Victor Cass Artist Writer
	Welcome to the official website of Victor Cass, author of "Love, Death, and Other War Stories," and leading voice of the "Americano/a" literary movement--writing that defines the lives and culture of multi-generational Americans of Hispanic descent. "Latino literature today is one of three types," Cass explains. "It is either the foreigner looking at our country from the outside; that of the newly-arrived immigrant; or the standard stories of first generation Americans, still richly entrenched in the culture, language, and customs of the old country. "What of those Americans whose most recent immigrant ancestor is a grandparent or great-grandparent? Are our voices any less important? We may not speak Spanish and didn't grow up 'in the culture,' but our experience is a unique journey of discovery. Americano literature captures this journey, which often culminates in the poignant appreciation of a distant land and people foreign yet familiar, the memories of which echo in our dreams and flow through our blood." The Pasadena Police Detective, Roy Gildard, Cass' protagonist in "Love, Death, and Other War Stories," is the product of a father of French-Canadian descent and an American mother of Mexican heritage. Gildard, who doesn't speak Spanish, is reminded of this, and of his need to get in touch with his Latin roots, by his Mexican girlfriend, a former gang member who he helped to break out of her barrio culture. This is the hallmark of Americano fiction, a new and exciting genre of Latino writing in which the American main characters come to discover the beauty and mystery of their ancestral Latin roots through an immigrant or first generation co-protagonist, usually a love interest. Order Cass' book from publisher Order Cass' book from Amazon.com Read articles on Cass' blog site "Sons and Daughters of Liberty" Read the reviews of Cass' first novel, "Love, Death, and Other War Stories" below. For a description of the book, click onto the "Writing" tab, or go to the links section above to purchase your copy today. "It's not your grandma's Pasadena. In his debut novel, 'Love, Death, and Other War Stories'...Victor Cass shines a harsh light on a town overrun by vicious gangs--a grim landscape only partially redeemed by the love affairbetween its police detective hero and a fetching L.A. sheriff's deputy."--Los Angeles Magazine "Victor is an extraordinarily talented artist and a talented person...I very much liked his book and found it entertaining."--Chief Bernard K. Melekian, Pasadena Police Department "Cass' book is a thriller about the lives and relationshipsof embattled police officers struggling to bring down the P-9s, one of the city's most violent street gangs."--Marshall Allen, Pasadena Star-News "In fair warning to readers, the book is emotionally honest and unflinching in its portrayal of the world of crime as seen through a real police officer's eyes. Its gritty nature is not for the squeamish or conservative."--Julie Rigott, Pasadena Weekly