Angie Cruz

Angie Cruz
Image of Cruz at the 2022 Texas Book Festival
Cruz at the 2022 Texas Book Festival
Born (1972-02-24) February 24, 1972 (age 52)
Washington Heights, Manhattan, New York City, U.S.
OccupationNovelist
EducationSUNY Binghamton (BA)
New York University (MFA)
SubjectHome, gender, race, displacement, and working class life
Notable worksSoledad "Dominicana"
Notable awardsAlex Awards
Website
www.angiecruz.com Edit this at Wikidata

Angie Cruz (born February 24, 1972) is an American novelist and associate professor at the University of Pittsburgh,[1] where she teaches in the M.F.A. program.[2]

Early life and education

Cruz was born on February 24, 1972, in Washington Heights, New York City. She is of Dominican descent, and regularly travelled from New York City to the Dominican Republic as a child.[2]

Cruz attended Catholic school through eighth grade and grew interested in visual arts in high school.[3][2] She attended LaGuardia School of the Arts and the Fashion Institute of Technology, where she studied fashion design.[3] She received her B.A. in English from SUNY Binghamton and an M.F.A. in creative writing from New York University.[4][2]

Career

Cruz has written numerous books focusing on themes of home, gender, race, displacement, and working class life.

Cruz published her first novel Soledad in 2001 and her second novel, Let It Rain Coffee in 2005, both with Simon & Schuster. Her third novel, Dominicana (2019), which she published with Flatiron Books, received widespread acclaim.[5][6] Publishers Weekly described the work as "Enthralling...Cruz's winning novel will linger in the reader’s mind long after the close of the story."[7] NBC described Dominicana as "one of the most evocative and empowering immigrant stories of our time."[8] In 2022, Cruz published her fourth novel, How Not to Drown in a Glass of Water, also with Flatiron Books.

Cruz is currently an associate professor at the University of Pittsburgh writing program and the Editor-in-Chief, co-founder of Aster(ix) literary journal.[9]

Awards

Cruz has received numerous grants for her teaching and writing, including the Barbara Deming Award, New York Foundation for the Arts Fellowship, Camargo Fellowship, Van Lier Literary Fellowship, and NALAC Fund for the Arts Fellowship.[4] She has also been awarded residencies: Yaddo, The Macdowell Colony, Fundacion Valparaiso, La Napoule Foundation, and The Millay Colony.[4]

Dominicana was shortlisted for the 2020 Women's Prize for Fiction.[10] In 2020, Dominicana received the Alex Awards.

In 2021, Cruz was awarded the Gina Berriault Award. The award is given annually to a writer who has shown a love for storytelling and a commitment to helping young writers.[11]

Novels

  • Soledad. Simon & Schuster. 2001. ISBN 9780743212021.
  • Let It Rain Coffee. Simon & Schuster. 2005. ISBN 9780743212045.
  • Dominicana. Flatiron Books. 2019. ISBN 9781250205933.
  • How Not to Drown in a Glass of Water. Flatiron Books. 2022. ISBN 9781250208453.

References

  1. ^ "Angie Cruz - Writing". University of Pittsburgh. Retrieved November 22, 2024.
  2. ^ a b c d "Our History". ANGIE CRUZ. Retrieved July 22, 2020.
  3. ^ a b Torres, Saillant (Summer–Fall 2003). "An Interview With Angie Cruz" (PDF). Calabash. 2 (2): 108–110.
  4. ^ a b c "Angie Cruz". National Book Foundation. Retrieved December 17, 2019.
  5. ^ "Dominicana - Angie Cruz". US Macmillan. Retrieved July 22, 2020.
  6. ^ "Book Marks reviews of Dominicana by Angie Cruz". Book Marks. Retrieved October 9, 2023.
  7. ^ "Fiction Book Review: Dominicana by Angie Cruz. Flatiron, $26.99 (336p) ISBN 978-1-250-20593-3". PublishersWeekly.com. Retrieved July 22, 2020.
  8. ^ González, Rigoberto (October 17, 2019). "Hispanic Heritage Month is over and these 15 books by Latinos are still great". NBC News. Retrieved September 27, 2021.
  9. ^ "Angie Cruz, Author at Aster(ix) Journal". Aster(ix) Journal. Retrieved July 22, 2020.
  10. ^ "Women's Prize for Fiction shortlist announced". Books+Publishing. April 22, 2020. Retrieved May 5, 2020.
  11. ^ "An Afternoon with Angie Cruz, winner of Gina Berriault Award - College of Liberal & Creative Arts". lca.sfsu.edu. Retrieved September 27, 2021.
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