After decades of working with incarcerated youth, Mona is fulfilling her passion for writing fiction.
She has penned two award winning YA novels—The Garden of Second Chances and A Bridge Home—stories that reflect her affection for young adult fiction and coming-of-age journeys.
The Garden of Second Chances received a gold and a silver medal at the 2024 International Latino Book Awards. A Bridge Home received the Paterson Prize for Young Readers and is one of the 2025 Southwest Books for YA.
Mona is an unapologetic bookaholic. She is always on the hunt for the next great read, and her wanderlust has taken her on countless adventures. When she’s not traveling or writing, you’ll find her binge-watching K-dramas, immersing herself in their heartfelt stories.
She writes from the crossroads of life experience, ancestral memory, and a passion for justice. Her stories lift up underrepresented voices and explore the beauty, struggle, and resilience at the heart of culture and community.
She is a member of SCBWI and Macondo Writers and a co-founder of #LatinxPitch, an annual X pitch event, and the Women Who Submit Lit Ventura Co. Chapter.
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