Quick Facts
Biography
Cecilia Velástegui (born September 29, 1953) is an American author who lives in Monarch Beach, California. As an author, she has been collected by libraries.
Early life and education
Velástegui was born in Quito, Ecuador. She graduated from University of Southern California with a master's degree in 1977.
Career
Her first novel, Gathering the Indigo Maidens (2011), was a finalist for the Mariposa Prize. Her second novel, Traces of Bliss (2012), was selected to the National Latino Book Club by the Association of American Publishers and the Las Comadres international organization. Her third novel, Missing in Machu Picchu (2013), was awarded first place in adventure fiction by the International Latino Book Awards, but was given an unfavorable review by Publishers Weekly.
In 2014 her novel Parisian Promises received a positive review from US Review of Books.
Velástegui has been invited as an author panelist at Literary Orange, the Los Angeles Times Festival of Books, the Big Orange Book, and the Los Angeles Zoo.
Velástegui also writes children’s bilingual fables. Olinguito Speaks Up-Olinguito alza la voz (2013) received first place for Best Latino Focused Children’s Picture Book by the 2014 International Latino Book Awards.