To Our Children and Grandchildren
We only ask that you love each other and your husbands or wives with the same immense love that united your father and me.
No matter what stones we found along the way, the obstacles, the unjust politics, the twelve years of separation, we stayed together until death.
This is our legacy to you. Love is the most beautiful feeling that exists in the world.
1964 – Our wedding
1997 – Year of your father’s death (till death do us part)
I would like to thank all of the following people for their incredible help in assembling the information that would form the basis of this novel:
My mother, Milagros, (on whose life Laura’s character is loosely based), for dedicating her life to her family, and for the hours she spent with me, after her cancer diagnosis, telling me about her life during the years the Cuban government kept us apart from my father. For the journals and letters she left to me, containing information she did not have time to tell me, as the end was coming near. For the stamps she left her children, which my father had saved from the letters she sent during the years the Cuban government kept our family apart. She placed them in an envelope after he passed away. I selected three of them and a small Cuban flag he had left us for the cover.
Maria Fernandez, for the hours spent on the telephone and exchanging e-mails providing information about my mother’s life and relevant historical events. My interviews with her allowed me to bring to life the scene from the day after Fulgencio Batista left Cuba.
My husband and friend, Ivan, for his patience and support throughout the writing of this book and his invaluable suggestions regarding key sections of the manuscript.
Madeline Viamontes, for answering questions about life in Cuba prior to and after Castro’s revolution, and for cooking lunch every weekend during the final months of the writing of this book.
My sister, Lissette, for helping me re-create through her memories the events that took place at El Mosquito; and to my brother, René, for his encouragement.
Gloria Adriana Viamontes, a very talented graphic designer who designed the book cover and logo. Inquiries about her work can be forwarded to zapotestreetbooks@gmail.com.
The many other family members who answered my questions about historical events and those who listened to portions of my story over the telephone or in person to provide feedback, including my son, Ivan, and his wife, Gloria.
I wish to personally thank Pam Muma, Robin DeLaVergne, the Tampa General Foundation board, the Tampa General Hospital Leadership team, and the TGH Auxiliary for all their support in this important journey. Jim Burkhart, Deana Nelson, Judith Ploszek, Chris Roederer, Steve Short, thank you.
My mentor, Professor John Fleming (University of South Florida Creative Writing program) to whom I am indebted.
Diana Plattner, for her invaluable input. I was blessed to have her as my editor.
Holly Tomlin, for her encouragement, support, and generosity with her time.
Susan Girard, for reading an early draft of the story and providing me with valuable feedback.
Mary Trevino and Jackie Chalarca for their invaluable assistance in the promotion of this book.
Stan Wnek, thank you for offering to proof-read the manuscript and doing such an excellent job.
Alison St. Cyr, Michael O’Donnell, Diana Katich Howard, Allen Luo, Kathy Munger, Suzanne Sterzinger, and Todd Cotton, thank you for all the support.
Tracey O’Neil, thank you for all your support in the promotion of this novel. I will never forget that you flew to Tampa from Chicago to purchase ten autographed copies of its first release during my first book signing at the Oxford Exchange in Tampa.
The History Channel, for the videos and footage about Cuba and the revolution which helped me corroborate information provided by my family (http://www.history.com/topics/cold-war/fidel-castro/videos/castro-and-the-cuban-revolution); and Examiner.com, for its extremely useful article about Casa de Beneficiencia orphanage
(http://www.examiner.com/article/my-surname-is-valdes-havana-s-casa-de-beneficencia-orphanage).
Betty Viamontes was born in Havana, Cuba. In 1980, at age 15, at the height of a massive Cuban exodus from the Port of Mariel in Havana, she immigrated to the United States with her mother and siblings. Betty Viamontes completed graduate studies at the University of South Florida and moved on to a successful career in Accounting. She has published several short stories, but this is her first novel. Currently, she is working on a second book. Betty Viamontes lives in Tampa, Florida with her husband and family.