Molly Bess Rector by Kat Wilson

Molly Bess Rector lives in Fayetteville, Arkansas where she cofounded the Open Mouth Literary Center—a community-based literary nonprofit that hosts monthly readings and workshops by visiting writers, classes, and a day residency, as well as an annual festival and retreat.

Molly earned her MFA in poetry from the University of Arkansas and currently works independently as a consultant and mental health counseler. She offers writing and editorial support, specializing in developing full-length manuscripts in the humanities, and in developing professional materials for visual artists  (artist statements, CVs, project descriptions, and so on). Contact her for more information.

She is the recipient of residencies from the Edward F. Albee Foundation and the Vermont Studio Center, as well as a grant from the Artists 3 60 program to pursue her interest in the intersection of the human emotional landscape with physical landscapes impacted by nuclear technologies and climate change.

Molly served as the inaugural poetry editor for The Arkansas International. Her work has appeared or is forthcoming in Best New Poets 2019, Hayden's Ferry Review, The Collagist, and Ninth Letter, among others.

Short bio: Molly Bess Rector is a poet, editor, and writing consultant. She lives in Fayetteville, Arkansas where she directs the nonprofit organization Open Mouth Literary Center. Her poetry has appeared or is forthcoming in Best New Poets, Ninth Letter, The Orison Anthology, and Prairie Schooner, among others.