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rebeccamoonruark.bsky.social
Rebecca Moon Ruark is at rebeccamoonruark.com
@rebeccamoonruark.bsky.social
330 followers 330 following 62 posts
all-around word nerd, co-editor of dance essay anthology-in-progress; owner/editor at the Rust Belt Girl blog; Duolingo French fanatic; pointe shoe survivor; twin mom; the happiest funeral singer you know
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rebeccamoonruark.bsky.social
In his review of #poet Marjorie Maddox's latest collection, which includes stunning #collage #art from Karen Elias, Jason Irwin says, "Together, they depict a world not only fraught with imminent disaster, but one of beauty and hope." #bookrecs #Reviews

rustbeltgirl.com/2025/08/01/t...
To Dream of Curlews and Stars: A review of Marjorie Maddox’s Small Earthly Space
Poet Jason Irwin reviews poet Marjorie Maddox’s new poetry collection with artwork by Karen Elias. It’s called Small Earthly Space. “Together,” Irwin writes, Maddox’s …
rustbeltgirl.com
August 3, 2025 at 2:19 PM
rebeccamoonruark.bsky.social
Writer and reader friends, I'm happy to share the latest in a series of guest posts at Rust Belt Girl. Thank you, #poet and #photographer Justin Hamm, for your vision, #art, and for being such a strong literary voice for the American Midwest.

rustbeltgirl.com/2025/07/01/t...
“…the holy and the ordinary rubbing shoulders…” Essay and images by Justin Hamm
The third offering in a series of guest posts here at Rust Belt Girl, poet and photographer Justin Hamm presents an essay about speaking in tongues with accompanying original folk art.
rustbeltgirl.com
July 2, 2025 at 1:18 PM
rebeccamoonruark.bsky.social
Good deal earlier this week! @reneeknicholson.bsky.social #dance #essay #anthology #health-humanities
Publishers Marketplace deal announcement for an anthology of essays on dance by dancers co-edited by Rebecca Moon Ruark and Ree Wells-Lewis titled BODY OF WORK, as part of the Connective Tissue series, a health humanities series from West Virginia University Press, to be published 2027.
June 4, 2025 at 8:27 PM
rebeccamoonruark.bsky.social
New post--the second in a series of guest spots at Rust Belt Girl: Thank you to all my guest contributors and followers!

"Taking the Cow Path to Culture": an Essay by Christina Fisanick
rustbeltgirl.com/2025/05/28/t...
“Taking the Cow Path to Culture”: an Essay by Christina Fisanick
Christina Fisanick is a champion for Appalachian writing–and Appalachian voices, young and old. “Taking the Cow Path to Culture” appears in her book, Pulling the Thread: Untanglin…
rustbeltgirl.com
May 28, 2025 at 5:10 PM
rebeccamoonruark.bsky.social
A campus novel, but make it weird...

Happy to have a review up at Belt Magazine today. You're going to want to check out Meduri's debut novel. Just read my review first.😆 #campus #novel #debut #fiction #Ohio
beltmagazine.bsky.social Rust Belt Magazine @beltmagazine.bsky.social · Feb 27
"Cleveland, where I experienced horizon-expanding art, culture, and cannoli, was often referred to as 'the Mistake on the Lake.' The nickname stung."

@rebeccamoonruark.bsky.social reviews Matthew Meduri's COLLEGIATE GOTHIC, out now from Bordighera Press.

beltmag.com/campus-weird/
Campus Weird - Belt Magazine
"Collegiate Gothic" Skewers Academia (and Ohio) in Fine Form
beltmag.com
February 27, 2025 at 9:58 PM
rebeccamoonruark.bsky.social
Really a fine piece of investigative reporting here. It's been a very long time since I fell prey to this mag's ways. But I remember loving Edgarian's debut novel when it came out. Sad for someone to know what it means to be a new writer and then treat younger generations of the same like this...
victoriastrauss.com Victoria Strauss @victoriastrauss.com · Feb 16
Becky Tuch of Lit Mag News weighs in on Narrative Magazine's decision not to award prizes in their Fall 2024 contest, which charged a $27 submission fee. Narrative's sizeable submission fees have long been the target of criticism
krtipple.bsky.social Kevin R. Tipple @krtipple.bsky.social · Feb 16
#Writing #Contests

Lit Mag News: Q: Can we talk about Narrative Magazine? by Becky Tuch litmagnews.substack.com/p/q-can-we-t...
February 18, 2025 at 3:10 PM
Reposted by Rebecca Moon Ruark is at rebeccamoonruark.com
tinhouse.bsky.social
We can't wait to read your debut novels! ✨

Our submission period opens tonight Friday 1/10/25 at midnight PT (technically Sat 1/11/25 @ 12:01 am PT) and stays open until Sunday 1/12/25 @ 11:59 pm PT.

