June 2012 Conversations with Las Comadres: Teleconference Series
Traces of Bliss — Outside Links: Book Author Publisher
Rock On — Outside Links: Book Author Publisher
LISTEN TO THE INTERVIEW Length: 00:54:47 | Size: 9.86 MB
June 2012 Book of the Month
Traces of Bliss
By Cecilia Velástegui
Published by Libros Publishing
ISBN-13: 978-0983745877
In an affluent suburb of Los Angeles, several wealthy seniors inadvertently begin experiencing the tragic memories of their ancestors, following aromatherapy massage sessions with their trusted massage therapist. Mostly discarded by their blood relatives, or with none remaining at all, the seniors rely solely upon their trusted caregivers, each of whom are also full of unhappiness and despair searching for fulfillment and worth at the hands of their senior employers. Their lives are sent into upheaval as the self-appointed homeopathic Dr. Ruiz, a pathological liar, seeks to capitalize on their unhealthy desires for memory retrieval and re-enactment by fleecing them of their collected riches for a moment of unbridled remembrance and bliss.
The author cleverly weaves historical persecution of various races and religions into a modern day twisting tale of deception and predation of the elderly. Introducing a sordid cast or characters, each filled with tragedy and darkness and unable to either recognize or control the “duende” or spirit inhabiting them, they are forced to come face-to-face with the realities of their lives while deciding their roles in this novel of tragedy. Proving that the righteous are rewarded while the wretched receive their due as well, the author continues the unpredictable plot to the bitter end.
The reader is taken on a true journey across not only time but landscape as well, as they delve past historical fiction and into a boundless exploration of love, love lost, and the stakes associated with reclamation.
About the Author: Cecilia Velástegui
Cecilia Velástegui was born in Quito, Ecuador where she spent her childhood. Although she now lives at sea level in Monarch Beach, California, she still has two friendly alpacas, Tupac and Kipu. Cecilia was raised in California and France, and has traveled extensively in over 50 countries. She received her graduate degree from the University of Southern California, and speaks four languages. She was a marriage and family therapist.
Velástegui is on the board of directors of several cultural and educational institutions. She lives with her family in Monarch Beach, California.
June 2012 Additional Conversation
Rock On
By Denise Vega
Published by Little, Brown and Company: Books for Young Readers
ISBN-13: 978-0983745877
Orion Taylor is sixteen and ready to rock. Unfortunately, his older brother Del has flunked out of college and is back home, making Ori’s life miserable. When a girl enters the picture and Ori moves closer to his dream of rock stardom, Del can’t handle it. Will Orion stand up to the brother he’s always idolized, even if it means they may never truly be brothers again?
About the Author: Denise Vega
Denise Vega’s first novel for young people, Click here (To Find Out How I Survived Seventh Grade), was a bestselling title for the Scholastic Book Fair and Clubs. It won the Colorado Book Award for Young Adult Literature, was a New York Public Library Book for the Teen Age, VOYA Top Shelf Fiction for Middle School Readers, and a Top Pick in Girl’s Life magazine.
She enjoys camping, hiking, fishing, reading, and hanging out with family and friends. She loves french fries and can’t stand cheese of any kind. Denise loves to visit schools and libraries as well as provide writing and revising workshops for writers of all ages.