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): Library Visit
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 Erin McCahan

Erin McCahan

Erin McCahan (pronounced McCann) is the author of Love and Other Foreign Words and the forthcoming The Lake Effect. Love and Other Foreign Words was named one of the Best Summer Books of 2014 by Publishers Weekly, is a Junior Library Guild selection, and has been published in ten languages.…Read More

Erin McCahan (pronounced McCann) is the author of Love and Other Foreign Words and the forthcoming The Lake Effect. Love and Other Foreign Words was named one of the Best Summer Books of 2014 by Publishers Weekly, is a Junior Library Guild selection, and has been published in ten languages. Visit her online at http://www.erinmccahan.com.

Photo of Jim McCormac

Jim McCormac

Jim McCormac worked for the Ohio Department of Natural Resources for thirty-one years, first as a botanist and then on special projects involving animals, primarily birds, for the Division of Wildlife. He is the author or coauthor of several books, the “Nature” columnist for the Columbus Dispatch, and an avid, frequently published photographer. https://www.ohioswallow.com/book/Gardening+for+MothsRead More

Jim McCormac worked for the Ohio Department of Natural Resources for thirty-one years, first as a botanist and then on special projects involving animals, primarily birds, for the Division of Wildlife. He is the author or coauthor of several books, the “Nature” columnist for the Columbus Dispatch, and an avid, frequently published photographer. https://www.ohioswallow.com/book/Gardening+for+Moths

Photo of Mindy McGinnis

Mindy McGinnis

Mindy McGinnis is an Edgar Award-winning novelist who writes across multiple genres, including post-apocalyptic, historical, thriller, contemporary, mystery, and fantasy. While her settings may change, you can always count on Mindy’s books to deliver grit, truth, and an unflinching look at humanity and the world around us. Learn more at: https://www.mindymcginnis.com/.Read More

Mindy McGinnis is an Edgar Award-winning novelist who writes across multiple genres, including post-apocalyptic, historical, thriller, contemporary, mystery, and fantasy. While her settings may change, you can always count on Mindy’s books to deliver grit, truth, and an unflinching look at humanity and the world around us. Learn more at: https://www.mindymcginnis.com/.

Photo of Claire McMillan

Claire McMillan

Claire McMillan is a novelist, most recently of Alchemy of a Blackbird, published by Atria/Simon & Schuster in July of 2023. She is also the author of The Necklace, which was published by Touchstone/Simon & Schuster in 2017, as well as Gilded Age, published by Simon& Schuster in 2012.…Read More

Claire McMillan is a novelist, most recently of Alchemy of a Blackbird, published by Atria/Simon & Schuster in July of 2023. She is also the author of The Necklace, which was published by Touchstone/Simon & Schuster in 2017, as well as Gilded Age, published by Simon& Schuster in 2012. A native of Pasadena, California, she practiced law in San Francisco for six years before moving to Cleveland in 2003. As well as a JD, she holds an MFA in creative writing from Bennington College. She was named the Cuyahoga County Public Library Writer in Residence for the 2017-2018 year. During that time, she taught four classes on craft that were open to the public at the Skirball Writing Center. Additionally, she held monthly office hours for aspiring writers that were open to the public. She was also a Writer in Residence onsite at the Mount, Edith Wharton’s home in Lenox, Massachusetts. Her enthusiasm for her time there led to her being asked to serve as a Trustee on the Board of the Mount, where she still serves today. McMillan currently lives on her husband’s family farm outside of Cleveland, Ohio with their two children.

Photo of Wendy McVicker

Wendy McVicker

Wendy McVicker, 2020-2022 poet laureate of Athens, Ohio, is a longtime Ohio Arts Council teaching artist. Her previous books include the dancer’s notes (Finishing Line Press, 2015), the self-published collaboration with visual artist John McVicker Sliced Dark (2018), Zero, a Door (The Orchard Street Press, 2021), and Stronger When We Touch, a collaboration with poet Cathy Cultice Lentes (The Orchard Street Press, 2023).…Read More

Wendy McVicker, 2020-2022 poet laureate of Athens, Ohio, is a longtime Ohio Arts Council teaching artist. Her previous books include the dancer’s notes (Finishing Line Press, 2015), the self-published collaboration with visual artist John McVicker Sliced Dark (2018), Zero, a Door (The Orchard Street Press, 2021), and Stronger When We Touch, a collaboration with poet Cathy Cultice Lentes (The Orchard Street Press, 2023). Her poems have appeared in numerous journals and anthologies over the years, including Pine Mountain Sand & Gravel, Sheila-Na-Gig Online, Gyroscope Review, and Northern Appalachia Review. She loves collaborating with artists in many mediums and performs with instrumentalist Emily Prince under the name “another language altogether” whenever she gets the chance. Her children having grown and flown, she lives surrounded by the green hills of southeastern Ohio with her husband and a Hemingway cat named Dora.

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 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 Brandon Marie Miller

Brandon Marie Miller

Brandon Marie Miller earned her degree in American History from Purdue University. She writes about famous people and common folk, about great events and everyday life. Her award-winning books for young people have been honored by the International Reading Association, the National Council for the Social Studies, the American Library Association, the Society of School Librarians International, Voice of Youth Advocates, Bank Street College, the Junior Library Guild, the New York Public Library and the Chicago Public Library, among others.…Read More

Brandon Marie Miller earned her degree in American History from Purdue University. She writes about famous people and common folk, about great events and everyday life. Her award-winning books for young people have been honored by the International Reading Association, the National Council for the Social Studies, the American Library Association, the Society of School Librarians International, Voice of Youth Advocates, Bank Street College, the Junior Library Guild, the New York Public Library and the Chicago Public Library, among others.
Brandon encourages readers to think of history as the greatest story of all. Fiction has nothing on history for tales of courage, sacrifice, redemption, cruelty and betrayal. As a writer of history Brandon aims to inspire readers with stories of people who have struggled, overcome great odds, and made a contribution to our human spirit. It’s no coincidence that “story” is right there in the word history!
Born and raised in Illinois, Brandon lives in Cincinnati, Ohio. When not researching and writing, she loves to read biographies and murder mysteries, travel, play games, attend the ballet, watch sports and old movies from the 1930s and 1940s, and enjoy great conversation. She includes her middle name on all her books so people know she is a girl named “Brandon”
Find out more:
http://www.brandonmariemiller.com
http://hands-on-books.blogspot.com

Robert Ernest Miller

Robert Earnest (Bob) Miller is a native of the Cincinnati area, having grown up in Bridgetown. He currently resides in Warren County, Ohio. Miller earned his PhD in history from the University of Cincinnati. He teaches history at the University of Cincinnati-Clermont College. Miller is the author of Cincinnati: The War Years (2004) and Hamilton County Parks (2006).…Read More

Robert Earnest (Bob) Miller is a native of the Cincinnati area, having grown up in Bridgetown. He currently resides in Warren County, Ohio. Miller earned his PhD in history from the University of Cincinnati. He teaches history at the University of Cincinnati-Clermont College. Miller is the author of Cincinnati: The War Years (2004) and Hamilton County Parks (2006). He has worked on several public history projects at the local, state and national level, including the award-winning World War II exhibit entitled “Cincinnati Goes to War: A Community Responds to Total War” for the Cincinnati Museum Center. For more information about Miller, check him out online at amazon.com/Robert-Earnest-Miller

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/