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María Elena Lavaud is a Miami-based Venezuelan journalist and writer. She is the author of Días de Rojo and La Habana sin Tacones. She has worked as an international correspondent for Mexico and Colombia. She is the founder of the Venezuelan news channel Globovisión, where for 14 consecutive years she directed political analysis programs and variety shows for which she won the Monsignor Pellín Award in 2002. For ten years she conducted radio news and entertainment programs. She has excelled as a writer and producer of shows based on her books: The musical drama La Habana sin Tacones (Havana without Heels) has been presented in several cities in Canada, Venezuela and the United States. Clarissa (Tatuaje de Lágrimas in Spanish) is her third novel, for which she has also written a theatrical version and won the International Latino Book Awards in the category of most inspirational fiction book (2016) and got Honorable Mention at the London Book Festival (2017). La Habana Sin Tacones won the International Latino Book Awards as well, in the category of best-focused non-fiction.
Today, she manages her own publishing and entertainment corporation, MEL Projects (Melprojects.com), bringing literary coaching to fresh writing talents.
Reviewed by Bryone Peters for Readers' Favorite
Clarissa: The Flight of a Monarch Butterfly, by Maria Elena Lavaud, highlights the grim reality of domestic violence that many women have come to endure. Clarissa’s husband used his wealth and influence in unspeakable ways against her and she suffered the worst kind of domestic abuse The book is based on real-life events, making the horrific ordeals that Clarissa experienced even more tragic. Clarissa's tale is a story of pain, suffering, and brutality at the hand of her spouse. Clarissa will open your mind to how intolerable violence can become if not stopped. It is unacceptable for a husband to believe his wife needs to be submissive to him and the question arises as to whether society is ready to embrace and support women who dare to stand up for their rights?
In Clarissa by Maria Elena Lavaud, the protagonist attempts to have her husband sentenced for domestic violence. The plot revolves around her memories of her husband's cruelty, the court case drama, and the unexpected revelations. The book will keep you reading to see if she will finally escape the horrors of her life. The tale of Clarissa might help others to fight against domestic violence, as many people are unaware of the suffering of victims of this type of abuse. Stop domestic violence as there is never any justification for it! The dialogue between Clarissa and her reporter friend is pivotal in revealing the corruption of Clarissa's husband. The style is dramatic but not exaggerated, showing the author's empathy and understanding of this subject.
