Writer. Artist. Astrologer. Folk Witch. Associate Publisher.
V. Ruiz, author of In Stories We Thunder, is an artist and a writer living in Los Angeles. They are a Queer Disabled Xicana who works as an associate publisher for Row House Publishing, helping elevate voices that matter. When they aren’t writing, they are feverishly studying astrology, giving vocational consultations, participating in rituals, or cuddling with their pup.
CV and Experience
EDUCATION
San Diego State University: MFA in Creative Writing – Poetry (2019)
Southern New Hampshire University: BA in English and Creative Writing – Poetry (2016)
Irvine Valley College: AA in Social and Behavioral Science (2012)
TEACHING EXPERIENCE
Twine Workshop Instructor for Our (Digital) Humanity: Storytelling, Media Organizing, and Social Justice (April 20-22 2018)
Magee Park Poets Poetry Workshop Leader in Surrealist Poetry (April 2018)
Creative Writing Instructor for San Diego State University (Spring 2018)
Rhetoric Instructor for San Diego State University (Spring 2017)
Tutor for the English Department for San Diego State University (Spring 2017-Present)
Rhetoric Fellow for San Diego State University (Fall 2016, Fall 2017)
Writing Workshop Instructor for Megastudy Academy – 3rd and 4th grade (Spring 2016)
Book Club Instructor for Megastudy Academy – 3rd through 8th grade (Spring 2016)
ELA and Math Tutor for Tree of Knowledge – K through 8th Grade (Spring 2016)
Creative Written Expression Group Creator and Leader for Rebecca’s House (Fall 2014 – Early 2015)
EDITORIAL AND RELATED EXPERIENCE
Row House Publishing - Associate Publisher (February 2022 - Present)
Skull + Wind Co-Publisher (April 2020 - July 2020) (Closed down)
Assistant Flash Fiction Editor for Homology Lit (Summer 2018-Fall 2020)
Fiction International Associate Editor (Fall 2018-Spring 2019)
Poetry International Contributing Editor (Fall 2017-Spring 2018)
Fiction International Reader (Fall 2017-Spring 2019)
Upwork Freelance Experience (2016 - 2021)
C.P. Cavafy Prize Reader (2016, 2017)
Poetic Youth Fellow (2016-2017)
Poetry & Art Series Intern at San Diego Art Institute (Various events)
Poetry International Intern (2016)
Student Success Fee Grant Recipient for Poetic Youth (2016)
RECOGNITIONS
Jack Grapes Poetry Prize Winner for “In Which I make Metaphors Out of Traumas”
Finalist with Puerto del Sol’s Poetry Prize for “The Genesis”
Tupelo Press Berkshire Prize Finalist for full-length manuscript In Stories We Thunder (2018)
Andrés Montoya Poetry Prize Finalist for full-length manuscript In Stories We Thunder (2018)
Locked Horn Press Poetry Prize Finalist for “La Caída” (2018)
Cosmonauts Fiction Prize Shortlisted for Fiction Prize for “Laced up tongues” (2018)
Tupelo Press Sunken Garden Chapbook Semi-Finalist for “Respira”
Hyacinth Girl Press Chapbook Contest Finalist for “Yerba Buena”
Andrés Montoya Poetry Prize Finalist in 2018 for my full-length.
ScholarshipsAriss Treat Endowed Scholarship (2016)
Bindercon Scholarship Recipient (April 2016)
EOPS Scholarship (2012)
HSF Scholar (2016)