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    Columbus Makes Art Presents Author Mar Romasco Moore of ‘I Am the Ghost in Your House’


    Mar Romasco Moore

    “Writing can be a lonely endeavor, so finding community is essential.”

    Mar Romasco Moore, Author

    Mar Romasco Moore (they/them, she/her) is the author of the novels I Am the Ghost in Your House, Krazyland and Some Kind of Animal, as well as the multimedia flash fiction collection Ghostographs. Romasco Moore will appear for the 2022 virtual Ohioana Book Festival, taking place April 29-May 1.

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    David: What inspired you to become a writer? Was there a particular author or book that lit a spark?
    Mar: I’m one of those annoying types who was stapling together little hand-written printer-paper books from the moment I was physically capable of holding a pen. It’s hard to pinpoint any one particular book (I was also the sort of kid who quite literally read the dictionary for fun) but some authors who inspired me a lot when I was younger are Kelly Link, Italo Calvino, Lloyd Alexander and Bruce Coville (who writes books with titles like Aliens Ate My Homework and I Was a Sixth Grade Alien).

    David: You’ve written novels, short stories, essays and multimedia flash fiction. Is it easy moving between different genres and formats?
    Mar: It would honestly be quite hard for me not to! When I first get an idea, it’s usually in the form of a single line or an image. It can take me a long time to figure out what shape that idea should take. I’ve written what I thought was the beginning of a short story only to realize it ought to be a novel, and vice versa. I’m hoping to work on a comic soon.

    David: You teach creative writing at Columbus College of Art & Design. What advice do you give people who want to write as a career?
    Mar: If someone is genuinely interested in pursuing writing as a living, I’d recommend doing research into how the modern publishing industry works. It’s an odd, byzantine, occasionally inscrutable world and I understood very little of it before jumping in. It moves slowly, pays irregularly and there are several different routes through it – small presses, self-publishing or the ever-shrinking number of major houses – each with distinct benefits and drawbacks.

    David: Where are you from originally? How long have you lived in Columbus?
    Mar: I was born in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, but mostly grew up in several small towns in Pennsylvania.

    About five years ago, I finished grad school in Illinois and had no idea what to do next. 

    So I pulled up a map and looked for a city that was decently large but neither exorbitantly expensive nor likely to fall into the ocean at any moment. Thus: Columbus.

    David: What do you think of Columbus as a place for writers and other creative artists, especially those who are LGBTQ?
    Mar: I can only speak for myself on this one. Writing can be a lonely endeavor, so finding community is essential. I’ve managed to meet some awesome people here, particularly through CCAD, but I’m always looking to connect more with local writers and artists, especially fellow queer ones. I’ll note that Columbus has some great independent bookstores – The Book Loft of German Village, Two Dollar Radio, the floating pop-up Bookspace.

    That said, the state of Ohio is currently trying to pass legislation which is overtly hostile to the LGBTQ community. So I can’t say it’s a fully welcoming place.

    Books by Mar Romasco Moore.
    Books by Mar Romasco Moore.

    David: Do you have any favorite places to go in Columbus?
    Mar: My number one favorite place is the forested trail which runs along the Olentangy River. I don’t have a car, so easily accessible green spaces are invaluable. The trail is also my favorite way to commute down to campus – it’s longer than biking on the main streets, but far more relaxing. I’d love to see Columbus go even farther with improving pedestrian and bicycle access within the city.

    I’ll also shout out Dough Mama, Dosa Corner, Pierogi Mountain, and the welcoming and diverse Beers and Board Games group, which hosts weekly meet-ups at breweries around the city with a portion of all food and drink sales going to local charities.

    See Mar Romasco Moore on April 30 during the virtual 2022 Ohioana Book Festival. The free festival runs from April 29-May 1; for a complete schedule, visit ohioana.org. For more information about Romasco Moore, visit marromascomoore.com.

    Columbus Makes Art Presents is a bi-weekly column brought to you by the Greater Columbus Arts Council – supporting and advancing the arts and cultural fabric of Columbus. The column is a project of the Art Makes Columbus campaign, telling the inspiring stories of the people and organizations who create Columbus art. Learn more about local artists, organizations, public art and events at ColumbusMakesArt.com.

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    David Weaver
    David Weaverhttp://ohioana.org
    David Weaver became Executive Director of the Ohioana Library in 2013. Prior to joining Ohioana as its first Development Director in 2005, David held senior development positions with WOSU Public Media and the Columbus Symphony Orchestra.
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