Taylor author writes book about beating adversity
Author and Taylor resident Esmerelda Gonzalez has overcome a lot of obstacles in 70 years of life.
About 25 years ago, she suffered a brain aneurysm that required surgery. A complication from the procedure left her without the use of her voice.
Despite being mute and using an electronic device to communicate, Gonzalez was inspired by the challenge to write a children’s book based on her own experiences.
“They Called Me ‘Green Giant’” features a protagonist who overcomes bullying from being “too tall,” mirroring a struggle Gonzalez faced during her youth.
“The plot of this book is to overcome bullying,” she said. “I was called ‘Green Giant’ growing up, but I ignored the bullying and it worked.”
“Green Giant” is a reference to the famous leviathan the Jolly Green Giant featured in advertising campaigns for frozen and canned vegetables sold by B&G Foods.
While it often takes a victim of bullying “standing up to” an oppressor, Gonzalez said she never “had to get physical” with anyone.
“Time heals everything,” she said.
The book is centered around a girl named Gloria, who is accosted and called names by her peers because she is the tallest girl at school. Gloria uses her height to her advantage to become the best athlete on campus.
After graduating from high school, Gloria continues to use her height to her advantage. She becomes a model and an airline flight attendant, and both occupations allow her to travel across the planet.
“She became famous in the end,” Gonzalez said.
“They Called Me ‘Green Giant’” is on sale for $16.99 on the Amazon, Barnes & Noble, eBay and Walmart websites.
Those are amazon. com, barnesandnoble. com, ebay.com and walmart.com.
“I’ve sold a few books,” Gonzalez said. “I plan on having a book signing soon.”
In addition to dealing with bullying from classmates, Gonzalez and some of her Hispanic peers also dealt with racial discrimination in her native Crystal City. To protest racism, she and some of her classmates united for a campus walkout in December 1969.
She used her voice to fight racial issues more than five decades ago but has since learned how to navigate the last quarter of a century without a voice following her medical episode.
No matter what obstacles she has fought to overcome, Gonzalez said she is grateful for what she has.
“I’m lucky to still be here,” Gonzalez said. “It was difficult at the beginning without my voice. The speaking device helped.”
Gonzalez leans on her Christianity to overcome life’s obstacles. Her faith is the inspiration for her next literary work.
“I plan on writing a book on the Holy Spirit,” Gonzalez said.
