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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Peg Bobel
Peg Bobel is a freelance writer and former cultural resource specialist for Summit Metro Parks. Peg holds a Master of Science in Social Administration from Case Western Reserve University and for nearly twenty years was a social worker in public agencies. Later, while serving as executive director of the Cuyahoga Valley Association, she and her husband Rob edited the book Trail Guide: Cuyahoga Valley National Park, and the popular Towpath Companion. In 2009, Peg and her colleague Lynn Metzger edited and contributed to Canal Fever: The Ohio & Erie Canal from Waterway to Canalway.
Rob Boley
Rob E. Boley grew up in Enon, Ohio, a little town with a big Indian mound. He later earned a B.A. and M.A. in English from Wright State University in Dayton, Ohio. He’s the author of THE SCARY TALES series of dark fantasy novels featuring mash-ups of classic fairy tale characters and horror monsters. His fiction has appeared in several markets, including A cappella Zoo, Pseudopod, Clackamas Literary Review, and Best New Werewolf Tales. His stories have won Best in Show in the Sinclair Community College Creative Writing Contest and the Dayton Daily News/Antioch Writers’ Workshop Short Story Contest. In 2016, he founded Howling Unicorn Press with his wife, Megan Hart. He lives with Megan and his daughter in Dayton, where he works for his alma mater. Each morning and most nights, he enjoys making blank pages darker. You can get to know him better by visiting his website at http://www.robboley.com.
Dr. Helen Bond
Dr. Helen Bond is an Associate Professor in the School of Education at Howard University. She received a Bachelor’s of Science in Education from The Ohio State University, a Master’s in Communication from West Virginia University, and a Ph.D. in Human Development from Virginia Tech. Dr. Bond has published widely including articles in the Sociology of Education: An A-to-Z Guide, International Journal of Knowledge and Learning, Journal of Transformative Education, Handbook of Research on Culturally Aware Technology, and the Weekly Journal of Higher Education published by the Association of Indian Universities. She also published chapters in the following books: Pathways to the Holocaust and the award winning Evoking Genocide chosen as the “Outstanding Academic Title” for 2010 by Choice Magazine, the leading journal of librarians around the English-speaking world. She grew up on a farm in Ohio, but now lives outside the Washington DC metro area.
Jane Bond
Jane Bond always wanted to write. But after earning a degree in Journalism from Ohio University, her life took another direction. As a single mom with two small daughters, she started law school in 1973 earning a law degree from the University of Akron in 1976. She started practicing law at a desk in the reception area of an Akron law firm at a time when women were uncommon and unwelcome as lawyers.…
Read MoreJane Bond always wanted to write. But after earning a degree in Journalism from Ohio University, her life took another direction. As a single mom with two small daughters, she started law school in 1973 earning a law degree from the University of Akron in 1976. She started practicing law at a desk in the reception area of an Akron law firm at a time when women were uncommon and unwelcome as lawyers.
Then came the opportunity to become a Summit County Assistant Prosecuting Attorney. That led to an offer to become the first General Counsel to the Summit County Executive. This involved her in settling a federal lawsuit on jail overcrowding and helping to plan a new county jail. With that experience in jail planning, she was offered a job in Cleveland as corporate legal counsel and criminal justice planner for The Voinovich Companies. The work took her into jails and prisons all over the United States.
She decided serving in the courts could have a greater impact than planning. She sought and received an appointment as Municipal Judge in the City of Akron. After two years as a municipal judge, she was appointed to the Common Pleas Court in Summit County. Now in an elected office with a six-year term, she was required to run for election after her appointment. She won and then was re-elected to two more terms, retiring in 2007 after eighteen years on the bench.
During her service as judge, she presided over thousands of criminal and civil cases. One of her most challenging experiences had been presiding over a complex series of criminal cases that collectively became known as “The Escort Case.” She drew on the facts of that case to write this compelling true story of the criminal justice system gone awry and the struggle to finally do justice.
Louise Borden
Armani Borden
Born in Detroit and raised in Ohio, Armani Borden is a graduate of Bowling Green State University. She received a bachelor’s degree in film production, loves action and comedy films, and books and music are her life. She listens, sings, and plays music every day. Borden grew up playing by herself in her room, which helped her develop such a big and vivid imagination.
