Author Description

Letters to Paola is a mother’s love story for her only child as she writes from the hospital bed of a psychiatric unit. The book jumps back and forth between different time zones as to the life of the mother, an eccentric character, living life to the fullest without skipping a beat. It touches upon two romances in her life; the first the love of her life, which is Paola’s father. The second was an Italian lover whom she dated back in college and managed to communicate with just not long ago via an internet app. Although not getting into medical terms, for she can only testify to her personal experience of her mental illness, she touches upon the ability to be successful due to her resilience of everyday living. She hopes that by her testimony, others who are going through similar experiences in their life can make sense of everything surrounding them, and eventually seek professional help as needed so they can provide for their families accordingly and be the best that they can be. About the author: Colombian born and emigrated to the states at an early age, Beatriz Elena Castaño Chavarriaga experimented with different art forms concentrating in the visual arts. A love for painting was infused by her junior high school teacher, Mr. Lee Olshan, who took her under his wing. Music, dance, and books are among the things that still move and influence her world.