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rachellayown.bsky.social
Rachel León
@rachellayown.bsky.social
2.1K followers 270 following 59 posts
writer | editor | social worker managing director @chicagorevbooks.bsky.social editor of THE ROCKFORD ANTHOLOGY (October 2025) debut novel HOW WE SEE THE GRAY (May 2026) (she/they) https://linktr.ee/rachelleon
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chicagorevbooks.bsky.social
Chicago Review of Books @chicagorevbooks.bsky.social · 1d
"What I can tell you, clearly and unambiguously, is that it is not always an easy matter to settle on what is true."

@rachellayown.bsky.social's interview with @dianejosefowicz.bsky.social on her new book "Guardians & Saints” (Cornerstone Press) is out now.
chireviewofbooks.com/2025/10/24/t...
Tuning into the Dream Stuff: An Interview with Diane Josefowicz - Chicago Review of Books
A conversation with Diane Josefowicz on her new short story collection, "Guardians & Saints"
chireviewofbooks.com
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rachellayown.bsky.social
Rachel León @rachellayown.bsky.social · 2d
Thank you!
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atrubek.bsky.social
Anne Trubek @atrubek.bsky.social · 3d
A book that gets a proclamation from the mayor! A whole official week! How cool is this
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chicagorevbooks.bsky.social
Chicago Review of Books @chicagorevbooks.bsky.social · Sep 15
"Once [books] are published and out in the world, I am constantly surprised by the extent of their reach and the wonderful ways they touch readers."

@rachellayown.bsky.social's interview with @milkweededitions.bsky.social editor Daniel Slager is out now.
chireviewofbooks.com/2025/09/15/i...
Interview with an Editor: Daniel Slager at Milkweed Editions - Chicago Review of Books
Our interview with Daniel Slager at Milkweed Editions.
chireviewofbooks.com
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storystudiochicago.bsky.social
StoryStudio Chicago @storystudiochicago.bsky.social · Sep 10
We're excited to tell you we have THREE full scholarships available for Queer Joy and Sensibilities with JP Solheim, a four-session in-person class starting 9/18.

Apply here by 9/16: buff.ly/blJ7Kaq
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Reposted by Rachel León
chicagorevbooks.bsky.social
Chicago Review of Books @chicagorevbooks.bsky.social · Sep 10
"Resentment, infatuation, dependence, alienation and fear of loneliness work well when they’re being revealed with words and images together."

@rachellayown.bsky.social's interview with Lee Lai on her new book “Cannon” @dandq.bsky.social is out now.
chireviewofbooks.com/2025/09/10/t...
The Expansiveness of Visual and Verbal Craft in "Cannon": A Conversation With Lee Lai - Chicago Review of Books
Award-winning cartoonist Lee Lai’s new graphic novel, Cannon is gorgeous with astonishing story complexity. New to Lai’s work, I decided to first check out her debut, Stone Fruit, and our review of it...
chireviewofbooks.com
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rachellayown.bsky.social
Rachel León @rachellayown.bsky.social · Sep 5
If you’re in the Chicago area, I’ll be in conversation with David Ambroz tomorrow at Printers Row Lit Fest about his inspiring memoir A PLACE CALLED HOME. We’ll be at the North Stage at 1pm. Hope to see you there!
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rachellayown.bsky.social
Rachel León @rachellayown.bsky.social · Sep 4
Thank you, thank you!!
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storystudiochicago.bsky.social
StoryStudio Chicago @storystudiochicago.bsky.social · Sep 4
HUGE congrats to @chicagorevbooks.bsky.social managing director and Novel In A Year alum @rachellayown.bsky.social on being named one of 10 Poets & Writers' 2025 Get the Word Out Fiction Fellows:

www.pw.org/about-us/new...
Ten Authors to Watch: Introducing the 2025 Get the Word Out Fiction Fellows
www.pw.org
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debutiful.bsky.social
Debutiful @debutiful.bsky.social · Sep 3
We’re thrilled to announce the @pw.org Fall 2025 Get the Word Out Fiction Cohort.

Get the Word Out is a unique publicity incubator designed to help early career authors maximize the exposure of their forthcoming books.

debutiful.net/2025/09/03/a...
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chicagorevbooks.bsky.social
Chicago Review of Books @chicagorevbooks.bsky.social · Sep 2
Woohoo!!! Go @rachellayown.bsky.social!!!! 🥳 🥳 🥳
beltpublishing.bsky.social Belt Publishing @beltpublishing.bsky.social · Sep 2
We love you, Rockford! Read our interview with Rachel León, editor of The Rockford Anthology, on Belt's site. beltpublishing.com/pages/conver...
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rachellayown.bsky.social
Rachel León @rachellayown.bsky.social · Aug 27
Very grateful for this lovely review of THE ROCKFORD ANTHOLOGY!
emilymcclanathan.bsky.social Emily McClanathan @emilymcclanathan.bsky.social · Aug 26
Looking at a map of northern Illinois, you’ll find Rockford halfway between Lake Michigan and the Mississippi River; this post-industrial city also represents a midpoint in my coming of age.

