Both books are friendships and love stories expressed in letters, but their styles make them appealing for different reasons.

Cuenca, early 1990s. Amelia takes care of her soul friend Miguel, sick with AIDS, who, in his last wish, expresses his desire to receive the last rites and tells Amelia a secret that no one ever knew.

But just a few days ago, when I was told to talk at a panel discussion about writing (or not writing) about love, I started looking back at my stories with an analytical eye and discovered that ...