Finding Seguridad

by Allison K. Garcia

Tagline:
How do you feel safe when chaos is ever-present?

Book Summary:

Eight-year old Emanuel and his mother, Ana, had finally begun to understand what it meant to be a family when a domestic violence situation caused them to flee their home. Now they need to start over, this time with things more dangerous than ever.

Carlos’ life, as he knew it, was ripped away from him in an instant. Furious about his arrest yet longing for the familiar, he has to choose between winning Ana back and taking revenge.

As Lauren and Peter begin their awakening to systemic racism, their world is shattered and replaced with doubt. Questions about what is real versus what lies they’ve been told lead them to ponder how their faith fits into their new reality.

In this time of grief and loss, who will they turn to for support and safety?

207 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 1, 2020

About the author

Allison K. Garcia is a Licensed Professional Counselor, but she has wanted to be a writer ever since she could hold a pencil. She is a member of Shenandoah Valley Writers, Virginia Writers Club, the Author Transformation Alliance, and is a Municipal Liaison for Shenandoah Valley NaNoWriMo.

Allison's short story, "At Heart," was published in the Winter 2013 edition of From the Depths literary magazine, along with her flash fiction. Her work, "You Shall Receive," was published in GrayHaven Comics's 2014 All Women's anthology. Winning an honorary mention in the ACFW Virginia 2015 short story contest, "Just Another Navidad" was published in A bit of Christmas. Allison's novel Vivir el Dream has finaled in 4 awards: the 2016 ACFW Genesis Contest, 2018 Eric J. Hoffer Montaigne Medal, 2018 Eric J. Hoffer Ebook Honorable Mention, 2018 IAN Book of the Year Award in the Christian/Religious Fiction category, and 1st place in the 2018 Royal Dragonfly Awards Ebook Cultural Fiction category. In 2018, her highly-anticipated novel, Finding Amor, was released, and her novella "Navidad & Familia" was featured in the boxed set A Merry Navidad. Finding Seguridad and Finding Paz completed the Buscando Home series in 2021. Allison has ten more novels in the wings.

Allison's queer Christian short stories were featured in the ATA anthologies: The Heart of the Season and March for Justice, and her queer Christian poetry was featured in Reconstructing Christmas: An Anthology.

Latina at heart, Allison has been featured in local newspapers, radio stations, universities, and national podcasts for her writing and for her connections in the Latino community in Harrisonburg, Virginia. A participant in several pro-immigrant and pro-LGBTQ rallies and other events in her region, Allison also loves her church and enjoys spending time with her wife, Melissa, and their three children, Maggie, Lizzy, and Miguel.

Reviews

[Raelee Carpenter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Allison's books are always hits with me, and Finding Seguridad was no exception. I'm already waiting for the next one!

[Lydia Catherine · Rating 4 out of 5]

As someone with c-ptsd from dv exposure (with other aces too) as a child, I think Allison does an amazing job of describing the inner workings of a trauma survivor's mind.

[Sally · Rating 5 out of 5]

Finding Seguridad-which means security or safety, is an authentic story of Ana and Emmanuel’s plight, from physical violence to finding faith in the midst of your battles. Allison’s writing draws the reader into the characters’ lives. I love how she presents what happens or affects a group of people in a way that opens my eyes to what they face on a daily basis that I don’t think or know about. When I took diversity classes, I called it unintentional obliviousness. I didn’t know others faced things so different than what I face or know about. But in the past several months, it has become clear that even unintentional obliviousness is not acceptable. It’s all right there. You have to go look, read, discover, for yourself what others are going through, experiencing, and then do your part to make it better. Allison’s descriptions make me care for the characters. You’ll be drawn into the story, come to care for the characters, and will want the rest of the story.

I love getting the different viewpoints of the characters and they having different and real perspectives.

[Brenda S.]

I love this series by Allison Garcia. Her characters are people you may know or see in your neighborhood, church, school - anywhere!

Her plot lines remind me of Upton Sinclair's novel "The Jungle". You root for the hero/heroine and hope for the best for them. With lots of societal and emotional problems to deal with, you're just not sure how things will get resolved.

This book for me made me feel like I was among friends. I found myself lingering toward the end of the book knowing that it was a cliffhanger! At the end you knew you were saying goodbye, and anticipating meeting them again in the next book to hear about their days.

(I was fortunate to be a proof reader for the book-I got the inside scoop!)

[Karina Vazquez · Rating 5 out of 5]

Allison has a style of writing that makes you feel as if you were one of the characters, as a Hispanic with a mental illness, it resonated with me on a level that not any other book could.

[Maria · Rating 4 out of 5]

She's done it again -- Garcia has written a great squeal for the Buscando Home series. She tackles so many issues and weaves them seamlessly throughout her different characters. I appreciate the thread of Christian principles that are in all of her writing. Of course, there is a major cliff hanger at the end and now I cannot wait for the third book!

[C.D. Gill · Rating 4 out of 5]

Timely, honest, and challenging in the best way. A mother fights to keep herself and her son from abuse. A couple questions everything they've been taught. A boy wrestles with guilt and doubt.

We can feel these emotions at the core of our humanity. These characters are very relatable.