Women's Fiction
![Johanna Rojas Vann - [object Object] author](https://res.cloudinary.com/readsomnia/image/upload/authors/a_B0BZ78GJMG.jpg)
An American Immigrant: A Novel
A Colombian American journalist tries to save her career by taking an assignment somewhere she never thought she'd go-Colombia-in this heartwarming debut novel about rediscovering our family stories.
"A beautiful homage to a mother's bravery and to the grace and grit that is our inheritance."-Alicia Menendez, MSNBC anchor and creator and host of the Latina to Latina podcast
Twenty-five-year-old Melanie Carvajal, a hardworking but struggling journalist for a Miami newspaper, loves her Colombian mother but regularly ignores her phone calls, frustrated that she never quite takes the time to understand Melanie's life. When the opportunity arises for a big assignment that might save her flagging career, Melanie follows the story to the land of her mother's birth. She soon realizes Colombia has the potential to connect her, after all these years, to something she's long ignored: her heritage, the love of her mother, her family, and the richest parts of herself.
Colombia offers more than a chance to make a name for herself as a writer. It is a place of untold stories.
Inspired by real-life events, An American Immigrant is a story of culture and community, of abiding commitment to family, and of embracing our culture and the generations that have come before.
"A beautiful homage to a mother's bravery and to the grace and grit that is our inheritance."-Alicia Menendez, MSNBC anchor and creator and host of the Latina to Latina podcast
Twenty-five-year-old Melanie Carvajal, a hardworking but struggling journalist for a Miami newspaper, loves her Colombian mother but regularly ignores her phone calls, frustrated that she never quite takes the time to understand Melanie's life. When the opportunity arises for a big assignment that might save her flagging career, Melanie follows the story to the land of her mother's birth. She soon realizes Colombia has the potential to connect her, after all these years, to something she's long ignored: her heritage, the love of her mother, her family, and the richest parts of herself.
Colombia offers more than a chance to make a name for herself as a writer. It is a place of untold stories.
Inspired by real-life events, An American Immigrant is a story of culture and community, of abiding commitment to family, and of embracing our culture and the generations that have come before.
Editorial Reviews
"A beautiful homage to a mother's bravery and the grace and grit that is our inheritance. An American Immigrant is a clarion call to water our roots and refuse to allow those we love to be lost in translation."-Alicia Menendez, MSNBC anchor and creator and host of Latina to Latina podcast
"In a yearning and humbling journey to the place of her mother's birth, a fictional Miami journalist discovers her innermost worth by yielding to family truth, creative courage, and cultural clarity-which she needs to give both her heart and the hard world her authentic best. An enchanting, brave, and uplifting story of discovery, family love, and determined hope."-Patricia Raybon, Christy Award–winning author of the Annalee Spain Mystery series and My First White Friend: Confessions on Race, Love, and Forgiveness
"In An American Immigrant, Johanna Rojas Vann delivers a powerful exploration of the risks we face in pursuit of a better life. By weaving a compelling and emotional tale, she offers readers a fresh examination of identity, truth, generational sacrifice, and the real meaning of home. Ideal for book clubs, this story will have people talking."-Julie Cantrell, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of Perennials
"Johanna Rojas Vann takes readers on a journey that brings about knowledge, empathy, relatability, connection, and empowerment. The food and culture made me want to dig up recipes and follow in Melanie's shoes in An American Immigrant and celebrate the blessings God brings us. Readers don't want to miss this uplifting story!"-Toni Shiloh, Christy Award–winning author
"Not only does An American Immigrant celebrate tradition and cultural exploration, but it is a captivating journey of self-discovery that serves as a powerful reminder that it's never too late to go after your dreams on your own terms. Melanie's story is a must-read for anyone wanting to understand the power of family and the true meaning of home."-Courtney Dyksterhouse, media personality and former news anchor
"I don't ...
