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.
- You are searching within category(ies): Fiction
Rachele Alpine
One of Rachele Alpine’s first jobs was at a library, but it didn’t last long, because all she did was hide in the third-floor stacks and read. Now she’s a little more careful about when and where she indulges her reading habit. Rachele is a high school English teacher by day, a wife and mother by night, and a writer during any time she can find in between. She lives in Cleveland, Ohio, where she writes books for children, tweens, and young adults. Visit her at rachelealpine.com.
Jeff Alt
Jeff Alt is a celebrated author and avid outdoor enthusiast. His other books include: Four Boots-One Journey, Get Your Kids Hiking, and A Walk for Sunshine. Each of his books are award-winning and have received high praise from readers and educators all over the world. Jeff is a member of the Outdoor Writers Association of America (OWAA) and the Society of Children’s Book Writers & Illustrators (SCBWI). Jeff’s expertise and books have been featured in Scholastic Parent & Child, Backpacker, Discoverchannel.com, ESPN, Hallmark Channel and more. He has walked the Appalachian Trail, the John Muir Trail with his wife; he carried his 21-month old daughter across Ireland, and his son was on the Appalachian Trail at six weeks of age. Jeff has spent over 20 years perfecting his ability to engage kids to learn as an educator. He has now combined his educational experience with his outdoor talents in writing The Adventures of Bubba Jones series. Learn more at: http://www.jeffalt.com
Jarod K. Anderson
Jarod K. Anderson publishes fiction, nonfiction, and poetry. He has three best-selling collections of nature poetry known as The Haunted Forest Trilogy. His memoir Something in the Woods Loves You (Timber Press/Hachette 2024) explores his lifelong struggle with depression through a lens of love and gratitude for the natural world. His novel Strange Animals is forthcoming from Ballantine Books in early 2026. Jarod created and voices The CryptoNaturalist podcast, a scripted show about real adoration for fictional wildlife. He lives in Ohio between a park and a cemetery. Learn more at JarodKAnderson.com
Dan Andriacco
Dan Andriacco is the author of ten mystery novels. His primary series, featuring Professor Sebastian McCabe and brother-in-law Jeff Cody, is set in a small college town in southern Ohio. The latest published in that series is Erin Go Bloody, about the hijinks surrounding a St. Patrick’s Day parade. The final novel in his Enoch Hale trilogy of historical mysteries, written with a co-author, is The Egyptian Curse. Dan has also been a mystery reviewer and taught non-credit classes in mystery fiction. He once won a bet with a colleague that he could write a novella in less time than it took her to read one of his novels. You can read more about Dan on his blog, Baker Street Beat, at danandriacco.com.
Breshea Anglen
Breshea is a fantasy author with a penchant for penning stories with magical realism, adventure, and romance, centering BIPOC characters. She attended BGSU and obtained both a bachelor’s and master’s degree in Education. After graduating from BGSU in 2016, Breshea returned to Cleveland and began her career as a middle school English teacher. During this time, she self-published her first novel, A Shrouded Spark. Breshea resides in Cleveland with her daughter and family. Check out her website at: https://www.bresheaanglen.com.
Kalynn Applewhite
Kalynn Applewhite is a writer at heart with a lifetime love of fantasy. She is a work-at-home mom and lead creator for Applewhite Games. Through her books she pursues her passion for exploring feminist themes through fiction. Kalynn loves playing games, taking hikes, and eating super dark chocolate. She lives in Ohio with her husband and their menagerie of children, cats, chickens, and houseplants.
Michael Armstrong
After beginning his career as a marketing professional, Michael Armstrong changed course and joined the nonprofit world. He served as the Executive Director of The ALS Association, The Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation, and other nonprofit organizations.
When his daughter was born, Mike left his job to become a stay-at-home dad. Soon after, he began writing children’s books (and rekindled his love affair with Play-Doh). Today he is an active member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI), and is represented by Curtis Brown, Ltd. His first book, Best Day Ever, will be released by Sterling Publishing in Spring 2020. He lives in Cleveland, Ohio.
Mindee Arnett
Mindee Arnett is the author of the critically acclaimed sci-fi thriller Avalonas well the Arkwell Academyseries. An avid eventer, she lives on a farm near Dayton, Ohio with her husband, two kids, and assorted animals. When not telling tales of magic, the supernatural, or outer space, she can be found on a horse, trying to jump anything that will stand still. Onyx and Ivoryis her first foray into high fantasy. Find her on the web at mindeearnett.com
David Arnold
David Arnold is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of Mosquitoland, I Loved You in Another Life, The Electric Kingdom, Kids of Appetite, and The Strange Fascinations of Noah Hypnotik. He has won the Southern Book Prize and the Great Lakes Book Award, and was named a Publishers Weekly Flying Start for his debut. His books have been translated into over a dozen languages. He lives in Lexington, Kentucky, with his wife and son. Learn more at davidarnoldbooks.com and follow him on Instagram @iamdavidarnold.