Lucia

Lucia is a self-made Mexican woman, raised in poverty, determined to have a better life through education. Her eventual goal is to earn a Ph. D. in the male-dominated world of Algebraic Topology. Lucia must learn to balance her enthusiasm for mathematics with a desire for new sexual experiences. LUCIA chronicles thirty-eight years in the life and loves of this remarkable woman.

LUCIA, allows readers to peer deep inside the little known realities of the Mexican culture, thus, gaining a greater understanding of the country and its people. It is sexy, romantic, funny, and philosophical.

Lucia's first sexual encounter comes when she is twenty-two. Religious dogma has encouraged her to guard her virginity until she succumbs to Enrique, a young man who wishes to possess her. They make love on the tile floor of an empty university classroom. Afterward, her lover becomes possessive, and she cuts him loose to pursue academics, choosing married men to satisfy her needs. They are less complicated and easy to make agreements with.

Lucia's life captures the diversity of the Mexican culture, and delves into the double standards imposed on women who want equal footing with men. She strives to control her life and expects more from herself than Mexican tradition allows. Most of her trysts are with experienced older men--university professors, artists and other intellectuals.

The novel follows Lucia for thirty-eight years, highlighting sexual relationships with over thirty men (and one woman). Following her marriage to a North American, she enjoys discreet experiences with other men, which often leads to personal conflict. Yet, when she tries to stay faithful, other bees hover around her honey, and she succumbs to an ungovernable need for exploration.