DREAM,
SWEET DREAMS
OF YOU
RICHARD “RICK” STEVEN VASQUEZ
“Dream, Sweet Dreams of You”
is available in Audio, Audio downloads and Paperback.
“Just show them your heart and they will see your soul.”
Dream, Sweet Dreams of You, is a diverse love story, with a background of social injustice to Latinos, bad decisions, adultery, compassion and most important forgiveness. Through this story you will suffer the anguish, the heartache that Rafella had to endure. Through the Juan character, we will live through his days of glory giving up his family for power, money and fame.
Juan and Rafella were my Grandparents. When I was twenty-five years old Rafella asked me to write her story. I accepted and even though I had no ideal of the life of struggles each of them lived through, I was entrusted with writing their story. I finished the actual story over a two-year time period. However, it took me forty years to get it published.
BOOK TRAILER
Dream, Sweet Dreams of You by Rick Vasquez and Leslie Joy Vasquez
MAIN CHARACTERS
Rafella Botiller Mendoza (Vasquez)
Rafella was the daughter of a large California Rancher. Their land engulfed a lot of the now existing Calabasas, California. Rafella fell in love with a young man Juan Mendoza and gave up her rights to her family in order to marry Juan.
Juan Castillo Mendoza (Vasquez)
Juan Mendoza, the author’s grandfather, was raised in Sonora Town, Los Angeles, California. He fell in love with Rafella the first time he saw her in front of his neighborhood church.
1914 Sonora Town, Los Angeles, California.
Senor Sanchez, a resident of Sonora Town in the mist of a town meeting: “Amigos, are you suggesting that we riot and war with the Anglos? That we draw weapons and risk our family’s lives? And what about when they retaliate? We are banditos in America’s eyes. The whole country will come against us… No, I can’t put my family in this situation and neither can you. We need to help each other. We must survive as neighbors, and family, until we can show the gringos we can support our own. We can’t solve anything with violence.”
Juan lifted Rafella’s wedding veil and kissed his wife. Rafella blushed and smiled. He pulled her close and whispered. “I love you Mrs. Mendosa.
1928 San Francisco, California
“The police are going to raid the club tonight.” Eva repeated. “Father arranged that only the warehouse workers will be arrested. All the important people will escape out the front door. “ Eva snickered. “Father would be out of business if any of his cliental were ever arrested.”
“Fernando,” Juan screamed from within.
Eva looked at him curiously, “Who?”
Juan stood up “I have to warn Fernando.”
Eva grabbed his arm. “You can’t go back. you’ll be arrested with the rest of them.”
Juan shock her off and opened the door. “I am like the rest of them.”
1914 Westlake School for Ladies.
Juan lifted Rafella’s wedding veil and kissed his wife. Rafella blushed and smiled. He pulled her closed and whispered. “I love you Mrs. Mendosa.