Local Santa Barbara Author Patricia Selbert’s Novel, The House of Six Doors, Premieres February 22
Local author Patricia Selbert’s debut novel, The House of Six Doors, will launch on February 22, 2011. The first book signing on an international book tour will be held on Friday, February 25, from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm at the Faulkner Gallery, at the Santa Barbara Library, downtown.
The book launch and reception will include a reading and presentation by local Santa Barbara author, Patricia Selbert, along with a slide show of original images by photographer Isaac Hernandez, as well as a reception featuring Caribbean hors d’oeuvres and refreshments. Books will be available for sale and signing, and a brand new Kindle ebook reader with The House of Six Doors will be raffled.
“Inspired by what I remembered and driven by what I have learned during the course of my life, I set out to write. The result is my novel, The House of Six Doors. To see it published is, for me, a great source of satisfaction and a cause for celebration,” said Selbert. “The earliest reviews are just coming in, and I’m truly grateful. The response has just been remarkable.”
About The House of Six Doors
Thirteen-year-old Serena never could have imagined the streets of Los Angeles from the beaches of the Dutch Caribbean island of Curaçao. With her mother and sister, they leave the rest of the family and fly to Florida to then drive across the US, arriving in the city of angels on a wing and a prayer. With only the hope of a nursing job, the three land on 1970’s Sunset Boulevard, home of seedy opportunities. Their money and luck run out, and their 1963 Ford Galaxie becomes their first American home.
Serena’s grandmother, native Arawak and Black, was accustomed to the discrimination that was a key element in her island’s history. Serena learns to pretend that everything’s fine, afraid to send her mother into another depression. She juggles responsibility for her mother’s well-being with school, a secret boyfriend, and a growing desire for independence, in a foreign land: Hollywood, in the 1970s. The wisdom of her grandmother, a mystic, gives her solace, which she clings to tenaciously despite the thousands of miles between them. Coming of age in a foreign land, faced with enormous obstacles, Serena finds her way and the wisdom that sets her free.
The House of Six Doors can now be pre‐ordered on Amazon.com (http://tinyurl.com/4sgc95e) as a soft cover for $14.95. The eBook ($9.99) and iBook ($9.99) will be available in an enhanced version (with exclusive photography, recipes, an author interview and information on the places, culture, and music from the story) on launch day on the Amazon Kindle Store (http://tinyurl.com/5tm58or) and on the Apple iTunes iBookstore. The book ships and will be available for digital download on February 22, 2011.
Early Reviews
“An honest tale of love, acceptance, and American dreams.” — El Mundo
“If you feel as though the circumstances of your life are against you and you wonder whether this will ever change, this is a story that will fill you with hope…. If you have ever wanted to believe that the circumstances of your life really do work for your ultimate best interest, read The House of Six Doors.” — David Robert Ord, author Lessons in Loving—A Journey into the Heart
“Intimate, at times lyrical, charged with pain and wonder, laughter and perennial hope, The House of Six Doors is terrific storytelling.” Olga Rojer, Associate Professor, American University, Washington DC
“This novel is a beautiful weave of hard reality and romance, so real that I couldn’t put it down.” – Nancy Marriott, co-author with Dr. Candace Pert, of Everything You Need to Know to Feel Go(o)d
“This evocative, moving, and relevant coming-of-age story follows a young girl swept into the crosscurrents of American culture. Selbert artfully shines a light on the transformation of a family, and the complex integrations all immigrants face.” — Carol Prunhuber, author of Woman: Around the World and Through the Ages
“Patricia Selbert weaves a powerful and poignant tale of wisdom in the tapestry of her writings that provides a source of strength. My applause to the author for her brilliant and beautiful portrayal of a young girl’s coming of age and her struggles with cultural differences.” — Reiki Master Julia Elizabeth Carroll, author of Nu Reiki Oneness
“This story rings true from beginning to end. From the moment we meet Serena with her fierce and erratic mother in the Miami airport, we know a heroine’s journey has begun.” — Janet Lucy, co-author of Moon Mother, Moon Daughter: Myths and Rituals that Celebrate a Girl’s Coming of Age
“The House of Six Doors tells the story of Serena’s transformation: from young island girl to woman, from small town to big city life, with a strong helping of self-realization. This is my kind of fiction!” -Janice Cook Knight, author, Follow Your Heart Cookbook: Recipes from the Vegetarian Restaurant
“You will find yourself torn between cheering for the mother and wanting to sit her down for an intervention. You will think about yourself and how you would deal with things if you were in that situation. You will wish to be enveloped by Serena’s grandmother’s arms and hear her wisdom. You’ll take that wisdom to heart for your own life. You will want to take Serena and hide her away from herself but then on the next page feel a sense of pride for her achievements. You will wish to live in Curaçao but then thankful to live in your own town. You’ll find yourself wanting to read more of this book.” – Steena Holmes, author of Chocolate Blessings
About the Author
Patricia Selbert grew up on the Dutch Caribbean island of Curaçao. Educated in three countries and four languages, she immigrated to California at age 13, inspiring The House of Six Doors. She represented the Netherlands Antilles in equestrian events at the World Championships and Pan American Games. She holds a BA in Communications from Antioch University, and currently lives in Santa Barbara, California, with her husband, two sons, three dogs, and a pig. Selbert is an avid supporter of The University of California, Santa Barbara Arts and Lectures program.
About Publishing by the Seas
Publishing by the Seas, a boutique literary publishing house based in Santa Barbara, California, gives voice to people who make a difference. Sharing rich multicultural roots, our authors explore themes such as positive solutions, self-discovery, beauty, environmental stewardship, and social contribution. For more information, visit: http://www.publishingbytheseas.com. To view Publishing by the Seas videos, visit: http://www.youtube.com/user/PublishingByTheSeas.
“The House of Six Doors is a natural fit for us,” says Nancy Black, CEO of Santa Barbara-based Publishing by the Seas. “We focus on authors who inspire, educate and make a difference—and Selbert’s work does just that. This story is about starting over from nothing, as a stranger in a new place, despite seemingly insurmountable obstacles, to find oneself and one’s place in the world. It will especially contribute to teen and young adult girls who may be facing similar challenges… even as those of us who remember the seventies will appreciate this trip back in time.”
