If you asked Diane Gonzales Bertrand to stop writing, you might as well ask her to stop breathing. Give her a photo, a piece of junk, a dicho or a song title, and she’ll start imagining a story, outlining a poem, or recalling a memory to write inside her notebook. Writing has been a constant companion since she learned to print the alphabet. She always made up imaginary playmates and friends to accompany her on adventures and outings no one else could see. Now she calls her imaginary folk “characters” and enjoys the creative process as she experiments with possible plots, new settings and different ways to use language to help readers connect to her stories.
Bertrand grew up in San Antonio, Texas, in the Woodlawn Lake neighborhood. She went to Little Flower School and Ursuline Academy where she learned from wonderful nuns and teachers who taught her to understand and appreciate English grammar and literature, history, math and science. She gained confidence in writing from patient family members who listened to her poetry and who clapped when she wrote plays for her cousins to perform at family gatherings; from Girl Scout friends and troop leaders who laughed at funny skits she wrote; and from her students who liked the way she incorporated the Latino culture into new lessons on grammar and understanding Shakespeare. She earned English degrees from The University of Texas at San Antonio and Our Lady of the Lake University. She’s worked as a teacher in schools and in community education programs since 1979.
Currently Bertrand is Writer-in-Residence for the English-Communication Arts Department at St. Mary’s University. She teaches English composition and creative writing and guides students who publish The Pecan Grove Review, the university’s literary magazine. St. Mary’s Pecan Grove Press recently published her first poetry collection Dawn Flower.
Bertrand has published many children’s picture books and novels for children and teens through Piñata Books, a division of Arte Público Press. Her most popular books for teens include Trino’s Choice, Trino’s Time and The F Factor. A complete list of her books can be found at www.artepublicopress.com.