Mary Louise Sanchez

My name is Mary Louise (Gonzales) Sanchez. Even though I was born and raised in Wyoming,

my family's daily lives there continued to celebrate our rich colonial, New Mexican Hispanic

heritage with deep U.S. roots since 1598. My love of history, genealogical research, and other in-

depth studies have given me places, names, and a passion to tell the stories of my ancestors and

other Hispanics like me.

My husband and I live in the Denver metro area and have four grown children and eight

grandchildren.

SCBWI (Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators) honored my debut middle grade

historical fiction novel, The Wind Called My Name, with one of its three inaugural On-the-Verge

Emerging Voices awards in 2012. The 2016 New Visions Award from Tu Books, an imprint of

Lee & Low Books, made publication of my book possible in 2018. My book was a finalist in

children’s fiction and non-fiction for the WILA Award sponsored by Women Writing the West.

The Wind Called My Name can be purchased in bookstores, Amazon and at the Lee & Low

Books site: The Wind Called My Name by Mary Louise Sanchez | Lee & Low Books.

I’m a retired elementary teacher/librarian and I continue to read the best of children’s literature

which has helped me as a writer. My completed middle grade historical fiction novel, Cutting the

Strings, set during WWII in Wyoming; my many picture books; and my corrido about Jose P.

Martinez, a Medal of Honor recipient who lived in Ault, Colorado, are awaiting publication.