Explore a collection of heartfelt testimonials from our valued readers. Get into the genuine experiences and reflections of those who have explore our stories.
The Power of Storytelling Through Real-Life Experience
In The Illegal, Virginia Gayl Salazar blends heartfelt storytelling with lived experience, offering a powerful narrative about love, sacrifice, and resilience. Rooted in truth and shaped by decades of observation, her fiction honors the everyday people whose voices often go unheard.
The Mind Behind the Story
Virginia Gayl Salazar Writes With Heart, History, and Humanity
Virginia Gayl Salazar is a passionate author whose stories are inspired by real people, authentic voices, and real struggles. After raising a family and running a tropical plant nursery alongside her husband Joe for over 25 years, Virginia returned to her lifelong love, writing.
Through novels like The Illegal and a memoir honoring her mother’s extraordinary family, she explores themes of faith, migration, identity, and perseverance. Today, Virginia leads a creative writing group at the Whittier Senior Center, mentoring others to find and share their voice.
VIDEOS
THE ILLEGAL
Chapters
Step into the layered world of The Illegal. Each chapter unveils a new layer of Jose and Elmira’s journey, marked by love, separation, survival, and hope. From the tranquil moments in their village to the uncertainty of a life built far from home, these chapters reflect a profoundly human story that resonates across generations.
01
Chapter
A Brutal Reign
02
Chapter
The Love Story
03
Chapter
A Desperate Hope
04
Chapter
An Unspeakable Act
05
Chapter
Seeking Justice
05
Chapter
Seeking Justice
Testimonials
“Virginia’s storytelling is raw, real, and unforgettable. The Illegal touched my heart in ways I didn’t expect. Every word felt like it carried the weight of a lived truth.”
Carmen Ríos
“As a high school literature teacher, I’m always searching for books that provoke thought and empathy. Virginia’s work does exactly that—it’s both literary and deeply human.”
Marcus Lee
“Reading The Illegal reminded me of my father’s journey to this country. Virginia writes with a sensitivity and grace that brings marginalized voices to the center.”
Canal Delgado
“I’ve never read a novel that captured the gardener’s voice so beautifully. You can tell Virginia has worked with people—she writes them like she knows them personally.”
David Kim
“Virginia’s memoir about her mother’s family is a treasure. It reads like a conversation around the kitchen table—warm, honest, and unforgettable.”
Linda Jamison
“In a world of fast-paced thrillers, Virginia brings back the quiet, soul-deep power of a story rooted in truth.”
George L. Patel
"Virginia’s storytelling is raw, real, and unforgettable. The Illegal touched my heart in ways I didn’t expect. Every word felt like it carried the weight of a lived truth."
Carmen Ríos