Picture a storyteller who weaves magic from vintage photographs and Appalachian mysteries—meet Maria Romasco Moore! This American author, with her knack for blending the mundane with the fantastical, has carved a unique niche in young adult fiction and experimental storytelling. From her haunting debut novel to her innovative flash fiction, Moore’s work invites readers into worlds where the ordinary becomes extraordinary.
The Making of Maria Romasco Moore
Born in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Maria Romasco Moore grew up with a fascination for the strange and the surreal. Her childhood love for vintage photographs, sparked by a five-dollar box of old images, laid the foundation for her distinctive storytelling. Moore honed her craft at Southern Illinois University, earning an MFA, and further refined her skills at the Clarion West Writers Workshop. Now an instructor at Columbus College of Art and Design, she guides aspiring writers while crafting her own spellbinding narratives.
Maria Romasco Moore’s Unforgettable Stories
Moore’s debut novel, Some Kind of Animal (2020), is a gripping young adult tale set in an Appalachian town. It follows Jo, a teenager grappling with her mother’s disappearance and rumors of a wild twin sister in the woods. The novel’s raw emotion and suspense earned praise for its exploration of identity and survival. Her second novel, I Am the Ghost in Your House (2022), dives into the life of an invisible girl navigating love and visibility, blending poignant coming-of-age themes with magical realism.
Perhaps her most innovative work is Ghostographs: An Album (2018), a novella-in-flash that pairs vintage photographs with interconnected micro-stories. Set in a surreal small town, it explores childhood, memory, and the supernatural, earning nominations for the Shirley Jackson Award and Foreword INDIES Book of the Year. Her upcoming novel, Deadstream (2025), promises to continue her tradition of blending eerie atmospheres with human struggles.
Moore’s style is a dance of contrasts—funny yet melancholic, mundane yet magical. Her stories, often inspired by the liminal spaces of small-town life, resonate with readers who crave narratives that defy convention. Publications in Lightspeed, DIAGRAM, and Women Destroy Science Fiction showcase her versatility across genres.
Why Maria Romasco Moore Matters
Maria Romasco Moore’s work redefines young adult fiction by embracing the weird and the heartfelt. Her ability to transform everyday settings into fantastical realms speaks to readers navigating their own liminal spaces—adolescence, identity, or belonging. As an educator, she inspires a new generation of writers to experiment with form and genre, much like her mentor Pinckney Benedict encouraged her to do. Her growing bibliography and critical acclaim signal a lasting impact on contemporary literature.
- Born: Baton Rouge, Louisiana
- Key Works: Ghostographs (2018), Some Kind of Animal (2020), I Am the Ghost in Your House (2022), Deadstream (forthcoming 2025)
- Awards: Finalist for Shirley Jackson Award and Foreword INDIES Book of the Year (Ghostographs)
Snag Ghostographs or Some Kind of Animal and dive into Maria Romasco Moore’s mesmerizing blend of mystery and magic!