Oath of God, the title of my first published novel, is what my name Yzabelle (and any variation of it) means. It is a testament to whom God wanted me to be, and how I would find my purpose in life. I have always known that I wanted to be a writer. As a true introvert, I knew that writing was one of the best ways for me to express myself without having to talk a lot. I do consider myself a Catholic/Christian author, but I don’t consider myself the perfect Christian. I feel that there is a stigma when it comes to identifying with Christianity. As a child of Mexican parents, being Catholic is part of our Mexican identity. Because of figures and ideas such as La Virgen de Guadalupe and el ojo de Dios, that are not just legends of our faith but also part of our Mexican culture, it speaks to not just being a religion but a regional identity. I don’t claim to be the perfect Christian, and it isn’t my place to judge others for not being perfect. Growing up I have learned to love and accept all of my brothers and sisters-in- Christ. I was raised with a level of faith and spirituality, and have taken that faith to help guide my decisions, my humility and my morality. This is how I use my Catholic/Christian faith in life. It uplifts my sense of spirituality to believe in a higher, all-powerful being outside of myself.
The novel, Oath of God, is the first of a Trinity preceding The Gifts of the Holy Spirit (2024 release), and The Sacrificial Lamb, echoing, The Father, The Son, and The Holy Spirit. It follows the journey of a young woman who has a premonition that she already knows the person she will love and serve, for God has chosen this already. In addition, what makes this novel unique are the underling themes of death and grieving, love, relationships, and friendships, education and career goals, and identity and sexuality. The details also encompass the traditions, culture, and landscapes of Mexico.
As a Mexican American author, I want people to learn about my cultural experiences from a non stereotypical perspective. I want to bring awareness to the Latino cultures of this country. Growing up it seemed that we would see both Black and White experiences. Well, “Brown people” have experiences as well. They are unique and diverse. I have had the honor to grow up around many different cultures. I have learned to be open-minded in accepting and embracing those cultures different than my own. I want to provide an opportunity for others to also accept and embrace the beauty and excellence of my culture, and other Latin American cultures. I also want readers to understanding the Latino experience in this country, as some of the other settings like Chicago, and California also depict some of the Mexican American and Immigrant experiences.
Although Oath of God is a fictional novel, there is so much truth to the everyday lives of people who struggle with their faith and spirituality, with their lives, and with obtaining a sense of peace. It is hard to always do the right thing, or manage our emotions in a healthy way. It can be a challenge to learn how to manage the choices we have to make, and even the choices that are made for us. It can be a challenge to learn how to let go of what we think we love, but isn’t good for us. It can be a challenge to learn to hold on to what is good for us, but maybe feel we don’t deserve it.
Oath of God is an honest account of someone’s spiritual journey. It isn’t a perfect journey. Many of the characters struggle with grief, addiction, faith, spirituality, healthy and unhealthy relationships, sexual assault, self-esteem issues, and discrimination. All are traumatic events that everyone may have to deal with at one time or another in their life. With a strong sense of faith, some of the characters are able to overcome many hard challenges. As the characters grow and change, they allow readers to identify with them and perhaps to learn how to grow and change for themselves, for the better, by strengthen their faith or idea of spiritual growth.
