A few books, written so the stories that matter don't get lost. Look around — and if one of them finds you, I'd be glad.
See the Books About Me
The story of my parents and my eleven brothers and sisters — a Mexican family that had almost nothing, kept us all together, and handed down hope and faith. “Mom commanded the wind, Dad the land.”
My brother Oscar's story — from the cotton fields of Arizona to walking point in Vietnam, and the war he carried home long after he came back. A puzzle piece that does not fit.
The Three Little Pigs, told from the witness stand — Grandma's account of the Big Bad Wolf story, with Lawyer Fester Fox and Judge Rebecca Raccoon. Written for the grandkids.
I worked at an early age. My brother Manuel and I got a summer job with our neighbor Doña Rosa. She was a contractor who secured jobs chopping weeds in the cotton fields. It was those summer jobs that taught me the meaning of work and money. It was those summer days that gave me of life. I enjoyed, despite the heat of the fields, walking up and down the furrows listening to music on my transistor radio. As music sounded in my ears, it isolated me from the heat, the work, and the boredom. The Beatles, CCR, Gaye, Tom Jones, The Grass Roots, Neil Diamond, many others lifted me to a quiet place away from the weeds of the field. My adventures were inspired by a nest of mourning doves, or by a rock that was shaped by a forgotten culture, or by an unusual shape of a cloud.
He wore his hat
como
El patrón del labor.
It fit slightly above His ears,
Como la corona
del Rey Campesino.
Always natural straw,
With one or two Xs,
No more, for there
Was not enough
Money for a finer hat.
The wide brim protected him
from el sol tremendo.
When relief from the sun was needed,
he dipped el sombrero
en el canal de agua fresca,
agua bendita.
It was his hat,
His entitlement to rank.
Each morning before leaving,
with hat in hand, he paused,
en frente del Santo San Antonio
y se persignó.
Y dijo, Que Dios bendiga
al patrón del labor.
When I was young, war was depicted eloquently by Hollywood. John Wayne was that nice Marine Sergeant in The Sands of Iwo Jima. And John Witmer made Marines look so good in Halls of Montezuma. The Marines stood tall and always the hero. I watched those movies on a small black and white TV set. I guess the blood, if there was any, did not leave a red stain. As a young kid I thought that becoming a Marine would make me a hero. I would leave this ranch and be hailed as the Hispanic who made something out of his life. So, I joined. I became like that Hollywood soldier. Well, I soon learned that John Wayne's war did not compare to reality. Hollywood used the reel to show only what they wanted. …
The Latino found no popular portrayal on the screen. Along with other minorities, the Hispanic was depicted as the weak individual. The Hispanic got the bullet in the head and lay dead on the battlefield. Seldom did the Hispanic lead a group of men or wear the officer's stripes. Coming home as a Latino did not help since I had been made to look like a peon. An insignificant part of the unpopular war. When the actors died on screen, they got up at the end of the scene. Had it only been that easy, had the bullets been made of rubber, then I would have felt better about my whole experience. Men were killed with real bullets. That was real. But they got a lot of other things wrong.
Hispanics did have an important role in the Vietnam war. Hispanics made contributions. Hispanics did shed their blood for the United States of America. We did our part and served with pride, especially us Marines. Semper Fi guided us. Besides coming home as invisible veterans, we came home with pride. Hispanics received forty-three Medals of Honor, and many other Hispanic Vietnam veterans have been decorated as well. We did not run like chickens that feared death as portrayed by Hollywood. Many became leaders and led platoons as point man through the jungles of Nam. As I did. Even if a Medal of Honor was not pinned, that pat on the back from my captain saying, “you did a great job leading your men” — that, to me, has meant a lot, even to this day.
“As a Vietnam veteran who also suffers from PTSD, I found the book relevant. It shows the outside world what we carry.”
“I loved every heartfelt depiction of how each family member was raised. Their very humble upbringing taught them so much — and through it all, they felt like they had it all.”
“A fun and heartfelt twist on The Three Little Pigs. Grandma's voice is full of warmth, wit, and love — familiar and new at the same time.”
“Only 85 pages, a short read, and one I couldn't put down. It deeply affected me on so many levels.”
“Interesting viewpoint. Thoroughly enjoyed the book. Grandmas are always right and always tell the truth.”
“It's difficult to put down once you begin reading — an unpretentious and extremely relatable read for anyone who grew up in a large family.”
“I was fully captivated. I could see my father in place of Oscar on each of his missions. I gained a deeper understanding of what war veterans carry.”
“An excellent book to use in a classroom to teach figurative language. Adults and children will enjoy every page.”
“I love the authenticity of how the book was written by the author. I would highly recommend it.”
“A very well organized book — a deep look into the actual thoughts and events of a Marine in combat.”
“A fantastic addition to the “fractured fairy tale” genre — perfect for readers who enjoy The True Story of the 3 Little Pigs.”
“The author made a story about family history and experiences very interesting. This book is a MUST READ.”
“An incredible story of what one Vietnam veteran went through — from Agent Orange to PTSD to coming home.”
“An entertaining account of the grandma's point of view. I shared it with my grandkids and they liked it!”
“A must read for anyone who has ever lived and grown up in the country. Our stories are so similar.”
“As the proud mother of a veteran who has dealt with PTSD, I believe this book will serve as an excellent resource.”
“Excellent version of the three pigs — so exciting as told by the grandma in a court setting. Excellent for children!”
“Intriguing from the get-go. After the first chapter I was hooked and couldn't put it down. He told Oscar's story so well.”
“I really enjoyed this book — an interesting twist to the regular story of The Three Little Pigs.”
“This book vividly describes how twelve siblings, living in the same environment, were each impacted differently by their childhood.”
“Oscar and his wife Norma are personal friends of mine, from our local VFW post. So excited about this book.”
“From an author and ex-colleague who gave so much of himself to education. Congratulations!”
I grew up in Arizona, near Mesa, one of twelve children. My parents came from Mexico and didn't have much. Money was short, and home was hard at times, but my mother kept us together. What our parents really gave us was their faith and each other, and I have spent my life trying to hold on to both.
I joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as a young man and served a mission. I met Patricia at Brigham Young University. We made our home in South Texas and raised our three children, Jennifer, Julissa, and Jonathon. I spent my career in the Weslaco schools, most of those years as an assistant principal. We have five grandchildren now, Joshua, Giles, Gerrard, Tatiana, and Julieta, and the house gets a lot louder when they come over. I wrote a poem about that.
I write so these stories don't get lost. Circle of Twelve is about my parents and my brothers and sisters. Hidden Enemy is about my brother Oscar and the war he carried home. I Saw It All I wrote for the grandkids. I have also been a 49ers fan my whole life. Steve Young, number 8.
