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Natalia Figueroa Barroso

@natfigbar

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📖Hailstones Fell without Rain
Author, Artivist, Alimak driver, Aspiring Athlete
CharrĂșa writer living on Dharug Ngurra
🌕đŸčđŸȘ˜BasqĂŒadĂ© InchalĂĄ đŸȘ¶đŸ”„🧉
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The most important words I had to say last night at the launch of my debut novel, Hailstones Fell Without Rain: For Palestine — with deep seeded love, and a rage bloomed not of hatred, but of a love for justice and for humanity itself. by @natfigbar
💜 OUT NOW đŸ”„ đŸ€“Read the endorsements, read the book. 📖 Hailstones Fell without Rain by Natalia Figueroa Barroso For lovers of Elizabeth Acevedo and Angie Cruz comes this extraordinary debut novel from Uruguayan–Australian author Natalia Figueroa Barroso. The power of Hailstones Fell without Rain lies in its pacy, multi-generational story and its memorable, wise and sharply funny characters. by @natfigbar
It’s Hailstones Fell without Rain’s publication day today! There are far too many people to thank—but here are my main literary four, and my main loves more. First and foremost, to the editor voice always floating in my head, reminding me what good (and bad) writing is—my mentor, award-winning author, and now dear friend, Winnie Dunn. You were the first to send me that magical “congratulations” email, and the first to edit every single piece I worked on that went on to be published in places like Overland, Meanjin, and Griffith Review. I’m forever grateful for you, queen! Secondly, but always front and centre in my literary journey, Dr Michael Mohammed Ahmad—aka el Mohammed. When you saw I was ready to take the next step after publishing my short fiction “Back to the Red Earth,” you pushed me (in the best way) to write that 20,000-word sample and send it to mainstream publishers. No words can capture how much I appreciate you and the bell hooks–inspired literary movement you founded in Western Sydney. Gracias đŸ™đŸœ Thirdly, to UQP, one of Australia’s leading publishing houses—home to some of this country’s most respected authors, from 2025 Miles Franklin Award winner Siang Lu, to award-winning powerhouses like Melissa Lucashenko, Tony Birch, and now, the all-round force that is Dr Randa Abdel-Fattah. It’s an honour to have my debut sitting on your shelf among such incredible writers. And lastly, but never least—my biggest fan with the biggest heart, my publisher and senior editor, Aviva Tuffield. Mar ipĂ­r for believing in me and my words, for creating a safe space where I could truth-tell—from the river to the sea, to always was and always will be, to hasta la victoria siempre. Thank you for seeing the fire of las Ferreira women. I truly am the luckiest author
 because I have the hottest publisher in the industry (not even being biased). And collectively, to the loves of my life—mi lindo Gerard, mis gurises Lean, Nano y Briella, to mis padres Julio and Alba, mis hermanxs Leo, Dieguito and Mariana, mis sobris Franco, Brisa, Tato, Orlando y Alexa, and of course, my furbebĂ©s Tena (RIP), M’Baku, Mota y Coco—I write for you, always. by @natfigbar
Being UQP’s only published author of Latin American descent, terminating my relationship with them was a difficult decision. But being the descendant of the late Uruguayan poet and academic, Washington Benavides, made my decision easy. by @natfigbar
Mar ipĂ­r, gracias, thank you to my fellow writers whom have been posting their rage about my decision on their Instagram stories and or who have kindly and respectfully DMed me, I do listen, I do learn, I am not perfect, no human is. I hope you accept my heartfelt apology. by @natfigbar
Unlike UQP, I am no coward. I do not bend, knees pleading or grovelling, to the zionist lobby. I am of Yoruba–CharrĂșa descent, my ancestors survived genocide, resisted colonialism, and they run through my veins. I am no coward. I would rather eat dirt than bend over for zionists, for racists, for a lobby that supports the genocide of an Indigenous peoples, the Palestinian peoples which we have witnessed live-streamed for 929 days. From Dharug Ngura to Palestine to Abya Yala basquade inchalĂĄs, rise up my siblings đŸčđŸȘ˜đŸ”„ by @natfigbar
