Oh, thank you.
Gary Gray: So, no, amazing.
Niña Mata: Yeah, I always, that the story actually came up because ah I went to, i don't know if you've ever heard of Kindling Words.
Niña Mata: Yeah.
Gary Gray: Yep.
Niña Mata: And Vanessa Newton-Brantley, she was doing week keynote. And i was just inspired by her speech about when she was a child, she got bullied by a teacher.
Gary Gray: Mm-hmm.
Niña Mata: And it was something that was similar to mine. And I went upstairs to my hotel room, just like in tears, just so inspired by it.
Gary Gray: Hmm.
Niña Mata: And I wrote new in like literally 45 minutes.
Gary Gray: Wow.
Niña Mata: Cause it just, it just came pouring out. It just came pouring out. And just the duality of certain words, like, especially like new, like it could come with some positive meanings and then negative and just like how it has a conversation by itself.
Gary Gray: Yeah.
Niña Mata: Like sometimes words like new has that conversation with itself.
Gary Gray: yeah
Niña Mata: And I wanted to share that thought.
Gary Gray: Yeah.
Niña Mata: Oh,
Gary Gray: I love that. I love, and shout out to like, I had her on the podcast a while ago and what an inspirational human being.
Niña Mata: My goodness.
Gary Gray: Like she, what a gift, like what a gift she is truly to just the world in general.
Niña Mata: I know. Right. Yeah.
Niña Mata: Yeah.
Gary Gray: Like the biggest heart, um, cares so much about the work that she does and the stuff she puts out into the world.
Niña Mata: My goodness.
Niña Mata: Yes.
Gary Gray: But I, I love, I love that she inspired you to write the book.
Niña Mata: Oh, yeah.
Gary Gray: Um,
Niña Mata: She's inspired me from day one.
Gary Gray: shes She's that person.
Niña Mata: Yeah, she is.
Gary Gray: she's And i have never heard her do a keynote, but I have no doubt in my mind but that it was amazing.
Niña Mata: um
Niña Mata: yet one It was amazing. It was amazing.
Gary Gray: Yep.
Niña Mata: And you know, she always ends everything with a song and it's like, not only are you already crying, like ugly crying from her keynote, you're crying from her beautiful voice.
Gary Gray: Totally. Totally.
Niña Mata: ah
Gary Gray: Totally. i have but I have another question. The other question is also about the book. So I'm i'm wondering about just like what you did in regards to like the images and the landscapes and the idea of starting something new in a new environment.
Gary Gray: Like, can you talk a little bit about like what inspired you and how much of your own childhood is actually shaped in this story? It sounds like a lot of it is.
Niña Mata: Yeah, it is.
Gary Gray: um Yeah, yeah. yeah
Niña Mata: Yeah, most most of it, most of the pages are based on on my growing up in Queens. And so when we when we first moved here, you know, like,
Gary Gray: Mm-hmm.
Niña Mata: My parents and I didn't have much, so we lived at somebody's basement. and um And then so I added that in the beginning. And then I made sure to add Tupperware that was recycled, you know, from like, you know, um my parents would pack me like I don't know, full a full meal with like rice and um like stew, like a Filipino stew, menudo.
Gary Gray: e
Niña Mata: And it was in a packaged in a, what is it?
Gary Gray: a
Niña Mata: Like a butter, like a butter container.
Gary Gray: ah ha ahha i
Niña Mata: Yeah.
Gary Gray: That is crazy. Wow. Wow. it's so funny i have It's so funny. I have the book here. So i want to show you one of my favorite spreads. It's okay.
Niña Mata: Yeah.
Gary Gray: I have the book here. One of my favorite. I mean, I have lots of favorite spreads, but I'm going to show you the one that I really, really love.
Niña Mata: yeah
Gary Gray: And I just love how you play with perspective so well. And you do this in a lot of your books. I'm assuming it's intentional.
Niña Mata: Oh, yeah.
Gary Gray: but
Niña Mata: Yeah, yes.
Gary Gray: Yeah. So like, this is one of my favorite, favorite spreads. This one.
Niña Mata: Oh, yeah.
Gary Gray: It makes me so happy.
Niña Mata: Oh.
Gary Gray: It makes me so happy.
Niña Mata: Mm-hmm.
Gary Gray: And I think part of it is also just like the idea around, you know, um
Gary Gray: Oftentimes you look at books and they tend to... ah follow one type of pattern and it doesn't make your eyes or your brain like do anything other than just absorb what's there.