My review of THE ROCKFORD ANTHOLOGY, @sixtyinchesfromcenter.org:

sixtyinchesfromcenter.org/midway-to-ho...
Midway to Home: A Review of The Rockford Anthology - Sixty Inches From Center
A look at Belt Publishing's new book "The Rockford Anthology" through the eyes of a writer reconsidering their relationship to their hometown.
sixtyinchesfromcenter.org
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emilymcclanathan.bsky.social
Emily McClanathan @emilymcclanathan.bsky.social · Aug 26
Looking at a map of northern Illinois, you’ll find Rockford halfway between Lake Michigan and the Mississippi River; this post-industrial city also represents a midpoint in my coming of age.

My review of THE ROCKFORD ANTHOLOGY, @sixtyinchesfromcenter.org:

sixtyinchesfromcenter.org/midway-to-ho...
Midway to Home: A Review of The Rockford Anthology - Sixty Inches From Center
A look at Belt Publishing's new book "The Rockford Anthology" through the eyes of a writer reconsidering their relationship to their hometown.
sixtyinchesfromcenter.org
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Reposted by Rachel León
splitlipthemag.bsky.social
Split Lip Magazine @splitlipthemag.bsky.social · Aug 20
Our assistant fiction editor @isleofanalia.bsky.social sold her story collection LADY OF THE GARDEN to Morissa Young at @milkweededitions.bsky.social! We're so proud of her and excited to read her work.🎉
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chicagorevbooks.bsky.social
Chicago Review of Books @chicagorevbooks.bsky.social · Aug 19
"I want to live in a way that feels meaningful, that’ll never pay out in the rewards of fame or fortune."

@adamalsirgany.bsky.social's interview with @rachellayown.bsky.social his new book "More Hell" (@whiskeytit.com) is out now.
chireviewofbooks.com/2025/08/19/r...
Raising Less Corn and More Hell: An Interview with Adam al-Sirgany - Chicago Review of Books
Our interview with Adam al-Sirgany about his new book, "More Hell."
chireviewofbooks.com
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beltpublishing.bsky.social
Belt Publishing @beltpublishing.bsky.social · Jul 28
NEW interview live! This one's with Rachel León, editor of the forthcoming collection, The Rockford Anthology.
beltpublishing.com/pages/conver...
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mbwwelch.bsky.social
Michael Welch @mbwwelch.bsky.social · Jul 22
Huge shoutout to @michaelzapata.bsky.social for this well-deserved news!!

Also we have a sneak peek on his next book in this article 👀
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eshanisurya.bsky.social
Eshani Surya | PREORDER RAVISHING OUT 11.11.25 @eshanisurya.bsky.social · Jun 27
Do you know about the Indie Preorder Party?

We're encouraging readers to order from indie bookstores this weekend! Lots of books are 15% off on preorders, there's a bingo, and there are prizes for readers. Find out more here: lnk.bio/authors4indi...
A graphic with a picture of RAVISHING out in a field. It also says that you can get the book for 15% off from an indie bookstore with the code PARTY2025. It also lets you know that you can submit your receipt for a chance to win prizes through @Authors4IndieBookstores on Instagram.
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chicagorevbooks.bsky.social
Chicago Review of Books @chicagorevbooks.bsky.social · Jun 26
"The scale of the problems we face seems insurmountable but small groups can change the course of history." In the next installment in our Read Your Resistance series, Luke McGowan-Arnold writes about Terry Bisson’s “Fire on the Mountain."
chireviewofbooks.com/2025/06/26/b...
Black Resistance, Imperfect Utopias, and the American Novel: Searching for meaning in Terry Bisson’s “Fire on the Mountain” in an era of political despair - Chicago Review of Books
Terry Bisson’s novel Fire on the Mountain ends with a spaceship landing on Mars. Unfortunately for us, humans landing on Mars at the moment is largely a dystopian nightmare promulgated by the wannabe ...
chireviewofbooks.com
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chicagorevbooks.bsky.social
Chicago Review of Books @chicagorevbooks.bsky.social · Jun 23
📣📣 We're shouting from the rooftops (can ya hear us?) to sayyyyy:

It's a great (lakes) day to pre-order the anthology @mbwwelch.bsky.social edited!!! 🌊🌊🌊🌊

(Girl math means 4 water emojis = 1 great lake. That makes sense... Right?)
mbwwelch.bsky.social Michael Welch @mbwwelch.bsky.social · Jun 23
Preorders are open for "On an Inland Sea: Writing the Great Lakes," coming your way from @beltpublishing.bsky.social on March 10, 2026!

Featuring everything from shipwrecks & ice caves to zebra mussels & manoomin, & 32 writers on why the lakes loom so large.

beltpublishing.com/products/on-...
On an Inland Sea: Writing the Great Lakes, Edited by Michael Welch
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rachellayown.bsky.social
Rachel León @rachellayown.bsky.social · Jun 4
It was such a pleasure. Erica!
rachellayown.bsky.social
Rachel León @rachellayown.bsky.social · Jun 3
I’m going to reread it soon!
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Rachel León @rachellayown.bsky.social · Jun 3
Love this blurb!
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rachellayown.bsky.social
Rachel León @rachellayown.bsky.social · Jun 3
Happy pub day @ericarstern.bsky.social! FRONTIER is so unique, beautiful, and chilling. So thrilled this book is officially in the world!
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