Hola! Welcome! 👋🏼

I’m Jackie Morera, a children’s author, mother, and pastelito enthusiast.

How it began …

I was born and raised in a small suburb of Miami to Cuban immigrant parents. Our home overflowed with whimsy, imagination, and enormous belly laughs.

My dad helped me “write my first book” when I was very young. He bound pieces of paper together and invited me to fill them with my stories, which he later brought to life with his illustrations. It’s difficult not to fall in love with writing when you’re introduced to it in such a magical way.

I couldn’t get enough. So, I spent my formative years playing around with storytelling. I scribbled away at tales of adventure, betrayal, intrigue, and romance, led by uncommon heroes and thwarted by villains you expect and some you don’t. I wanted to write it all, just like I wanted to read it all.

Younger Jackie Morera showcases her DIY book made of plain sheets of paper. She wears a backward baseball cap and is on a gray sofa. 1990s clothing and photo quality.

I want to catch words one day. I want to hold them then blow gently, watch them float right out of my hands.

Jacqueline Woodson

Photo of Jackie Morera from the knees up set in front of a hunter green background. Jackie, who has long, straight, brown hair is laughing. She's wearing gold hoop earrings, an eggshell sweater with pearls sewn in, and a pink silk knee-length skirt.

How it’s going …

I live in the Sunshine State where I’m blessed to spend my days in the world of imagination and daydream with my husband, son, and our silly dog.

When I’m not playing pretend or going on an adventure with my favorite little human, I write about those things instead. Specifically, stories filled with characters who look and sound like those who filled my heart and world growing up.

My picture books include Abuelo's Flower Shop, illustrated by Deise Lino; Together We Remember, illustrated by Violeta Encarnacion, coming May 13, 2025; and an unannounced book slated for Fall 2026.

xo, Jackie

Upcoming events

11.17.24 Boozy Holiday Book Fair

In-person: Book Signing
From 12:00 - 4:00 pm ET at Tuffy's Music Box & Lounge on November 17, 2024
200 Myrtle Ave, Sanford, FL 32771
Free Registration Link Coming Soon
11.21.24 NCTE Panel Session

In-person Panel: Using Picture Books as Tools for Change, Empathy, and Empowerment Across Economic and Linguistic Lines
From 1:00 - 2:15 pm ET at NCTE Annual Convention on November 21, 2024
Boston, MA

FAQ:

Do you have a bio we can use?

Of course!

Short Bio:

Jackie Morera is a Cuban American author of books for young readers. Born and raised in Miami, Jackie lives in Central Florida with her husband, son, and goofy pup. She enjoys telling stories, savoring pastelitos, and cozying up for a good nap. Her picture books include Abuelo's Flower Shop, illustrated by Deise Lino (Beaming Books); Together We Remember, illustrated by Violeta Encarnacion, coming May 13, 2025 (Random House Children’s Books/Make Me A World); and an unannounced book slated for Fall 2026.

Longer Bio:

Jackie Morera is a Cuban American author of books for young readers. Born and raised in Miami, Jackie now lives in Central Florida with her husband, son, and goofy pup where she enjoys telling stories, savoring pastelitos, and cozying up for a good nap. Her work highlights latine kids and their families who are curious, brave, and full of love.

Jackie participated in PitMad in September of 2021 and received an offer of publication from Beaming Books in November of the same year for her debut picture book, Abuelo's Flower Shop, illustrated by Deise Lino. Additional picture books include Together We Remember, illustrated by Violeta Encarnacion, coming May 13, 2025 (Random House Children’s Books/Make Me A World), and an unannounced book slated for Fall 2026.

Jackie is a member of Las Musas, PBSoar24, the 12x12 Picture Book Challenge, and is a Latinx Kidlit Book Festival volunteer. She was selected as a 2022 Las Musas Hermana Mentee, partnering with Laura Taylor Namey on a young adult contemporary romance novel. She is represented by agent Ashley Reisinger of TriadaUS.

Jackie invites you to visit her online at jmorerabooks.com and on TikTok, Instagram, BlueSky, and Twitter/X @jmorerabooks. She also has a monthly newsletter sharing the details of her publishing journey.

Click here to listen to the pronunciation of the surname Morera.

What is your writing process?

This depends on age category, but mostly, I feel my way around a story. For picture books, my stories often begin with an idea jotted down in my notes app. On a particularly inspiring day, I might type out an entire draft right then, but more commonly, the complete story usually comes later and evolves through multiple iterations before it’s ready for my critique partners and, later, my agent.

My novels are character-driven, so I need to first get to know the people who make up the world. I spend a lot of time with them in my mind before they ever grace the page. I rarely go into a first draft with more than a relationship with my characters and the five main points of the story (the inciting incident, crossing the threshold, midpoint reversal, the beginning of the end, and the conclusion). After drafting, I reverse-outline and revise from there—all in the same document with no “dump file!”