John Olivares Espinoza

Born in Indio, California in 1978, John Olivares Espinoza derives his poetic inspiration through his days working as a gardener with his family, which is reflected in his first full-length collection of poetry, The Date Fruit Elegies (Bilingual Press Review, 2008), a finalist for the Northern California Book Award in Poetry. His chapbooks include Aluminum Times (2002), winner of the Swan Scythe Press Chapbook Contest, and Gardeners of Eden (Chicano Chapbook Series, 2000). He holds degrees in creative writing from the University of California, Riverside and Arizona State University in Tempe, where he was a Paul and Daisy Soros New American Fellow. Other honors include a grant from The Elizabeth George Foundation, several Pushcart Prize nominations, and a residency at the Smithsonian Institute in Washington, DC. He lives in San Jose, California, with his wife and imaginary children.