• MFA in Creative Writing from the University of Texas in El Paso
• Bachelors of Arts from Sul Ross State University, in Alpine, Texas

“A writer is a person who cares what words mean, what they say, how they say it. Writers know words are their way toward truth and freedom, and so they use them with care, with thought, with fear, with delight. By using words well, they strengthen their souls. Storytellers and poets spend their lives learning that skill and art of using words well. And their words make the souls of their readers stronger, brighter, deeper.” – Ursula K. Le Guin

My philosophy of teaching writing embraces the ideal that all students are creative writers whose aptitudes can be developed, nurtured, and enhanced through the discovery of a personal writing process. This personal process takes the writer from self-questioning and emerging stages to a self-actualized, authentic writing style fortified with purpose and courage. The ultimate goal of this process is the informed development of the writer as a creator willing to share purposeful, original works with the world for the benefit of all who read it.

Writers who want to affect the world in meaningful, constructive ways must ask themselves a series of personal questions: Who am I as a writer? Why do I feel compelled to write? Who are my readers, and how can my work enrich their lives? When students explore different genres from both classic and contemporary writers, they begin to question where they fall within that spectrum of the world’s literary works. Are they experimenting with different techniques? Why and to what end? How does this exploration or reinvention of literary styles and techniques serve the greater good, and where does it fit in the big picture? How do they elicit positive changes in the world?

My pedagogical techniques and practices allow students to explore the art of writing through prescribed readings, whole class discussions, individual research, workshopping, & creative expression in original works. As creators, writers write from the heart, authentically, and usually about personal experiences. In order to do that, to write faithfully, student writers must read notable authors, listen to others’ thoughts about the craft of writing and the writing life, engage in collaborative writing workshops where they share and respond to others’ works, and make informed decisions about their own work. These activities give student writers an understanding of the overarching goal of the creative writing class, which is to inform, develop, nurture, and enhance their writing talents. Writing is my passion, but giving student writers the space to discover their strengths through reading, discussing, researching, and producing original work in a safe, respectful learning environment is my calling. I welcome the opportunity to continue to guide, mentor, and inspire others to affect the future through their work.

Books:

• Under the Mesquite (Lee and Low Books, 2011)
• Summer of the Mariposas (Tu Books, 2012)
• Shame the Stars (Tu Books, 2016
• All the Stars Denied (Tu Books, 2018)
• The Keeper (Harper Collins, 2022)
• Echoes of Grace (Tu Books, 2022)
• Secret of the Moon Conch (Bloomsbury, 2023)

Forthcoming:

• Hearts of Fire and Snow-tentative title (Bloomsbury, 2024)
• Fall of the Fireflies (Tu Books, 2025)
• Spring of the Cicada (Tu Books, 2026)
• Winter of the Witch Moth (Tu Books, 2027)

UNDER THE MESQUITE:

• Pura Belpré Author Award Winner, ALSC / Reforma
• Tomás Rivera Mexican American Children’s Book Award, Texas State University College of Education
• William C. Morris YA Debut Award Finalist, YALSA
• Amelia Elizabeth Walden Award Finalist, Assembly on Literature for Adolescents
• Lee Bennett Hopkins Promising Poet Award, International Reading Association (IRA

SUMMER OF THE MARIPOSAS:

• Westchester Young Adult Fiction Award, Westchester Fiction Award Committee
• Andre Norton Award for Young Adult Science Fiction and Fantasy Finalist, Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America
• Amelia Bloomer Project – Feminist Task Force, American Library Association (ALA)

SHAME THE STARS:

• Texas’ Great Read, The Texas Center for the Book, Texas State Library and Archives Commission, the National Book Festival at the Library of Congress
• Commended List – Américas Book Award, Consortium of Latin American Studies Programs
• Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection, Junior Library Guild

ALL THE STARS DENIED:

• Best Young Adult Book – Finalist, Texas Institute of Letters
• Writers League of Texas Book Award Finalist, Writers League of Texas, Austin, TX
• Best Multicultural Children’s Books Of 2018, Center for the Study of Multicultural Children’s Literature, Inglewood, CA

ECHOES OF GRACE:

• Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection, Junior Library Guild