After reading Dostoyevsky's Crime and Punishment at the age of 17, Ron Ruiz says he knew he wanted to be a writer. But, he adds, he knew nothing about the craft. His first novel, Happy Birthday Jesús, was published 36 years later to good reviews.Praise for the work of Ronald L. Ruiz: "The sparse, simple prose lets the story tell itself... The supporting characters are briefly but fully drawn... Few readers will be able to forget the chilling experiences of a forlorn hero who's destined to take his place next to Bigger Thomas (of Richard Wright's Native Son) in the honor roll of seminal characters in American literature."--Publishers Weekly (featured review)After college, Ruiz went to law school "for all the wrong reasons." After ten years of practicing criminal defense law, Ruiz returned to writing. He quickly turned to writing about what he saw working in the criminal justice system, and began working on his critically acclaimed first novel, Happy Birthday Jesús (Arte Público Press, 1994). He says he carried that book around with him for over ten years and was on the verge of giving up when it was finally accepted for publication. His second novel, Giuseppe Rocco (Arte Público Press, 1998), is the recipient of a national literary prize, the 1998 Premio Aztlán. Ron Ruiz "is at his best when depicting personal struggles," says the San Jose Mercury News about his third novel, The Big Bear (Arte Público Press, 2003). Ruiz practiced criminal law for over 30 years in California. One of only six Mexican-American lawyers in Northern California during his early years, he saw a transformation in the criminal justice system that would make anyone wonder whether this was "progress." A graduate of the University of San Francisco Law School, criminal defense attorney, and former District Attorney of Santa Cruz County, Ruiz retired from criminal law and continues to write every day.www.ronaldlruiz.com