Elizabeth Gonzalez James

Elizabeth Gonzalez James is a writer based in Oakland, California, originally from South Texas. Before turning to fiction she worked a range of jobs, including as a waitress, pollster, Avon lady, and opera singer. Her debut novel, Mona At Sea, was a finalist in the 2019 SFWP Literary Awards and was published by Santa Fe Writers Project in 2021. The novel follows a millennial graduate who faces unemployment after the 2008 financial crisis. Her short fiction has been a finalist for Glimmer Train's Short Story Award for New Writers and has earned multiple Pushcart Prize and Best of the Net nominations. She has attended Bread Loaf, Tin House, and Lit Camp.