'A Falling Star' - A Book Giveaway

My friend and Cuban American author, Chantel Acevedo is at it again.

She's just finished her latest novel, 'A Falling Star' and I know you will be anxious to read it. Here's the synopsis:

Daysy Maria del Pozo and Stella Maris Morales-Quinn both came to the United States as part of the 1980 Mariel Boatlift—Daysy settling in South Florida with her family and Stella starting a new life with her mother and step-father in Pittsburgh. Over time, they each find themselves haunted by their families’ complicated and painful Cuban pasts. As Stella deals with her mother’s suicide and it slowly dawns on Daysy that there are family secrets she must uncover, the reader hears the del Pozo family history, piece by piece, from Daysy’s mother. Soon it becomes clear that Daysy and Stella may share more than their Cuban-American heritage.

Chantel told me this is a very personal story for her and her family and, as she does with all her projects, she's poured her Cuban heart and soul into it. As is usually the case with all of our stories about leaving Cuba and making a life here in the U.S., it will strike a very personal chord with many of you. 

Right now, the book can be purchased as an "Advanced Copy" via the Carolina Wren Press website exclusively. Here's the link:

A Falling Star - Carolina Wren Press

Lucky for you, I have a couple of advanced copies to give away today (because I'm cool that way). Also, I just want to share the Cuban love and help support one of our own. 

The beautiful cover image was shot by another Cuban-American, Elaine Palladino, a very talented photographer in Miami.  (We are a supremely talented bunch, aren't we?)

Two winners will each receive an Autographed (!) Advanced Copy of A Falling Star by Chantel Acevedo. 

1) To enter this drawing for one autographed, advanced copy of A Falling Star, please leave a comment on this post and answer one or both of the following questions:

• Where were you when the Mariel Boatlift happened?
• Did it affect your family personally?

Please leave your comments on this post and I'll choose a winner on Monday, May 5th, 2014 at 5 pm PST.

2) For extra entries, please "share" this giveaway on your Facebook page and come back and leave me another comment telling me:  

• "I shared!"

3) If you're on Twitter, please Tweet about this and include this hashtag: #AFallingStar. Come back and leave me a comment telling me:

• "I tweeted!"

So that's not one, not two, but three entries. (Because I love you.)

I've saved the best part of this story for last: The Book Trailer for 'A Falling Star' was done by another Cubanita, whom you may recognize if you have spent any time here on my blog.

That's right. That's my girl, Lucy Darby, budding Graphic Designer and Book Trailer Creator. 

I hope that you are as blown away by the book trailer as I was. (I swear I'm not just saying that because Lucy designed it or because my friend, Chantel wrote the book. I just kind of burst into tears everytime I hear that song, but that's not important right now.)

When you stop crying, leave your comments and share everywhere (please!) and do all the entry stuff. I'm so excited and pleased that I get to share it here with all of you first. 

If you're in Charlotte, North Carolina, Chantel Acevedo will be doing a reading at Park Road Books on May 8th at 7pm. Here's the link: http://www.parkroadbooks.com/event/author-event-chantel-acevedo-falling-star

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Catch "A Falling Star"

The Road to Publishing: Chantel Acevedo on Landing An Agent

Comments

[Esther]

Would love to have that book!!
In 1980 I was married but my children weren't
born yet. I was living in So Calif.
The Mariel boat lift affected our family, my brother's wife
came to the US in a shrimp boat with her Parents.
To this date she will not ride any kind of small boats.

[Yeni]

I was very young when the Mariel happened. My uncle who was a political prisoner was able to come to the US at that time. After 20 years in prison for speaking against the communist government, he found freedom.
I would love to read Chantel's story.

[Nory]

I was 18 and living in Havana, and was supposed to leave in one of the boats, but I couldn't because my father did not give me the permission to leave the country and I had to wait two more years to do so via Spain
Also I witness numerous acts of violence against people that wanted to leave but, also acts of bravery and kindness of Cubans protecting some times totally strangers against the attacks of the mob that the government unleashed, very similar to what is happening today in Venezuela

[Maria Cope]

I was 16 and living in Miami. I remember my parents wondering if any of our family members came across & yes, two did ! My uncle & a cousin, who lived with us until they got on their feet.
Two years later & I was a teachers aide for an ESOL program at the local middle school---many of those children were in these programs....they were a wild bunch lol

[Maribel]

I was a child when El Mariel happened but I remember how negatively the new arrivals were perceived--as criminals. I heard adults comment, "Castro emptied his prisons." Years later some of the exiled became my neighbors, colleagues, and friends. I am glad time has permitted them enough distance from those harsh stereotypes.

