Biography

Ana Veciana-Suarez is a syndicated columnist for The Miami Herald and author of
several books, including the just-released young adult novel, Flight to Freedom. She
has also written a collection of essays, Birthday Parties in Heaven: Thoughts on
Life, Love, Grief, and Other Matters of the Heart. A previous book, The Chin Kiss
King was nominated for the prestigious IMPAC Award, an international competition in
Dublin. Her commentary has been included in several anthologies, and it has
appeared in Readers Digest, O magazine, Woman’s Day, The Washington Post
Magazine, Parenting, and Latina.
A summa cum laude graduate of the University of South Florida, she has worked at
The Miami News and The Palm Beach Post as education reporter, features writer,
projects writer, and editor.
For her latest work, Kirkus Review says this about Flight to Freedom:  It “is credible,
absorbing, and uplifting. The dignity of the Garcia family shines through as they
attempt to make their way in their new society…”
Of Birthday Parties in Heaven, the School Library Journal reviewer wrote: "Veciana-
Suarez has managed to retain an ability to view her culture with the crisp
impressions perceived only by the newcomer or the very young."
The New York Times called The Chin Kiss King: "…piquant and aromatic, written
with a spirited sense of inner worlds and human foibles.”
The Boston Globe reviewer wrote: “…vivid and emotionally charged. Veciana-
Suarez has created characters who are tender, compassionate, and often
illuminating. She has written an engaging and memorable novel…bewitching for its
lyricism and for its evocative powers.”
As a journalist, Ms. Veciana-Suarez has received several awards, most recently:
* Second place, 1998 State Sunshine Award for Commentary from the Society of
Professional Journalists.
* First place, 1996 Excellence in Feature Writing, commentary category from the
American Association of Sunday and Feature Editors.
* Penney-Missouri Award for a 1995 series she did with co-worker Liz Doup on
caring for the elderly.
* Second place, 1995 National Headliner Award for local columns.
* First place, 1995 Sunshine State Award from the Society of Professional
Journalists, South Florida Chapter.
In 1991, she received a $5,000 Individual Artist Fellowship Award from the state of
Florida for fiction writing. She also has written two nonfiction books about the
Hispanic media for The Media Institute, a think tank in Washington D.C.
Ms. Veciana-Suarez immigrated to Miami at the age of six and lives there with her
husband, David Freundlich. She has five children who have taught her
immeasurable humility.

Contact Ana at aveciana@aol.com