See full guidelines, FAQ, and how to submit your work at the link!

tinhouse.com/book-submiss...
January 10, 2025 at 7:12 PM
rebeccamoonruark.bsky.social
Poetry lovers, fiction lovers, etc., I interviewed Youngstown Oh native, poet, novelist, and retired prof William Heath. I love finding out what--and where--makes a writer tick. Hopefully you will, too...

rustbeltgirl.com/2025/01/09/m...
My interview with author William Heath
William Heath, a poet and novelist from Youngstown, Ohio, has contributed extensively to the literature of the Rust Belt and far beyond through four poetry books, three novels, and works on America…
rustbeltgirl.com
January 9, 2025 at 9:30 PM
Reposted by Rebecca Moon Ruark is at rebeccamoonruark.com
reckonreview.bsky.social
If you're waiting for a personal invitation, this is it.
oleada.io/publication/...
May 17, 2024 at 3:01 PM
Reposted by Rebecca Moon Ruark is at rebeccamoonruark.com
beltmagazine.bsky.social
“May Day isn’t just an estimably American holiday, it’s a particularly #RustBelt holiday, forged in the cauldron of Chicago’s streets and factories, born from the experience of workers in the mills and plants of Detroit, Pittsburgh, and Cleveland.” - Belt EIC Ed Simon

beltmag.com/may-day-is-a...
May Day is a Rust Belt Holiday
May Day isn’t just an estimably American holiday, it’s a particularly Rust Belt holiday, forged in the cauldron of Chicago’s streets and factories, born from the experience of workers in the mills and...
beltmag.com
April 29, 2024 at 2:35 PM
rebeccamoonruark.bsky.social
I interviewed Amy Jo Burns about her second novel, out last year, called MERCURY. Like mystery, literary, family drama? Amy Jo's got you covered. We talked craft and process, writing about motherhood and female friendship, and even what's hot in kids' books:

rustbeltgirl.com/2024/04/19/m...
My interview with Amy Jo Burns, author of Mercury
Let's begin with a sample paragraph from Amy Jo's stunning literary (also mystery) family saga: Spring was breaking through in lilac buds and daffodil shoots, but winter held on. Tufts of dirty snow c...
rustbeltgirl.com
April 19, 2024 at 3:04 PM
rebeccamoonruark.bsky.social
Such a gorgeous book!
February 5, 2024 at 11:21 PM
rebeccamoonruark.bsky.social
A fellow writer and reader, who often tunes into my blog about writing about place said this about me:

"You are my tour guide to the region I've lived in all my life."

Tbh, that one compliment makes 7 years of blogging so worth it! I'd love to see more Bluesky friends there:

rustbeltgirl.com
Rust Belt Girl
reading and writing the Rust Belt with Rebecca Moon Ruark
rustbeltgirl.com
February 1, 2024 at 11:44 PM
Reposted by Rebecca Moon Ruark is at rebeccamoonruark.com
housleydave.bsky.social
Writers! The @barrelhouse.bsky.social conference is coming back to DC and American University on April 13, 2024! Registration is open and still just $75. Lots more details coming soon. www.barrelhousemag.com/conference/
Barrelhouse Conference Conversations and Connections — Barrelhouse
Conversations and Connections is a one-day conference organized by Barrelhouse in person at Temple University in Philadelphia, PA on September 23, 2023.
www.barrelhousemag.com
January 13, 2024 at 10:42 PM
rebeccamoonruark.bsky.social
Anybody here in the #writingcommunity, #reading community, etc., in the Baltimore area? I'm the featured reader at this series and would love to see your face!

ecpoetryandprose.org/event/salon-...

#ocamocha, #q&a, #booktalk, #reading
Salon Series at Oca Mocha – Rust Belt Girl – EC Poetry & Prose
ecpoetryandprose.org
January 5, 2024 at 3:08 PM
rebeccamoonruark.bsky.social
My wrap-up for 2023 at the blog, Rust Belt Girl, where I hype the lit of my native place (and beyond). Author interviews, book reviews, guest essays--it was a great and collaborative year. Thank you, all! #WritingCommunity, #readingcommunity

rustbeltgirl.com/2023/12/31/w...
Welcome to the 2023 Rust Belt Girl round-up…
Cue the fireworks: Just under the wire, I present to you my Rust Belt Girl superlatives for 2023... Enjoy, and keep the writing and reading mojo going all year long!
rustbeltgirl.com
December 31, 2023 at 10:19 PM
rebeccamoonruark.bsky.social
New wave fans, I interviewed David Giffels, author of THE BEGINNING WAS THE END: DEVO IN OHIO. We chatted about the band's early days and Rust Belt influences--and more. Hope you'll check it out and share! #WritingCommunity, #NEWWAVE, #authorinterview

