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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Doug Coates
Doug Coates is the author of two middle-grade books used in his engaging and interactive presentations about character and good sportsmanship. Pitching for Success: Character Lessons, the Joe Nuxhall Way, and Riley’s Winning Catch; Good Character Prevails depict situational examples of good character and sportsmanship. Please email the author at Doug@authordougcoates.com if you and your school are interested in an author visit. He will also send you a comp copy of each book to review if you’d like. In a change of genre, the author published his first picture book, Bobby Button Goes to School in the spring of 2022.
Renee Casteel Cook
A Buckeye not by birth but by choice, Renee Casteel Cook is a Columbus-based author of culinary history and travel titles, including The Columbus Food Truck Cookbook and Ohio Ice Cream: A Scoop of History. Her passion for writing and chocolate are equally matched, making this book a labor of nothing but love. Eternally impressed at the drive and dedication of food-focused entrepreneurs and the continuing commitment of generational family-run businesses, Renee strives to successfully share their stories, capturing a curated selection of legacies both established and developing. Her hope is to inspire future creators of all types to take the leap toward what they love.
Mark Darden
Mark Darden, aka Madison Square Darden, is originally from Cleveland, Ohio and is a 2012 graduate of The Ohio State University. Now residing in Columbus, Ohio, Mark is a sports and travel enthusiast who has attended many sports events and has visited cities across the world. His favorite teams are the Cleveland Browns, Cleveland Indians, Cleveland Cavaliers, and the Ohio State Buckeyes. Some of his favorite places to visit are Washington, D.C., Chicago, Toronto, and Los Angeles. You can follow Mark on his blog, buckeyemuscle.com, as well as on social media @buckeyemuscle.
JoAnn Deak
JoAnn Deak, Ph.D., is an author and an international speaker, educator, and preventive psychologist. She also works with parents, teachers, and other adults who work with children as a consultant to schools worldwide on issues of brain development and gender equality. She is also the author of the award-winning book, Your Fantastic Elastic Brain.
Mark M. Dean
Local children’s literature author, Mark M. Dean, has recently released his anticipated children’s book Bedtime for Bigfoot. The first book in a series, this new release adds to Mark’s impressive portfolio. Mark and his family reside on a charming horse farm nestled in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains in southeast Ohio. Mark is a versatile author with seven books to his name, spanning children’s literature (Charlie the Catfish, Doggy Deck Day, Fancy Flowers by Faye, and Good Habits Rabbits), short stories (Hands Over Time), and poetry (Poetic Justice). His latest venture, Bedtime For Bigfoot, marks the beginning of an exciting series on the legendary Bigfoot. Dean’s literary excellence has earned him a four-time induction into the Ohioana Book Library and Festival and recognition as a “Readers Favorite Five Star” author. When he’s not crafting compelling stories, Mark can be found tending to his family’s hobby farm, boating on the Ohio River, playing his Irish Tenor Banjo, or practicing Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. All of Dean’s books are available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and other fine bookstores. For more information or to schedule a book event or interview, please visit http://www.mondaycreekpublishing.com or by mail at:
Monday Creek Publishing
PO Box 399
Buchtel, Ohio 45716
Darren Demaree
Darren C. Demaree is the author of twenty-three poetry collections, most recently So Much More (Harbor Editions, November 2024). He is the recipient of a Greater Columbus Arts Council Grant, an Ohio Arts Council Individual Excellence Award, the Louise Bogan Award from Trio House Press, and the Nancy Dew Taylor Award from Emrys Journal. He is the editor-in-chief of the Best of the Net Anthology and the managing editor of Ovenbird Poetry. He is currently working in the Columbus Metropolitan Library system. https://darrencdemaree.com/
Christina Dendy
Christina Dendy is a children’s book author with a wide range of experience in the K-12 educational market, particularly in history and other social sciences. Her published works include the picture books Hide and Shh! (April 2023) and The Wall and the Wild (September 2021). When not writing and reading, Christina can be found exploring various rabbit holes in Dayton, Ohio, with her husband, three children, and their furry friends. She is represented by Daniel Cramer of Page Turner Literary Agency. Find her online at https://www.christinadendywrites.com/ or follow her on Twitter @cdendy76.
Srirupa Dhar
Srirupa Dhar is Indian by birth and has been living in the United States since 1998. She completed her M.A. and M.Phil. from University of Calcutta, India. She has a third Master’s degree in English with Technical Writing Certification from University of Alabama in Huntsville, U.S.A. Srirupa taught as a young college lecturer in Calcutta, West Bengal and as a junior high school teacher in Columbus, Ohio. She has also worked as an interpreter in Columbus. She is a voracious reader and takes an avid delight in many forms of art. Currently, she is a writer, primarily of fiction. Her debut novel called “For A Drop Of Rice-Water” has recently been published by a traditional publishing house. Some of her short stories have been published in “The Bangalore Review”, “The Seattle Star”, “The Statesman” and “Café Dissensus.” One of her short stories has been published in “Muffled Moans Unleashed”, an anthology on child abuse and sexual violence. Some of her nonfictional works have appeared in collections of essays. One of her distinguished nonfictional articles called “Self-realization of Women through Binaries in Chokher Bali and Ghare Baire” has been published in “Reading Rabindranath: The Myriad Shades of a Genius.” Occasionally, Srirupa acts in plays in Columbus. She is part of an amateur dramatic society.