News

Arletis, Abuelo, and the Message in a Bottle is now available in hardback and paperback, in English and in Spanish! The Spanish version is a Junior Library Guild selection.

Book Trailer

It’s been a very long journey to publication (12 years to find a publisher and then 4 years for editing, illustrations, translation, and production), so I am very excited and have been doing everything I can to get my book out in the world.

An interview about the backstory of the book, conducted by poet Nina Serrano

School Visits

In California, I’ve been doing local school visits and getting to meet lots of engaged and curious readers.

Feria Internacional del Libro de La Habana

In February, I had the opportunity to present my book at the Havana International Book Festival. The now grown-up Arletis, her mother, and her children traveled the two hours from Pinar del Río to be in Havana for the launch. Arletis had not seen the book before, so it was a very moving moment for her. Her son Cristopher is now 8, and her daughter, Ana Lia is 5—the same ages that Arletis and her little sister, Arelis, were when Arletis found the bottle way back in 2003!

Proyecto Casa Insurgente

During my visit, I also had the opportunity to share my book with a group of school children at a pop-up children’s library/urban medicinal garden in Old Havana.