Elaine Castillo, named one of “30 of the Planet’s Most Exciting Young People” by the Financial Times, was born and raised in the Bay Area. She is the author of the novel Moderation (out July 3, 2025 in the UK/Commonwealth and August 5, 2025 in the US), the acclaimed collection of essays How to Read Now, the debut novel America Is Not the Heart, and the longform essay Good Girl: Notes on Dog Rescue. She works so her rescue German shepherd Vincent can live a better life.
This is a picture featuring her first German shepherd, a senior rescue named Xena, who was the greatest, wisest, most beautiful girl in the entire world. Empirical fact.
