Fiction. Latino/Latina Studies. David Rice's first collection of short fiction deals with issues concerning Mexican American life near the border while establishing a unique voice characterized by humor and compassion. These stories set in the Rio Grande Valley display Rice's knack for combining the ridiculous with pathos. In the title story, two estranged cousins are reunited after the accidental death of a beloved pot-bellied pig.

Author City: AUSTIN, TX USA

David Rice was born in Weslaco, Texas, in 1964 and lived in Edcouch, Texas, for much of his youth. He later moved to Austin, where he now resides. His bicultural heritage stems from his father's adoption by an Anglo family. Rice is a graduate of Southwest Texas State University in San Marcos. His second book, Crazy Loco, was published in 2001, and his stories have also appeared in numerous anthologies. Recent projects include work on his first novel and screenwriting for two films scheduled for release in 2011. Both movies, one a family film entitled Los Scavengers and the other a romantic comedy entitled Gone Hollywood, were filmed in the Edcouch-Elsa area.