The Secret Side of Empty by Maria Andreu
For The Howling Turtle
Guest Post by Maria Andreu
M.T., the main character in my debut novel, The Secret Side
of Empty, has a secret. She looks and
sounds like a regular American teenager, but she’s not. She was brought over as a baby by her
parents, and they overstayed their visa, so she is undocumented.
It was a tough story to tell, because immigration is a topic
on which many people hold strong opinions.
More than that, though, it’s a topic that’s close to my heart. I too was an undocumented immigrant like M.T.
when I was a kid. I was lucky enough to
get my citizenship thanks to an amnesty when I was a teenager. Once I did, all I wanted to do was forget and
be like everybody else.
But it was all the ugly things that people started saying
about immigrants’ post 9/11 that made me finally understand I had to reveal my
own personal knowledge of what it’s like to grow up undocumented. I set out not to write a political story, but
a human one. I think when people really
understand what it’s like in someone else’s shoes, then they start having
compassion. So I wrote a story about a
girl and her boyfriend and her fears about what will happen after high school
graduation, feelings and worries anyone can relate to. She just happens to have this added layer of
danger and instability in her life.
I was afraid to reveal my own undocumented background, but
the outpouring of support and kindness has been amazing. I think if M.T., the main character of my
book, was able to see it, she’d be a little less afraid for her future.
ABOUT The Secret Side of Empty
It's the story of a teen girl that is American
in every way except for in one very important way: on paper. She was brought to
the U.S. as a baby without proper documentation, so she's "illegal."
As the end of the safe haven of her high school days draw near, she faces an
uncertain future. Full of humor and frustration and love, The Secret Side of Empty
speaks to the part in all of us that has felt excluded or has had a secret too
scary to share. What M.T., the main character, finally discovers is the strength
of the human spirit and the power that's unleashed when you finally live the
truth.
Giveaway Info
Maria is giving away two separate prizes on her tour, a $250 Amazon Gift
Card AND a Kindle Fire.
1) For a chance
to win the $250 Amazon gift card, OR the Kindle Fire leave a comment on her
blog post for that day. Winners will be randomly selected on September 30th.
Maria Andreu’s Bio:
Maria’s writing has appeared in Newsweek, The Washington
Post and the Star Ledger. Her debut
novel, The Secret Side of Empty, is the story of an “illegal” high school
senior. It was inspired by Maria’s own
experiences as an undocumented teen.
Since becoming a citizen, Maria has run her own business and has become
a soccer mom. She lives with her 13-year-old daughter and 12-year-old son in
northern New Jersey.
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