Author María J. Estrada @drmariajestrada
Jesú Estrada
Pen Name: María J. Estrada
Chicago, IL
I grew up in the desert, between Yuma and Somerton, AZ, close to the Cocopah Reservation. Because I was ever-bored, I became an avid reader of Spanish comic books or novelas. Then, once I learned how to read in English, I devoured everything in both languages.
I have been writing stories in mis lenguas since I was six years old. My fiction and poetry focus on working class issues, primarily about laborers in the Southwest.
In real life, I am happily married, been so for almost fourteen years and have a fabulous thirteen-year-old, son, and seven-year-old, daughter, both of whom are my friends. My husband is heroically supportive and encourages me to follow my writing and publishing passions.
All of my degrees, including my Ph.D. from Washington State University, Masters Degree from Indiana University of Pennsylvania, and Bachelors of Arts from Northern Arizona University, are in English which makes me a big fat English nerd. Currently, I live in Chicago and teach full-time at Harold Washington College to an amazing student population. Of course, one of my favorite classes to teach is Creative Writing, but I love all of my students and all my classes because I teach all the novels and story/poetry collections I want.
Currently, I am serializing two stories on Kindle Vella, "La Bruja in the Orchard" and "Nail Shop Warriors;" the latter I a co-writing with Hector Cruz. Do you love LGBTQIA Science Fiction? Then, you will love my upcoming novel The Harvested! You can read the first chapter here.
Pen Name: María J. Estrada
Chicago, IL
I grew up in the desert, between Yuma and Somerton, AZ, close to the Cocopah Reservation. Because I was ever-bored, I became an avid reader of Spanish comic books or novelas. Then, once I learned how to read in English, I devoured everything in both languages.
I have been writing stories in mis lenguas since I was six years old. My fiction and poetry focus on working class issues, primarily about laborers in the Southwest.
In real life, I am happily married, been so for almost fourteen years and have a fabulous thirteen-year-old, son, and seven-year-old, daughter, both of whom are my friends. My husband is heroically supportive and encourages me to follow my writing and publishing passions.
All of my degrees, including my Ph.D. from Washington State University, Masters Degree from Indiana University of Pennsylvania, and Bachelors of Arts from Northern Arizona University, are in English which makes me a big fat English nerd. Currently, I live in Chicago and teach full-time at Harold Washington College to an amazing student population. Of course, one of my favorite classes to teach is Creative Writing, but I love all of my students and all my classes because I teach all the novels and story/poetry collections I want.
Currently, I am serializing two stories on Kindle Vella, "La Bruja in the Orchard" and "Nail Shop Warriors;" the latter I a co-writing with Hector Cruz. Do you love LGBTQIA Science Fiction? Then, you will love my upcoming novel The Harvested! You can read the first chapter here.
