Find out why CANDLELIGHT BRIDGE
has earned honors from:
Southwest Books of the Year
International Latino Book Awards
The Hawthorne Prize
“In this stirring family saga...a multicultural family overcomes prejudice and adversity, but still struggles to remain intact.”
—Latino Book Review
“Readers wanting to be transported to those harrowing times and places for immigrants from China and Mexico will appreciate this story.”
—Historical Novel Society
“A deftly crafted, impressively original, and inherently interesting read from start to finish…”
—Midwest Book Review
“In this stirring family saga set primarily in El Paso during the early 20th century, a multicultural family overcomes prejudice and adversity, but still struggles to remain intact.”
—Latino Book Review, Starred Review
“A deftly crafted, impressively original, and inherently interesting read from start to finish…”
—Midwest Book Review, Starred Review
“Many subplots contain surprising twists and turns right up to a cluster of life-changing decisions at the very end.”
—Historical Novel Society, Starred Review
Cara, The Author
A Pick in Fiction in 2025’s Southwest Books of the Year!
Selected for its “unflinching take on the sacrifices women make to steer their families through hard times.”
Candlelight Bridge, A Novel
Candlelight Bridge is a fictional family saga inspired by true events. It’s a tale of refugees from two far-flung countries seeking home in a world that does not want them. It’s the tale of a young woman fighting to save her mixed-race family in a world ruled by the passions of men.
Praise for Candlelight Bridge
—Luis Alberto Urrea, author of Good Night, Irene and The Hummingbird’s Daughter
—Kali Fajardo-Anstine, bestselling author of Woman of Light and Sabrina & Corina
“Sweeping yet intimate, CANDLELIGHT BRIDGE traces the epic journey of Candelaria and Yankee across China, Mexico and the borderlands of America. With these defiant and determined characters, Cara Lopez Lee powerfully portrays the costs of survival.”
—Vanessa Hua, author of Forbidden City
Cara, The Storyteller
“Telling true personal stories is the most powerful force for good I’ve found. The more we share our stories, the more we recognize our common humanity, the beauty in our differences, and the community we all yearn for.” —Cara Lopez Lee
Cara is a Moth StorySLAM winner who tells true personal stories on stage in many storytelling shows, such as Risk, Strong Words, and Rant & Rave. Her most anticipated shows are listed under Events on this website. You can also keep up with @caralopezlee on Bluesky.
Blog
Cara’s Storytelling Videos, Published Writing, and Thoughts
Building a Wall – Cara Tells a True Tale at The Backstory
When Robert Frost wrote, “Good fences make good neighbors,” he offered it not as wisdom but a questionable assumption. As a Mexican American, I sometimes find it awkward to talk about fences and walls. That’s nothing compared to my neighbor who was sure he knew it all—except whether the guys building my wall were legal. I told my true tale, Building a Wall, at The Backstory, hosted by Bob Siegal at The Crow in Santa Monica, California. The theme of the night was Made in America.
Events
2026
Click on the flyers for more info
Contact
You can contact me at cara@caralopezlee.com or use the button below.
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