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.
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John J. Grabowski
John J. Grabowski works as the Krieger-Mueller Associate Professor of Applied History at Case Western Reserve University and as the Krieger-Mueller Chief Historian at the Western Reserve Historical Society. He is the editor of the online edition of The Encyclopedia of Cleveland History and The Dictionary of Cleveland Biography. https://history.case.edu/faculty/john-grabowski/
Carolyn Grace
Carolyn Grace began writing poetry as a child, and has been completely in love with language ever since. Grace graduated from Berea College with an undergraduate degree in English composition and a minor in music performance. She went on to complete her master of fine arts in creative writing through the Bluegrass Writers Studio at Eastern Kentucky University. Grace lives in Northern Virginia with her husband, Grant, and their dog, Fitzwilliam, who appears to be aware that he is named after literary royalty and acts accordingly. Grenadine and Other Love Affairs is her debut book of poetry.
Kelley Grant
Kelley Grant grew up in the hills around Sugarcreek, Ohio. She graduated from Otterbein College with a B.A. in English and college honors. She and her husband now live near Columbus, Ohio on a wooded hilltop with five cats and a dog. She has published the Desert Rising epic fantasy trilogy with Harper Voyager Publishers. Besides writing, Kelley teaches yoga and meditation, sings kirtan with her husband, and designs brochures and media.
Jacob Grant
Jacob Grant is an author, illustrator, and dad who makes picture books. He is a winner of the prestigious 2024 Bologna Children’s Book Fair Illustration Exhibition, and he’s also an okay kids soccer coach. Jacob is originally from Cincinnati, and now lives with his wife and two little ones near Chicago. Here he can be found in his home studio, drawing and writing until something feels story-ish. Learn more at his website: http://jacobgrantbooks.com/
Rebecca Greenfield
REBECCA GREENFIELD is the author of RAW Inner Workings of a Reawakened Soul, RAW Reawakened Soul Study Guide, The Prayer Crossing Personal Devotional: A 28-Day Guide to Quality Time with God and The Prayer Crossing Event Workbook. After earning her bachelors in Nuclear Medicine Technology, she followed God’s call into ministry and obtained her Masters in Theological Studies. She is blessed to pursue both of her passions, science and theology, by working in nuclear medicine and at Lifeline Christian Mission. One of her deepest desires is to create spaces and places where people can experience the presence of God and be enveloped in His love. Aside from God, nothing brings her more joy than spending time with her wonderful husband, family, and friends. Connect with Rebecca at http://www.Rebecca-Greenfield.com
Marilyn Greenwald
Marilyn Greenwald is a professor emerita of Journalism at Ohio University, where she taught courses in news reporting, biography writing and the writing of reviews and criticism. She also worked for ten years as a news reporter and business writer at daily newspapers in Ohio. She is the author of four biographies, including A Woman of the Times: Journalism, Feminism and the Career of Charlotte Curtis, (1999).
Maria Gregory
Maria Gregory is a thoughtful guide and quiet force behind The Lion You Don’t See, a deeply moving work born from her desire to reach young readers navigating today’s silent battles—anxiety, self-doubt, and feeling unseen. As a mentor and encourager at heart, Maria was stirred to write this book to help others, especially the next generation, recognize that the strength they long for is already within them. Through gentle storytelling and powerful imagery, she invites every reader to uncover the courage they may not even realize they carry.
Born with a heart for teaching and mentoring, Maria has spent decades uplifting others through service and innovation. She served as a volunteer Big Sister with Big Brothers Big Sisters of America for over ten years, and to this day, continues to mentor her “little sisters,” who are now raising families of their own. Her commitment to empowering young minds also led her to
serve as a judge for the Invention Convention League in 2012, 2013, 2014, and again in 2018—and she’s honored to return for the 2025 season.
Maria is the creator of iRiseUp.AI, a platform designed to make AI more human-centered, accessible, and purposeful. Built for dreamers and underdogs, iRiseUp.AI is rooted in the belief that technology should lift people up—not leave them behind.
Whether in her writing, her mentorship, or her quiet innovation, Maria’s mission is simple but powerful: to help others rise, with grace, hope, and the kind of courage that often goes unseen.
She is a proud Presidential Member of the American Association of Christian Counselors, offering wisdom and counsel that is both practical and faith-filled.
While her résumé spans counseling, education, and tech innovation, Maria wears her titles lightly. To those who know her, she’s simply a devoted wife, stepmom, aunt, godmother, and faithful friend.
Whether she’s guiding a mentee, supporting her community, or sharing a quiet moment with family, Maria leads with empathy and intention.
The Lion You Don’t See is more than a book—it’s Maria’s invitation to readers of all ages to recognize the quiet power within. Whether in her writing, her mentorship, or her quiet innovation, Maria’s mission is simple but powerful: to help others rise, with grace, hope, and the kind of courage that often goes unseen.
Learn more at: https://www.thelionyoudontsee.com/
Michael Griffith
Michael Griffith’s most recent novel, Trophy (Northwestern University Press/TriQuarterly), was named one of Kirkus Reviews’ Best 25 Books of Fiction for 2011. His previous books, both from Arcade, are the novel Spikes and the story collection Bibliophilia. Griffith is Professor of English at the University of Cincinnati.
Megan E. Griffiths
Megan E. Griffiths is an adjunct professor in the department of Biological Science at Kent State University. Over the past two decades, Dr. Griffiths has studied plant-plant interactions with particular focus on understanding the mechanisms by which disturbance and competition impact plant communities.
Mary Grimm
Mary Grimm has had three books published, Left to Themselves, Transubstantiation, and Stealing Time. Her stories have appeared in The New Yorker, Antioch Review, and The Mississippi Review, as well as in a number of journals that publish flash fiction, including Helen, The Citron Review, and Tiferet. Currently, she is working on a series of climate change novellas set in past and future Cleveland.