Manuel Muñoz is an author. His early work was mostly set in rural towns of the Central Valley of California which resemble his hometown of Dinuba. He is also Assistant Professor of Creative Writing at the University of Arizona in Tucson. Muñoz's writing has appeared in various publications, such as Rush Hour, Swink, Epoch, Glimmer Train, Edinburgh Review, and Boston Review. His first book, the collection "Zigzagger," was published in 2003. His first novel, "What You See in the Dark," was published in 2011. Muñoz has been recognized with a Whiting Writer’s Award, three O. Henry Awards, and an appearance in Best American Short Stories. Muñoz completed the Undergraduate Teacher Education Program at Harvard University, then received his M.F.A. in Creative Writing from Cornell University.