“Pain strikes down her spine and she reclines, massages her back. Sana sana, colita de rana, si no sana hoy sanarĂĄ mañana. Grachu thinks of TĂ­a Chula and her sandstone hands rubbing and healing her bumps and bruises as a child with the ridiculous song that all Latinx women sing to their little ones, about a frog and its injured tail. But unlike the frog’s tail – ‘if it doesn’t heal today, it will heal tomorrow’ – her body and its ageing pains endure day after day. This is unfortunate because she relies on her meat and bones. In particular, she depends on her hands – more bones than meat – which only exist in this world as money-making machines, their value continuously dropping in the working-class market with every wrinkle that creases and folds her worth into smaller insignificant segments. Until she is crinkled into nothing. Until death becomes her and all that she’s worked for no longer matters. Even el purple sofĂĄ. Ah! to be morbid in a world that sometimes has a God who’s got her back.” (Hailstones Fell without Rain, Chapter 2, p. 23) Link in bio mi gente. #book #latinx #uruguay #westernsydney #literature by @natfigbar
Che mirĂĄ, The Guardian Australia’s reviewer Seren Heyman-Griffiths got it. Like, really got it. Mi Spanglish from Western Sydney, the layered, messy, beautiful truth of it all — she saw my novel for what it is: “It offers an unflinching look at what gets passed on – grief, trauma and pain – but it also celebrates the inverse of these experiences: resilience, healing and love.” Mar ipĂ­r, mil gracias, thank you for your gorgeous words about my debut novel Hailstones Fell Without Rain đŸ™đŸœđŸ’™ Excerpt from her review: “Stylistically, the novel is eclectic and exuberant – sometimes dizzyingly so. Figueroa Barroso’s prose pulses with life, blending Spanish-language lyricism and accented vowels with the staccato beat of western Sydney slang. It doesn’t pause to explain itself; like the world it represents, the novel code-switches constantly, folding Spanish into English and history into the present with unselfconscious ease. Figueroa Barroso’s vibrant literary voice echoes diverse influences, from the intergenerational structure used by Latin-American writers such as Isabel Allende and Gabriel GarcĂ­a MĂĄrquez to the drama of telenovelas and the grit of urban realism – while still feeling wholly her own.” “Hailstones Fell Without Rain is a funny, tender and fiercely irreverent debut that brims with life. It’s a novel that insists on complexity and on loving people even when it’s complicated. Figueroa Barroso’s compassion and commitment to justice are clear on every page.” This one hit deep. Gracias, Seren. I feel seen. #HailstonesFellWithoutRain #WesternSydneyLit #SpanglishStories #DebutAuthor #GuardianAustralia #OwnVoices #LatinxLit #AusLit by @natfigbar
Feliz lap around el sol Hailstones Fell without Rain, whatta year, may youse see a sibling soonish. Te amo, your mamĂĄ, Nati P.S. porfa borrow and buy from your staunchest library and or bookstore #iykyk❀ by @natfigbar
On How Being Shortlisted for the Voss Literary Prize is Bigger than Me And a huge congrats to all shortlisted, but especially to my sis in prose and politics @randaafattah đŸ”„đŸ“š by @natfigbar
Little treasures of literary love for my debut, Hailstones Fell without Rain, I keep (and hold dearly) in a folder in my phone to pull me out of depression when I need it and to remind me to keep writing, even when it hurts. Number one, screenshot of email endorsement by the one and only @acevedowrites Number two, screenshot of first paragraph of editorial letter from hottest editor @cammi5 Number three, the first reader praise DM I received by @clouisem_ by @natfigbar
⭐AWARD NEWS ⭐⁠ ⁠ The ALS Gold Medal (@asaustlit) is awarded annually for an outstanding literary work in the preceding calendar year. The winner receives a gold medal.⁠ ⁠ Congratulations Randa, Evelyn, Natalia, Omar & Safdar for being longlisted! This is an incredible achievement and we're so proud.⁠ ⁠ Nominated UQP Titles:⁠ 📕Randa Abdel Fattah, Discipline @randaafattah⁠ 📕Evelyn Araluen, Rot @evelynaraluen⁠ 📕Natalia Figueroa Barroso, Hailstones Fell without Rain @ms_figueroa_barroso⁠ 📕Omar Sakr & Safdar Ahmed, The Nightmare Sequence @omarsakrpoet @safdarnama⁠ ⁠ The Medal was inaugurated by the Australian Literature Society, which was founded in Melbourne in 1899 and incorporated into the Association for the Study of Australian Literature in 1982.⁠ ⁠ With many thanks to the 2026 Judging panel, Paul Sharrad (chair), Michelle Cahill, and Kate Noske, and with many thanks as well to ASAL prizes co-ordinator Monique Rooney. Warmest congratulations to all longlisted writers! ⁠ ⁠ Head to our blog (link in bio) to read more about the award. by @natfigbar

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