The Duchess

And Other Stories

My sister, Jovita Corral Gamboa, passed away recently. She was a very special person who embodied kindness, caring, love, and grace. She had a heart that knew no bounds and the capacity to give generously of herself to anyone lucky enough to have known her. On my part, I shared an extraordinary bond with her growing up, and my earliest memories of her were a constant source of comfort, support, and a nourishing spirit. That continued as she remained an integral part of my life, sharing every joy and challenge and providing me with countless memories I will always treasure. As a writer, I used her as a real-life inspiration for numerous characters in pieces of fiction I've done over the years. These were spread out in various collections of short stories until now. I have gathered them in this book and included three original stories. In honoring her in this way, I am sharing a small portion of her legacy of love, charity, and devotion that she provided to me and, in some small way, keeps her spirit alive in others.