Novelist Laura Ruby to be 2023-2024 Writer in Residence

“We invited Laura Ruby, a creative writing professor at both Queens and Hamline universities, to be Writer in Residence for her unique blending of myth, fairy tale, and history into young adult fiction that focuses on family, self-knowledge, love, and resilience,” said Dr. Mary Edmonds, English Department chair. 

“As the American Library Association Booklist observed, ‘Ruby’s delicate, powerful storytelling reveals profound, bewitching truths about the vast, sometimes cruel, sometimes loving, possibilities of human nature.’”

Ruby is a prolific writer who has earned myriad accolades throughout her career. Her books have been noted on numerous "best" lists, including NPR's Best YA Novel; Booklist's Best YA Novel; School Library Journal’s Best YA Novel; Shelf Awareness Best YA Novel; and Book Page’s #1 YA Novel of 2019. Her works have won various awards including the Parent's Choice Silver Honor Award, the Sunshine State Book Award, and the Friends of American Writers Award. She has been nominated for both the Edgar Award and the Carnegie Medal. Her short fiction, essays, and poetry for adults have appeared in numerous magazines and anthologies.

To prepare for her visit, all ninth grade students will read Bone Gap over the summer while Advanced English III students will read Thirteen Doorways, Wolves Behind Them All. 

Support for the Writer in Residence program is provided through the Chatham Hall endowment. When fully funded, the program will be named the "Claudia Emerson ’75 Writer in Residence" in tribute to the Pulitzer Prize-winning author, Chatham Hall Trustee, alumna, former dean and faculty member, and Chatham-native who twice served as a Writer in Residence. For more information, please contact Chief Advancement Officer Christine Knight.

Photo by Steve Metro