Hawkins Publishing Group Author Rafaela Castro Has Passed

LOS ANGELES - Feb. 26, 2015 - PRLog -- On February 12, 2015 author Rafaela Castro passed. She was laid to rest on February 20, 2015 in Bakersfield, CA.

“Rafaela’s passing struck me with utter shock and grief upon hearing the news from her daughter. I will miss her dearly and always treasure the time we spent together working on the completion of her forthcoming novel. Rafaela was excited and engaged with the project from start to finish,” said Martice Hawkins-Fletcher, CEO of Hawkins Publishing Group. “On behalf of Hawkins Publishing Group and the extended HPG family, we extend our deepest condolences and prayers that God’s strength will hold the Castro family during this difficult time.”

Rafaela Castro was born in Bakersfield, California but grew up in Arvin, a small agricultural town near Weedpatch Camp. When she was ten years old her family moved to the San Francisco Bay Area where she lived most of her life. After spending two years in Brazil with the Peace Corps in the mid-1960s, she returned home to start her education. While attending the University of California, Berkeley, she received degrees in English Literature, Library Science, and Folklore.

Castro’s works include: What Do I Read Next?: Multicultural Literature, Dictionary of Chicano Folklore; Chicano Folklore: A guide to the folktales, traditions, rituals and religious practices of Mexican Americans, Provocaciones; Letters from the Prettiest Girl in Arvin, and her final work to be released by Hawkins Publishing Group, Cantina Confidential.