Every author has a story that lives inside them long before it ever makes its way to the page. For me, that story was Cariana. It was a quiet voice at first, more of a feeling than a thought—a lingering ache that kept returning until I finally had no choice but to sit down and give it a life of its own.

Cariana is inspired by real experiences, real heartbreak, and real resilience. It is the story of a girl who grows up in a world that doesn’t always love her back, yet somehow finds the strength to rise above everything meant to break her. I wrote this book because her journey deserved to be heard, not hidden. And if you’re reading this, maybe some part of it will speak to you as well.

The Beginning: A Childhood That Was Never Soft

Cariana enters the world surrounded by circumstances she never asked for—poverty, emotional neglect, a broken home, and a father whose love never quite existed. Those first pages are heavy, but they are honest. I didn’t want to soften the truth, because for too many children, childhood is not gentle.

Writing her early years brought up emotions I thought I had long since buried. I had to relive moments, memories, and echoes of pain—both mine and those shared with me by people whose stories shaped this book. But in that pain, I also found something unexpected: clarity. A deeper understanding of how early wounds shape who we become, and how courage often grows quietly in the dark.

A Mother’s Love—and Her Limitations

One of the most powerful threads in Cariana is her relationship with her mother, Micaela. She is a woman carrying her own generational trauma, her own cultural displacement, and her own emotional scars. She loves fiercely—but sometimes imperfectly.

As an author, I didn’t want to portray her as a saint or a villain. I wanted her to be human.

Micaela represents so many immigrant mothers who sacrifice everything, yet still fall short in ways they never intended. She is trying to survive while raising children in a world she barely understands. And sometimes survival leaves no room for softness.

Their relationship is complicated, painful, and beautiful. And I think many readers will see a reflection of their own mother-daughter story somewhere in those pages.

The Long Journey Toward Identity

Writing Cariana’s coming-of-age journey was one of the most emotional parts of the process. She struggles with cultural identity, feeling too Mexican for some spaces, yet not “Mexican enough” for others. She battles loneliness, shame, and the heavy weight of unspoken expectations.

But she also discovers her voice.

Through friendships, heartbreaks, spiritual moments, and hard-won courage, she begins to understand who she is outside of her family’s pain. That growth—slow, imperfect, and sometimes painful—is an important part of the story. Healing doesn’t come in a straight line. It comes in waves.

I wanted readers to see that even when the world tells you that you are too broken, too different, too lost—you are still capable of becoming whole.

Why I Chose to Write It Raw

Some readers ask me why I chose to write certain scenes so unfiltered. Why not soften them? Why not fade to black?

My answer is simple: because these things happen.

Because telling the truth—fully, honestly—is sometimes the only way to honor the people who lived it. I didn’t want to write a sanitized version of trauma. I wanted to show the gritty, painful, uncomfortable reality of what it means to survive abuse, neglect, and generational wounds.

But I also didn’t want to leave readers hopeless. Darkness is only one part of Cariana’s journey. The other part—the most important part—is her resilience.

At Its Heart, Cariana Is a Story About Hope

If there is one message I want readers to take with them, it is this:
Pain can shape you, but it does not have to define you.

Cariana grows into a young woman who refuses to be a victim of her past. She learns to create her own identity, her own peace, and eventually, her own future. She is a reminder that even when life begins in chaos, something beautiful can still bloom.

Why I Believe This Story Matters

I wrote Cariana not to dwell on trauma, but to acknowledge it. To give voice to those who were silenced. To show that healing is possible—even if it takes years. Even if it comes in pieces.

If you’ve ever felt unseen, unheard, or unloved, this story is for you.
If you’ve ever struggled to understand where you belong, this story is for you.
If you’ve ever carried wounds from a childhood you didn’t choose, this story is for you.

Cariana’s journey may be fictional, but the emotions behind it are painfully real.

Experience the Journey

If you’re ready to step into a story that is honest, emotional, and ultimately hopeful, I invite you to read Cariana and take this journey with her.   

👉 Read Cariana on Amazon: 
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0GH6SK833

I hope her voice stays with you long after the final page.