Member: watermark-beth

Hi Beth! Did you ever receive the book The Road From La Cueva? I hope so, and hope you get a chance to review. Please call me at 505 660 7275 if you haven't received, or e-mail at sortego@sfccnm.edu While I'm at it (sending you this note) I want to say I really like the 'Rabbit' books by John Updike (you note that you're reading 'Rabbit Redux'). I took a course years ago called 'The American Male' (a sociology-type honors seminar at the University of New Mexico) and these were some of the books we read - along with Norman Mailer books, etc. I want to read one called 'Rabbit is Rich' which I haven't gotten around to yet, but I've heard good things about.

posted by sortego at 10:16 pm (EST) on Apr 25, 2009

Hi Beth,
The Road From La Cueva is published by Sunstone Press in Santa Fe, New Mexico - you can reach them at orders@sunstonepress.com or read more about my book on my blog: wwww.sheila-novel.blogspot.com
or contact me - I'd be happy to send you a signed copy. I'm at sortego@sfccnm.edu

Thanks!

posted by sortego at 11:14 pm (EST) on Nov 29, 2008

Hi Beth, and Thanks!

The publisher is Sunstone Press in Santa Fe, New Mexico. I can send you a copy if you like, or you can contact Carl Condit at Sunstone Press - orders@sunstonepress.com

Or me - at sortego@sfccnm.edu or 505 660 7275

Also, my publicist is Melissa Weiner, straydogmedia@gmail.com

posted by sortego at 6:42 am (EST) on Nov 19, 2008

Beth,
I read your nice comments about The Rug Merchant and it made me think you might be interested in my book and in helping get the word out about it. I'll be at the Southern Festival of Books in Nashville with the book in October. In the meantime, I'm watching activity here on LibraryThing and don't see a lot of attention yet. You seem to be very connected, and I would be honored to have you 'talk up' my book (which my publisher is trying to sell paperback rights for at the moment) in any venue possible. Here is a copy of some of the reviews on my book (from Amazon.com) and I do have the book listed here on LibraryThing. The name is The Road From La Cueva, and I'm Sheila Ortego - sortego@sfccnm.edu Thanks for considering!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
Courageous Survival, April 17, 2008
By Theresa M. Studer "Terra57" (Hopedale, MA USA) - See all my reviews


"Reviewed for Front Street Reviews"

The Road from La Cueva by Sheila Ortego is such a wonderful read. It was short, far from sweet and to the point without all the added fluff and filler you will find in most books. This book could pertain to any number of women around the world in trouble.

Ana Howland is an almost to perfect woman for a fiction novel. She's a wife, mother, friend, daughter and lover. Lacking self esteem, being depressed, feeling trapped and scared to death keeps her in a marriage of hardship.

The story is a journey through a year of Ana's life and of the changes that come from a welcoming hand out of the blue. Each day, week, month offer up steps forward and steps backward while Ana tries so hard to find the tiniest morsel of courage to make the right decisions for her and her daughter.

Ana is in an abusive controlling marriage with the constant threat of danger at every turn she makes. What she thought would be a life long loving relationship has been anything but. The only kindness her husband does show is to their young daughter and she wonders how much of that is true.

A stranger comes along and offers her salvation but at what cost. A neighbor becomes friends with her on such a deep level that Ana's husband is jealous and forbids her to stay friends with this person. Both of these people help Ana see that life is not always what you're handed and you can change the outcome. All you need to do is ask for help but does she have the courage and will she escape unscathed.

The author of this book deserves the best of reviews for this touching, heart melting story that could be of any one of our lives. The novel seems too real to be a work of fiction and I wonder how much is fact and how much is truly fiction. I would give this a 5 star rating because it captured me, educated me and let me see that there are true friends and love out there, you only have to reach for them.
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
Review from Alex Pattakos, March 24, 2008
By Lynn Ruth "Lynn" (Taos, NM) - See all my reviews



Here's a review from Alex Pattakos, author of Prisoners of Our Thoughts:

The Road from La Cueva"A powerful and passionate story about the defiance of the human spirit! The Road from La Cueva is an existential drama that needs to be read by anyone who has ever questioned the deeper meaning of their life's circumstances. In an engaging and empowering style, Dr. Sheila Ortego takes us on an adventurous road trip through the hills and valleys of the human experience. And she does it with characters with whom we can all resonate on some level! Here's an intimate, authentic account of the struggle within that all of us, as human beings, must face in our everyday lives." Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
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Highly recommended to romance fans , June 6, 2008
By Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

A problem many people face in life - the continuing security of the way things are - or the leap for a much better existence. "The Road From La Cueva" is Ana Howland's problem of facing this - a sheltered life as a housewife under a controlling husband, or her affair with a man who seems to truly love and respect her - but would lead to problems in itself. Ana must overcome these problems and somehow find a resolution - deftly told by Sheila Ortego. "The Road from La Cueva" is highly recommended to romance fans and community library collections catering to the genre. Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
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A Real Story of the Power from Within!, May 9, 2008
By Beverly (Houston, Texas) - See all my reviews

"The Road from La Cueva" not only brings alive the dynamic wilderness of New Mexico, but also the power of a young woman's drive to turn her life around. With many an obstacle to conquer, Dr. Ortego leads us through Ana's journey to untie the knots within--something all women can relate to. Her vivid pictures of day-to-day life tell the story of finding oneself somewhere you don't want to be and the way out, no matter how difficult the journey. Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
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Wonderfully told story, April 28, 2008
By C. Vigil (Denver CO) - See all my reviews


The book is very well written. I enjoyed imagining the vivid scenery and the allegorical imagery that is presented in different sections throughout. Even though the subject matter is a very serious issue faced by millions of women every day, the author approaches it with triumph and encouragement to all. Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
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Ana's journey to independence, April 26, 2008
By Joanne T. Davis "JTDavis" (Columbia, MD) - See all my reviews


I enjoyed every minute spent reading this story. Sheila Ortego has created an exceptional woman with whom the reader can take the journey to personal independence. Along the way, experience a bit of New Mexican geography, the richness of American Indian traditions, the magic of pottery making, and especially the confluence of the amazing characters. This is a wonderful book!

posted by sortego at 8:55 pm (EST) on Sep 9, 2008