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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e.E. Charlton-Trujillo
Described as “a force of nature” by Kirkus Reviews, author, filmmaker and youth literacy activist e.E. Charlton-Trujillo has written several books for teens and children, most notably the ALA Winning and Choose to Read Ohio series Fat Angie. Their celebrated co-authored picture books with NYT Bestseller Pat Zietlow Miller include: Lupe Lopez: Rock Star Rules, Lupe Lopez: Reading Rock Star, and A Girl Can Build Anything. Trujillo’s short fiction appeared in the Read Across America selection Living Beyond Borders: Growing Up Mexican In America and the lauded anthology The Collectors edited by A.S. King. They are the co-founder of the literacy nonprofit Never Counted Out and a Madriana with Las Musas.
Patrick Chiles
Patrick Chiles began his writing career with the self-published novels Perigee and Farside, which were acquired by Baen Books in 2016. His subsequent novels with Baen, Frozen Orbit, Frontier, Escape Orbit, and Interstellar Medic: The Long Run have established him as a rising talent in adventurous, near-future science fiction. His short stories have been featured in World Breakers, Worlds Long Lost, and The Ross 248 Project. After a career in airline and business flight operations, Patrick now works for an aviation safety consulting firm when he is not writing. He currently resides with his wife in central Ohio.
Afia Chrappah
Afia Chrappah was born in Accra, Ghana and immigrated to Columbus, Ohio at the age of five. Her experiences in the American education system span from being a student at various public schools and universities to making the transition into educator and School Social Worker. Through her work, she has been able to transform the lives of youth through social justice focused advocacy, literature, and activism. Afia is currently working to give voice to the experiences of African immigrant children and other marginalized groups through the lens of Social Work and Social Entrepreneurship. Her first book “The Journey of Ama Ketewa ” is Afia’s personal perspective on the hope and challenge that can be experienced when starting life anew. Learn more at: https://www.ketewastorytelling.com
Nancy Christie
Nancy Christie is the award-winning author of three novels, Reinventing Rita, Finding Fran and Moving Maggie (all from BookBaby)—the first three in her Midlife Moxie Novel Series; four short story collections: The Language of Love and Other Stories, Mistletoe Magic and Other Holiday Tales, Traveling Left of Center and Other Stories and Peripheral Visions and Other Stories (all from Unsolicited Press); two books for writers: Rut-Busting Book for Authors and Rut-Busting Book for Writers (both from BookBaby) and the essay collection, The Gifts of Change (Atria/Beyond Words). Her short stories and essays have appeared in numerous print and online publications, with several earning contest placement.
The host of the Living the Writing Life podcast and the founder of the annual “Midlife Moxie” Day and “Celebrate Short Fiction” Day, Nancy teaches writing workshops at conferences, libraries, and schools. She is a member of the American Society of Journalists and Authors (ASJA), the Florida Writers Association (FWA) and the Women’s Fiction Writers Association (WFWA). Nancy is available to chat with book clubs or writing groups (virtually and in real life) about the writing process, the themes of her books and her writing life. Contact her via email for more information.
Terreece M. Clarke
Bestselling author and journalist Terreece M. Clarke writes epic love stories about smart, courageous Black women loved without reservation or hesitation. She is active in her artistic community, including as Lincoln Theatre Artist Fellow (2018 Cohort) and a member of the 100 Authors Project. A longtime journalist, she has written for various websites, magazines, newspapers, and as a YA and children’s book reviewer for Common Sense Media. Her work has garnered the attention of the New York Times, Disney, and Jezebel, and her company’s digital marketing clients have landed media appearances for national outlets including Fox Business News, BET, CNN, Ebony Magazine, The Root, and MSNBC. As a successful writer, journalist, entrepreneur, mother of three, and wife to one, she is often asked to lead discussions on women and parenting issues and diversity in media, pop culture, and tech. Terreece’s first book – Olivia’s Potty Adventures, a potty training storybook featuring an African American character – spent 16 weeks as a top new release. Heartbeat: A Courageous Love Novel, her debut romantic suspense novel became a top international romance novel in two categories and kicked off the bestselling Courageous Love Novel series. You can find Terreece writing through life on TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook – come join the conversation! https://terreececlarke.com
Colleen Clayton
Colleen Clayton is the critically acclaimed author of the YA novel What Happens Next, which was a finalist for the Ohioana Book Award. She grew up outside of Cleveland, Ohio, and worked as a social worker in residential treatment centers for troubled teens and as Program Supervisor for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Mahoning Valley. She holds an MFA in fiction writing from the Northeast Ohio Consortium (NEOMFA) and teaches fiction writing and composition at Youngstown State University. She was recently contracted by YSU’s Special Education Department to teach an online summer writing course for 4th and 5th graders. As part of the project, she wrote eight online picture books for the students and then helped them craft their own stories using the free, educational platform Storybird. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCoQSxqNyJHkZdqzDo5QOXfg
Colleen can speak on a number of subjects, including date rape, bullying, eating disorders, feminist issues in young adult literature, and ADHD, and can lead an hour-long creative writing workshop for grades 3 through 12 as well as for adults. She has facilitated in-service workshops for librarians and teachers as well.
In-Service Testimonial from Jennifer Holt, Librarian at Willoughby South High School:
“Colleen’s story starting exercise was fun and inspiring! It fostered creative interplay between my original ideas and the surprising places my colleagues took them.”
For more on Colleen, go to her website at colleenclayton.com.
Doug Coates
Doug Coates is the author of two middle-grade books used in his engaging and interactive presentations about character and good sportsmanship. Pitching for Success: Character Lessons, the Joe Nuxhall Way, and Riley’s Winning Catch; Good Character Prevails depict situational examples of good character and sportsmanship. Please email the author at Doug@authordougcoates.com if you and your school are interested in an author visit. He will also send you a comp copy of each book to review if you’d like. In a change of genre, the author published his first picture book, Bobby Button Goes to School in the spring of 2022.
Liz Coley
Liz Coley has been writing short and long fiction for teens and adults for more than ten years. Her short fiction has appeared in Cosmos Magazine and several speculative fiction anthologies: The Last Man, More Scary Kisses, and Strange Worlds. In 2011, she self-published the YA novel Out of Xibalba, a story that begins when the world ends. The same week Out of Xibalba launched, Liz sold YA dark contemporary psychological thriller Pretty Girl-13 to HarperCollins for international publication. She lives in Cincinnati, Ohio with her husband, her teenaged daughter, a snoring dog, and a limping old cat. The two older boys have flown the nest for college. Her passions beyond reading and writing include singing, photography, and baking. She plays competitive tennis to keep herself fit and humble. Taped on her computer are her “lucky charms”—the fifteen Chinese cookie fortunes collected over the years which spoke to her writing aspirations and encouraged her along the journey. She’s LizColeyBooks on social media and at http://www.LizColey.com.