Roger Rodriguez

The Fajitas and Beer Convention: ($20, 152pp, 6X9″, ISBN: 978-1-937536-94-7, $35: Hardcover ISBN: 978-1-68114-120-6, LCCN: 2014954338, October 2014; Buy at Barnes and Noble or Amazon; Also available as an EBSCO EBook): The story begins with the passing of little Manolo’s mother. She left instructions with their ranch hand, Salvador, to deliver Manolo to their only family in the northern part of Mexico.  Along the way, Manolo and Salvador encounter great adventures including a sinister drunk, a deceiving carnival owner, a magician, and the beautiful Paloma.  The adventure does not end in northern Mexico!  When Manolo and Salvador accidentally enter the United States on a train, they find themselves walking the streets of an American border town.  Here they come across a wealthy neighborhood where ten Mexican gardeners are preparing to have a social.  They explain that they all work for wealthy men, who are using the funds from their businesses to take vacations, meanwhile writing these off as, “conventions.”  So, every time their bosses leave, they use their houses to have their own “conventions” with fajitas and beer.  Each of the men tells a tale during one of these socials, each with its own plot, moral lesson, and satire.

Six: ($20: Paperback: ISBN-13: 978-1-68114-239-5; $35: Hardcover: 978-1-68114-240-1; $2.99: EBSCO EBook: ISBN-13: 978-1-68114-255-5; LCCN: 2016936296, 126pp, 6X9”; Release: April 18, 2016; Purchase on Amazon or Barnes & Noble): When psychiatrist Duane Johnson reads his wife’s diary, he learns the disturbing fact that during a short break-up, just prior to getting married, his wife Zulema had sex with six men. One would think that as a psychiatrist he would be able to manage the emotions involved in learning something like this, but his emotional condition spirals out of control./ Things get worse for him when his very sexy and voluptuous sister-in-law Julisa comes into the picture. He reasons that he can create a balance in the relationship with his wife if he found six girls to sleep with of his own. The journey of the first five is wild enough, but when he becomes obsessed with Julisa having to be the sixth girl…his life takes a turn for the worst. For Duane, what seemed like a simple plan of vindication transforms into a crazy intrigue of sexual exploits, emotional imbalance, and even murder. Still, this does not compare to the ironic ending that sends Duane into a permanent state of emotional confusion.

“Roger Rodriguez’s Six is a page turner to the highest degree. A cautionary tale of lust, obsession, and jealousy, where you can’t help but look to see just how far down the rabbit hole goes for our protagonist, or if he’ll ever be able to climb back out of those dark depths of the human psyche.” —Dylan Herin-Soule Director/Producer

“An amazing story driven by passion. Not your average love story.” —Actor Bobby Hernandez

“Not your typical romance. Excellent romantic thriller and a must read!” —Journalist/News Anchor Ann Hutyra

Roger Rodriguez is an American author born in Houston, Texas.  He is a professor of Sociology at Texas A&M International University and of English and Sociology at Lone Star College.  In 1998, Rodriguez won the Editor’s Choice Award for outstanding poetry and the best paper in psychology at the 5th annual Guillermo Benavidez Academic Conference at Texas A&M International University.  In 2008, Roger Rodriguez was featured on the Discovery Channel for his title “The Grass Beneath His Feet: The Charles Victor Thompson Story,” which has been translated into German, Italian, and French editions. His story telling has captivated many readers, and Roger continues to write actively.  He enjoys classical music and is an active chess player as a member of the United States Chess Federation.  He currently resides in the Houston area. Please visit booksbyroger.com to learn more.