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.

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 Theofania Music

Theofania Music

Theofania Music is a classically trained lifetime pianist and composer since the age of four. As a lifelong writer and photographer, her photography and vulnerable poetry have only privately accompanied her compositions until now!

Theofania’s lifetime of manuscripts, prints, and compositions thus far, made for an idea of this compilation of poetry and photography.…

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Theofania Music is a classically trained lifetime pianist and composer since the age of four. As a lifelong writer and photographer, her photography and vulnerable poetry have only privately accompanied her compositions until now!

Theofania’s lifetime of manuscripts, prints, and compositions thus far, made for an idea of this compilation of poetry and photography. She encompasses a commitment to tell the story through light and sound, and to awaken and evoke feelings and thoughts to the listener and reader.

Theofania Music’s life’s work is transforming light and sound with a hope to connect humanity with nature. She has decades of experience creating a unique individual genre of “Raw-Piano”. Theofania Music has released five albums and three singles… all available on various musical platforms. Her single Perfect Geometry is reaching far beyond her expectations.

She is a gallery solo artist who brings a unique journey to the public, exhibiting her photography and music. A Vinyasa, Hatha, and Yin Yoga practitioner and instructor, Theofania believes that the journey of music, art, and literature runs through us all in mind, body, and soul. Theofania is currently recording new albums to be released while fine-tuning her composed classical full-length musical Symphony. Her composing continues, and her writings continue as a life’s-long novel is in the works.

Feel free to connect to Theofania Music at  http://www.theofaniamusic.com  @theofaniamusic on social media platforms.

“As long as I am able, I wish to share with all of humanity, the beauty in everything which I can hear and see.” – Theofania Music

 “Everything is Connected” – Theofania Music

ENDURE MY COMPANY by THEOFANIA MUSIC

The complete first edition of poetry and photography from piano composer Theofania Music.
Have you ever desired to know what a composer thinks of at the time in which they compose a piece of music? Have you wondered what a music’s journey would be like from the moment a composer hears or sees a melody to when you hear the music? This is a glimpse into a composer’s life using poetry and photography.

Theofania Music walks alongside the reader… sharing emotional moments and imaginative awareness through each turned page. These poetic works evoke feelings of love and life, of beauty and sadness, of isolation and romance, of equations and time, of awakening and humanity, and so many more issues and passions.

The reader is able to walk with the composer through nature, allowing an incredible experience of poetical ideas and elusive thoughts, from constructing images through words and sound. At the same time, Theofania Music shows the reader to see the music of the prose as she weaves reflection and light in the form of photography.

A true journey of light and sound is experienced as composer Theofania Music opens a door to her world, hands you a cup of coffee or tea, and shares playful, philosophical ideas, extraordinary photography, and seriously vulnerable and intellectual poetry.

Photo of Deni Naffziger

Deni Naffziger

Deni Naffziger is the author of Desire to Stay, poems (Stockport Flats Press, 2014), Strange Bodies, poems (Shadelandhouse Modern Press, 2023), and she co-authored Revenants: A Story of Many Lives, which was commissioned by the Houston-Hardin school district and supported with an Ohio Arts Council special projects grant.…Read More

Deni Naffziger is the author of Desire to Stay, poems (Stockport Flats Press, 2014), Strange Bodies, poems (Shadelandhouse Modern Press, 2023), and she co-authored Revenants: A Story of Many Lives, which was commissioned by the Houston-Hardin school district and supported with an Ohio Arts Council special projects grant. She edited Riverwind literary magazine, a national publication out of Hocking College, from 1986 – 2003. Naffziger, a Fulbright Scholar, is a retired professor (Hocking College, Ohio University). She currently serves as poet-in-residence at the Passion Works Collaborative Arts Studio in Athens, Ohio.

