Books were my outlet and authors my heroes. I grew up in New York City; my escape was through reading.
My mother was afraid to let us play outside. To keep busy during the hot, humid, summer, she would dress all five of us: three brothers, my sister, and I to go to the local library.
Through books I traveled the world. I rode on a magic carpet like Aladdin. I went to the azure coasts found in the south of France. I felt the heartache in Doctor Zhivago and ate cheese with Heidi in the mountains of Switzerland.
I read Grimm's Fairy tales and learned that not all fairy tales have a happy ending. In fact, the tales explored what we all must face in life, tragedy, which leads to my book about Puerto Rico. Some say it is a fairy tale gone wrong, an island of enchantment encircled by despair and death.
Puerto Rico is a tragedy. It is a Common Wealth, the people American citizens, and yet the island is treated like the ugly stepsister. It is unconscionable and needs to change--that change starts with us, so I wrote this book. Let it begin with me.