ESMERALDA SANTIAGO is the author of three bestselling memoirs: When I Was Puerto Rican, Almost A Woman, and The Turkish Lover, as well as three acclaimed novels: América´s Dream, Conquistadora, and Las Madres. Her books have been translated into 15 languages. She’s also an experienced screenwriter who adapted her second memoir, Almost A Woman, into a film for Masterpiece Theatre. She’s a sought-after speaker and essayist about her experiences as a diasporican in the United States. She is currently working on her next novel.