Author Profiles
Ohio has a rich literary heritage as well as some wonderful contemporary authors. Learn more about them here! You can sort by various categories and see who has participated in our annual book festival by using the category search on the left, or search by keyword (including partial author names) by using the search field on the right.
For more information about our collection and programming for authors, please click on the "Authors" main tab above.
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Olivia Matthews
Olivia Matthews is the mystery pseudonym of national best-selling author Patricia Sargeant. Patricia writes romance as Patricia Sargeant and Regina Hart. As Olivia Matthews, she’s written the Sister Lou Mysteries, Peach Coast Library Mysteries, and the Spice Isle Bakery Mysteries. Patricia’s work has been reviewed in national publications such as Publishers Weekly, USA Today, Kirkus Reviews, Suspense Magazine, Mystery Scene Magazine, Library Journal, and RT Book Reviews. Patricia was drawn to write romance because she believes love is the strongest motivation. Her mysteries put ordinary people in extraordinary situations to have them find the Hero Inside. For more information about Patricia and her work, visit PatriciaSargeant.com.
David Matthews
A Discovery of World-Acclaimed Poetess Nikki Giovanni. In 1972 and since then has made a lasting impression in the world of poetry. As a native of Dayton, Ohio, often Matthews has been referred to, as the next Paul Laurence Dunbar. Matthews graduated from Urbana University Urbana, Ohio with a B.S. in Behavioral Science B.A. in Sociology and a minor in Theatre and Creative Writing in 1974. His books are in libraries across the country. If you take a Poetry 101 course from the University of Northern Colorado in Greenly, Colorado or Tennessee State University in Nashville, Tennessee, you will have to study the works of David Matthews.
Over the years Matthews has performed in over 21 different States, at over 300 College and University campuses and in Europe. Matthews has been awarded, the
‘National Poem of the Year Award’ from the Los Angeles, American Poet Society twice. First in 1973 for the poem “America Ain’t You Got No Shame”. Then again in 1976 for the poem “They Say Bicentennial But We Are The Ones That Over Came, Can You Get To That?” He is the only poet to receive the award twice.
Matthews was also awarded the ‘Outstanding Young Man of The Year Award’ in Montgomery, Alabama in 1980. He received the ‘Literary Consciousness Award’ from Northern Kentucky University in 1981. The’ Key to the city of Dayton’ 1982 and the ‘WROU U92 Black Achievement Award’ in 2001. In addition, he received ‘Dayton’s Top 10 African American Award’ in 2006.
Not a stranger to the stage, Matthews has performed with a variety of artist, including Gil Scott-Heron, the group WAR and Grover Washington Jr. He performed for years with his, poetry production company called “An Evening On Broadway with Author, Poet/Musician david Matthews.” He is the author of three books of poetry and a CD: the feel of FEELING 1976, Time Brings About A Change 1980, MESSAGE 1984 and CD – A Poetic Awakening 2002. Barnes & Nobles in 2010 quoted the value of Matthews first published poetry book, the feel of FEELING 1976 an autographed copy at $202. The manuscript was published by Vantage Press in New York City. Matthews is amazingly talented he also plays 19 different African and Latin Percussion instruments. He continues to reach audiences throughout the country and makes an impact in the community through his art.
Josef Matulich
Josef Matulich is a writer, artist, and retired mime. His written works include four horror/comedy novels, several short plays and flash fiction, and one poor screenplay perhaps trapped forever in Development Hell. He has built monsters for movies, slit throats on video, and provided magick amulets on the spot. His jobs have ranged from ditchdigging and setting explosives to operating a mass spectrometer in an EPA lab, not to mention several dozen children’s parties Josef lives with his lovely wife Kit in a deer-infested suburb of Columbus Ohio. Together, they also own a semi-haunted vintage and costume shop. Learn more at his website: https://josefmatulich.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JosefMatulciAuthor?ref=hl
Twitter: @JosefMatulich
Katie Mazeika
Katie Mazeika is an award-winning author and illustrator who can’t imagine a better job than making books. She loves creating stories based on real people and events. Katie is passionate about highlighting disabled voices in her work. She strongly believes all children should see themselves in books. Katie hopes her work as a creator and advocate creates a space to openly discuss disability and neurodiversity. She does this through presentations, panels, and workshops for educators, kidlit creators, and young readers. You can visit her online at http://www.katiemazeika.com.
Erin McCahan
Erin McCahan (pronounced McCann) is the author of Love and Other Foreign Words and the forthcoming The Lake Effect. Love and Other Foreign Words was named one of the Best Summer Books of 2014 by Publishers Weekly, is a Junior Library Guild selection, and has been published in ten languages. Visit her online at http://www.erinmccahan.com.
Jim McCormac
Jim McCormac worked for the Ohio Department of Natural Resources for thirty-one years, first as a botanist and then on special projects involving animals, primarily birds, for the Division of Wildlife. He is the author or coauthor of several books, the “Nature” columnist for the Columbus Dispatch, and an avid, frequently published photographer. https://www.ohioswallow.com/book/Gardening+for+Moths
Mindy McGinnis
Mindy McGinnis is an Edgar Award-winning novelist who writes across multiple genres, including post-apocalyptic, historical, thriller, contemporary, mystery, and fantasy. While her settings may change, you can always count on Mindy’s books to deliver grit, truth, and an unflinching look at humanity and the world around us. Learn more at: https://www.mindymcginnis.com/.
Claire McMillan
Claire McMillan is a novelist, most recently of Alchemy of a Blackbird, published by Atria/Simon & Schuster in July of 2023. She is also the author of The Necklace, which was published by Touchstone/Simon & Schuster in 2017, as well as Gilded Age, published by Simon& Schuster in 2012. A native of Pasadena, California, she practiced law in San Francisco for six years before moving to Cleveland in 2003. As well as a JD, she holds an MFA in creative writing from Bennington College. She was named the Cuyahoga County Public Library Writer in Residence for the 2017-2018 year. During that time, she taught four classes on craft that were open to the public at the Skirball Writing Center. Additionally, she held monthly office hours for aspiring writers that were open to the public. She was also a Writer in Residence onsite at the Mount, Edith Wharton’s home in Lenox, Massachusetts. Her enthusiasm for her time there led to her being asked to serve as a Trustee on the Board of the Mount, where she still serves today. McMillan currently lives on her husband’s family farm outside of Cleveland, Ohio with their two children.
Wendy McVicker
Wendy McVicker, 2020-2022 poet laureate of Athens, Ohio, is a longtime Ohio Arts Council teaching artist. Her previous books include the dancer’s notes (Finishing Line Press, 2015), the self-published collaboration with visual artist John McVicker Sliced Dark (2018), Zero, a Door (The Orchard Street Press, 2021), and Stronger When We Touch, a collaboration with poet Cathy Cultice Lentes (The Orchard Street Press, 2023). Her poems have appeared in numerous journals and anthologies over the years, including Pine Mountain Sand & Gravel, Sheila-Na-Gig Online, Gyroscope Review, and Northern Appalachia Review. She loves collaborating with artists in many mediums and performs with instrumentalist Emily Prince under the name “another language altogether” whenever she gets the chance. Her children having grown and flown, she lives surrounded by the green hills of southeastern Ohio with her husband and a Hemingway cat named Dora.