[Keyla]

I would love to win a copy of this book. Always a proud supporter of my Cuban peeps. My parents instilled Cuban pride in me and I continue the tradition with my children. What a better way to do it than by reading a novel written by a Cuban American writer.

[Liliana from Pembroke Pines]

I was young and in my Junior year in High School when Mariel took place. Unfortunately the first memory that comes to mind is a sad one: It was of my good friend's sister who was assaulted by one of the criminals that came during Mariel and died as a result of it. Thus the negative generalization that was made by many that all Cubans that came during Mariel were bad. But we know that not to be the truth. There were many wonderful people on those boats, several of my family members among them and many of which have made a great impact in this country.

[Mari Z]

Right out of college (FIU), I worked processing the El Mariel Cubans. Who recalls "Tent City" in Downtown Miami? I remember well as I do some of their stories...

[Cari]

I was living in Miami. My grandfather, uncle, cousin and I drove to Key West with some supplies to see what help we could provide. I think many people forget that the revitalization of South Beach started when many Marielitos moved into the area.

[Marlene Orta]

I had just turned 16 and had never met most of my family until 1980. The Mariel Boatlift altered my life forever. The event ushered a grandmother, aunts, uncles and cousins into my life and eventually the man I would marry. For someone who had yearned for family her entire life, I learned to share and give unselfishly to those I now had in my life. Although I was born in Havana, I was raised in America, but in 1980 I learned about the Cuba my mind could not remember but my heart hoped one day to see.

[Marlene Orta]

I shared on FACEBOOK!

[Annie]

I was a little girl during the boatlift, living in New Jersey. One of my aunts in Havana called, asking to leave with her family. My father flew to Miami, chartered a boat and tried to get them. He was unsuccessful, as the boat broke before they could leave. A month later, news reporters came to our house to interview my parents and they were featured in the local paper.

I still have the article in my scrapbook.

By the way, my aunt and family eventually left Cuba in 1985 via Costa Rica.

[Damaris]

•Where were you when the Mariel Boatlift happened?
I was a baby. I was around 8 months old living in West palm Beach Fl.
•Did it affect your family personally?
Yes. My mother's Cousin and her mother came over by the Mariel Boatlift. She was in late fifties and her mother was 82. Both those ladies where there a good majority of my life and help raise me. Her mother became an American Citizen in her late 90's and lived to be 102 years old.

[Esther]

We came to the US when I was 13 in 1967 so I was here in San Diego going to school. But had some family members that came at that time! All in Florida. I would love, love to win this book and pass it onto my children and friends to read! Thank u.

[Damaris]

I liked and shared it on Facebook

[Lourdes]

I was 16 and lived in Queens, NY (one of the 5 NYC boroughs)with my Cuban-born grandmother and mother and my dad (Chinese). My sister and I were born in Havana in the mid 60's, and my brother here in the USA. The 1980 Mariel Boatlift was definitely discussed as my grandmother said to us all that Castro was releasing prisoners and anti-Castro political adversaries. My grandmother and parents (now all gone since the 1990's) insisted that Castro simply could not feed his nation. Not sure about this belief they had, but my parents worked hard and were grateful to be here. I remembering going to Mass and praying for the "Marielitos".

Personally, 20 yrs. later, I worked for a CPA in a 2 partner firm who was 12 when he was on the boat from Cuba with his parents. It divided his family. His father is an outspoken anti-Castro man whose brother stayed behind and was the Head of the Ministry of Education. He is a wonderful man. Generous and with a slight stutter which began when he was on the boat. He never discussed the details, but it must have been harrowing.

Thank you for your blog and for the opportunity to win the book. Your daughter, Lucy has done a great job, too!

[Aleida]

I was about 10 years old. My parents found housing for a family that arrived in the US via Mariel. It was the first time I had ever met a child that was born in Cuba.
It was at once familiar and foreign. What I remember most about our short time together was that communicating with her was so much fun. Even though I am fluent in Spanish, she didn't speak any English so when I faltered, we had to mime to one another. Also, she introduced me to rap via the Sugar Hill Gang, haha.
I think her name was Yamila. I hope she is well.

[Lily De Armas]

The Mariel Boatlift impacted very much in Miami and it brought in a lot of individuals who were hard workers and have made a name for themselves today. On the other hand it brought in another group that took the wrong route with their lives and probably were in the wrong route already in Cuba. This was the drug age in Miami and lot were involved in it. So it was a very different era for the Cubans who already were living in the states and clashes came about. Lily De Armas

[Leslie McConachie]

I have lived in Miami since 1976 when I arrived as a naturalized American born in Colombia, an immigrat of sorts. I was in high school during the boat lift.I remember the drivers license offices with lines blocks long with the Mariels trying to get IDs or licenses.