Niña Mata: me
Gary Gray: i think what you do a really good job of is you make, you almost play tricks on the person's eyes and you make, you almost force them to look at things differently.
Niña Mata: Right.
Gary Gray: You do that throughout all of your books. That's what's something I appreciate about you so much.
Niña Mata: thank you.
Gary Gray: That's just one page. There's a lot of pages that like. You,
Niña Mata: Oh, thank you. know i ah huh Yeah, no, good, good.
Gary Gray: you, you've, Go ahead. Sorry. Go ahead. Go ahead. Go ahead. you ah the other The other question that i'm thinking about is like, you also did this beautiful middle grade book um for like trailblazing, you know, Asian American women.
Gary Gray: And um again, I'm not surprised, but how do you balance the storytelling and...
Niña Mata: yeah
Gary Gray: you know, the like educational aspects in that way that still feels, you know, joyful, engaging and kid-centered.
Gary Gray: Because you did a phenomenal job with that one as well, but it's a very tight, a very different type of book, obviously.
Niña Mata: oh
Niña Mata: yeah yeah yes
Gary Gray: Right. So how did you, yeah. How did you balance the storytelling along with the education?
Niña Mata: So with Girls to the Front, 40 Asian-American women who blazed a trail, um i I love this show. Like, honestly, I'm going to just spill the tea. I just, i mean I love this show called Drunk History.
Niña Mata: yeah Have you ever watched that?
Gary Gray: Hmm. I have it
Niña Mata: It's on Comedy Central. If you haven't watched it, go watch it. It's funny. It's so funny. But then it's also educational. So its um it's like a whole bunch of um actors and they reenact a scene in history, but the person who's telling it is a little inebriated. So...
Niña Mata: They have to, they they end up telling the story in the most casual way.
Gary Gray: I love that.
Niña Mata: And that's how I wanted, it not drunk. I didn't want to tell story drunk, but like I wanted to tell it in the most casual conversational way because as a kid, hated history. I really did. I did not get it. i didn't know what the importance of learning our history was.
Niña Mata: um And no one bothered to tell me the importance of what it it was just like, you need to learn this to pass the class. And it was just, um just one of those things. And I just didn't understand that there's power behind knowing what our history is about.
Niña Mata: And there's also a lot of key lessons that, that we are missing out if we aren't learning about certain people's contributions to society.
Niña Mata: And
Gary Gray: Mm-hmm.
Niña Mata: when I became a mom that became more heightened for me, like for me to like, I grew up, you know, like not seeing that representation for my community a lot. And I didn't want my daughter, like, you know, having to search so hard, like I did looking for somebody to model or look up to.
Niña Mata: I wanted her to have and see these women who are doing all these things. And wanted her to see the the options and um and the opportunities that she could have for herself.
Niña Mata: Should she just like, just take the leap and just keep going and just find something that she loves and just do it. um and
Gary Gray: Yeah.
Niña Mata: I kind of wrote the book in a way where she would understand it and then read it. And also little me, basically, because this is for the girl who did not like history.
Niña Mata: and
Gary Gray: ah
Niña Mata: i kind of wanted to tell that story in a way where it kind of hooks you and kind of, you know, like sticks and just kind of tell that story of how how they did it in the most conversational way possible.
Gary Gray: Yeah.
Gary Gray: I love that. i love that. And I think it's so funny how authors... consistently write the books that they've wanted.
Niña Mata: Oh, yeah.
Gary Gray: And I think that is one of the things that drives a lot of authors, illustrators to do what they do.
Niña Mata: Yeah.
Gary Gray: It's like, I didn't have it, so I'm going to create it. And that continues to drive them throughout their career.
Niña Mata: Right.
Gary Gray: So...
Niña Mata: Yeah.
Gary Gray: I think that's beautiful. And your daughter's going to going to, if not already, love that book. Like, what a gift that she's going to have when she...
Niña Mata: Yeah. Aw.
Gary Gray: Yeah. And and and that's a great segue to my next question is like, what is what are some of the things you love about being a mama?
Niña Mata: Thank you.
Niña Mata: Oh, what what do I love about... Oh my gosh. I mean, it's just fun. It's like it's like looking... It's like reliving your childhood, but then just kind of...