rustbeltgirl.com/2023/12/19/m...
My interview with David Giffels, author of The Beginning Was the End: Devo in Ohio
David Giffels is the author of The Beginning Was the End: Devo in Ohio, coauthored by Jade Dellinger and published by University of Akron Press in 2023. ...this is a story of five spuds from an indust...
rustbeltgirl.com
December 19, 2023 at 4:25 PM
rebeccamoonruark.bsky.social
Emma Riva was kind enough to let me repost a fantastic book review of hers at Rust Belt Girl. Emma is founder and EIC of Petrichor, Pittsburgh's art scene mag. Check it out, #WritingCommunity, #artists, #readingcommunity, #art, #pleinair

rustbeltgirl.com/2023/12/01/e...
Emma Riva of Petrichor reviews WAYS OF PITTSBURGH
Rust Belt Girl readers, don't miss the latest from Petrichor--Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania's art scene magazine. Founder and Editor-in-Chief Emma Riva is doing an incredible job covering the scene. Ways o...
rustbeltgirl.com
December 1, 2023 at 3:32 PM
rebeccamoonruark.bsky.social
I hope you'll check this out--and follow! @shemaiahng chose my piece, "Jesus, My Son's Buckteeth," (first pubbed by Presence) for today's guest post. #WritingCommunity #readingcommunity #Parenthood

Undaunted Joy #81 Guest Post Rebecca Moon Ruark, by @shemaiahng open.substack.com/pub/shemaiah...
November 26, 2023 at 6:24 PM
rebeccamoonruark.bsky.social
Did you attend Lit Youngstown's Fall Literary Festival? I'd love to know your highlights. Also, read my recap and get psyched about next year's great lineup of featured authors!
November 14, 2023 at 8:53 PM
Reposted by Rebecca Moon Ruark is at rebeccamoonruark.com
marybid.bsky.social
New prose poem over at HAD! 🙏 www.havehashad.com/hadposts/eve...
Everyone Rise, the Gavel's Coming Down by Mary Biddinger
Our neighborhood corner granny had jury duty for two weeks in August of 1985. She had to stay in a hotel and family could not bring her meals, not even a bundle of yeast rolls. After six hours without...
www.havehashad.com
November 14, 2023 at 3:14 PM
Reposted by Rebecca Moon Ruark is at rebeccamoonruark.com
rebeccarenner.bsky.social
Gator Country is out today!

"Every species, and every person who fights for its continued existence, deserves a book like this." — The New York Times

Read an excerpt in Crime Reads:

crimereads.com/gator-countr...
A Journey Into the Heart of the Everglades, and the Alligator Poacher Sting that Divided a Community
In January 2020, I drove down from Orlando to the easternmost edge of the Everglades and booked a room in the neon-dazzled Miccosukee Casino & Resort, a hotel in the no-man’s-land between the g…
crimereads.com
November 14, 2023 at 5:25 PM
rebeccamoonruark.bsky.social
Just in time for your Saturday lunch read: I recapped my favorite literary festival of the year, #writingcommunity, #readingcommunity, #fiction, #poetry, #CNF

rustbeltgirl.com/2023/11/11/l...
Lit Fest ’23 Lowdown (with slideshow)
Much overdue, I'm back to recap Lit Youngstown's 7th annual Fall Literary Festival. Who can put into words the inspiration and joy that happens when a couple hundred members of the literary community ...
rustbeltgirl.com
November 11, 2023 at 5:00 PM
rebeccamoonruark.bsky.social
#writingcommunity, #authors, #fictionwriters, #amquerying

Has anyone used Winning Writers' manuscript critique service before? Wondering if it's worth it for a beta read with totally fresh eyes. TIA!
October 31, 2023 at 2:22 PM
Reposted by Rebecca Moon Ruark is at rebeccamoonruark.com
rebeccamoonruark.bsky.social
Calling all Appalachian lit, Grit Lit, and rural noir fans, I interviewed Mitch James about his debut novel, Seldom Seen: A Miner's Tale. I hope you'll check it out! #writingcommunity, #readingcommunity, #novel, #gritlit, #RustBelt

rustbeltgirl.com/2023/10/17/m...
My interview with Mitch James, author of Seldom Seen: A Miner’s Tale
For my Appalachian lit aficionados, Grit Lit fans, and readers who aren't afraid of the dark ... I'm thrilled to share with you my conversation with author and professor Mitch James about his debut no...
rustbeltgirl.com
October 17, 2023 at 2:27 PM