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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A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W Y Z
Photo of Dan Mendez Moore

Dan Mendez Moore

Dan Méndez Moore was born and raised in Cincinnati and received his bachelor’s degree in Urban Studies at Portland State University. He first got involved in social justice organizing during high school, when he founded the Cincinnati Radical Youth, and has never stopped. He currently works organizing low-wage workers at SEIU Local 26 in Minneapolis, MN.…Read More

Dan Méndez Moore was born and raised in Cincinnati and received his bachelor’s degree in Urban Studies at Portland State University. He first got involved in social justice organizing during high school, when he founded the Cincinnati Radical Youth, and has never stopped. He currently works organizing low-wage workers at SEIU Local 26 in Minneapolis, MN. His comics have been published in Labor Notes and Cincinnati Street Vibes and he has a series of comics used as popular education tools for low-wage workers fighting for change.

Photo of Sarah Menkedick

Sarah Menkedick

SARAH MENKEDICK's work has been featured in Harper's, Pacific Standard, Oxford American, Aeon, Guernica, The Paris Review Daily, and elsewhere. She holds an MFA in nonfiction from the University of Pittsburgh, and she was a 2015-2016 Fulbright fellow in Mexico. She was also the 2012 recipient of Ohioana's Walter Rumsey Marvin Grant. Sarah is the founder of Vela, an online magazine of nonfiction writing by women.Read More

SARAH MENKEDICK’s work has been featured in Harper’s, Pacific Standard, Oxford American, Aeon, Guernica, The Paris Review Daily, and elsewhere. She holds an MFA in nonfiction from the University of Pittsburgh, and she was a 2015-2016 Fulbright fellow in Mexico. She was also the 2012 recipient of Ohioana’s Walter Rumsey Marvin Grant. Sarah is the founder of Vela, an online magazine of nonfiction writing by women.

Photo of Philip Metres

Philip Metres

Philip Metres is the author of ten books, including Shrapnel Maps (2020), The Sound of Listening: Poetry as Refuge and Resistance (2018), Pictures at an Exhibition (2016), Sand Opera (2015), I Burned at the Feast: Selected Poems of Arseny Tarkovsky (2015), and others. His work has garnered the Guggenheim Fellowship, the Lannan Fellowship, two NEAs, six Ohio Arts Council Grants, the Hunt Prize, the Adrienne Rich Award, three Arab American Book Awards, the Watson Fellowship, the Lyric Poetry Prize, Creative Workforce Fellowship, and the Cleveland Arts Prize.…Read More

Philip Metres is the author of ten books, including Shrapnel Maps (2020), The Sound of Listening: Poetry as Refuge and Resistance (2018), Pictures at an Exhibition (2016), Sand Opera (2015), I Burned at the Feast: Selected Poems of Arseny Tarkovsky (2015), and others. His work has garnered the Guggenheim Fellowship, the Lannan Fellowship, two NEAs, six Ohio Arts Council Grants, the Hunt Prize, the Adrienne Rich Award, three Arab American Book Awards, the Watson Fellowship, the Lyric Poetry Prize, Creative Workforce Fellowship, and the Cleveland Arts Prize. He is professor of English and director of the Peace, Justice, and Human Rights program at John Carroll University

Photo of Karen Meyer

Karen Meyer

Karen Meyer has authored seven historical novels for middle grade readers. She weaves real pioneers and events into an exciting story. Her passion for history began in her school days with field trips to Ohio’s historical sites. She became an Air Force wife and lived in places as far away as Labrador over the course of nine years.…Read More
Karen Meyer has authored seven historical novels for middle grade readers. She weaves real pioneers and events into an exciting story. Her passion for history began in her school days with field trips to Ohio’s historical sites. She became an Air Force wife and lived in places as far away as Labrador over the course of nine years. Seeing new lands gave her a window on regional and national differences, and confirmed an appreciation for her own Ohio roots. She and her husband settled and raised their family in central Ohio. Karen now visits classrooms and retirement centers in costume as Grandma Sarah, one of the characters in her first two novels. This living history presentation often includes mixing up a batch of lye soap, helping participants learn how the early settlers survived on the frontier.
Photo of David Meyers

David Meyers

A graduate of Miami University and The Ohio State University, David Meyers can't seem to keep from writing stuff. His lifelong interest in history has led him to turn out a number of non-fiction books on a variety of topics, especially those neglected by others. He frequently collaborates with his daughter, Elise Meyers Walker. He has also authored several novels and a handful of works for the stage, including two full length musicals.…Read More

A graduate of Miami University and The Ohio State University, David Meyers can’t seem to keep from writing stuff. His lifelong interest in history has led him to turn out a number of non-fiction books on a variety of topics, especially those neglected by others. He frequently collaborates with his daughter, Elise Meyers Walker. He has also authored several novels and a handful of works for the stage, including two full length musicals. In 2019, he was inducted into the Ohio Senior Citizens Hall of Fame for his contributions to Ohio history. Learn more at: https://www.explodingstove.com/

Photo of Elise Meyers Walker

Elise Meyers Walker

​Elise Meyers Walker earned degrees from Hofstra University and Ohio University. A former board member of the Columbus Historical Society and the Ted Lewis Museum in Circleville, she describes herself as an analyst, researcher, performer, author, organizer, project manager, event planner, teacher, saleswoman, Lego artist, mother, and adventuress. Her particular interest is true crime. She frequently collaborates with her father, David Meyers.Read More
​Elise Meyers Walker earned degrees from Hofstra University and Ohio University. A former board member of the Columbus Historical Society and the Ted Lewis Museum in Circleville, she describes herself as an analyst, researcher, performer, author, organizer, project manager, event planner, teacher, saleswoman, Lego artist, mother, and adventuress. Her particular interest is true crime. She frequently collaborates with her father, David Meyers.
Photo of Mark Miesse