Niña Mata: um you know, like softly hugging the rough parts that um you wish somebody did for you.
Niña Mata: Does that make sense?
Gary Gray: Hmm, yes, it Mm-hmm.
Niña Mata: i don't know if that makes sense.
Gary Gray: yes it does it does
Niña Mata: Like you're trying to smooth out all the, like it's, yeah. Like I do not explain it. um But then it's also like watching her grow up is, is,
Niña Mata: so surreal sometimes and just like and just like it makes me have a better relationship with my own mother because I didn't understand
Gary Gray: Hmm.
Niña Mata: um you know, like again, she would come home and she would have no patience for me, but i get it now because adulting is tiring.
Gary Gray: Yes.
Niña Mata: so um with that knowledge, with that experience and um with my daughter, I make sure that I'm a little bit more patient with her and and understanding.
Gary Gray: Mm-hmm.
Niña Mata: And You know, my my parents, when we came here, they were on survival mode and all they did was work and just hustle and didn't really have time for me. And what I am loving about being a mom now is that i I'm grateful that I have this career where i can set my own schedule and I can actually spend time with my kid and...
Niña Mata: in a way that is also kind of healing my inner child.
Gary Gray: a
Niña Mata: Yeah.
Gary Gray: I love that that.
Niña Mata: Right.
Gary Gray: That was such a beautiful answer.
Niña Mata: Yes.
Niña Mata: yeah
Gary Gray: That is such a beautiful answer. I love all of that for you. And I mean, again, what a gift it is to have the opportunity to spend so much time with her as well.
Niña Mata: yeah
Gary Gray: Because like, you know, oftentimes you, i mean, as a teacher, I see it so much in school where parents are constantly working and I get it. I totally understand it.
Niña Mata: Yeah, I get it. Yeah.
Gary Gray: Right. So i think that is amazing. You talk a little bit about Bob Ross and reading rainbow.
Niña Mata: Yeah.
Gary Gray: You do.
Niña Mata: was going to wear my Bob Ross shirt today.
Gary Gray: You should have. You should have. And you talk so much about creating your own books. So what has stayed like consistent in your like creative practice?
Gary Gray: And what has like evolved over time? Because you have been illustrating for a while. You have been writing for a while. like What has stayed relatively the same? What are some things that he has evolved?
Niña Mata: Well, technically, the my emotions are still, you know, there's they're still there. the The playfulness is still there.
Gary Gray: um
Niña Mata: of What has changed? I mean, what has stayed consistent? Funny enough, I think
Niña Mata: um knowing when to pivot has stayed consistent for me.
Gary Gray: and
Niña Mata: From the beginning of my career to now, Um, when something feels when I've been doing the same thing over and over, and then it doesn't feel as exciting anymore.
Niña Mata: i know it's time to pivot. So I, i end up experimenting that is consistent. The playing, giving myself the space and time to also play with my art and and try to find new ways to have fun with it.
Gary Gray: he
Niña Mata: That has stayed consistent for sure.
Gary Gray: Wow, that powerful.
Niña Mata: And I think that is what keeps the my work um fresh. And that's, I think that's how, I don't know.
Niña Mata: yeah I guess that's how I've been doing this for a long time.
Gary Gray: and that's ah It's incredible. That's incredible. And I think that's such a great, you know, tip for any creator or any person who is trying to, you know, develop something like being able, I think play is very underrated.
Gary Gray: It's not done enough for adults, especially kids.
Niña Mata: Oh yeah. Yeah.
Gary Gray: um
Niña Mata: Mm-hmm.
Gary Gray: As a teacher, sometimes I am guilty as well as not allowing them enough play. I think that is where the best education happens is when kids are playing. I think
Niña Mata: Right.
Gary Gray: it is so important that you allow kids and yourself to just do and be, and instead of being in the mud all the time, right?
Niña Mata: Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.
Gary Gray: And I love that that has stayed consistent for you, because that is really hard.
Niña Mata: Mm-hmm.
Gary Gray: That is really, really hard, right?
Niña Mata: Yeah. Yeah. But it's also like, it's natural because you know, like you do evolve whether or not you, you want to or not, you do end up the work changes for sure.
Niña Mata: But it flows better once you do accept that there is change and you recognize it.
Gary Gray: Agreed.
Niña Mata: And you're like, okay, let's let's have fun as we yeah.
