Matt Ruff is an accomplished American fiction writer, born in New York City in 1965. His passion for storytelling began at the tender age of five, and he honed his skills throughout his childhood and adolescence. Ruff's dedication to his craft led him to write his first published novel, "Fool on the Hill," as his senior thesis at Cornell University. With the help of his professor, Alison Lurie, he secured an agent, and within six months of his college graduation, "Fool on the Hill" was sold to Atlantic Monthly Press. Since then, Ruff has successfully made novel-writing his primary occupation.
Ruff's career reached a critical turning point with his third novel, "Set This House in Order," which won multiple awards, including the James Tiptree, Jr. Award, a Washington State Book Award, and a Pacific Northwest Booksellers Association Award. These accolades helped him secure a fellowship from the National Endowment for the Arts, providing valuable support for his writing. His fourth novel, "Bad Monkeys," also won several awards and is being developed as a film, with Margot Robbie attached to star. Ruff's sixth novel, "Lovecraft Country," has been adapted into an HBO series by the acclaimed team of Misha Green, Jordan Peele, and J.J. Abrams.
In addition to "Fool on the Hill," "Bad Monkeys," and "Set This House in Order," Ruff has written several other novels, including "The Mirage" and "Sewer, Gas & Electric." His 2016 novel, "Lovecraft Country," has been brought to life on HBO, and his latest novel, "88 Names," was published by HarperCollins on March 17, 2020. Ruff currently resides in Seattle, Washington, with his wife, Lisa Gold, who is a researcher and rare-book expert.