Twisted Cross

Teens

synopsis

Synopsis

In 1795, eighteen-year-old Salvador Tenorio and his best friend, Blas, embark upon the most adventurous journey of their lives, leaving their impoverished families and painful memories behind in Imperial Spain. On a quest to find adventure, the clever young Spaniard battles the demons of his past and religious uncertainty on an epic expedition to the New World.

Determined to make the best out of their challenging circumstances, they aspire to claw their way out of poverty. Sal and Blas discover more than they ever imagined as they witness the fragmented cultures of California’s native people. Tangling with corrupted padres and escaping from ruthless pirates, they realize that all that glitters is not gold. Sal and Blas must quickly learn the rules of the sea and the new western frontier—or die trying. Can Sal handle his own twisted secrets and rise from the depths of his past while discovering his own purpose in life?

bio

Author Biography

Dr. Perez Ferguson is a cross-cultural educator and consultant. Her fiction brings to life the voices of California inhabitants living 200 years ago. She has twice won the Best YA Fiction Award from the San Francisco Writers Conference, 2021 and 2022.

Regarding Broken Promises:

"The tightly wound plot flows effortlessly from one moment to the next.... readers will find themselves inspired by the future Sparrow creates for herself and those around her." — Kirkus Reviews

Her non-fiction promotes the voices of under-represented communities in the twenty-first century. This earned her the 2014 Lacayo Lifetime Achievement Award from the United States Hispanic Leadership Institute. She is an Advisor and Former Chair for the InterAmerican Foundation and a former Visiting Lecturer for the Council for Independent Colleges. She enjoys living and writing on the Pacific coast.

website

Author Insight

Your name tells a story

When you sign your name to a letter, or a paper, it means something. When your name is on a list as part of a group, or a team, it says something about who you are. Sal's name is one of the few things he can read. Separated from his homeland, his parents and anything to believe in, Sal only has his name. Now he sees it in a book with the golden seal of the King of Spain. And he sees another kind of book with odd designs that tell the story of an entire people.

Book Excerpt

Twisted Cross

“It’s my job to protect all our records and accounts of our work here in New Spain.” The Brother spoke, but Sal did not hear.

“Does this mark mean I am a real man of adventure? Will Papá ever see my name here?” Sal said. It must be a good thing to have your name in a book, one with the King’s golden seal.

“Fíjate, just think of it, Señor Tenorio,” Brother David said. “You are now a part of the history of your country.” He gave Sal’s shoulder a gentle nudge. “Listen, Sal, what happened in this room must be our secret. La Señorita is more important than you imagine. I did not meet with her to harm her. Look what she brought me.” He unwrapped the square packet of parchments. “She is the last of her tribe—her family—Salvador.”

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Anita Perez Ferguson

Twisted Cross

Synopsis

Author Biography

Author Insight

Your name tells a story

Book Excerpt

Twisted Cross

Comment on this Bubble