Brasileira

Kenneth Lee Chastain, Jr. was born the same year World War II began in Europe. Raised an only child in California he lived an insular life until joining the United States Navy in 1958. In the military he attended schools in electronics and was introduced to life beyond California. Compliments of the U.S. Navy, he traveled throughout the United States in the 1950s and 1960s becoming familiar with the customs and lifestyles in other regions of the country. During the latter part of his eight-year naval experience he was stationed on ships that made port in Hawaii, Mexico, Scotland, Portugal and Francos Spain. Once out of the Navy and after college he entered the Semiconductor Industry and traveled the world on business. The countries he visited helped to further broaden his understanding of the wider world. Later he made several trips to Brazil where he wrote a series of "Letters from Brazil" outlining his discoveries in that enormous and divergent country Chastain began writing seriously in the 1990s and has co-published a non-fiction book, Winged History, the Life and Times of Kenneth L. Chastain, Aviator (Turner Publishing,2003). His second published work, Spears Odyssey (Xlibris Corporation, 2010), is a novel of transformation. Flying Blind, his third book, is a uniquely human historical novel. His novel, Fly Me to Brazil, is a heartwarming tale of blossoming love while discovering the culture and history of this exotic country. His latest novel, Brasileira, is a sequel to Fly Me to Brazil.

Brasileira is a novel of internet romance realized and its resulting personal and immigration challenges. Scott Russell previously met a Brazilian lady, Juliana, online and made several trips to Brazil where he not only got to know her family and culture but fell in love as well. A retired and divorced Californian, Scott had to overcome his marriage anxiety before finally proposing. This is all told in flashbacks.After obtaining a tourist visa, Juliana makes her first trip to California. Once the two are settled in Scotts apartment, he leads Juliana on a mission of discovery. He shows her the California sights, tells her some of its history and introduces her to Cara, his daughter. His aim, to show Juliana his world and a whole new way of life.A paper chase ensues in struggling through the lengthy, expensive, and bureaucratic immigration process. When it is finally over, the two lovebirds celebrate. Scott raises his glass in toast. Well, honey, weve made it through some very challenging timesmy heart attack, your diverticulitis. All those complicated government forms we had to fill out. The medical tests you had to endure. Even a trip to Rio for your K-3 visa interview. Then your green card interview in San Francisco. That's not even counting the cost. I just want you to know I love you and truly believe it was all worth it. I wish us to be always together. They agree, with all the time, cost, and effort theyd put in, they had little empathy for anyone entering the country illegally.Complicating the situation, Scott finds out his daughters new boyfriend entered the country illegally.Brasileira is a story of the challenges faced by two lovers from different countries and what they must endure to live together.