Kathleen Alcalá

Kathleen Alcalá was born in Compton, California, to Mexican parents, and grew up in San Bernardino. She has a degree in linguistics from Stanford University, an MA in Creative Writing from the University of Washington, and an MFA from the University of New Orleans. A graduate of the Clarion West Science Fiction and Fantasy program, her work embraces both traditional and innovative storytelling techniques. She is the author of six books that include a collection of stories, three novels, a book of essays, and most recently, The Deepest Roots: Finding Food and Community on a Pacific Northwest Island (University of Washington Press, 2016). Recognition includes the Western States Book Award, the Governor’s Writers Award, and two Artist Trust Fellowships. Kathleen has been a guest professor at Seattle University and the University of New Mexico, as well as a writer in residence at Hugo House in Seattle. Until recently, she taught at the Northwest Institute of Literary Arts, a low-residency MFA program. She lives on Bainbridge Island near Seattle, Washington, where she has been designated an Island Treasure. 

Photo Credit: Wayne Roth