Gary Gray: ah Agreed. Agreed. i agree. And I think it's it'st it it makes me think about some of the things that I've written and how you were able to write new. Like you had an idea and sometimes when you don't have those ideas,
Gary Gray: you could try to force things. And that's when it gets hard. When you're like trying to force something that's not there.
Niña Mata: Yeah.
Gary Gray: You had an idea, it was sparked by something, could go and write it then.
Niña Mata: Yeah.
Niña Mata: Yeah.
Gary Gray: Versus trying to bring something out of thin air, which is like, it's like, it's impossible.
Niña Mata: Yeah, um I have like so many half finished manuscripts in my Dropbox that don't go anywhere because I am forcing it.
Gary Gray: It's so hard.
Niña Mata: Yeah.
Gary Gray: Yeah, and that was one of the things i I learned early on, writing specifically to be published. Like when I first was writing, I was just writing for the enjoyment of writing, collecting ideas, collecting poems.
Niña Mata: me
Niña Mata: yeah
Gary Gray: And then when I got into publishing, the first book flew out of me, took a lot of editing and revising. And then the second one, I was forcing it. Like it wasn't coming from a place of like, my things are like family, right?
Gary Gray: home, identity, belonging.
Niña Mata: Yeah.
Gary Gray: like And if it's not wrapped in those things, it doesn't feel good. It never feels good, right?
Niña Mata: Right, right.
Gary Gray: um So when you say that, like being able to just play, it's such a good reminder.
Niña Mata: Mm-hmm.
Gary Gray: It's such a good reminder.
Niña Mata: Yeah.
Gary Gray: Yeah, I love that.
Niña Mata: Yeah.
Gary Gray: So thank you. Thank you for sharing that. I'm going to put that in my pocket because selfishly, I always tell people this podcast is for people to listen to, but it's also for me well.
Niña Mata: and
Niña Mata: Oh, for me too.
Gary Gray: ah
Gary Gray: It's very healing. Very, very healing.
Niña Mata: Yeah.
Gary Gray: So we have... editors who are, you know, an editor who is the same.
Niña Mata: Yeah.
Gary Gray: And I'll talk about her just a little bit. So I didn't have her originally, um but I've had her for the last few. um i have a couple books coming out and she's been the the person for those, which I'm super excited about.
Gary Gray: um I think she, yeah, I might have spilled the beans a little bit, but that's okay.
Niña Mata: Oh my gosh. had no idea. Congratulations.
Gary Gray: She, she, one thing i love about her is number one is like, she, is so authentic in who she is.
Niña Mata: Mm-hmm.
Gary Gray: um and it sounds, for me, it sounds like home. When I speak to her and I talk to her, it feels like home, which is really nice.
Niña Mata: Mm.
Gary Gray: um And she's super honest about her feelings around manuscripts and thoughts around things.
Niña Mata: Mm.
Niña Mata: Yeah.
Gary Gray: So I love that. um But how has it been working with her?
Niña Mata: Mm.
Gary Gray: How long have you been working with her? um And what are some of the processes or steps that you guys go through as like, writer, illustrator and editor.
Niña Mata: Oh, gosh.
Niña Mata: Oh, Luana. I love her. she a So we started with I Promise, actually.
Gary Gray: Wow.
Niña Mata: um Yeah. i I mean, I've heard about her i um from Tamar Maze. and and then um once we started working on I Promise and that took off, she...
Niña Mata: We actually met during like ah like a celebration, for like just like a quiet lunch. and we ended up staying for an extra hour or two and just chit-chatting about nothing.
Gary Gray: Wow. Yeah.
Niña Mata: And, you know, like when you click with somebody, you just feel it. So it just, it's like you said, she she feels like home and she doesn't, um it's not,
Niña Mata: fake? Is that the right word for it It's not, um there's there's a level of authenticity with her where you end up trusting what she says and you're like, um okay, she's real.
Gary Gray: yeah
Niña Mata: She's like, she she will tell you how it is exactly, you know you know, like, and she doesn't mean to hurt feelings or anything like that.
Gary Gray: Yeah.
Gary Gray: who who
Niña Mata: She she just wants to be honest with you. And I, you really appreciate that about her.
Gary Gray: yeah
Niña Mata: Yeah, she is very sincere.
Gary Gray: i
Niña Mata: Yeah.
Gary Gray: She is and so authentic. And I, again, I've, I've had her for maybe, i want to say two and a half years or so, maybe.
