about me
My name, Ruth, comes from the immigrant woman from the Bible who wound up in Jesus’s family tree. Which feels apropos for a proud second-gen Vietnamese-American writing about marginalized, misfit women finding healing, liberation, and love in impossible situations. (Thanks for the foresight, Mom and Dad.) To make those situations really impossible, my books are usually set in spooky old mansions or misty wildernesses. Because the best fairytale endings aren’t inevitable—they’re won with blood and tears.
When I’m not contemplating new ways to haunt a house, I can usually be found singing opera, knitting my umpteenth sweater, or trying to teach my dogs to talk. They’ll figure it out someday. I believe in them.
I’m represented by Sarah Landis of Sterling Lord Literistic.
Come find me on social media! I’d love to meet you.
Photo by Sarina Louise
what inspires me
While I’m the first professional storyteller in my family, I come from a long line of Vietnamese women obsessed with spooky tales—apparently my Great-Grandma’s were known to keep people up at night. She passed away when I was little and I never got to hear her tell one of her famous ghost stories. Instead, I’ve been piecing together Vietnamese folklore and family history myself over the years, and now I weave them into my books.
Maybe it’s the ghost stories in my bloodstream, but I’ve always been drawn to the dark and brooding in fiction in general. Til We Have Faces is my favorite C.S. Lewis novel, and Maleficent resonates with me more than Sleeping Beauty. If that creepy-but-beautiful tone is your vibe, you’ll probably like my books too.
Outside of reading and writing, I’m always on the hunt for beauty wherever it can be found. You might find me photographing shadows trapped between flower petals, performing a Mozart opera, knitting a sweater to find comfort in, or splashing watercolors onto paper. Things that make the world feel a little kinder, a little safer, a little more hopeful.
Author photo by Abi Lyn Voss
Professional Bio
Short Bio
As the child of Vietnamese immigrant parents, R. L. Nguyen found her place to belong in fictional worlds. Now, as a novelist, she forges her own fantastical safe havens for the haunted and healing. She is a rural South Carolinian, erstwhile knitwear designer, intermittent opera singer, avid photographer, and self-styled bánh mì connoisseur. You can find her brooding about literature on Instagram (@rl.nguyen.writes) or join her email newsletter to have bookish secrets whispered into your inbox (rlnguyenauthor.com).
Long Bio
As the child of Vietnamese immigrant parents, R. L. Nguyen found her place to belong in fictional worlds. Now, as a novelist, she forges her own fantastical safe havens for the haunted and healing. She is a rural South Carolinian, erstwhile knitwear designer, intermittent opera singer, avid photographer, and self-styled bánh mì connoisseur. Her short fiction has been published in Voices of the Future Volume 5: Stories of Bravery & Belonging, Havok Season 10: Legendary, and Havok Season 11: Remember When. In addition to writing, she’s a passionate public speaker at both virtual and in-person events. To brood about literature with her, come find her on Instagram (@rl.nguyen.writes); or if you’d like to have her whisper bookish secrets into your inbox, join her email newsletter (rlnguyenauthor.com).
For inquiries regarding rights and permissions, please contact Sarah Landis at Sterling Lord Literistic: slandis@sll.com
Frequently Asked Questions
What kind of books do you write?
I write dark, atmospheric books with elements of fantasy, horror, and history! My stories are centered around an adult audience, though they’re appropriate for older teens as well.
How scary are your books, actually?
As an insomniac myself, I’d feel bad if my books made you scared to go to sleep at night. So the horror elements in my books lean more dark fairytale or folkloric, rather than supernatural or slasher horror. My worlds are spooky, but still places you’d want to live in. My goal is to keep you sitting up in bed turning pages, not having nightmares.
(Okay, maybe I do want to keep you awake. Just in a fun way.)
How can I read your writing?
I’ve been published in several short fiction anthologies and have signed copies of some of them available under the “Books” tab here on my website!
When can I read one of your novels?
Soon, I hope! My agent and I are hard at work making some magic behind the scenes, so I’m looking forward to being able to share my debut novel with you when the time is right! If you’d like to be the first to know when I announce my debut, make sure to sign up for my email newsletter via the form below.
I’d love to stay in touch with you!
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