About Rus

I believe in living fully. My writing, teachings, photography, seminars, and online courses have been shared around the world, and I hope they have allowed others to recognize the beauty in living in the present and embracing individuality. I am all about Baltimore and the wonderful state of Maryland. I received my undergrad degree from Towson University (where I currently teach), and then received my MFA in Creative Nonfiction from Goucher College. I teach English and journalism in the Howard County Public School System, and I am a columnist (and sometimes feature writer) for the Towson Times/Baltimore Sun. In the past, I have written for other local pubs such as Baltimore’s Child and Mason-Dixon Arrive, among others. My works (Fossil Five, Prisms, September Eleven: Maryland Voices, Gretchie’s Gifts, and Cold Rock) are set primarily in Maryland as well. Nearly all of my creative nonfiction essays and short stories are Maryland-based.

You can check out many of these on other pages here at my site. I have lived here all my life and have no intentions of ever leaving. I am a fan of the Ravens and Orioles as much as I am an advocate for protecting and preserving our Chesapeake Bay and Allegheny (or Allegany) Mountains. I am also a Teacher-Consultant with the National Writing Project. Since 1989, I have led workshops and presented at state and national conferences on various topics, including journaling, creative nonfiction, memoir, the writing process, revision, and publishing.

Our lives are filled with stories that need to be told — sometimes for just ourselves, and other times for a larger audience. You can call them memoirs, life stories, anecdotes, or vignettes. The one thing they have in common is that they are true, and they matter to you and to others. I would love to work with you as a speaker or facilitator for conferences and workshops in writing (specializing in journaling, publishing, and writing memoir), photography, publishing, and inspired living.

Feel free to contact me directly at thebaltimorewriter@gmail.com. I look forward to working with you!