Linda Ronstadt is more than one of the stars of the San Jose Mariachi and Latin Music Festival –she’s also a consuluting advisor. She spoke to Mercury News arts and entertainment Mark de la Viña about the role mariachi in her childhood while growing up in Tuscon, Ariz.

Junot Diaz is more than a talented writer who in April won the Pulitzer Prize for his debut novel, “The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao.” Like the title character in his book, Diaz is a huge fan of fantasy and sci-fi. He spoke to Mercury News arts and entertainment reporter Mark de la Viña about what warms his fanboy cockles.