In The Works

the missing piece

Unpuzzled – Coming March 2024

Isabella “Bella” Rodriguez grapples with a life divided between her bustling American reality and the evocative call of her Colombian heritage. Reeling from her mother’s passing, Bella is drawn back to Colombia, the land she left three decades ago.

Enter Cami, a spirited barista and farm owner with a secret world inside her enchanting coffee shop—a realm of puzzles that beckons Bella into an unexpected dance of destiny. Bound by a magnetic connection, the two journey through the vibrant world of sustainable farming, uncovering love’s profound depths and power to change the world.

Amidst the pull of family, work, and newfound love, Bella stands at life’s crossroads. Every choice is a mosaic piece, waiting to complete her picture of identity, dreams, and desires. “Unpuzzled” tells a tale of love, identity, ambition, and the audacity to find where your heart truly lies.

Themes:

  • Dual Identities and Cultural Heritage: Bella’s internal conflict arises from living in two cultural realities—her current American life and the echoing allure of her Colombian heritage. This theme delves into the complexities of being torn between two worlds and how one’s ancestral roots can influence and shape personal identity.
  • Discovery and Self-Realization: As Bella embarks on her journey back to Colombia and gets entangled in the world of puzzles and sustainable farming, she undergoes a transformative process. This theme is about personal growth, self-awareness, and the pursuit of true purpose and belonging.
  • Choice, Destiny, and the Interconnectedness of Life: Bella’s life is portrayed as a mosaic where every choice, no matter how insignificant, plays a crucial role in the bigger picture of her life. This theme underscores the idea that our decisions, connections, and relationships are intertwined, creating the intricate tapestry of our lives.

Metaphors:

  • Life’s Brew: Just as a rich cup of coffee results from meticulously chosen beans, grown sustainably and brewed with care, relationships require the selection of the right moments, cultivated with understanding and brewed over time.
  • Puzzle Plantation: Life is much like a coffee plantation, where every bean is a puzzle piece. Though each bean grows in its own space and time, when they come together, they create the harmonious blend that is a fulfilling life.

  • The Soil of Connection: Sustainable farming enriches the soil for future crops, just as building connections and understanding in relationships lay the foundation for deeper bonds.

  • Interlocking Beans: Much like puzzle pieces that only fit when they find their matching counterpart, two individuals bond genuinely when they find resonance in each other, akin to beans from the same crop complementing each other in a blend.

Single message:

Much like a puzzle, life is a series of interconnected pieces shaped by our choices, cultural heritage, and relationships. In the pursuit of understanding these pieces and where they fit, we discover our true identity, purpose, and belonging.

Setting:

Quindío, nestled in the heart of Colombia’s coffee region, is a verdant tapestry of rolling hills, lush coffee plantations, and vibrant towns. The landscape is painted in hues of emerald and olive, punctuated by the deep browns of the fertile soil. The town where the book is primarily set (Barcelona) is bursting with color, with colonial houses adorned in vivid yellows, blues, and red line cobbled streets. Canopied marketplaces and open-air cafes buzz with life as the rich aroma of freshly brewed coffee wafts through the air, marrying the visual splendor with sensory delight.