Niña Mata: Yeah.
Gary Gray: um Yeah.
Niña Mata: So we
Niña Mata: Maybe the same? Like four, four three or four years? Yeah.
Gary Gray: Yeah.
Niña Mata: She's amazing yeah
Gary Gray: Such, such an amazing human, such an amazing editor.
Niña Mata: yeah and an amazing editor yeah she really and she doesn't like um over correct she makes she asks questions that's what i like that she makes you think and then she makes you inspire to rewrite or rethink or relook at something it's not like oh change this completely change that it's it's um
Gary Gray: Yeah. yeah
Gary Gray: Yeah,
Gary Gray: yeah. yeah
Niña Mata: such a collaborative experience with her.
Gary Gray: and i can't And I can't finish the podcast without asking you, like, how is it working?
Niña Mata: Yeah.
Gary Gray: I mean, you did iPro...
Niña Mata: Yeah.
Gary Gray: I have to ask. but i have to ask the question. Like, how did that... Yeah, I don't even know how to ask the question, but how did that... What did that look like?
Gary Gray: um I see the picture in the back there. I'm just... I'm lost for words. I'm just lost for words.
Niña Mata: I see them every day.
Gary Gray: It's crazy. It's so crazy. It's so crazy.
Niña Mata: But yeah, I promise it was such a wonderful experience. um And i mean, it started off just the as an illustrator, you do when you when you get offered like a celebrity book, they most of the time it's um they do ask for like an art sample.
Niña Mata: And I don't know who I was up against. I don't know. But they they told me to illustrate one page. And um I did. And I just you know ah just through i threw in my honest self and just just drew what I felt like drawing.
Gary Gray: Wow.
Niña Mata: And that that that's how it started.
Gary Gray: Wow.
Niña Mata: Yeah.
Gary Gray: Wow.
Niña Mata: yeah
Gary Gray: I think it's so interesting.
Niña Mata: and I really wouldn't when I heard when my agent called me like she's like, you got it. i was like, wait, what?
Gary Gray: That is a wild.
Niña Mata: Yeah. And it wasn't even colored.
Gary Gray: thought
Niña Mata: It was like in black and white, like a rough sketch. And i was like, for real?
Gary Gray: And what a testament to you just like leaning into like what you felt being your authentic self, not changing like who you are, though it is like, you know, a person who has, you know, lots going on in the world.
Niña Mata: Mm hmm. Yeah. Yeah.
Gary Gray: Right.
Niña Mata: Yeah.
Gary Gray: And I think that's so cool that you were like, well, I'm just, if they're asking for me, I'm going to give them me.
Niña Mata: All
Niña Mata: right.
Gary Gray: And if it works out, it works out. So I'm glad it worked out for you. Can you,
Niña Mata: Yeah. And it was also the message of the book. I put, I tucked away the person behind the book and I read the message of the book and it resonated with me so much that it, yes, it was LeBron James, but the message of the book was so important that I,
Gary Gray: and I love that. up
Niña Mata: And it and just like, it's everything that I stand for. So it just kind of it just kind of meshed together perfectly, actually.
Gary Gray: you
Gary Gray: I love that. i love that. ah love that. You know i had to ask.
Gary Gray: a Everyone asks.
Niña Mata: Everyone asks, even like school visits. That's the first question I get asked. Have you met LeBron?
Gary Gray: that i Yeah, I mean, yes, he is very lucky to have had you as an illustrator.
Niña Mata: oh
Gary Gray: Very lucky. Very, very lucky. Can we ask, and what to do what other aspirations you have if it's okay? Is there other things that you have coming out?
Gary Gray: What are some things you're thinking about for the future?
Niña Mata: um I do have a couple of things that that are coming out. I'm writing more. um Yeah.
Gary Gray: Wow.
Niña Mata: And i'm writing more and i am my My goal, one of my goals is to write a middle grade novel about a fantasy ah book about Filipino mythology and that meets modern world.
Gary Gray: wow
Niña Mata: Yeah.
Gary Gray: Wow.
Niña Mata: Yeah.
Gary Gray: That would be good. So good.
Niña Mata: Oh.
Gary Gray: Where can people find mean, have...
Niña Mata: Yeah.
Gary Gray: where can people find
Niña Mata: How about you? Are you doing anything?
