Agave Marias: Border Crossers, Boundary Breakers by the Lake Chapala Women Writers

Cogan’s Reviews Here’s an unusual volume with ten individual authors, each of whom is independent of the other nine except for the fact they all reside – either full or part-time – in the Lake Chapala area of Mexico. Their book consists of some 45 or more pieces of fiction and non-fiction plus a poem […]

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First flight – an excerpt from the book: Agave Marias

– an excerpt from the book: “Agave Marias – border crossers, boundary breakers.” by various authors. My reprobate pilot is a doctor. His own health problems prompted early retirement to Mexico. When he couldn’t pass a health exam for a new flying license, he changed a 3 to an 8 on the expiration date of […]

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Maid in Mexico – an excerpt from the book: Agave Marias

– an excerpt from the book: “Agave Marias – border crossers, boundary breakers.” by various authors. When I refer to “my Mexican maid,” my Canadian friends cringe. I suspect they picture a stooped crone in a shawl, scrubbing my floors on her hands and arthritic knees. Lupita is young, a handsome woman with strong features, […]

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Going for a Mexican ride – an excerpt from the book: Agave Marias

– an excerpt from the book: “Agave Marias” by various authors. I’m sorry your husband couldn’t come today. He’s a much better driver than you are. No offense, its just that, generally speaking, women aren’t very good drivers. Watch out for that kid on the bike. Driving in Mexico here, its not easy, especially for […]

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Three señoras named Lola – an excerpt from the book Agave Marias

– an excerpt from the book: “Agave Marias – border crossers, boundary breakers.” by various authors. Two things the three señoras had in common were poverty and pain. Even their names, Dolores, meaning pains, seemed to cast a grim prognostication on their lives. Their informal names of Lola did nothing to lighten their load. Lola […]

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The delivery – an excerpt from the book: Agave Marias

– an excerpt from the book: “Agave Marias – border crossers, boundary breakers.” by various authors. Giving birth is difficult enough with one woman involved; imagine when it takes ten. We conceived of this anthology in October of 2004. We had no instruction manual to follow, no physician to monitor our pregnancy, check our blood […]

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The lady is a tramp – an excerpt from the book: Agave Marias

Alejandro stands on the far side of the chain-link fence with a dead kid at his feet. This morning there is no smile, no buenos dias, no offers of zucchini, only a scowl and a gesture of dismay, intimating that I should appreciate the severity of my problem. Within minutes I realize that he’s been sent to […]

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The Virgin dialogue – an excerpt from the book: Agave Marias

– an excerpt from the book: “Agave Marias – border crossers, boundary breakers.” by various authors. The objects in my house have become a form of dialogue between my housekeeper Yolanda and me. I put things in places where they are artistically pleasing to me. That is why the Virgin of Guadalupe has resided for […]

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Dresses. © Marisa Burton 2018.

La Quinceañera: a celebration of budding womanhood

The transition from childhood to womanhood is a significant passage for adolescent girls in almost all cultures. In Mexico, it is marked with the celebration of the Quinceañera, or 15th Birthday. From a north-of-the-border viewpoint, it may be seen as a cross between Sweet Sixteen and a debutante’s coming out party. The celebration is a […]

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