My debut historical novel A Voyage Of In-Between! begins in the Philippine Islands in 1916, as nineteen year old Ricardo Alvarez boards a ship bound for America. He leaves to escape the growing oppression he feels as a son of a Spanish born father. Unaware of the hardships he’ll face from a country opposed to color regardless of his class and on the brink of war and a deadly pandemic, Ricardo is determined to find his way.

 

Inspired by my father’s journey, the story begins in the port of Manila as he struggles to leave his only sister and his prestigious clan behind. With little command of English, and skin many shades darker than those around him, for the first time in his life, Ricardo feels unwelcomed and inferior. Struggling to accept his limitations and angered by attacks of strangers, he becomes engulfed by World War I and its destruction both at home and abroad, He too touches the tentacles of the deadly flu pandemic challenging him to become the person he hopes to be. 

Thwarted at every turn, Ricardo finds unlikely allies; a heartbroken American girl, a rebellious doctor of medicine, a Norwegian family and a beer-drinking German classmate who opens his eyes to a world Ricardo thought beyond his reach. To succeed he’ll need to face memories of his past life of privilege, the devastating loss of his parents and confront his many attackers. His future depends on it. Only through soul-searching determination will he succeed and only if he is brave enough.