BookPeople Presents: Debbie Zapata & Gabriella GaIvez

Please welcome Debbie Zapata and Gabreilla Galvez in conversation with Jennifer Hill-Flores to celebrate Isabel's Birthday Surprise!

Debbie and Jennifer will be joining us in-person and Gabriella will be joining us live virtually for this event.

This event is free and open to the public.

• Start time: 2:00 P.M.
• Run time: 45-60 minutes, followed by a signing line.
• Location: The second floor of BookPeople.

Debbie Zapata will be signing and personalizing copies of the book after the speaking portion of the event.

• To get a book signed, a copy of the event book or an item of equal value must be purchased from BookPeople.

Guidelines:

• Seating will be on a first-come, first-served basis.

• If you have any other questions, please visit our Eventbrite FAQ. If your question isn't covered in the FAQ, feel free to email us at [email protected].
• All event guidelines are subject to change.
• BookPeople reserves the right to cancel or postpone this event if necessary.
• There will not be a live stream or recording available.

About the book:

Isabel hopes all her birthday wishes will come true. She’s dreamed of a big party with all her friends and family and a piñata, candy, and cake. But when the day arrives, Mamá says they will have a small fiesta, and Abuelo explains that store-bought piñatas are expensive. Isabel begins to think it doesn’t even feel like her birthday! But Abuela reassures her they will have cake. Then a mix-up at lunchtime spells disaster for the rest of the day. Is there anything that can save Isabel’s birthday? In this heartwarming story, Isabel learns that things don’t always go as planned, but sometimes life surprises us.

About the author:

Debbie Zapata, LCSW, is a counselor and author who creates heartfelt and humorous picture books celebrating everyday heroes and the connections that unite us. A native Austinite from a multicultural family, Debbie draws inspiration from her Mexican heritage, local traditions, and the spirit of community.

Her upcoming picture book, Isabel’s Birthday Surprise (Magination Press, 2025), illustrated by Gabriella Galvez, will be released on October 7, 2025. Her picture book Abuela’s Letter (Magination Press, 2024), illustrated by Alejandra Ruiz, was named a 2025 NCTE Charlotte Huck Award Recommended Book. Debbie’s debut, Up and Adam (Kids Can Press, 2022), illustrated by Yong Ling Kang, was a finalist for the Texas Institute of Letters Brigid Erin Flynn Award for Best Picture Book.

When she’s not writing, Debbie enjoys planning birthday surprises, visiting her favorite Austin spots, and savoring life’s little joys. Visit debbiezapata.com to learn more.

About the illustrator:

Gabriella is an illustrator based in Montreal, Quebec. She creates playful, vibrant artwork for a variety of products, including fabric, wallpaper, and children's picture books.

She grew up on the shores of British Columbia, where she spent countless hours dreaming of hidden fairy worlds, swimming in the ocean with mermaid friends, and pouring everything into her sketchbook along the way—hoping she’d never have to grow up, like Peter Pan.

Adulthood eventually found her, though, and she earned her BFA in Illustration from Emily Carr University of Art + Design in 2013.

Now, she tries to capture that same sense of wonder she felt in those childhood moments through her illustrations. Her style embraces bright colors, memorable characters, and always—a dash of whimsy.

When she's not illustrating, you can find her exploring the city with her husband and puppy, playing video games, or learning to sew.

About the moderator:

Jennifer Hill-Flores is a writer, storyteller, and teacher. Her short stories and poetry have appeared in literary magazines and journals across the U.S., U.K., and Canada. She has served as the editor-in-chief of Austin Family Magazine and has contributed news and feature articles to Austin Woman Magazine, Austin Monthly, Moms.com, and BabyChick.com. She has taught screenwriting, public relations, and social media workshops for the SXSW Film Conference, the Writers’ League of Texas Agents & Editors Conference, the Texas Conference for Women, and more.

Jennifer served as the PR Director for the Texas Book Festival and was on the founding advisory board for Texas Writers Month. She holds a Master of Arts in Writing (Fiction) from Johns Hopkins University and earned her B.F.A. (cum laude) in Writing, Literature & Publishing from Emerson College in Boston. Visit jenniferhillflores.com to learn more.

By purchasing a book from BookPeople, you are not only supporting a local, independent business – you’re showing publishers that they should continue sending authors to BookPeople.

Thank you for supporting Debbie Zapata, Gabriella Galvez, Jennifer Hill-Flores, and your local independent bookstore!

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