Photo of Dara Naraghi

Dara Naraghi

Dara Naraghi was born in Iran and educated in the United States. His graphic novel trilogy Persia Blues has been praised by Publishers Weekly and the Midwest Book Review, has been nominated for awards by the Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA), and won a S.P.A.C.E. Prize for best graphic novel. His other notable graphic novels include the Terminator Salvation official movie prequel, and Witch & Wizard: Battle for Shadowland (both New York Times Bestsellers), as well as works for Image Comics, IDW Publishing, Dark Horse, and DC Comics.…Read More

Dara Naraghi was born in Iran and educated in the United States. His graphic novel trilogy Persia Blues has been praised by Publishers Weekly and the Midwest Book Review, has been nominated for awards by the Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA), and won a S.P.A.C.E. Prize for best graphic novel. His other notable graphic novels include the Terminator Salvation official movie prequel, and Witch & Wizard: Battle for Shadowland (both New York Times Bestsellers), as well as works for Image Comics, IDW Publishing, Dark Horse, and DC Comics. Dara is also a founding member of the comic book writers/artists collective known as PANEL, with whom he has produced 20 volumes of their comics anthology. Dara lives in Columbus, Ohio with his wife, daughter, and the world’s sweetest hound dog. Visit him online at http://www.daranaraghi.com/

Photo of Samuel Narh

Samuel Narh

Samuel Narh is an award-winning children’s book author. His books, A Kite for Melia and Milko, were created with co-author Freda Narh. He enjoys painting pictures with words using his stories, which are meant to touch and reach people across the world. Learn more at: https://www.samuelnarh.com/Read More

Samuel Narh is an award-winning children’s book author. His books, A Kite for Melia and Milko, were created with co-author Freda Narh. He enjoys painting pictures with words using his stories, which are meant to touch and reach people across the world. Learn more at: https://www.samuelnarh.com/

Freda Narh

Freda Narh enjoys collecting children's books. She was born and raised in Mississippi, and she is a graduate of Ole Miss. She loves being a mom to Merrit. She is also known as the Baby Whisperer, because of her love and magical ways with babies. Her books include A Kite for Melia and Milko, which were created with co-author Samuel Narh.Read More

Freda Narh enjoys collecting children’s books. She was born and raised in Mississippi, and she is a graduate of Ole Miss. She loves being a mom to Merrit. She is also known as the Baby Whisperer, because of her love and magical ways with babies. Her books include A Kite for Melia and Milko, which were created with co-author Samuel Narh.

Photo of Elizabeth Neal

Elizabeth Neal

Elizabeth Neal is a writer, editor, and digital strategist who lives in Columbus, OH, with her husband, daughter, and two rescue mutts.Read More

Elizabeth Neal is a writer, editor, and digital strategist who lives in Columbus, OH, with her husband, daughter, and two rescue mutts.

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Paula Johnson Neal

Paula Johnson Neal is a graduate of The Ohio State University with a degree in early childhood development. Prior to becoming a published children's author in 2019, she was a preschool administrator for 25 years. Based on her direct observation of young children exhibiting actual or precursors behaviors to bullying, Paula has set out on a mission to create fun and educational children's books to teach kindness and self-regulatory skills.…Read More

Paula Johnson Neal is a graduate of The Ohio State University with a degree in early childhood development. Prior to becoming a published children’s author in 2019, she was a preschool administrator for 25 years. Based on her direct observation of young children exhibiting actual or precursors behaviors to bullying, Paula has set out on a mission to create fun and educational children’s books to teach kindness and self-regulatory skills. Paula’s first award winning book is titled I’M GONNA HAVE A GOOD DAY! The sequel, BREATHE, GABBY, BREATHE is a roller coaster of BIG emotions and usage of a breathing strategy to grow the main character and her readers. To learn more about Paula and her books, please visit her website at http://www.PaulaJohnsonNeal.com.

