Lionel Garc’a is the author of four award-winning novels, Leaving Home (Arte Pœblico Press, 1994), A Shroud in the Family (Arte Pœblico Press, 1994) , Hardscrub (Arte Pœblico Press, 1994) and To a Widow with Children (Arte Pœblico Press, 1994), and a collection of autobiographical sketches, I Can Hear the Cow Bells Ring (Arte Pœblico Press, 1994). He is the recipient of the Texas Institute of Letters Best Novel Award and the Southwestern Booksellers AssociationÕs Texas Literary Award. His work has received considerable critical praise, including comparisons by the Los Angeles Times to Gabriel Garc’a M‡rquez. Born and raised in San Diego, Texas, he currently practices veterinary medicine in Seabrook, Texas.