"In a yearning and humbling journey to the place of her mother's birth, a fictional Miami journalist discovers her innermost worth by yielding to family truth, creative courage, and cultural clarity-which she needs to give both her heart and the hard world her authentic best. An enchanting, brave, and uplifting story of discovery, family love, and determined hope."-Patricia Raybon, Christy Award–winning author of the Annalee Spain Mystery series and My First White Friend: Confessions on Race, Love, and Forgiveness
"In An American Immigrant, Johanna Rojas Vann delivers a powerful exploration of the risks we face in pursuit of a better life. By weaving a compelling and emotional tale, she offers readers a fresh examination of identity, truth, generational sacrifice, and the real meaning of home. Ideal for book clubs, this story will have people talking."-Julie Cantrell, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of Perennials
"Johanna Rojas Vann takes readers on a journey that brings about knowledge, empathy, relatability, connection, and empowerment. The food and culture made me want to dig up recipes and follow in Melanie's shoes in An American Immigrant and celebrate the blessings God brings us. Readers don't want to miss this uplifting story!"-Toni Shiloh, Christy Award–winning author
"Not only does An American Immigrant celebrate tradition and cultural exploration, but it is a captivating journey of self-discovery that serves as a powerful reminder that it's never too late to go after your dreams on your own terms. Melanie's story is a must-read for anyone wanting to understand the power of family and the true meaning of home."-Courtney Dyksterhouse, media personality and former news anchor
"I don't ...
Short Excerpt Teaser
Chapter 1
2018 Miami
Melanie
"Mmm, it's still warm," Melanie whispered as she brushed a copy of the Miami Herald across her cheek.
"What are you doing?"
She jumped and turned around to find Rick, the overnight security guard, sitting up from behind the receptionist's desk.
"Rick! You scared me. What are you doing kicked back on Amanda's desk?" Melanie folded the newspaper and tucked it underneath her arm. "She'll be in any minute and I do not want to know what she'd do to you if she saw your grungy boots near her Chinese money plant."
Rick kicked his feet off the desk and meandered across the lobby to a less comfortable post. "Ah, she doesn't scare me. So, do you always sniff newspapers when you think no one's looking?"
"Do you always take naps at Amanda's desk when you're on the clock?"
"Touché."
"I won't tell Amanda what I witnessed if we never speak of this again," Melanie said with a wink. She reached for her badge, which she kept attached to the belt loop of her pants at all times. The day HR handed her this badge was the day she became the first to arrive and the last to leave the newsroom each day. It was her first year on the job, and she had a lot to prove. This year especially would be crucial to her future success-there's no way she'd allow another rookie reporter to outperform her.
"Deal."
When she opened the door, a gust of air from the frigid newsroom tousled her cola-colored pin-straight hair-the perfect accessory for a confident strut to her desk.
Could this morning get any better?
She wore her favorite pair of black twill pants-the ones she'd bought at the J. Crew Factory the day she signed her offer letter-and had even splurged on a vanilla latte from Starbucks. The occasion warranted a fancy coffee drink, despite her having a slim thirty-five dollars in her bank account.
It didn't matter. Not when this was the morning she'd been waiting for. All her hard work had paid off, and now it was time for the best part: to see her byline closer to the front page of the Herald. Her articles-usually local stories no one else wanted to cover-were often published somewhere between pages ten and fourteen. But not today. She'd overheard the page editors discussing placing her article closer to the front because of the big interview she'd landed with the attorney general.
When Melanie reached her desk, she laid out the crisp newspaper on top. She smoothed out the front and slowly flipped through the various pages. Every part of her wanted to find her name as quickly as possible, but she knew better than to turn the pages with too much force.
Melanie loved the way a newspaper felt in her hands. The gentle weight of it. The crinkling sound that reminded her to be careful. The way it bent to the rhythm of her fingers. Opening a fresh copy each morning was like a meditative practice that never got old.
Only, suddenly, she felt pulled away from this calming ritual. She'd come to the middle of the newspaper and hadn't found her article.
She furrowed her eyebrows and tilted her head.
Maybe it's a little deeper in.
She turned a few more pages.
After another skim, she still came up empty.
Maybe I missed it. I must be so excited I'm missing it right before my eyes.
Okay . . . let's start again from the beginning.
When, again, she didn't see her story, she took a deep breath and decided to look through the entire paper once more.
