More than 30 years after the 1989 release of the original novel, the world of Like Water for Chocolate is suddenly expanding. Today, author Laura Esquivel announced plans to write two more books set in the same world. The first, Tita’s Diary, will follow Tita, the main character of Like Water for Chocolate, through “a span of 20 years not included in the original book.†The diary will also feature recipes, pressed flowers, and family photos. According to a press release, Esquivel came up with the idea to write Tita’s Diary while working on another book, The Colors of My Past, which will become the third installment in the trilogy. That book is set in the present day and is about MarÃa, a descendant of the De la Garza family, who discovers Tita’s Diary and, through it, a new way to relate to her family and to cooking.
Joining those two books and, of course, the 1992 movie, a Like Water for Chocolate musical is also in development. The Latin band La Santa Cecilia is writing music and lyrics for the production, with Quiara AlegrÃa Hudes (of In the Heights) also working on lyrics and Lisa Loomer writing the book. Michael Mayer (of Spring Awakening) is directing. No timeline has been announced for that production, but luckily there are the two new books to focus on in the meantime.