Joseph Somoza was born in 1940 in the Asturias region of Spain. His family immigrated to the United States in 1949, settling in Elizabeth, New Jersey, where Somoza learned English. They later moved to Chicago and then to Cincinnati. Somoza is a retired Associate Professor of English from New Mexico State University in Las Cruces where he also edited the
literary magazine Puerto Del Sol. He and Jill, his wife of more than 40 years, have three children—Lisa, David, and Michael.

Check out some poetry and further information about Joe Somoza, as well as his wife Jill Somoza, at the Santa Fe Poetry Broadside website.