Laura from the Valley

"You're going to go live with your uncle Hector..." The words that change the trajectory of 11-year-old Laura's world. Her days being passed in the hot desert air, seeking money to pay her uncle rent; her nights wandering dark alleyways and deserted streets while Hector entertains women with drug-filled parties. A book that spans two years of a young girl's life, Laura comes into her own as a woman, seeking refuge with Luz, a prostitute who works with her uncle; Bea, Luz's aunt, who provides work for her in the form of doing her shopping and helping clean her house; and Leroy, the owner of a diner across the street from Hector's apartment who gives Laura free meals for helping out. A tale of survival, Laura from the Valley tells of books, blood, the earth, and the power of a young woman in the most trying of circumstances, making for a story that's difficult, real, but ultimately triumphant.