Havana, during that still chaotic Summer of 1994, where strange events continue unfolding on the mysterious island of Cuba. But while earlier in our story the world witnessed something it had not seen in 35 years-Cubans openly revolting against their government-now it will be privy to something even bigger, an event it has not witnessed in 2000 years! God, the Almighty, has decided to be a father again, and this time the child will be a daughter born of a Cuban woman. This second installment of the LUZ series, Troubled Times, takes us through Clara's pregnancy and the problems she encounters after being left on her own. The soon-to-be mother grows ever more resentful of husband Rigo who has fled to America to pursue his dreams. During the months that follow, Clara purposely cuts off all communication with him until a seemingly unrelated event makes her finally reach out: the Oklahoma City bombing of 1995. This terrorist act has taken place well outside Cuba, but it has a profound impact on Clara now that her child is weeks away from coming into the world. Meanwhile, Clara's pushy mother insists that Rigo be told about his own child's birth, even as Clara steadfastly refuses. In an attempt to get Mamá off her back, Clara makes a costly mistake that only further complicates her life. And in LUZ-book ii: complications-this story of troubled times continues to get only more complicated and will culminate shortly after the child is born, on a celebration night in honor of new mother and daughter, when several supernatural occurrences will propel Clara to finally reveal her daughter's identity and who her father is supposed to be, but with unanticipated consequences. Gonzalez is a strong, sometimes idiosyncratic prose-stylist particularly adept at capturing the clash of idealism and futility that marks this period of Cuban history. Kirkus Reviews
Author Biography:
Luis Gonzalez was born in Havana, Cuba, where he spent the first seven years of his life. His widowed mother of three fled the Communist State, kids in tow, and he found himself next in the Los Angeles enclave of Culver City, California. Though he quickly assimilated into his new country and culture, and had no trouble mastering his new language, Cuba never left him. Cuba was always with him: inside him, driving him, calling him. He realized this more than ever when, in the 6th grade, he did his country report on Cuba and thus began a love affair with his homeland that continues to this day. It was only natural that Cuba should play a part in his writing, and even from grammar school age, Luis knew that writing was in his blood. "I always loved to write, even as a young child, and I guess I've always been an indie author because, when I was in the third grade, after only having been in this country a couple of years, I wrote two stories. One was called The Magic Slippers, the other was called The Dolphins. I took sheets of paper that I folded over and stapled, and not only did I write the stories, but I illustrated them and made the cover and everything for them. I still have these first two books of mine and I look back on them now and wonder, wow, I really always was a writer. To this day those two items remain two of my most treasured possessions. They provide a glimpse into the passion that shaped the person who I am, and if I'm anything, I'm passionate, and if I'm passionate about anything, it's writing." It was only natural that Luis would go on to study something in the language arts. He graduated from UCLA with a Bachelor's Degree in English Literature, and a concentration in Spanish composition and literature. As someone who is deeply moved and inspired by politics, religion, and the arts, it was no wonder that he came up with the idea for Luz, a story that grapples with all three realms. These days Luis Gonzalez calls San Francisco home where he lives with his wife and two of four daughters. He's always writing in one way or another, for writing is more than just writing: a lot of writing takes place in your head before the words ever make it down to the paper. So even if he's enjoying or exploring the stunning Northern California landscape or debating religion and politics with family or friends, he's always writing, for out of those discussions little pieces and snippets evolve to find their way onto the surface of the creative page.
