About

Claire Ortalda’s writing explores the intersection of memory, identity, and the hidden histories that shape contemporary life.  A former journalist and educator, Claire holds both an MA and MFA in Creative Writing from San Francisco State University. Her work has received numerous literary honors, including short-listing in three national novel competitions, and has appeared in more than forty anthologies and journals.  She also edited Floyd Salas’s acclaimed autobiography Buffalo Nickel, praised by the Los Angeles Times as “one of the most remarkable memoirs of the decade,” and served as editor for five other books, including Fightin’ Words (Heyday Press) and The Other Side of the Closet, by Amity Pierce Buxton, featured on the Today show.

She taught English and Creative Writing at San Francisco State University and has presented at libraries, book fairs and writing conferences, including AWP. Her contributions to the literary community include her role as a founding member and officer of PEN Oakland, the first multicultural chapter of the international organization, and a board member of Sisters in Crime Northern California. She is a member of Mystery Writers of America, Sisters in Crime and Associated Writing Programs.