Please send me an email with HEY, MARTA! I WON STUFF ON YOUR BLOG! in the subject line (so I don't accidentally delete it) which contains your mailing address. Your books will be on their way to you ASAP!
Thank you again to all who participated and shared.
This beautiful book can be purchased as an "Advanced Copy" via the Carolina Wren Press website exclusively. Here's the link:
My friend and Cuban American author, Chantel Acevedo is at it again.
She's just finished her latest novel, 'A Falling Star' and I know you will be anxious to read it. Here's the synopsis:
Daysy Maria del Pozo and Stella Maris Morales-Quinn both came to the United States as part of the 1980 Mariel Boatlift—Daysy settling in South Florida with her family and Stella starting a new life with her mother and step-father in Pittsburgh. Over time, they each find themselves haunted by their families’ complicated and painful Cuban pasts. As Stella deals with her mother’s suicide and it slowly dawns on Daysy that there are family secrets she must uncover, the reader hears the del Pozo family history, piece by piece, from Daysy’s mother. Soon it becomes clear that Daysy and Stella may share more than their Cuban-American heritage.
Chantel told me this is a very personal story for her and her family and, as she does with all her projects, she's poured her Cuban heart and soul into it. As is usually the case with all of our stories about leaving Cuba and making a life here in the U.S., it will strike a very personal chord with many of you.
Right now, the book can be purchased as an "Advanced Copy" via the Carolina Wren Press website exclusively. Here's the link:
Lucky for you, I have a couple of advanced copies to give away today (because I'm cool that way). Also, I just want to share the Cuban love and help support one of our own.
Two winners will each receive an Autographed (!) Advanced Copy of A Falling Star by Chantel Acevedo.
1) To enter this drawing for one autographed, advanced copy of A Falling Star, please leave a comment on this post and answer one or both of the following questions:
Where were you when the Mariel Boatlift happened?
Did it affect your family personally?
Please leave your comments on this post and I'll choose a winner on Monday, May 5th, 2014 at 5 pm PST.
2) For extra entries, please "share" this giveaway on your Facebook page and come back and leave me another comment telling me:
"I shared!"
3) If you're on Twitter, please Tweet about this and include this hashtag: #AFallingStar. Come back and leave me a comment telling me:
"I tweeted!"
So that's not one, not two, but three entries. (Because I love you.)
I've saved the best part of this story for last: The Book Trailer for 'A Falling Star' was done by another Cubanita, whom you may recognize if you have spent any time here on my blog.
That's right. That's my girl, Lucy Darby, budding Graphic Designer and Book Trailer Creator.
I hope that you are as blown away by the book trailer as I was. (I swear I'm not just saying that because Lucy designed it or because my friend, Chantel wrote the book. I just kind of burst into tears everytime I hear that song, but that's not important right now.)
When you stop crying, leave your comments and share everywhere (please!) and do all the entry stuff. I'm so excited and pleased that I get to share it here with all of you first.
My Big Fat Cuban Family is all about my Cuban American life. Enjoy my ramblings on my blog about my Cuban family, Cuban heritage, Cuban culture, Cuban life. And some decent Cuban recipes with pictures, too.
The newest Disney film, Queen of Katwe opens today in theaters everywhere. I am telling everyone I know to GO SEE IT. Not only because it's such an amazing story, but because it's an amazing TRUE story.
Years ago when Amy and Adam were very small and I was a single mother, I had a wonderful neighbor named Isabel. She was from El Salvador. Because I was one of the few people on the block that spoke Spanish, she and I became fast friends and would often compare cultural notes.
Although our foods had some marked differences and we would argue the merits of pupusas vs. empanadas, we both agreed that onions are God's gift to us and that plantains should be served with every meal. Amen.
It's always fun interviewing a director. It gives you a new and different perspective of the filmmaking process. As you know, I was in LA last week spending time interviewing the cast and director of Queen of Katwe. I also got to walk the Red Carpet at the premiere, which I'm going to keep talking about every single time I can, but that's not important right now.
The newest Disney film, Queen of Katwe opens today in theaters everywhere. I am telling everyone I know to GO SEE IT. Not only because it's such an amazing story, but because it's an amazing TRUE story.