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About Benita
I grew up in El Monte being half white and brown, half happy - half sad, half in trouble half the time, and half searching but always curious as to what lay ahead in life.
At a young age I knew I had the talent it takes to sing and perform, but the challenge to follow other interests usually ended up in failure and disappointment. Some friends and even my sisters made fun of me as a skinny, knobby kneed, frizzy haired, buck toothed kid that I was.
In Junior High, I was on a few sports teams, Volleyball and Baseball, but I was a lousy athlete and spent more time on the side bench than actually playing. In High School I tried out for Cheerleading, something I dreamed about since I was in Fifth grade. I was on the Tennis team but only won half my games. I made it to ‘Concert Choir’ but was not accepted by most of the pretty girls. I tried out for the ‘Lion’ School Mascot but didn’t get picked.
I felt that I had no one to talk to so most of the pain of my youth was poured out with pencil and ink pen in the pages of my diary.
The secret diary lay packed away and hidden for over 20 years. The resurrection of memories would be put off year after year until December 2003.
In Decenber my father of 88 years fell and was severely injured.He was in the hospital for over two weeks and was not getting any better.The Doctors said he would not last long. While he was in the hospital, I became ill with the Flu and could not visit him. The day before Christmas I hoped in my car with my daughter and we were on the freeway when traffic suddenly stopped, I hit my brakes swerved to the right, lost control and my car rolled over into a ravine, completely totaling my Corolla. By some miracle we crawled out of the overturned car and were not injured. This was a wake up call and realization as to how precious our lives really are and how little time we have on this Earth to achieve our goals and dreams.
Seven days later my dad passed away in the hospital. I realized that there are things I’ve been putting off that I really needed to complete. My dad would have been proud, if only I had done these things ten years ago or more.
One goal was to get back to the recording studio and record songs in ‘spanish’, and in February, I managed to get two traditional Mexican Ranchero songs recorded on CD in the studio. The next goal was to find a band to sing with that does Salsa or Latin Jazz. And of coarse this project - writing this book with the secret diary was another dream I hoped to eventually complete along with other books I only dreamed of writing.
Currently in 2009, I am performing with SUAVE' the Band,and El Chicano on occasion, designing websites, working on my writings, and spending as much quality time with my kids as I can.I am a volunteer with the Young Marines youth organization,I help care for my elderly mom, and I do Mosiac tile designs on the side.
The sequel to Lost Girl titled 'ESCAPE FROM EL MONTE' is now available as a NOVEL. I Didn't write much in my diary in 1978 and 1979 so most of it comes from memory using saved items like..faded photographs, (covered now with lines and creases..) Tickets torn in half...
The novel will have many crazy events that took place then, most of the names were changed. I left a few real names in to honor them as they were people that could be respected and should be remembered.
I can help you publish your own Life Memory Book.
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Lost Girl From El Monte
When I finished writing the first hundred pages I couldn't wait to see how it would look in print so I published it under the book title, Diary of a Barrio Girl. That book is now out of print.
When I finished the entire two hundred page book I decided to call it 'The Lost Girl From El Monte'
because I realized at the finish that thats exactly what I was, what I had been, I was lost but didn't have a clue.
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This book is a diary and a story:
A girl that needed to be accepted. But by whom?
The fears of a High School freshman.
Overcoming failure and making the right choices.
Teenage love and heartbreak.
Cholos and Surfers:and those stuck inbetween.
The fears of being a Senior!
Some of the names in this book have been changed to protect the individuals privacy due to certain content that may be considered too private. Copyright (c) 2003
All rights reserved
Printed in USA
Cover design by Benita Bishop
www.barriogirl.com
A portion of the proceeds from this book will benefit TEEN CHALLENGE Los Angeles, CA. USA
Reviews:
"Lost Girl From El Monte provides a fascinating, real-life look inside the mind af a teenage girl. I found the entire concept to be quite interesting.
As a father of three daughters, I find that reading this type of work helps me to see things a little closer to the way they do. Great job!"
M. Richard Smith
"A lot of Love, joy, pain and heartbreak went into this diary. Some interesting insight into the way of life in El Monte in the 70’s with the Mexicans, the Cholos and Cholas, the gangs and the rivalries, the Surfers and white guys, is reflected in this diary.Sometimes we got along well, but sometimes...." Benita Bishop
You can have a memory book custom made using photos, poems, stories, recipes, school reports, almost anything.Only a one time 'Set up fee'* and I will have your book ready to order online in about three weeks. At that time you can buy your books at LULU and send your family and friends to order theirs.
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