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Serendipity
Posted by Literary_Titan
Goddess of the Flowers follows a teenage girl living under the rule of the Mexican Cartel who witnesses a young girl being murdered and realizes she must escape or suffer the same fate. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
Many years ago, when I was working at a family services group for “at-risk” kids, an after-school program to help them have some place to go rather than hang out on the streets, I met a 15-year-old gang banger who hadn’t yet gotten initiated into a woman’s gang. I was getting my “hours” towards my licensure as a therapist and she was one of the girl’s I counseled. I was only there six weeks, but in that time, I got to know her, help her get whatever was available for her, and listened to her life.
When I’d finished completing my hours, I got my psych license, then left and started my private practice in Beverly Hills, California. Twenty-five years went by and my husband and I were watching “America’s Most Wanted” on the television when suddenly a mug-shot of a woman, now 45-years-old came on the screen. I didn’t recognize her until John Walsh said her name and I almost fell off the bed! It was the little girl I’d counseled.
Her Picture was front and center and behind her was the white wall of a building with a long, red, bloody line striped down it and at the bottom of the blood line, lay a man, crumbled up like a fetus, dead.
John Walsh announced “looking for…..(I won’t mention the name here) for robbery and murder.” I couldn’t believe my eyes or ears.
Later that night I tried to reconstruct in my mind what might have happened to Xochitl between the time I first counseled her and currently when she is being sought for robbery and murder. GODDESS OF THE FLOWERS (the name Xochitl means Goddess of the Flowers) came out of those suppositions, imaginings. Oddly enough, only one week after I published Goddess of the Flowers, the real girl was caught in Mexico and extradited to the United States!! Talk about serendipity.
Xochitl goes from being complacent in her role of grooming young girls to desperately trying to save them and her mother. What were some driving ideals behind your character’s development?
Xochitl witnesses a little 13-year-old girl’s horrible execution for wondering what the cocaine packets were. She realizes her lover and his cohort have no heart, no ability to see that this is a child whose curiosity drove her to pick up a packet. These aren’t magnificent money-making men who can save Xochitl. They are murdering animals who are a danger to anyone in their path.
What was one scene in the novel that you felt captured the morals and message you were trying to deliver to readers?
I don’t want to give it away, but when Xochitl finally confronts Carlos and finds the strength to get even, she is able to realize violence isn’t justice and revenge doesn’t make you feel good. You need to practice your morality, your sense of right and wrong to do that.
What is the next book that you are working on, and when will it be available?
Oh, thank you so much for asking. I have two books, one and then another (I’ll never work on two books at the same time again, believe me!) and the first is called The Companion. It takes place during the dust bowl and is really party my husband’s story. It’s about a 13-year-old boy whose father dies and leaves him completely alone. In a dream, the boy sees he must go out on his own, make his own path. The father was a doctor and the boy wasn’t sure he’d follow in his footsteps, but as he takes his one suitcase and grabs a ride on a train heading west from North Dakota when the boy lived and helped his father. As he goes on his journey he stops to help various people in trouble along the way and comes in partnership with a doctor who shows him the tricks of the trade. Again, not to ruin the ending, but the boy finds himself alone again and finds himself capable of being a great doctor thanks to the ministering of the doctor.
Posted in Interviews
Tags: author, book, book recommendations, book review, book reviews, book shelf, bookblogger, books, books to read, contemporary, crime thriller, ebook, fiction, Goddess of the Flowers, goodreads, indie author, kindle, kobo, literature, mystery, nook, novel, read, reader, reading, Stefanie Auerbach Stolinsky, story, suspense, thriller, writer, writing.
Goddess of the Flowers
Posted by Literary Titan
Goddess of the Flowers by S.A. Stolinsky plunges readers into the harrowing world of Xochitl Gonzalez, consort to Carlos Morales, the formidable leader of the Morales Cartel. Xochitl’s life unfolds within the cartel’s oppressive confines, where violence and human trafficking are rampant. Tasked with grooming young girls for a grim fate, she endures an existence marred by fear and brutality.
Stolinsky’s narrative captures the escalating horrors that Xochitl faces daily. Her ordeal reaches a tipping point after she witnesses the chilling murder of a young girl, compelling her to contemplate a perilous escape. The novel does more than narrate a tale of captivity; it explores the psychological and emotional toll of living under constant threat. The author’s use of raw, authentic dialogue and vivid depictions of cartel dynamics intensifies the reading experience. These elements work in tandem to create a palpable sense of tension and danger, immersing the reader fully in Xochitl’s desperate quest for freedom. Goddess of the Flowers is a gripping crime thriller that skillfully weaves themes of courage and justice into its fabric. Stolinsky invites the reader to traverse this dangerous labyrinth alongside Xochitl, rooting for her every step as she navigates her fraught path to emancipation.
Readers drawn to stories of resilience and survival against overwhelming odds in the shadowy corners of the criminal underworld will find this an unforgettable story. Goddess of the Flowers offers a powerful exploration of resilience and the indomitable human spirit. S.A. Stolinsky deftly guides readers through a labyrinth of suspense and peril, delivering a narrative that not only entertains but also resonates deeply with those who champion the triumph of courage over fear. As Xochitl’s story of redemption unfolds, it serves as a stark reminder of the strength required to challenge darkness and seize control of one’s destiny. This novel is a compelling read for anyone fascinated by stories of survival and the quest for justice in the face of daunting adversity.
Pages: 360 | ASIN : B0CXJ35119
Posted in Book Reviews, Five Stars
Tags: author, book, book recommendations, book review, book reviews, book shelf, bookblogger, books, books to read, contemporary, crime thriller, ebook, fiction, Goddess of the Flowers, goodreads, indie author, kindle, kobo, literature, mystery, nook, novel, read, reader, reading, Stefanie Auerbach Stolinsky, story, suspense, thriller, writer, writing