RitaMalie grew up in Youngstown, Ohio. She received a B.S. in nursing, graduating with honors from Youngstown State University, and completed an executive MBA program from Baldwin Wallace College in Berea, Ohio. Rita’s writing career began in high school after having a poem published in Songs of Youth.

In 2001, Rita traveled on a cruise along the Danube River visiting Hungary, Austria, the Czech Republic and Slovakia, which is the homeland of her grandparents. The cruise inspired her to write Goodbye America, a memoir of her mother. Goodbye, America received first place from the Florida Writers Association 2003 Royal Palm Awards for Best Children’s Unpublished Nonfiction and first place for Best Family Saga. It also received first place from the 2005 Promoting Outstanding Writers (POW) Awards for unpublished Children’s/Youth Category.

Rita and her husband, Nicholas, have two grown children and two incredible granddaughters. They all make their home in Florida.

She is an active member of the Florida Writers Association, Promoting Outstanding Writers (POW), and the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators.

She can be contacted via RitaMalie.com

or
rmalie@lslink.com