About Gloria

Gloria Amescua (Ah MES qua) has been a writer since she was a child, writing poems and stories throughout her life. When she was a girl, she would climb into the cradle of an oak tree and enter the world of words. She is a poet and children’s book writer. Gloria loves books that reach a young person’s heart, head or funny bone and strives to do just that in her writing. Gloria is proud of her Mexican American heritage, and her writing reflects her interest in sharing cultural, historical, and social issues. Gloria’s latest picture book, Abuelita’s Song, illustrated by Mariyah Rahman, is inspired by her son and granddaughters.

Her lyrical picture book biography, Child of the Flower-Song People: Luz Jiménez, Daughter of the Nahua, illustrated by Duncan Tonatiuh, was awarded a Pura Belpré Author Honor.  It was listed as a Junior Library Guild Gold Selection, ALA Notable Books, SLJ’s Best Books, Chicago Public Library: Best Informational Books for Younger Readers; CSMCL: Best Books, and various other Best of Nonfiction/Informative lists. Her book was also a SCBWI Golden Kite national finalist for Nonfiction Text for Young Readers. A Hedgebrook alumna and a CantoMundo fellow, Gloria’s poetry has been published in a variety of literary journals and anthologies. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt has published one of her poems in their national textbook literature series.  Gloria received both her B. A. and M. Ed. degrees from the University of Texas at Austin.

She lives outside Austin, Texas, surrounded by grand oaks with Jeff, their lively dog Pixie, and sleepy cat Lovey. The grandmother of amazing grandkids, Gloria believes in children, pets and possibilities.

 

Gloria is happy to be represented be her wonderful agent Taylor Martindale Kean at Full Circle Literary.

View Gloria’s Press Kit for bios and downloadable headshots.

Quick Facts About Gloria

  • Hometown: Austin, Texas, but I grew up out in the country
  • Favorite Food: Mexican food and barbecue. For dessert, vanilla ice cream, yes vanilla
  • Favorite season: Spring
  • Favorite Colors: I can’t choose just one, so blue, green and purple!
  • Fears: High places where I might fall, roller coaster motion, and not being prepared

Frequently Asked Questions   

How do you say your last name? Ah-MES-qua Listen here.

Where do you live? Austin, Texas, out in the country with grand spreading live oak trees

Did you always want to be a writer? It seems to have always been a part of me since I love books.  When I was about nine, I fell in love with poetry and how it could say so much in such few words. I wrote poems and stories and a very short play about a New York City family. (I had never been to NYC and didn’t know anything about life there!) Don’t do that. Write what you know or what you care about!

Do you speak Spanish? I do but not fluently. I grew up speaking English. My parents thought it best so we wouldn’t have trouble in school, even though my father was from Mexico.

What were you like as a kid? I was quiet and shy (and I still am). My mom said I didn’t talk until I was three. I suppose I was taking everything in. I loved to read and often played with my younger brother on the swings, seesaws and stilts our father made for us.

What do you like to do besides reading and writing? Photography, traveling, gardening, museums, music, and sometimes doing adventurous things.

What’s your favorite book? This is an unanswerable question. How can I pick just one? The first big book I remember reading and loving as a kid is The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum. I especially love books that touch my heart, spark my imagination and are meaningful to me.

What do you hope your readers find in your books? When I was growing up, I didn’t see books about others who looked like me. What makes me sad is that I didn’t even question why I didn’t. I try to write books like the ones I love. I write books about social justice, tender-hearted and humorous stories, too. Most importantly, I hope kids to see themselves in my stories.

Interviews

MENU