Dianne Borsenik
Dianne Borsenik is active in the northern and central Ohio poetry scenes and regional reading circuit. She is a member of the Ohio Poetry Association and Literary Cleveland. Her performances in 2019 include “We’re No Angels” at Speak of the Devil in Lorain, Ohio, 2 Chefs & a Beat – “Poetic Justice Edition” at Porco Lounge and Tiki Room in Cleveland, Ohio, the Sun & Moon Poetry Festival in Yellow Springs, Ohio, and the Edith Chase Symposium Resurrection River Poetry Reading in Kent, Ohio. Her poems have appeared in hundreds of journals, anthologies, and magazines, and in numerous projects and art gallery events. Two recent books are Raga for What Comes Next, and Heaven We Haven’t Yet Dreamed, both from Stubborn Mule Press. In 2011, Borsenik founded NightBallet Press, and has since published over one hundred titles for poets throughout Ohio and across the United States. Lit Youngstown printed her poem “Disco” on their tee shirts, which makes her feel like a rock star. Learn more at http://www.dianneborsenik.com.
Bobby Bostic
Bobby Bostic, a native of St. Louis, Missouri, embarked on a journey marked by adversity, transformation, and
an unwavering commitment to redemption. Born into a challenging environment, Bobby’s teenage years were
filled with turmoil, leading him down a troubled path. At the age of 16, in December 1995, he became involved
in a series of criminal activities, culminating in a life-altering moment. Alongside an associate, he committed
robberies and assaults, resulting in a staggering 17 charges, including kidnapping and armed criminal action.
His fate took an irreversible turn when he was offered a plea bargain of a life sentence, an offer he chose to
reject.
Opting for a trial instead, Bobby faced a jury that found him guilty of all counts. His sentencing was nothing
short of controversial and unjust, as he received a staggering 240-year prison sentence. The judge’s decision,
based on biased grounds and overlooking Bobby’s age and potential for rehabilitation, left him facing an
equivalent of life without parole. Despite the circumstances, Bobby maintained his resilience and expressed his
commitment to personal growth and redemption during his sentencing hearing, highlighting his desire to take
college courses and rehabilitate himself.
While incarcerated for over 25 years, Bobby Bostic embarked on a transformative journey. He endured the loss
of his mother to cancer and his brother due to gunshot complications, experiences that only strengthened his
resolve. During his time behind bars, he pursued education vigorously, obtaining his G.E.D., a Paralegal
Diploma, and an Associate of Science. His commitment extended beyond academics, as he completed
rehabilitation classes and even authored several books, including an autobiography, poetry volumes, and
insightful works on various topics. Bobby has authored the following books:
• Humbled to the Rise: Still, I Rise
• Dear Mama: The Life and Struggles of a Single Mother
• Mind Diamonds: Shining on Your Mind
• Time: Endless Moments in Prison
• When Life Gives You, Lemons Make Lemonade
• A Generation Misunderstood: Generation Next
Bobby’s story serves as a testament to the potential for growth and change within individuals, especially those
who were juveniles at the time of their offenses. He aspires to challenge the system that sentenced him to die in
prison and advocates for a second chance, aligning with the belief that America is a country that offers
redemption and opportunities for those who have made mistakes. His vision goes beyond prison walls, and he
aims to make a positive impact on society, focusing on helping troubled youth and advocating for justice
reform. Bobby Bostic’s journey is a compelling narrative of resilience, self-improvement, and the pursuit of a
second chance in a world that sometimes seems unforgiving.
Learn more at http://www.minddiamonds.net and http://www.FreeBobbyBostic.com.
Shawn Boyd
Shawn Boyd was born and raised in Whitehall, Ohio, where he still resides. Shawn served as a combat communications specialist in the U.S. Army Reserves. He has been a Deputy Sheriff for over twenty-five years, spending time working in the jail, court services, community relations, and as the Deputy assigned to the Children’s Services Intake building. He helped create and taught a program about gangs and gang awareness for almost ten years.
Shawn and his wife Kathy have been married for twenty six years and have three children, Ashley, Andrew and Shawn Ryan. They are also blessed with two granddaughters and four grandsons. The publishing of this book culminates a life-long dream. “Special thanks to everyone who supported and encouraged me along the way, even when I was ready to give up on myself.”
Conor Bracken
His chapbook, Henry Kissinger, Mon Amour, was selected by Diane Seuss as winner of the fifth annual Frost Place Chapbook Competition (Bull City Press, 2017), and his translation of Mohammed Khaïr-Eddine’s Scorpionic Sun (CSU Poetry Center, 2019) was the first English translation of the avant-garde Moroccan writer’s work. Another translation—of Jean D’Amérique’s No Way in the Skin without this Bloody Embrace—is forthcoming from Ugly Duckling Presse in 2022.
His debut collection of poems, The Enemy of My Enemy is Me, won the 2020 Diode Editions Book Prize, and was published in 2021. His poems and translations have earned him fellowships from Bread Loaf, the Community of Writers, The Frost Place, Inprint, and the Sewanee Writers’ Conference.
A former poetry editor at Gulf Coast, he is currently an assistant poetry editor at Four Way Review. He lives in Ohio, and teaches classes regularly with LitCleveland. Visit his website at: https://www.conorbracken.com/