From pen to paper, an internationally recognized author is helping put the Rio Grande Valley on the map.

Rosa Esthela Mora — a McAllen native — is taking her experiences and putting them to paper to inspire the world with her books.

“Having the opportunity to study abroad, and speaking four different languages, and meeting new people, I said, ‘I need to share that in the story,’” Mora said.

Mora said her love for writing began when she was in the sixth grade. She published her first book, “Becoming Sofia Bosco,” in 2021.

Becoming Sofia Bosco is a romance novel that shares Mora’s experiences on travel, love, and self-discovery.

“For me, it was just writing one book and that's it,” Mora said. “But my readers approached me and told me they needed to know more about the characters, so I s

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