Author of "Waiting on Zapote Street" and "Candela's Secrets and Other Havana Stories," Betty Viamontes was born in Havana, Cuba. At age fifteen, she and her family immigrated to the United States during the massive Mariel exodus. Her two novels, "Waiting on Zapote Street" and "The Dance of the Rose," are memoir-style, autobiographical stories based on true events. She wrote the first one as a promise to her mother, who passed away in 2011. "Waiting on Zapote Street," a novel that continues to expand its international reach and has received excellent reviews, takes place in Cuba during the years the family was separated, and allows readers to experience life in Cuba during the first two decades of Castro's revolution, since its triumph in 1959. This novel has been selected for reading by a United Nations book club and multiple others. It has also been recognized by Latino Authors by one of the top ten books of 2016. "The Dance of the Rose" starts where Betty's first book ends and takes place primarily in Tampa, Florida, as the family, now reunited, fights to achieve the American dream while trying to remain whole. Betty Viamontes completed graduate studies at the University of South Florida. Her work has appeared in multiple literary magazines and newspapers.