Zoraida Córdova

In the ever-expanding Star Wars galaxy, the name Zoraida Córdova is one to watch. The rising star has a knack for penning stories with relatable characters who grow and change throughout their journeys, effectively providing some of the most empathetic narratives in the Expanded Universe. That’s why in this collection, we’re exploring the author’s flourishing library of Star Wars titles. But first, let’s download some of her history on our data pads.

Born in Ecuador, Córdova learned English by watching Disney’s The Little Mermaid on repeat, which instilled in her a love of fantasy worlds. She moved to the United States at an early age, and as a high school student attended writing camps at the encouragement of a supportive teacher. Her early stories brimmed with magic, but it wasn’t until her early 20s that she began to discover and incorporate the rich history and mythology of her Latin American heritage.

With the success of her Vicious Deep and Brooklyn Brujas series, Córdova’s talent for creating fantastical worlds meant she would soon have the opportunity to craft stories in the Star Wars galaxy.

She finally made the jump to hyperspace with her short story “You Owe Me a Ride,” which featured in the anthology From a Certain Point of View, a collection celebrating A New Hope’s 40th anniversary with 40 stories told through the eyes of characters at the periphery of the film’s iconic scenes. In “You Owe Me a Ride,” the fugitive Tonnika sisters must get enough credits to flee Tattoine and decide to collect the bounty on their associate, Han Solo. Their quarry leads them to the famous shootout in Mos Eisley Spaceport, where they must stop the Millennium Falcon from escaping Docking Bay 94.

Córdova’s prose proved deserving of an entire book, and in 2019, a new publishing campaign saw the release of her first Star Wars YA novel. If you have ever spent time on the Outer Rim world of Batuu, you can thank her for helping to bring Black Spire Outpost to life. Disney’s ambitious theme park, Galaxy’s Edge, opened to the public and kicked off a new media project tie-in.

Córdova had the distinct honor of inaugurating the Spires with their first book, Galaxy’s Edge: A Crash of Fate. Readers follow Jules and Izzy, two childhood friends, who are torn apart when Izzy’s family abruptly leaves Batuu. Thirteen years later, Izzy returns when a smuggling job leads her to deliver a mysterious parcel to Black Spire Outpost. Just as Jules’ and Izzy’s rekindled friendship might turn into something more, the job goes wrong, and they must fight to protect each other’s hearts as they examine the lives they’ve chosen. With its blend of adventure and romance, A Crash of Fate provides one of the most character-driven Star Wars stories in the EU. 

Following her debut Star Wars novel, Córdova returned with two more short stories. The first appeared in Star Wars: The Clones Wars - Stories of Light and Dark, an anthology retelling of iconic episodes from the hit animated show. Her contribution, “The Lost Night Sister,” adapts the episode “Bounty,” revisiting Asajj Ventress’s time on Tattooine and her involvement with a bounty hunting crew led by Boba Fett. Once again, Córdova showcases her penchant for creating satisfying character arcs as we see Ventress go from feeling lost to empowered.

She returned with her next short story in Episode V’s 40th anniversary celebration, A Certain Point of View: The Empire Strikes Back, this time taking readers through scenes from the perspective of Boba Fett himself. 

With her grasp of crafting empathetic stories and relatable characters, it seems Zoraida Córdova’s time in the EU is just beginning. Read on to explore her featured collection, and be sure to check back here as her library continues to grow.