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.
Judy Carey Nevin
Twice in my life, I received a fortune from a fortune cookie that read “You are a lover of words. You will someday write a book.” I never expected that fortune to come true, but here I am! My writing process is pretty messy-I go for a long time without any good ideas, then I’m struck with something that won’t let go, and I stay up way past my bedtime to get it just right. My sensibilities lean toward texts for the very young, especially preschool. I spent some of the best years of my career as an editor at Viking Children’s Books, where I specialized in picture books and easy-to-read books. I enjoyed very much bringing books into the world and am very proud of my books, What Daddies Like (Spring 2017) What Mommies Like (Spring 2018), and All Kids are Good Kids (Spring 2019). I’m currently a library director in Ohio, where I live with my nerdy professor husband, our bookworm of a daughter, and our crazy pooch.
More information about me and my books can be found at http://judycareynevin.com
Tim Carroll
Born and raised in Akron, Ohio, Tim Carroll attended Case Elementary, Litchfield Middle School and Firestone High School before obtaining a history degree from the University of Akron. Both of his grandfathers, John M. Carroll and John F. Ward, were drafted before Pearl Harbor and served overseas in the Pacific for close to three years.
Rae Carson
Rae Carson is a young adult novelist. Her debut novel, The Girl of Fire and Thorns received the first official Ohioana Young Adult Book Award. Publishers Weekly’s starred review of The Girl of Fire and Thorns. It was named one of ALA’s Top Ten Fiction for Young Adults books for 2011 and finalist for the Morris, Cybils, and Andre Norton Awards. The second book in the trilogy, The Crown of Embers, released in September 2012, also received a Publishers Weekly starred review and readers praise. Carson grew up in California and always wanted to be a storyteller. In 2004, Rae joined the Online Writing Workshop for Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror where she found her calling, made many friends, and met her future husband. She now lives in Arizona with her husband, noted author C.C. Finlay, and step-sons. Visit Rae’s website at http://www.raecarson.com/.
Mary Kay Carson
Mary Kay Carson is the author of more than fifty nonfiction books for young people about wildlife, space, weather, nature, and history. After studying biology in college, and a stint in the Peace Corps, she began her writing career working on the classroom magazine SuperScience at Scholastic in New York City. Her books have received more than a dozen starred reviews, as well as multiple awards, including the 2019 AAAS/Subaru SB&F Prize for Excellence in Science Books for Alexander Graham Bell for Kids. She’s written six titles in HarperCollins’ acclaimed Scientists in the Field series, including and The Bat Scientists, an ALA Notable Children’s Books for Middle Readers. The author also gives presentations at schools and libraries. She’s been a full-time writer for twenty-five years and lives in Cincinnati, Ohio, with her photographer husband Tom Uhlman in a century-old house surrounded by urban greenspace, deer, hawks, woodchucks, and songbirds. http://www.marykaycarson.com.
Sarah Anne Carter
Sarah Anne Carter is a lover of books. She is an avid reader and is a book review blogger. Writing stories since she was little, she is constantly thinking of ideas that could be used as a plot for a novel. She is a journalist by trade and has written numerous newspaper articles. She has also worked in the public relations and marketing fields. She grew up as an Air Force brat and has lived in many states and countries. Currently residing in Ohio, she spends her time enjoying her family, reading and writing. She is a lover of travel and cats.
Jody Casella
Jody Casella is a former high school English teacher. Her first novel, Thin Space, a paranormal YA mystery published by Beyond Words/Simon & Schuster, received a starred review from Kirkus. She lives with her husband and two teenagers in Columbus, Ohio. In addition to writing books, she visits schools, libraries, and book clubs to talk about the creative/revision process. Visit her website at http://www.jodycasella.com.
Anna Cates
Anna Cates is a graduate of Indiana State University (M.A. English and Ph.D. Curriculum & Instruction/English) and National University (M.F.A. Creative Writing). Her first collections of poetry and fiction, The Meaning of Life and The Frog King, were published by Cyberwit Press, and her second poetry collection, The Darkroom, by Prolific Press. She lives in Ohio with her two beautiful kitties and teaches education and English online, including graduate courses in creative writing.
Anna Cates’ Amazon author’s homepage: https://www.amazon.com/A.-Cates/e/B006TGBCT2
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Anna Cates in the “Living Haiku Anthology”:
http://livinghaikuanthology.com/poet-portfolios/290-c-poets/anna-cates.html
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Anna Cates at Deviant Art: https://www.deviantart.com/annacates/gallery/
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Anna Cates on Twitter: https://twitter.com/catesanna
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Anna Cates on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/anna.cates.58
Richard F. Celeste
Richard F. Celeste was the governor of Ohio from 1983 to 1991. He has held a variety of positions in government and public service, most recently serving as president of Colorado College. He is currently a trustee of the Gates Family Foundation and Global Communities. The father of seven children, Celeste resides in Colorado with his wife, Jacqueline, and is involved with numerous charities.