We're Giving Away Free Copies of Amor and Exile—Jan 23 & 24th—Don't Miss It!

I'm an American biologist and teacher originally from Central New York. I became an immigration activist and author when I had to move to Mexico in 2006—"exile"—due to my husband's 9c immigration bar. I cowrote Amor and Exile: True Stories of Love Across America's Borders,  with Nathaniel Hoffman to bring greater attention to the plight of American families affected by often all-too-harsh immigration penalties. Last June I posted on BlogHer about traveling to Washington, D.C. to petition the government to enact reform that provides relief to families affected by this issue.

Amor and Exile is just not about my experiences, but also the stories of other American citizens who fall in love with undocumented immigrants and their subsequent struggles with the labyrinth of the current immigration law. In case you haven't heard of or read Amor and Exile , now is your chance! We will be giving away free copies of our Kindle version this Thursday and Friday, January 23rd and 24th. Just click here to download your free copy.

Why should you read Amor and Exile? There are so many reasons.

Immigrants play a huge role in American culture and the economy, but every year it gets harder for people to legally immigrate or adjust status in the U.S. Amor and Exile exposes the draconian immigration policies that have slowly been put in place over the last century and how they now negatively affect Americans today.

Nicole Salgado (L), with Rep. Luis Gutierrez and co-author Nathan Hoffman (R) There are hundreds of thousands, maybe millions, of U.S. citizens like myself who are separated from their families or forced into exile due to harsh U.S. immigration laws. Those people could be your family members, friends, neighbors, or coworkers—and you might never know it. Amor and Exile explains why families like ours have found themselves in this situation. One of the biggest revelations for me as a result of cowriting and publishing the book was how many women's lives have been torn apart for so long by seeming technicalities in the law (many American men are also affected but women seem to be disproportionately so).
American families and undocumented immigrants who've long contributed to American society and are negatively affected by this issue have fought tirelessly for the last decade or more to reform immigration law in a more humane way. In 2013, Congress debated but failed to pass comprehensive immigration reform. Three bills were taken up—SB 744 passed the Senate and was sent to the House, where no action was taken. Two other bills were introduced in late fall, a House version of SB744 (HR15), and a smaller bill more specific to families like mine (HR3431, The American Families United Act), but again, the House failed to move forward. Now Congress will take up immigration again in early 2014. In order to get humane immigration reform passed, we will need informed citizens letting their elected representatives know where they stand. Amor and Exile helps demystify much of the hype behind immigration rhetoric. A full description can be found here.
So, no more excuses about not being "in the know" about what's at stake with immigration reform— check out Amor and Exile THIS WEEK—the giveaway is on our Kindle site Thursday and Friday only—don't miss out! And SHARE widely with your friends!
Here's what a few names in the immigration world had to say about Amor and Exile:
“Immigration, at its core, is about the constantly changing American story, at the heart of this timely and important book. Immigration is not about ‘the border.’ It's about families, it's about communities, and as Nathaniel and Nicole vividly tell, it's about love.” — Jose Antonio Vargas, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist, filmmaker and founder of Define American
“Beautifully told love stories that illuminate the many ways in which immigration can enrich our lives.” — Helen Thorpe, author of Just Like Us: The True Story of Four Mexican Girls Coming of Age in America
“The plight of same-sex binational couples is one of the nation's most significant untold stories. This moving, gripping book brings to life the serious injustice and struggle that discriminatory laws impose. As someone who is part of such a couple, I'm grateful that there's finally a book examining all aspects of this issue—and an outstanding book at that.” — Glenn Greenwald, Guardian columnist, former constitutional lawyer and author of How Would a Patriot Act?
More reviews found here. We want to know what you think about Amor and Exile after you've read it. Visit our blog or do a review at http://amorandexile.com or like our Facebook page at http://facebook.com/amorandexile and get involved in the discussion. Thanks!
Again the giveaway is this Thursday and Friday only at http://amzn.to/11dNDPd. Don't miss it!

This post was adapted from Nicole's blog at The Succulent Seer on January 20.