The Ones Who Don't Stay, Paperback

The Ones Who Don't Stay takes readers on an inspiring and heartwarming journey from a small Colombian town to life in the fast lane of Los Angeles as a mother and daughter struggle to overcome war, poverty, and heartbreak and learn to survive on their own. This intimate, epic tale begins in the early 1970s with Mariana, the seventeen-year-old daughter of one of the richest and most powerful families in Buga, Colombia, who falls deeply in love with Antonio, the humble son of a fisherman. Cast out by their families, the young couple and their two small children leave behind a country ravaged by a never-ending war, seeking a better life in the United States. But their American dream soon turns into a nightmare and, desperate to save her daughter, Mariana must find the strength to make the most painful decision a mother could ever face, before it's too late.

About the Author:

Paola Mendoza is an actress, director, screenwriter and author. As an actress she has starred in many critically acclaimed films, SANGRE DE MI SANGRE (Jury Award Sundance Film Festival), ENTRE NOS (Honorable mention Tribeca Film Festival) and ON THE OUTS (Toronto Film Festival) are her favorites. As a director she was named one of Filmmaker Magazine 25 New Faces of Independent Film. She has directed both short and feature length films, ENTRE NOS, HALF OF HER, AUTUMN'S EYES, and LA TOMA have been embraced by the most prestigious film festivals around the world. Sundance Film Festival, Toronto International Film Festival, Berlinale, Tribeca Film Festival, Full Frame and South By South West have all supported Ms. Mendoza's work. Ms. Mendoza was a nominee for the 2008 & 2010 NALIP Estel Awards, given to Latino filmmakers that show extraordinary promise in the field of directing. Ms. Mendoza most recently finished writing her first novel entitle, THE ONES WHO DON'T STAY which was published in Spanish by Penguin Books in the Summer of 2013.