I have been an avid reader all of my life, but somewhere along the line I was inspired to pick up the pen for myself. I drew upon the familiar. Having been raised as a young child in South America, my familiarity with the Americas was already there: my love of Westerns and the lives of that genre provided a comfort blanket, inspiring me to write this book.

I love family dynamics. As a youngster, I watched my parents and relatives in awe as they baked, cooked, made clothes, nurtured plants, drove cars, maintained the home, braided hair into beautiful cornrows and one-you styles. All these gentle gifts are a ‘Thank You’ for all their efforts in creating a lovely world for me.