Texas Border Business
By Joey Gomez
RIO GRANDE CITY, Texas – Jonathan Solis, a Student Learning assistant at South Texas College’s Starr County Campus’ Center for Learning Excellence (CLE) has released his first novel after a 10-year journey.
Solis, who has been employed as an English tutor at the CLE for the last three years, released his book Camp Supernatural: Mind Over Matter, which was published by Esperanza Books in December 2024.
“It came from my love of reading and my love of everything that life has to offer, especially when it comes to people and what they have to say. I love stories that feel real and that’s what I try to inspire with my own writing,” Solis said. “It’s also something I emphasize to the students seeking my help at the CLE. I encourage them. I believe they can do anything they set their mind to if it feels right.”
Drawing inspiration from his literary heroes including Stephen King and Percy Jackson, Solis said the novel revolves around the protagonist, a 13-year-old boy named Lucas Fargo who has been grappling with difficulties relating to his mental health. When he is sent to Camp Supernatural, Fargo soon discovers others like him with mental and physical disabilities, but who nonetheless, have amazing abilities beneath the surface.
“I drew a lot of influence from stories like Harry Potter and Percy Jackson because I love the idea of camaraderie and the joining of people who have something in common,” Solis said. “In my story, I think it’s amazing when Fargo starts to figure out that there’s a little bit more to what he has than what he thought he knew.”
Residing in Rio Grande City, Solis is a 2011 graduate from Grulla High School. He then moved on to receive a bachelor’s degree in English from the former University of Texas-Pan American in 2014 and then a master’s degree in Creative Writing from the University of Texas-Rio Grande Valley in 2018.
As tutor at STC’s Starr County Campus, Solis said his approach with students encourages them to put the same amount of effort into writing as they do with something they truly love.
“I get a lot of students who tell me they don’t like to read, or they don’t like to write, and I follow that up by asking them about the things they actually like to do,” Solis said. “I tell them to put that same energy for the things they love and put it into writing and reading, but do it in small doses, because you can’t run a marathon on your first try. You have to practice.”
The STC CLE is available at all STC campuses and provides a wide range of services for students including online and in-person tutoring, writing support, resources and workshops throughout the year.
For more information on STC CLE resources visit www.southtexascollege.edu/cle/.
