About the Author

Jacqueline Mendez was born and raised in Brownsville Texas. Although a newcomer to the writing arena she is no stranger to the written word. For many years, her writing gathered dust in child-hood diaries, old notebooks and high school graded papers, before she decided to dive in to the world of publishing. Jacqueline's writing credits are two pieces published in the Chicken Soup for the Latino Soul-- "Grandma's Recipe" and "Bridge to Freedom". Her play, Promises-- a story about a young man in prison who is on a mission to redeem his sister who is headed down the same destructive path-- won a superior status award at the 2004 UIL One-Act middle school play with the San Antonio Independent School District. She is a retired schoolteacher with a Bachelor's in Liberal Arts and a Masters in Education. She was an educator for fifteen years, teaching people from all walks of life and working with children of all age groups. Heart of the Jaguar is the first of three young adult novels, with its sequel already in the works.

About the Book

“Heart of the Jaguar” is a compelling story in which Mexican folklore mixes with the modern day life of a young girl living in the fictional border town of South Bay. The writer takes the mythical fi gure called La Llorona (the weeping woman), who is feared by children, and gives her a new meaning in the story. The young heroine, Nina, discovers that she has a past that links her to La Llorona, and that strong connection helps her to overcome her battered childhood and the traumas that she underwent while living with her abusive stepfather. “Heart of the Jaguar” is a novel that appeals to both adults and adolescents, male and female alike. Flashbacks into the once supreme ancient Aztec civilization bring back to life that now extinct culture that fi ercely ruled above other races at the time. The writer carefully crafts two separate plots that unite at the end of the story, in a battle, at the paradise of lost souls.