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

Paisley Cruz

Paisley Cruz grew up in the suburbs of Cincinnati, Ohio. Ever since she could remember, her imagination has taken her on amazing adventures. Never in her wildest dreams did she imagine she’d end up an author. As a teen, Paisley began writing love stories and hasn’t really stopped over the years. Writing has been the only consistent activity in her life.…Read More

Paisley Cruz grew up in the suburbs of Cincinnati, Ohio. Ever since she could remember, her imagination has taken her on amazing adventures. Never in her wildest dreams did she imagine she’d end up an author.

As a teen, Paisley began writing love stories and hasn’t really stopped over the years. Writing has been the only consistent activity in her life. As a young adult, Paisley’s dreams wavered from becoming a nurse to pursuing a music career. Instead, she settled on being a stay at home mom and an awesome wife.

Paisley is married to the love of her life and best friend, Mr. Cruz. Together they have two amazing little boys, three rescue cats, and a rescue beagle named BoBo.

When Paisley isn’t running her boys to and from sports, she is either writing or taking in a Cincinnati Reds game.

Photo of Dan Cryer

Dan Cryer

Dan Cryer, a former book critic at Newsday and Pulitzer Prize finalist, is the author of “Being Alive and Having to Die: The Spiritual Odyssey of Forrest Church.” He has contributed to “The Salon.Com Reader’s Guide to Contemporary Authors” and “Good Roots: Writers Reflect on Growing Up in Ohio,” and to many publications, including The New Republic, Salon, The Washington Post, The San Francisco Chronicle, The Plain Dealer, and The Boston Globe.…Read More

Dan Cryer, a former book critic at Newsday and Pulitzer Prize finalist, is the author of “Being Alive and Having to Die: The Spiritual Odyssey of Forrest Church.” He has contributed to “The Salon.Com Reader’s Guide to Contemporary Authors” and “Good Roots: Writers Reflect on Growing Up in Ohio,” and to many publications, including The New Republic, Salon, The Washington Post, The San Francisco Chronicle, The Plain Dealer, and The Boston Globe. A graduate of The College of Wooster, he earned a PhD in U.S. history at the University of Minnesota.

Photo of Michael Cunningham

Michael Cunningham

Michael Cunningham was born in Cincinnati, Ohio in 1952 and grew up in La Cañada, California. He received his B.A. in English Literature from Stanford University and his M.F.A. from the University of Iowa. His novel A Home at the End of the World was published in 1990 to wide acclaim. Flesh and Blood, another novel, followed in 1995.…Read More

Michael Cunningham was born in Cincinnati, Ohio in 1952 and grew up in La Cañada, California. He received his B.A. in English Literature from Stanford University and his M.F.A. from the University of Iowa. His novel A Home at the End of the World was published in 1990 to wide acclaim. Flesh and Blood, another novel, followed in 1995. He received the 1999 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction and the PEN/Faulkner Award for his novel, The Hours.  He has written one nonfiction book, Land’s End: A Walk Through Provincetown. He is the author of Specimen Days, and By Nightfall which has been optioned for the movies. His most recent novel is The Snow Queen and a story collection, A Wild Swan and Other Tales, illustrated by Yuko Shimizu, was released by FSG in 2015. His most recent novel, Day, is a New York Times Book Review Editor’s Choice, A Best Book of the Year from NPR, Harper’s Bazaar, Chicago Public Library, Lit Hub, Paste, and Kirkus Reviews.

Photo of Alan Cupp

Alan Cupp

Alan Cupp loves to create and entertain, whether it’s with a captivating mystery novel or a funny promotional video for his church, he’s always anticipating his next creative endeavor. In addition to writing fiction, Alan enjoys acting, music, travel, and playing sports. His life’s motto is, “It’s better to wear out than rust out.” Alan places a high value on time spent with his beautiful wife and their two sons.…Read More

Alan Cupp loves to create and entertain, whether it’s with a captivating mystery novel or a funny promotional video for his church, he’s always anticipating his next creative endeavor. In addition to writing fiction, Alan enjoys acting, music, travel, and playing sports. His life’s motto is, “It’s better to wear out than rust out.” Alan places a high value on time spent with his beautiful wife and their two sons. He lives his life according to his 4F philosophy: Faith, Family, Friends, and Fun.