José María Merino

José María Merino is a Spanish novelist born in A Coruña, Galicia on 5 March 1941. He is the father of two daughters, María and Ana, both of them university professors. (Ana Merino is also a poet.) He lived for several years in León and currently lives in Madrid. Best known for his novels and short stories, he is also a poet and a travel writer.

He is considered one of the most prominent contemporary Spanish writers. His literary production is impressive both in terms of quantity and quality. He cultivates all narrative forms, poetry, and literary essay. He has received many important awards and distinctions. A master of the short-story, he has edited important collections of short-stories and tales. Mr. Merino is also an experienced teacher, someone who enjoys sharing his expertise with younger writers and students. He has conducted numerous workshops and creative writing courses and seminars in different Universities and Writing Schools, such as Dartmouth College (Hanover), the Universidad Complutense (Madrid), Universidad Carlos III (Madrid), Universidad International Menéndez y Pelayo (Santander), Escuela de Escritores Alonso Quijano or La Escuela de Letras.

Merino was elected to Seat m of the Real Academia Española on 27 March 2008, he took up his seat on 19 April 2009.