The Golden Door. Dieser Artikel ist nicht verfügbar.The Golden Door

Maya Méndez, who has lived with her family in Alabama for fifteen years as an illegal immigrant, suddenly faces an uncertain future when the state passes an immigration law that will make it a crime for her parents to work and will prohibit her from attending a public university. Maya has recently graduated from high school, and in two months she plans to start at the University of Alabama, which recruited her for the women's soccer team before the law was passed. Since the law doesn't become effective until after the fall semester begins, and since it might be stopped by challenges, Maya goes to Tuscaloosa in early August to join the soccer team for practice. Meanwhile, she finds herself in the middle of a conflict between her parents since her father still wants to pursue his dream of living in America and her mother wants to go back to Mexico. As the months pass and the law moves through the court system, Maya becomes a key player on a soccer team that has its most successful season in years, but the spirit of the law eventually catches up with her family, and out of its tragic consequences she struggles to find a mission in life.

I've been writing all my life, and seventeen years ago I found a publisher for my novels. They are suspense novels, and readers tell me they can't put them down. I write novels not only to entertain but to bring a deeper understanding of how the major issues of our time challenge our values. In their pursuit of lofty goals, my protagonists encounter situations that expose their inner conflicts and test their commitments.My books appeal to educated readers of serious fiction and are popular with reading groups. They all have book discussion guides that include an introduction, a conversation with the author, and questions for discussion.My first career was in journalism with the Wall Street Journal, after which I served in the army during the Vietnam War. Then I joined an international bank and worked overseas, initially as an economic and political analyst, applying skills I learned in journalism and the military. My years of living, working, and traveling in foreign countries have given me settings for my novels (Buenos Aires, Madrid, London, Santo Domingo, and other places).