The concept for my newest release by The Wild Rose Press, Under the Tree of Life, a stand-alone book, had been perking in my subconscious for fifty years. After college I was with the Peace Corps in several capacities, one of which put me in countries where boy and girl soldiers were used as rebel forces. The unfortunate circumstances led me to formulate the premise of my book and over the years I wrote bits and pieces of the action/adventure tale. Luckily, TWRP Valor Series added the last incentive to complete the book.

The concepts for all my books have percolated for some time before they made it to publication. My first book, The Cottage on the Bay, took years to complete, but was published by Moonshine Cove in 2019. The book is historical fiction and tells the story of a one-time plantation matriarch, who lived outside Wilmington, NC. It follows her life from the Civil War, through Reconstruction, and the changing times of Southern culture.

The first book in my Black Mountain Mystery Series was published by Fire Star Press in 2020, the second in the series came out in 2022, the third in 2023, and the fourth 2025, by Indigo Sea Press. All the books are drawn from my experiences living in my adopted state of North Carolina and contain many facets of mountain life I have admired over the years.

In my new series, Cabana Bay, also from TWRP, I return to my roots as a Latino and weave the story of a single mother and her uncle, operating a motel on the gulf coast of Florida. The daily struggles with life and murder is the backdrop of the series that highlights a variety of cultural challenges in today’s society.

I just signed a publishing contract with Histria Books, an imprint of Simon Schuster, for a new book that had perked along in my thoughts since I was twelve years old and sat at my great grandmother’s side as she told me of her adventures in the Mexican Revolution of 1910. The book is a historical fictional account of her supposed exploits as an Adelita, explosives expert, riding for a time with Poncho Villa, and blowing up trains and bridges. This book will hopefully come out sometime in the fall of 2027.

Recently, an agent has signed me to find a home for another stand-alone dual timeline action/adventure book, the premise of which has been percolating since I traveled in North Africa during the seventies. Being an anthropology major, I brought a keen interest in Moroccan culture and that along with my interest in African artifacts, form the basis of this action/adventure murder mystery.

Currently, I am working on a book of literary fiction. The book showcases the Blanco family as it strives for equality in a small Southern town after adopting a little Black girl and tries to assimilate into a culture unused to diversity. It has been a challenge but rewarding, writing in an unfamiliar genre.

UNDER THE TREE OF LIFE
Genre: Traditional Mystery
Release: September 2025
Format: Print, Digital
Amazon | Barnes & Noble

After a brutal military coup shuts down a Central African country, Dr. Thema Book is hired to lead a medical mission to aid desperate villagers and is aided by a team of former special ops veterans along for protection.

Beneath a stand of Baobab trees, which the locals call the Tree of Life, Dr. Book and her crew are drawn into a civil war between villagers and the military. Treating the locals as well as wounded child soldiers puts the mission in jeopardy—while pitting crew members against each other.

Faced with the decision to run or stay, Dr. Book discovers her roots in the village stretch deeper than she thought possible. Thema decides to stay and with the help of the ops team, they fight for the people she’s come to love

About the author
I was born and raised in East Los Angeles. After graduating from college, I shipped overseas and spent five years with the Peace Corps. My first two years I spent teaching elementary school in a small African village without electricity, running water or indoor plumbing. I spent my evenings reading and writing by candlelight. This was also the first time in my life that I wrote for pleasure and I developed my love of writing. One short story I wrote about a leper and a blind boy, was bought by the BBC for world broadcast. Such an honor to hear my work broadcast to a world-wide audience. During this time, I wrote my first book length work, many of the scenes a direct reflection of my time in Africa. A version of it was published in 2025. Before I retired from full-time work, I was Director of Business Development for the city of Winston-Salem, NC, where I worked with entrepreneurs. Now I write full time and teach part-time in the local community college. Connect with me at www.rubendgonzales.com.