About Rita

Rita Anne Moore is a Missouri/Oregon author writing fantasy, psychological and crime thrillers. Her characters feature strong protagonists embroiled in complicated family relationships. Rita is a former K-12 public-school teacher in the Midwest who later became a literacy professor in Salem, Oregon. Her educational books are listed below and are available on Amazon.

Fulfilling a life-time goal, Rita now writes fiction and non-fiction novels. She also enjoys her six grandkids in Missouri and Oregon, finding unusual art pieces, and hiking outdoors with her husband. One of her favorite hobbies is mentoring aspiring writers. Among them is her sixteen-year-old grandson, Sebastian, who has published three novels on Amazon with her help: The Royce Agency, books 1-2.

Like most successful authors, the secret to writing is reading. The greatest ideas on techniques are found in good books in a variety of genres. Rita is constantly on the lookout for new authors but has a handful of favorites. Mary Stone is the author she is currently reading. Stone is a master of suspense and plot twists. Rita follows a plethora of other authors, among them Lisa Gardner, Mary Burton, Melinda Yeigh, Barbara Kingsolver, and Tess Garritson.

Rita first began writing fiction with A School for the Dead (2014). Published by Dorrance Publishing Co., the novel is set in Sequim, Washington in an actual turn of the century schoolhouse. Rita says, “I wrote A School for the Dead because of my then very young grandson, Sebastian’s, insatiable curiosity about what happens when people die, especially children, and I’ve always wanted to write commercial fiction. Young adult literature is a love of mine, so I started there. Sebastian provided inspiration. His voice and questions as a seven-year-old echo throughout the book.” The next book in the series is Redemption (2018) where two sisters plot to escape a toxic home life. One of them ends up dead. Redemption is set in another turn of the century schoolhouse in Radersburg, Montana. Historic Radersburg Schoolhouse | Preserve Broadwater History

In 2016, Rita published her first crime thriller on Amazon. A Thread of Crimson is an edge-of-your-seat read which introduces FBI Special Agent Josie Adams and her love interest, Boston Police Lieutenant Miranda Evans in the first of the Josie Adams series. Josie is a tough, smart, one-of-a-kind hero you won’t want to miss. Set in Jackson, Hole, Wyoming, under the grand Teton Mountains, one of Rita’s favorite places, this chilling thriller has been said to keep readers up at night and late for appointments! 

In 2018, Josie Adams returns in Duplicity, a nail-biting thriller that showcases her harrowing experiences with her mother, a known sociopath. It is also a book about human identity and love when Josie and Miranda Evans blend their families and their careers.

Set in Smalltown USA, Rita’s latest psychological thriller, Fifteen: My Name is Midnight introduces new characters Midnight McKenzie, her dad, Luke, a cop, and daughter, Luca. Josie Adams makes two appearances and two characters from Duplicity, Isaac Newman and Nicki Levine play key roles in helping find Midnight, a child bride missing for seven years. Midnight’s unusual name was inspired by Rita’s granddaughter Willow Midnight.

An Appalachian Love Story was written during the 2020 pandemic. Uniquely set in the Appalachian Mountains and culture, the story tells the tale of twin sisters separated at birth growing up in two different worlds. And the complicated family history that separated them. It ends with a cliffhanger and will be followed with an FBI manhunt to find a special young child’s kidnapper.

“I am especially proud of my seventh book, a non-fiction novella, that explores the relationship between an older woman, a successful professional, and her thirty-three-year-old incarcerated pen pal, Callie. In Moving Toward the Light, A True Story of a Remarkable Friendship, Callie and Ruth tell the story of their friendship. The story highlights the tragedy of domestic abuse and drugs that transformed into inspiration, motivation and bravery as Callie counts down the days to her release.

All of Rita’s books may be purchased on Amazon. You may also “Follow” Rita on Amazon Authors.