I was born and raised in the San Fernando Valley, a child of Argentine immigrants, a child of the ‘70s. My earliest memory of writing goes back to middle school: a story featuring my classmates and post-earthquake cannibalism. My teacher asked me to read it out loud, and my classmates’ laughs are with me still. In college I wrote a few poems, and following the encouragement of a beloved teacher, pursued poetry with a passion. In time I was off to UMASS Amherst. A few years later, MFA in hand, I took a job teaching sixth grade in Ojai, California, where I fell in love three times: once with my wife, once with teaching, and then again with children’s literature.
I authored several middle-grade/early high school textbooks, including How to Write an Essay, A Guide to Using Shiloh in the Classroom, and World Religions (Teacher Created Materials). I also published Writing for 100 Days, which was named Cathy Duffy’s Top 101 Picks for homeschoolers. My poetry, published widely, has been nominated for a Pushcart Prize.
My wife and I live in Meiners Oaks, CA. I teach writing and literature at Ventura College.
Fitzroy Books is delighted to publish Grape!, Gabriel Arquilevich’s work of middle-grade fiction in 2019.
