AUTHOR
SHOWCASE
Amber is a writer exploring identity, culture, and personal discovery.
Drawing from her experiences as a first-generation Lao-American, she crafts stories that bridge multiple worlds and evoke empathy, resilience, and connection. Her work invites readers to reflect on their own journeys, fostering understanding and dialogue.
What We Brought Across the River: Memoir of a
Lao-American
Amber reflects on her experience growing up as a
Lao-American, the daughter of parents who fled the Secret War to build a new life. Through stories of resilience, sacrifice, and love, her memoir explores the challenges of balancing two cultures and finding belonging. Honoring her parents’ journey to freedom, this book sheds light on the untold experiences of Lao refugees, offering a poignant reflection on identity, family, and the Lao-American experience.
What Readers Are Saying
★★★★★
"This is a beautiful and deeply moving book. As a first-generation Lao-Canadian, I connected with the author’s story on so many levels. Her writing captures the emotions, struggles, and resilience of our community in such an authentic way. I actually cried while reading because it reminded me of my own grandparents and parents leaving Laos, crossing into Thailand, and arriving at the refugee camp..."
KATE
READER
★★★★★
"This is an incredible book. Amber really puts her heart and soul into this. Not only sharing her family’s history and experience but also her experience growing up as a first generation Lao American. It’s a history lesson and personal experience rolled into one book - most of all, a huge leap of faith that transformed her and her family forever. So many emotions and tears! Even if you are not a first generation, there are so many things that can resonate with you. It’s human and genuine is so many ways. Thank you Amber for writing this!.."
Nina FLORES
PODCAST HOST & READER
★★★★★
"A powerful blend of history and personal narrative, this book illuminates the Secret War in Laos while capturing the identity struggles of a first-generation Lao American. So much of it felt like reading my own journal—deeply resonant, validating, and unforgettable.."
Tiffany
PODCAST HOST & READER
★★★★★
"This is an amazing heartfelt book. I was teary eyed through some parts because it brought back memories of my own journey growing up with my parents after they escaped the Secret War in Laos. Our language, heritage, and traditions may be different but the aftermath of war, generational trauma, and navigating two worlds connects us more than we know.
You MUST read the book!"
Yangmee
READER
★★★★★
"I really enjoyed reading this book. I was given a peek into the risk immigrants take for an opportunity at survival and potentially a better life/future for themselves and their children. A perspective into the daily challenges of what an immigrant has to endure living among foreigners and the past that haunts them, shaping the way they respond to challenges in a new environment, as a minority..."
S.I.
READER