Mark Miesse

Mark Miesse is an up and coming author with a current focus on children’s poetry. His poetry is focused around younger children up to the tween years. The majority of his poetry is inspired by the likes of his own children and some of the goofy parenting sayings that he has most likely annoyed his children with through out the years.…Read More

Mark Miesse is an up and coming author with a current focus on children’s poetry. His poetry is focused around younger children up to the tween years. The majority of his poetry is inspired by the likes of his own children and some of the goofy parenting sayings that he has most likely annoyed his children with through out the years. Mark currently lives in Medway, Ohio. He was born a buckeye and has been his only place called home.

Photo of Candice Millard

Candice Millard

Candice Millard is the author of four New York Times bestselling books. Her first book, The River of Doubt: Theodore Roosevelt's Darkest Journey, was a Barnes & Noble Discover Great New Writers selection and a Book Sense Pick, won the William Rockhill Nelson Award, was a finalist for the Quill Awards, and has been published in multiple foreign editions. …Read More

Candice Millard is the author of four New York Times bestselling books. Her first book, The River of Doubt: Theodore Roosevelt’s Darkest Journey, was a Barnes & Noble Discover Great New Writers selection and a Book Sense Pick, won the William Rockhill Nelson Award, was a finalist for the Quill Awards, and has been published in multiple foreign editions. Destiny of the Republic: A Tale of Madness, Medicine & the Murder of a President, won the Edgar Award for Best Fact Crime, the PEN Center USA award for Research Nonfiction, the One Book-One Lincoln Award, the Ohioana Award, and the Kansas Notable Book Award.

Hero of the Empire: The Boer War, a Daring Escape and the Making of Winston Churchill, was an Indie Next pick, a top ten critics pick by the New York Times and named Amazon’s number one history book of 2016. Millard’s most recent book, released in May of 2022, is River of the Gods: Genius, Courage, and Betrayal in the Search for the Source of the Nile. She is the recipient of the 2017 BIO Award, and her work has appeared in the New York Times Book Review, Washington Post Book World, the Guardian, National Geographic and Time magazine. She lives in Kansas City with her husband and three children. https://www.candicemillard.com/

Photo of Patricia Miller

Patricia Miller

Patricia Miller is best known for relatable characters, clever twists and turns and feel-good endings, spanning the mystery, sci- fi and romance genres. Look for her titles: Mysterious Tales of the Unexplained Vols 1-4, Love on the Lakefront and The Joshua sci-fi trilogy. Her books have received awards from Next Generation Indie Awards, American Book Fest Awards, and a Second Place Purple Dragonfly Award in the mystery category for Mysterious Tales of the Unexplained, Vol 3.…Read More

Patricia Miller is best known for relatable characters, clever twists and turns and feel-good endings, spanning the mystery, sci- fi and romance genres. Look for her titles: Mysterious Tales of the Unexplained Vols 1-4, Love on the Lakefront and The Joshua sci-fi trilogy. Her books have received awards from Next Generation Indie Awards, American Book Fest Awards, and a Second Place Purple Dragonfly Award in the mystery category for Mysterious Tales of the Unexplained, Vol 3. She is the award-winning author of eight published books thus far: four mystery collection volumes (entertaining readers from ages 12 to well in their 80’s) all with that cozy mystery feel, a completed YA Sci Fi Sweet Romance trilogy (suitable for ages 15 and up) and she has a featured story in a romance anthology, Love on the Lakefront, with all tales set in the Great Lakes Region. Her mystery collections feature illustrations from high school and middle school art students from all over the state of Ohio which are chosen following a call for submissions. Scenes come alive with this unique collaboration between young Ohio artists and mysterious and perplexing whodunits. Patricia grew up in a small town in Ohio and has worked as a mental health clinical counselor for the past thirty-five plus years. She sits on the planning committee for the Dover Canal Town Book Festival and has given several presentations including an interactive presentation for West Virginia State Writing Winners in grades 7-9, focusing on character development. When not writing she enjoys hiking/biking weekend trips or indulging in British murder mystery marathons. Follow her at: https://www.facebook.com/patriciamillerauthor/

Photo of Jeff Miller

Jeff Miller

Jeff Miller is a middle-grade author and former camp counselor originally from Kent, Ohio. He loves snow, coffee, and visiting schools to connect with young readers. His mom, a 2018 heart transplant recipient, has always inspired him to face life with humor and heart. He is the author of The Nerdy Dozen series, middle-grade books about video games, friendship, top-secret aircrafts, positivity, and ostriches.…Read More

Jeff Miller is a middle-grade author and former camp counselor originally from Kent, Ohio. He loves snow, coffee, and visiting schools to connect with young readers. His mom, a 2018 heart transplant recipient, has always inspired him to face life with humor and heart. He is the author of The Nerdy Dozen series, middle-grade books about video games, friendship, top-secret aircrafts, positivity, and ostriches. His latest middle-grade novel, Rare Birds, is authentically inspired by his personal experience of living through his own parent’s heart transplant. Miller currently lives in Chicago, where he keeps asking his cats for writing advice. Learn more at his website: https://www.jeffmillerbooks.com/

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