Lost in a superficial world of materialism and social status—and ashamed of her Latino heritage—seventeen-year-old Adelita Noé is loved by two men, two men separated by a hundred years and vastly different stations in life. One man owns little more than the shirt on his back. The other, a poet at heart, is heir to a vast fortune. Their love for Adelita serves as the backdrop for the Latino girl’s quest to better understand herself and her Mexican roots.

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Brief Q & A

What is a typical writing day for you?

I typically write four or five hours a day, six days a week. I am retired, which means simply that I can devote more time to writing than if I held a fulltime job. I admire writers who can hold down a 40-hour-week job and still find time to write…and share their time with a family. That’s a tall order. I’ve often said that if I had to write a novel on a manual typewriter—I worked in newsrooms years ago when manual typewriters were standard fare—that I probably wouldn’t write. That’s a bit of an exaggeration, but PCs have certainly made writing easier. Also, I find myself conducting research for every novel I write. The wealth of knowledge found on the Internet makes life so much easier for writers like me who research their stories. I can’t imagine spending hours a day in a library conducting research. It’s a brave new world of technology, and I love it.

What are three novels you have read recently?
Delirium by Lauren Oliver. This novel was written in the first-person, present tense, and I found that refreshing. Ms. Oliver has a wonderful ability to capture a character’s emotion in both dialogue and action.

Full Dark, No Stars by Stephen King. Full Dark is four separate stories via novellas. What can I say about King that hasn’t already been said? He is my favorite author because of his attention to detail in narrative, action, and dialogue. He paints wonderful pictures.

Blink and Caution by Tim Wynne-Jones. This is what I would call unconventional literature. It moves from first-person present to third-person present on a couple of occasions, but that doesn’t spoil the magic. Jones has been around the block a time or two, and it’s reflected in his storytelling.

About Christopher Cloud

Award-winning author Christopher Cloud began writing fiction full time at the age of 66 after a long career in journalism and public relations. He writes middle-grade and young adult novels. Chris graduated from the University of Missouri in 1967 with a degree in journalism. He has worked as a reporter, editor, and columnist at newspapers in Texas, California, and Missouri. He was employed by a major oil company as a public relations executive, and later operated his own public relations agency. Chris lives in Joplin, Missouri, and enjoys golf and hiking.

Visit Christopher Cloud’s website