Emerita Romero-Anderson

A Colorado native, I wake up to a glorious sunrise over the Sangre de Cristos and the scent of pinon pine rising from chimneys. My birthplace, San Luis, is a small community with a richly woven tapestry of Hispano culture, traditions and history, which reveal an important part of our national story.

I am a sixth-generation Hispanic, a descendant of New Mexicans and Spanish colonials - the first settlers of Colorado. This bicultural heritage immersed me in an enduring oral tradition.

As a youngster, I loved to listen to stories told so often at family gatherings or made up by uncles and aunts at bedtime. I began to tell my own stories, entertaining kids at the willow tree in a neighboring field. My stories became so popular, I got help with all my chores.

It is from this creative place that I began my journey as a writer and author of children’s books.

Teaching for twenty-seven years and reading countless children’s books helped prepare me. I am a graduate of Adams State College in Alamosa, Colorado and hold a Masters from the University of Northern Colorado. While working on my Masters in bilingual/multicultural education in 1978, I wrote my first book, Que Dijo el Gato? It was never published, but gave me the idea to write other books.

I am married and have a beautiful daughter who blessed us with identical twin grandsons in May, 2007. I’m sure a picture book on twins is forthcoming.

I retired in 1998 to write children’s books. I love giving book talks in libraries and schools. I do a big book reading for my picture book, Grandpa’s Tarima, and bring visuals and props to show how I got my ideas for the story. We play a drum, chant and I leave time for questions.

For my non-fiction children’s biography, José Dario Gallegos: Merchant of the Santa Fe Trail, ages 10 and up, I use a power point to present the biography and expand on the concepts and information in the book.

I show my writing process for both books, and show how a book comes together from first draft to publication.

I present at conferences and organizations, have been a guest author, an author-in-residence and I’ve taught Young Writer’s and Teacher’s as Writers workshops.

My current memberships include, Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, Women Writing the West, The Authors Guild, and a critique group that meets once a month.