The boatlift affected everyone in Miami, directly or indirectly, just with increasing Miami population and it's benefits and downsides. I am thankful for my life here, meeting and knowing many wonderful Cubans some who arrived in the late 60's or 80's or a few years or months ago. We are a mini Cuba here and much better for it. The food is another huge plus. Another blessing is the ability to maintain my language skills while practicing my Spanish and learning some of the many Cuban "dichos", sayings. I have enjoyed reading blogs, books, news reports about/by Cuban Americans too.

[Leslie McConachie]

I shared!

[Ana Shasha]

My family resided in Miami during the 1980 Mariel boatlift and I vividly recall the news reports on television showing the arrival of load after load of Cuban refugees. My sister was a senior at Immaculata-La Salle High School and without the consent of our parents visited Tent City, near the Miami River – she said at the time that what was happening was history in the making and she had to personally witness the drama, strife and discord taking place in the city.

[Ivi]

I was 14. Living in Miami. Going to coral gables high school. I lived with my parents in a one bedroom apartment and brought in two cousins to live with us that had just arrived. My girl cousin,mom, dad, and I all shared the huge bedroom while my boy cousin slept on the couch. I remember those days clearly and how we sat around hearing their Cuban jokes. My girl cousin then came to school with me. My high school was noticeably divided into very distinct groups. The "gringos" would hang out in one place. The grove kids in another. The "Key rats" in another, the "regular" Cubans in another, and the "marielitos" close to the parking lot on the side. Just a few years later AIDS would claim the life of my boy cousin and another one that had arrived soon after.

[Sandra Lee]

I remember being a senior in high school in West New York, NJ. A very large Cuban community at that time and I remember so many families waiting to see if any of their loved ones would arrive via Mariel. I guess being young I was not able to appreciate what exactly was happening . It would be a pleasure to read this book.

[Laura]

When the Mariel boatlift took place, I was living in Miami, my family got a call from my uncle telling us that my mother's brother and family were coming on the boatlift. We were all excited beyond belief, my mother started crying. We all gathered at my uncle's house to wait for his brother and family to arrive. It was a very emotional scene, one I'll never forget. My mother and uncle hadn't seen their brother since 1961. I was ecstatic to meet my uncle, aunt and cousins.

[omar perez]

I was about 10 years i thought I was on 4 grade back in havana those in santos suarez precisaly.... and i was took to calle rabi and correa .. and they made me trough eggs and stones to that family that wanted to leave... !! The old man name was Ramon and i chanted :Ramon maricon te cambiaste por un Jamon!! And rain of stone, eggs and shit asphalts to his house...also they made us chant .. Ramon quieres jamon? Toca aqui maricon.. and we show our genital that poor family man....and of course i was so proud and we leave school early that day.. and when i got home i told everyone about my heroic act..! Pathetic...

Today i still thinking about the poor Ramon and if is still alive or any family member tell them sorry i was a child... please forgive me! After that 1990 when i finish the 12 grade ...i was very dissapointed.. drop school and became jinetero... (male escort) i dident have any family member willing to pull me in case somedody want to critizad me.. and no regrets in that issue...and i engaged with a British woman 24 years older than me..so i left... so i lived in London ever since...
but still those memories of Ramon haunting me...

[Claire Diaz Bhathena]

I was 14 living in Little Havana and going to Citrus Grove Jr High (I didn't go to Gables High until the foolwoing year), which was composed of mostly Cuban-American students. Everyone was talking about it everyday as it happened. It was on the t.v. at home. Some of my cousins got on their boats or rented boats and went to pick up cousins, bringing back strangers as well. Within a week, my junior high was flooded with Mariel kids. There were classes being held in the hallways, gym and library. It was crazy. We all made room and helped them adjust. We gave them school supplies and clothes. We gave them our books and tutored them in English. I remember meeting to my new cousins, but they weren't friendly and a few years older than me. I haven't seen them in over 20 years, but I still see most of the uncles and aunts that came that month at our family reunions in Miami.

[Suyin]

I was 21 and living in West Kendall when the Mariel boat lift took place. It did not affect my family personally, but we followed what was happening. Unfortunately, it was seen as a bad thing. People looked at it like, Castro was letting out all the bad people, when it fact there were also good people coming over. I met families that came over in the Mariel and worked hard to build a better life in this country. I would love to read this book...

[H.T.]

Wonderful story.