He has no money, no job, and no prospects for the future. Still, more than anything, Mike Montes just wants to get out of this town. After the tragic loss of his friend Danny, he's more determined than ever to experience life outside of Las Flores. But when the shocking truth behind Danny's death is revealed, Mike finds himself facing a difficult struggle-one that could change his life and the lives of everyone around him.
As a member of a new program designed to prepare bright kids from the barrio for successful careers, Mike can think of only one person he can turn to for help when things get out of control: the program director, Hector. But Hector is facing some demons of his own-targeted by a jealous lover, out for revenge, after an affair gone terribly wrong.
When the lives of these two Las Flores citizens collide, will they find a way out of the dangers that lie before them? A character-driven work of suspense, Sotol explores a high-stakes world of drugs, drama, and illicit connections, offering profound moments of hope and humor along the way.
About the Author: Sal Mirabal is a writer and counselor living in Los Angeles, California, with extensive experience providing therapy for at-risk youth.
A graduate of California State University, the University of Southern California, and Loyola Marymount University, he has earned master's degrees in education, counseling, and educational psychology.
Having gone from a world of little book learning to the world of university learning, Mirabal is able to see the world through a complex, dynamic lens, which he incorporates into the characterizations in his work. He received an honorable mention for his fiction at the Writers' Day Festival at Mt. San Antonio College.