Publisher's Synopsis
In a deep, vast forest, a kind wife lives with her cruel husband. Every night, he bullies her and forces her to trudge through a dreary forest and fetch water from a faraway lake. One night, on her way to the lake, she falls on a steep and slippery path. She prays to God for help when suddenly, she sees water flowing from a nearby anubing tree. Although she is able to return home with water much sooner than venturing out to the lake, she discovers that she needs more than water to stop the cruelty from her husband. She needs a miracle.
Kayla Gutierrez Villena was born in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, and lives in Chicago, Illinois, with her husband and children. When Kayla's first child was born, her grandmother gave the baby a special Holy Cross, a family heirloom representing faith and their Philippine roots, like the cross Kayla's father gave her as a teen. The tradition continued when she welcomed her second child, who received a Holy Cross from Kayla's aunt. Kayla felt inspired to write this story, so her children understand the meaning of these particular crosses and the importance of family tradition. Though Kayla has been published, The Anubing Tree - The Story of the Holy Cross is her first children's book. It represents the love for her family and the strong connection to her Philippine heritage.
Kayla now adds children's book author to her résumé, which includes café server, leasing consultant, event planner, and market research analyst. She is a proud University of Florida alumna, where she earned a Master of Arts in Mass Communication.