Gary Gray: i mean i have its oh Yes, I have a few that I can share. So I have the one that should be i should get a cover relatively soon um for the second book called Spending Time.
Niña Mata: Okay.
Gary Gray: And I'm just super excited about it. The second book in the two book contract that I had with I'm From.
Niña Mata: All right.
Gary Gray: And it's just about it about me and my grandfather. And it's about the concept of time and how time is the only thing that we can't really control and how it can slowly
Niña Mata: any
Gary Gray: and quickly disappear. um And it's, I think, one of those books where, you know, and makes me think about him. He's not with me anymore.
Gary Gray: But it also just think reminds me about how precious time is with the people that you love the most, because you just don't know.
Niña Mata: Right, right.
Gary Gray: yeah really just don't know.
Niña Mata: Oh my gosh.
Gary Gray: Yeah. So I'm super excited about it.
Niña Mata: That's beautiful.
Gary Gray: And then I have the my third book with um a new illustrator ah called Unlimited will be coming out. if think gets us twenty twenty s seven I think I mean, just like...
Niña Mata: Yeah.
Gary Gray: and he's phenomenal i mean just like looking at the work that he does online and the excitement that he has for the book. Um, and that's all about like a sense of belonging and, you know, having no limits to like who you are.
Gary Gray: in sports and education and appearance and size and shape, et cetera.
Niña Mata: Yeah.
Gary Gray: um and that's a book. It's so interesting because you talk about new and how you wrote new and how it just like kind of poured out of you.
Niña Mata: Yeah. yeah
Gary Gray: um This was a book that came, poured out of me way back in like 2020 during all the protests and all the stuff.
Niña Mata: Uh huh. Yes.
Gary Gray: Right. And I wrote it almost right after I'm from, and I kind of sat on it, wasn't sure about it And yeah,
Niña Mata: Yes.
Niña Mata: Thank you.
Gary Gray: I sent it to Luana and she's like, I get it. i understand. um so I'm super excited about that as well. So um yeah, i think I think the journey has been really, really cool. And I love talking to people like you because honestly, it allows me to Here are just fresh eyes on like the publishing world.
Gary Gray: And I continue to be inspired by people like you. So I appreciate your time so much.
Niña Mata: thank you and fair
Gary Gray: ah Where can people find you online? You are online, um but where are some places we can find you?
Niña Mata: yes um i'm usually on ig instagram at ninamata art i was gonna say dot com but just ninamata art it looks like tart
Gary Gray: awesome and let's shout out the new book the new book new has been out for maybe three three two weeks two weeks now
Niña Mata: yeah
Niña Mata: Yeah, two weeks, two weeks.
Gary Gray: two weeks or so.
Niña Mata: It's out.
Gary Gray: um But it's so interesting. like One of the things that I i did realize, but then i didn't realize until I looked again on your website, like you've done some phenomenal like just covers for people that I think some people probably don't know are also yours.
Gary Gray: like I knew that you had always done the stuff for, I'm forgetting what the series is, but the one for like Renee Watson, which I love.
Niña Mata: Yes.
Gary Gray: um You've also done... a few other ones for like the I can, read I have a lot of those in my classroom, actually, the I can read series as well.
Niña Mata: Oh, yay. Yes.
Gary Gray: um But I think some people don't know.
Niña Mata: Yeah.
Gary Gray: I think they don't know, but like i you've done.
Niña Mata: Oh, yeah. When I do school visits, they, um and i I have, like, um some of the books that I've done, a lot of, there's a lot of, my God, I know that book.
Gary Gray: and
Gary Gray: Yes, yes, yes.
Niña Mata: Yeah. Yeah.
Gary Gray: But I'm i'm so excited.
Niña Mata: But that's how we are, though. I don't recognize people from faces. I'll recognize you through your your work.
Gary Gray: from the book.
Niña Mata: It's like, oh, I know you. I love your book.
Gary Gray: It's so true. it is so It's so true.
Niña Mata: Yeah.
Gary Gray: It's so true. I want to thank you so much for hanging out. We are connected now. We are people.
Niña Mata: Oh, yes.
Gary Gray: So let's let's hang out again.
Niña Mata: Please. i would love that.
Gary Gray: um i appreciate you so much.
Niña Mata: Yes. Oh, thank you so much for having me.
Gary Gray: Thank you.
Niña Mata: And I'm asleep now.
Gary Gray: all Alright, let me press... I'm gonna press...
