The ten-year-old Haitian girl carries a heavy load of responsibilities of rearing her younger siblings. However, she is gifted with mesmerizing beauty and a voice that makes all who hear it tremble and cry. Her passion to sing is so intense it floods her consciousness to the point that she rarely thinks of anything else.
It's disheartening to know, however, that pursuing her purpose means hurting the one person she loves, which is her maternal grandmother, Lola Franchez Broussard, also known as "Grandma Reed." Because of Grandma Reed's stricken-bound Fundamental Christian upbringing and horrific past experiences, she acquires a hardened heart and a gross hatred toward God and America.
As the most feared and vilest left-handed voodoo priestess in all of Haiti, Grandma Reed takes much pleasure in turning people into trees and other undesirable and unimaginable objects. It is always more personal than business for her to work relentlessly against the demise of her nemeses, but because of her destructive behaviors, she unknowingly cripples the dreams of the granddaughter whom she loves the most.
Set in 1980s Port-au-Prince, Handicapped Dreams is a story of potential that has been stifled. It's filled with spirituality, hope, social issues, family matters, love, and tragedy.
About the Author: Aliquippa, Pennsylvania-based writer Margo Simmons has always had a passion for songwriting-penning her first poem and song at the age of nine.
She graduated with a BA from the University of Pittsburgh, then went on to earn her master of science degree in entertainment business at Full Sail University. Margo Simmons is also a veteran who served active duty during Operation Iraqi Freedom.
She's an Honorable Mention Songwriter of the 2005 VH1's Save the Music Songwriter's Contest, an Operation Once in a Lifetime Writers' Contest winner of 2009, and in 2012 she was awarded an Academic Achievement Scholarship and Women Scholarship.
In 2013, she also was honored with a Course Director Award all from Full Sail University.
Handicapped Dreams is her debut novel.
