Gayle Jones is an American author known for writing about themes of racial and sexual violence. She was born in 1949 in Kentucky and received her B.A. from Connecticut College and M.A. and D.A. from Brown University. Her most famous novel, Corregidora, depicts the abuse suffered by the main character, Ursa, at the hands of her husband, reflecting themes that frequently appeared in Jones' writings. Despite the hardships she portrayed, the novel also showed Ursa beginning to find love and hope with someone new. Jones drew from her own experiences and historical events to outline her poetry and novels.