Merry Zavala

Author of Circle of Grace

Ms. Zavala’s first fictional novel, Circle of Grace, was inspired by her mother and father’s roots in Texas and Arkansas. The novel, a family saga that spans close to fifty years, from 1900 to 1947, follows the lives of three strong women: sisters Suzanna and Ruth Hale and Ruth’s daughter Nelly, as they live through the Great Hurricane of Galveston, plagues, and heartbreak, during the societal changes brought on by the industrial age, wars, and recession.

Ms. Zavala, an avid reader from her youth, studied Spanish at the University of Mexico, married, and resided in Mexico City and surrounding areas, becoming both bilingual and bicultural.Upon returning stateside her journey led her to the medical field, where she developed a keen interest in language and communication.

Ms. Zavala dedicated thirty-five years to her career in the medical field, later serving as the manager of Diversity at Kaiser Permanente, a well-known medical organization in the San Francisco Bay Area. Her work included developing interpreter programs and language access, and she also served as the President of the Kaiser Permanente Latino Association during her tenure.

Ms. Zavala currently lives in Northern California and enjoys spending time with her two grandchildren, her son and daughter, and their spouses. She also enjoys traveling with her husband of forty-seven years, and when she is not writing, she creates watercolor cards and paints landscapes.