Junkyard Girl

"An astonishing tale, told by a gifted storyteller. Beautifully written, emotionally engaging and unrestrained in its intimacy...as heartbreaking as it is heartfelt."-Jay Rabinowitz, ACE, award-winning motion picture editor of Requiem for a Dream Carlyn Montes De Oca grew up surrounded by secrets. She never knew her dad was a Marine during World War II or that her grandmother hired kidnappers to bring her mother back home after her parents eloped. Her parents took an even bigger secret to their graves... Carlyn's identity. In 2019, at age 57, a consumer DNA test taken for fun revealed that Carlyn's mom and dad, immigrants from Mexico, were not her biological parents. In that instant, Carlyn felt her world shatter. This revelation fueled a year long journey to find the answers to "Who the hell am I and where do I belong?" Junkyard Girl explores the powerful impact of long-held secrets and the complex relationships between immigrant mothers and their native-born daughters. This is a coming-of-age story later in life; a tale about loss and discovery, betrayal and forgiveness, and the true meaning of an American family.

CARLYN MONTES DE OCA is a #1 Amazon bestselling award-winning author, international speaker, passionate animal advocate, and animal-human health expert. A former film editor on such movies as Honey, I Shrunk the Kids and Three Men and a Little Lady, Carlyn holds a bachelor's degree from Loyola Marymount University in communication arts and a master's degree in Traditional Chinese Medicine from Emperor's College. She is also certified in plant-based nutrition from the T. Colin Campbell Center for Nutritional Studies at Cornell University.Montes De Oca was voted PETA's Sexiest Vegetarian Over 50 and has been a spokesperson for the Guardian Campaign at In Defense of Animals. Today, she is the founder of The Animal-Human Health Connection, offering workshops, webinars, and health and wellness coaching. As a sought-after speaker, Carlyn frequently talks with community groups, animal shelters, non-profits, corporations and at national and international conferences on the powerful ways we can improve health, happiness, and longevity through our connection to our animal companions. Recently, Carlyn gave a powerful TEDx talk entitled,The Life-Changing Power of the Animal-Human Health Connection.A longtime resident of Northern California, Carlyn now lives in Santa Fe, New Mexico with her husband, Ken Fischer, an award-winning sound editor, and her beloved rescue dog, Grace. For more information visit Carlyn@ www.animalhumanhealth.com