Maria Rivera Named “Inspiring Women to Watch in 2026” with Formidable Woman US
Maria Rivera is a contemporary fiction author whose work compassionately weaves themes of relationships, faith, and family resilience. Her writing is deeply rooted in two powerful sources of inspiration: the Bible and the vivid memories of her years living in Washington Heights, New York. Rivera is well known for her hands-on approach to crafting authentic settings—she personally travels to and spends time at every location featured in her novels, often writing on-site to capture its texture, rhythm, and spirit.commercials for her books, merging her love of literature with her expertise in media arts.
For more than thirty years, Rivera has taught high school English and also leads courses in film and television production, guiding young creatives in the power of narrative and visual storytelling. Her novels have earned strong praise from Book Viral.
You are getting noticed as a writer. What led you to write?
I’ve always loved writing and had dreamed of one day writing a novel. I have been an English teacher for more than thirty years. Fourteen years in Florida and I have been teaching in Connecticut for seventeen years. And I love my job, but writing fictional book had always been my dream, and I think that fear kept me from doing it. In the fall of 2021, I read in a magazine that S.E. Hinton’s philosophy was to “write the story you would want to read.” It was the nudge I needed, so I started to think about making it a goal for 2021. I had a story I had been thinking about for a while, but I was working out some plot holes and making different decisions with respect to characters. I knew I wanted it to be set in Washington Heights, New York because that neighborhood has had my heart for many years. In fact, the setting is in the building where I lived for eleven years. So, on January 1, 2021, I started my journey with Chasing The Wind. When I wasn’t teaching or grading, I was writing. At the time, in addition to my full-time job at the high school, I was teaching a creative writing class in an adult education program. The evening class started at six, so when my day job was over, I stayed in school and wrote until it was time for me to leave to go to my part-time. On weekends, I wrote. And, I haven’t stopped since! 😊
Take us through your recent works.
Chasing The Wind was followed by Chasing Shadows, which ended up being longer because I thought I would be done with the Ortegas. I was wrong. 😊 Dropping Perez begins in Washington Heights, but ends up on Cosey Beach in East Haven, Connecticut, which is the town in which I live. Many scenes were set at the Sandpiper Restaurant, which is where I’m doing a book signing on Saturday, July 11th. I have a lot of behind-the-scenes photos that I’ll have available for people to see. There are scenes that I actually wrote at the restaurant! The Thing About Lily was released this past November and that one takes place in Washington Heights as well. I’m now working on A New Tomorrow, which revolves around completely new characters that are not related to anyone in the first three books and most of the novel will be set in East Haven.
Your fourth novel, The Thing About Lily. How does it explore healing, resilience, and unexpected connection?
Lily Cruz is a human trafficking survivor. She was separated from her father and brother and was then trafficked by her father’s best friend. She has spent quite a few years running from her past until she arrives in Washington Heights. She is a wonderful mother and has an excellent work ethic. She is a gifted artist. Lily is quiet and reserved, but certainly not a pushover. She is smart and has overcome a horrendous experience with strength and grace, although sometimes her past haunts her, and we see the struggle between wanting to embrace her future and fear that her past will ruin what she has now. Her son is her world, and she has fought hard to bring her father and brother from Cuba.
Throughout the novel, the reader will see how Lily leans on her faith and friends as she heals from her traumatic past. She’s raising her sixteen-year-old son, Gabe, working and going to school, which speaks to her resilience.
Her father and brother came from Cuba, and their resilience is illustrated through their acclimation to the United States. People from Cuba are accustomed to not having anything, so seeing the opposite here in America, though a blessing, is a cultural shock. But the steps they take to make a life in a country are a shining example of resilience. Unexpected connections appear throughout, especially between Lily and Raymond. Raymond is a widowed pastor, and you could say that their lives intersect in an interesting way. 😊
Why are you a Formidable Woman?
I like to think that I strive to be a high achiever with respect to teaching, writing, and really anything I do. Your experiences and especially failures, which we all have, teach us important lessons that we put in our arsenal of life experience. And for that experience to have some value, it should be shared and passed on to others. It’s also important to recognize ourselves in others when we starting out, so it has always been a priority for me to encourage others and at the same time pass on wisdom that I’ve gained from my life experience.
What is next?
I’m working on A New Tomorrow, and I’m getting ready for the book signing this summer. In the past few years, I’ve been invited to book clubs a couple of times to discuss Chasing The Wind, and I would love to book more of those! I would also like to see if I can get the books into some of the surrounding high schools. The book is now available — secure your copy here: https://a.co/d/deTzxsh