Nothing. No headline. No byline. No story.
Her heart rate sped up and her cheeks became hot to the touch. She reached for her phone underneath the newspaper, launched her browser, and went to the paper's website to find out if the digital version of her article was missing too.
No trace of it online either.
Her arms stiffened and her hand formed a fist. To protect the paper, she had to step away for a moment or she might crumple it in her hands and toss it in the trash. She backed away from her desk and marched toward the bathroom while her mind raced with all the possible reasons her article could be missing from both print and online.
In the privacy of a stall, she retraced her steps in her mind.
Did I forget to give Ignacio the updated version? No. Can't be. I r...
2018 Miami
Melanie
"Mmm, it's still warm," Melanie whispered as she brushed a copy of the Miami Herald across her cheek.
"What are you doing?"
She jumped and turned around to find Rick, the overnight security guard, sitting up from behind the receptionist's desk.
"Rick! You scared me. What are you doing kicked back on Amanda's desk?" Melanie folded the newspaper and tucked it underneath her arm. "She'll be in any minute and I do not want to know what she'd do to you if she saw your grungy boots near her Chinese money plant."
Rick kicked his feet off the desk and meandered across the lobby to a less comfortable post. "Ah, she doesn't scare me. So, do you always sniff newspapers when you think no one's looking?"
"Do you always take naps at Amanda's desk when you're on the clock?"
"Touché."
"I won't tell Amanda what I witnessed if we never speak of this again," Melanie said with a wink. She reached for her badge, which she kept attached to the belt loop of her pants at all times. The day HR handed her this badge was the day she became the first to arrive and the last to leave the newsroom each day. It was her first year on the job, and she had a lot to prove. This year especially would be crucial to her future success-there's no way she'd allow another rookie reporter to outperform her.
"Deal."
When she opened the door, a gust of air from the frigid newsroom tousled her cola-colored pin-straight hair-the perfect accessory for a confident strut to her desk.
Could this morning get any better?
She wore her favorite pair of black twill pants-the ones she'd bought at the J. Crew Factory the day she signed her offer letter-and had even splurged on a vanilla latte from Starbucks. The occasion warranted a fancy coffee drink, despite her having a slim thirty-five dollars in her bank account.
It didn't matter. Not when this was the morning she'd been waiting for. All her hard work had paid off, and now it was time for the best part: to see her byline closer to the front page of the Herald. Her articles-usually local stories no one else wanted to cover-were often published somewhere between pages ten and fourteen. But not today. She'd overheard the page editors discussing placing her article closer to the front because of the big interview she'd landed with the attorney general.
When Melanie reached her desk, she laid out the crisp newspaper on top. She smoothed out the front and slowly flipped through the various pages. Every part of her wanted to find her name as quickly as possible, but she knew better than to turn the pages with too much force.
Melanie loved the way a newspaper felt in her hands. The gentle weight of it. The crinkling sound that reminded her to be careful. The way it bent to the rhythm of her fingers. Opening a fresh copy each morning was like a meditative practice that never got old.
Only, suddenly, she felt pulled away from this calming ritual. She'd come to the middle of the newspaper and hadn't found her article.
She furrowed her eyebrows and tilted her head.
Maybe it's a little deeper in.
She turned a few more pages.
After another skim, she still came up empty.
Maybe I missed it. I must be so excited I'm missing it right before my eyes.
Okay . . . let's start again from the beginning.
When, again, she didn't see her story, she took a deep breath and decided to look through the entire paper once more.
Nothing. No headline. No byline. No story.
Her heart rate sped up and her cheeks became hot to the touch. She reached for her phone underneath the newspaper, launched her browser, and went to the paper's website to find out if the digital version of her article was missing too.
No trace of it online either.
Her arms stiffened and her hand formed a fist. To protect the paper, she had to step away for a moment or she might crumple it in her hands and toss it in the trash. She backed away from her desk and marched toward the bathroom while her mind raced with all the possible reasons her article could be missing from both print and online.
In the privacy of a stall, she retraced her steps in her mind.
Did I forget to give Ignacio the updated version? No. Can't be. I r...
