About Rylan

Rylan Hynes (they/them) and their work have been a finalist for Proximity Magazine's 2024 Essay Contest, the 2024 Maine Chapbook Series, Tin House’s 2024 Summer Residency for Trans Writers, and longlisted for The Masters Review’s 2023 Novel Excerpt Contest and 2026 Flash Challenge. Hynes has received multiple accolades from the Maine Writers & Publishers Alliance, such as a Martin Dibner Fellowship, an inaugural Maine Lit Fest Fellowship, and a Maine Literary Award for Excellence in Publishing. Most recently, Hynes was a writer-in-residence at Monson Arts and they are an alum of the Tin House Workshop. Their debut novel, Grafting, was published by Islandport Press in 2026.

Hynes studied creative writing, theatre, and visual art at College of the Atlantic, and has worked at independent bookstores and publishers across the country. Currently Hynes serves on the Community Advisory Board for the Maine Writers & Publishers Alliance and is the Communications & Editorial Director at The Telling Room, a nationally recognized youth-serving creative writing nonprofit based in Portland, Maine.

When they aren't busy reading and writing, Rylan enjoys spending time with their spouse, making art, and gardening. You can find their visual art on display at the Michel Paul Artist Studio in Hallowell, Maine.