Glass Walls — Kayla Nedza

Xiomara Diaz and Cameron Manor are ten years old when they meet at Morningside’s after-school program in Ohio. Xiomara experiences the strain between her first-generation upbringing and the ability to assert herself that’s about to transform into a life of people-pleasing. Cameron has a complicated relationship with his own emotions, which will become a daily battle to understand his manhood. Over the next twenty years, Xiomara and Cameron will be a mirror to one another as they learn to not only love each other but love themselves.
A modern take on exploring what it means to love, *Glass Walls* is a compelling coming-of-age journey between two people grappling with identity, gender roles, relationships with their parents, and systematic oppression. An ode to self-discovery, this novel gives you permission to consider how you show and receive love by recognizing that loving someone is an elixir of art, science, and a bit of alchemy.

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Author’s Note

Glass Walls is truly a love letter to all of the lovers. Writing the book allowed me to make sense of what love is and what it could be. Moreover, it was a reflection of how love of self and love of others can look and evolve as we age, but also as we experience a bit more of life’s lessons that it has yet to teach us.

I loved writing about the innocence of young love. Which to me, carries a purity before we learn who society tries to tell us to be. I felt a deep sense of clarity as I worked to infuse my own experiences of young love throughout the book.

I also loved writing about the evolution of mature love. The ability to experience life’s twists and turns with someone, while developing a deep sense of self throughout that journey. I was enamored with the realization of how meaningful those experiences can be in creating an intimate relationship with another person.

My prayer is for you to reflect on how your own life experiences have shaped the way you love. I hope it reminds you of how magical the evolution of love can be. But above all, I pray you recognize how deeply loved you are.