Maria Alvarez Stroud
A Writer with a Passion for Historical Fiction
NEW READER REVIEWS:
I couldn’t put this book down! The story of a Filipino immigrant’s journey to the
The US was compelling and a perspective not often found in the literature. I loved this
book and hope to read more about Ricardo’s life.
MC
This novel surprised me with its well-researched depiction of the time, a century
ago, and its congruence with our current moment. The author doesn't explain the
parallels; she simply describes them through the characters in their beautifully
crafted letters, telegrams, and journaling. The main characters' struggles and
successes are a true hero's journey: timeless, universal, and deeply personal. And so
moving because the author's deft eloquence brings the journey alive as your
own. I suggest you pace yourself because you won't want to put this book down,
but neither will you want it to end.
Autumn
Thank you, Ms. Alvarez-Stroud, for this brilliantly researched and intimate
account of your father's incredible immigration story! Just one more journal
entry, ok? as we read the book aloud, anxious to know Ricardo's next challenge
as a young, naive Filipino man seeking a better life in America navigates his
place between two different cultures. Every American will find a deeper
understanding of what our ancestors felt and endured to make a new life in this
country. Emotional, historically enlightening details that left us yearning for more
and hoping for a sequel!.
SAM
IN THE WORKS:
"And She Too Was Brave” (working title). —A sequel to BRAVE CROSSING.
Hazel knew she needed more than staying at the farm she grew up at, with her disapproving mother and half-present father, especially after the loss of her first love. She turned 18 and moved to the City to become a nurse and met Ricardo, a foreigner, a young doctor who opened up her to a world of excitement and great confusion. Even though he was dark and she was fair, he was Catholic and she was Lutheran, they saw in each other something they both needed, regardless of the consequences.
Meet Maria
Throughout her varied career, Maria has made a name for herself in three sectors: public, private and non-profit. In each position she held she wrote, often using story telling to help bring about change and share new perspectives. Now as a writer she hopes to do the same. When she’s not writing or reading, you’ll find her traveling or spending time outdoors, taking a hike, biking or riding a horse.
Maria’s passion for historical fiction began in college, and has stuck ever since. Having devoured historical novel after novel, she felt the pull to write and decided her father’s unknown journey was the place to start. As she now embraces her passion she hopes to to not only tell stories that help us understand and feel the obstacles of different times, but to truly share unique
voices that are often
unheard.
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Join Me!
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Are you a historical fiction enthusiast?
I’m looking to gather enthusiasts; people who are interested to stay in the loop about the novel, about future novels, about historical fiction you might want to read - especially stories about a vanished past that bears on our immediate present. Novels that help us understand who we are, how we look at the world; they’re my favorite. Sign up for my quarterly newsletter!
Or maybe you have a question or solely want to chat. I’d love to hear from you. Simply click below to send me a message. I’ll let you know I received it and I promise I won’t become a nuisance.
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Reading Groups and More!
Are you a member of a reading group and want to have a conversation about the book or about exploring your own histories? I’d love to join you or better yet, we could work together to organize a workshop to do both. Having written two novels based on my family’s history, I can share resources with you to kickstart your effort for a small fee. Americans are often well aware of our country’s history and know the circumstances of their ancestors coming to America. And yet, may lack the insights of who their ancestors truly were and how they faced those circumstances.
This workshop is designed to help participants take a deeper dive into reflecting, through the eyes of a particular ancestor, what life was like, who they were and how that maybe reflected in the next generation and in you. Workshops can be one to three hours long depending on how deep you’d like to go.
Currently Reading
Described as “Terrifying, hopeful, and all too relevant”, I’m only a few pages in, and already get a sense of those words. Only 231 pages long, I’m going to savor it.
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