An avid reader and writer most of her life, Rose Contreras would frequent bookstores and libraries in search of her next great read. But, something was always missing, she says.

"Our voice isn't always understood by mainstream publishers," Contreras says of Latino writers.

To fill what she saw as a void in the market, Contreras started Onda Books, an online publishing house specializing in electronic books, commonly called e-books, by Latino authors.

Many of the works for sale on Onda's Web site are by unknown and unpublished authors, some of them local and others from around the country. The books include poetry, mysteries, non-fiction works and autobiographies.

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"I want to publish it in the vernacular in which it's written," Contreras says of the criteria she looks for in manuscripts.

Contreras, a San Antonio native who's worked as a medical transcriber and as a technical writer, formed Onda Books in the summer of 2008. She registered the name and started her search for manuscripts and authors willing to sell their works on her Web site, which launched in August.

Contreras, a communications student at UTSA, got the idea for Onda Books from a friend in Florida who has her own e-books business.

"I told her 'There should be more e-books of color' and she told me I should start my own business to do that," says Contreras, an avid reader who's often reading three books, including e-books, at the same time.

"This happened at the right time of my life," says Contreras. "I understand more about my culture now then I did years ago."

To find out more about Onda Books, including how to submit a manuscript or become a book reviewer, visit www.ondabooks.com.
http://www.mysanantonio.com/sacultura/conexion/article/Online-book-publisher-Onda-Books-showcases-Latino-857029.php
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