Photo of Marilyn Nelson

Marilyn Nelson

Marilyn Nelson is the author of many award-winning books, including Carver: A Life in Poems, which was a National Book Award finalist, a Newbery Honor Book, and a Coretta Scott King Honor Book and received the Flora Stieglitz Straus Award and the Boston Globe–Horn Book Award. She is also the author of A Wreath for Emmett Till, which garnered the Boston Globe–Horn Book Award, a Coretta Scott King Honor, a Printz Honor, and a Lee Bennett Hopkins Poetry Award Honor.…Read More

Marilyn Nelson is the author of many award-winning books, including Carver: A Life in Poems, which was a National Book Award finalist, a Newbery Honor Book, and a Coretta Scott King Honor Book and received the Flora Stieglitz Straus Award and the Boston Globe–Horn Book Award. She is also the author of A Wreath for Emmett Till, which garnered the Boston Globe–Horn Book Award, a Coretta Scott King Honor, a Printz Honor, and a Lee Bennett Hopkins Poetry Award Honor. She lives in Connecticut. https://marilyn-nelson.com/

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Michael Neno

Columbus native Michael Neno has been writing, drawing, and publishing comic books, coloring books, zines, and minicomics for over thirty-five years. Michael has written (and also drawn) for Cracked Magazine, Caliber Comics, Ohio’s Amazing Montage Press, Silver Comics, Columbus’ Weinland Park Stories anthology, contributed to a comics anthology on Washington, D.C.…Read More

Columbus native Michael Neno has been writing, drawing, and publishing comic books, coloring books, zines, and minicomics for over thirty-five years. Michael has written (and also drawn) for Cracked Magazine, Caliber Comics, Ohio’s Amazing Montage Press, Silver Comics, Columbus’ Weinland Park Stories anthology, contributed to a comics anthology on Washington, D.C. history, ReDistricted, written and drawn projects for Columbus’ Wild Goose Creative, and written about Columbus history in The Columbus Scribbler.

Among the books and publications he’s published are two issues of The Signifiers, the minicomics Michael Neno’s Dream, Michael Neno’s Life-Changing Guide to Decluttering Your Comic Book CollectionWhat to Do When Approached by a Creepy Clown and The Toy Box. He’s also written two issues of the music review zine, Abba Zab and wrote/published a set of ten public domain mashup microcomics during the pandemic.

Along with creating graphic designs for concert posters, album covers, illustrating magazines, children’s books and freelance lettering, penciling, inking and coloring for various publishers,
he also regularly writes reviews for the website: Film Review Central.

Among the awards he has won are the Governor’s Award of Excellence in 1980 for the painting The Visit and a 2022 SPACE (Small Press and Alternative Comics Expo) Lifetime Achievement Award. He also received a Xeric Grant from Peter Laird (co-creator of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles) for the publication of his comic book Reactionary Tales in 2001. The book featured an introduction written and drawn by Ohio-born cartoonist Paul Pope (Batman Year 100).

Photo of Jay Nesbit

Jay Nesbit

Jay grew up in University Heights, Ohio, and has also lived in Detroit, Michigan and North Padre Island, Texas. He received a pharmacy degree from The Ohio State University, and an MBA from Texas A&M University, Corpus Christi. He is married with two adult children and two grandchildren. Jay was Clinical Assistant Professor of Pharmacy Practice for Northeast Ohio Medical University.…Read More

Jay grew up in University Heights, Ohio, and has also lived in Detroit, Michigan and North Padre Island, Texas. He received a pharmacy degree from The Ohio State University, and an MBA from Texas A&M University, Corpus Christi. He is married with two adult children and two grandchildren. Jay was Clinical Assistant Professor of Pharmacy Practice for Northeast Ohio Medical University. An entrepreneur, he owned a pharmacy, a travel magazine, and a trophy & awards business. He has also been a real estate investor, and owns several investment homes and condominiums. Jay currently works full-time as a content creator and author, and part-time as a behavioral health pharmacist. Jay lives in Cleveland, and in St. Petersburg, Florida, during the winter months. During his leisure time, you can find Jay exploring the latest arrivals at local libraries and bookstores. He also enjoys savoring a Cleveland Orchestra concert at Severance Hall, or immersing himself in new exhibits at the Cleveland Museum of Art. Jay, alongside his wife Joyce, enjoys attending weekly summer programs at Chautauqua Institution in southwestern New York state.