Author Susan Bagby spent most of her life working with children and youth as a speech pathologist. After retirement, she moved back to her hometown of Akron, Ohio and her life-long dream to write romance books came true when she found a home with Sands Press Publishing in 2021. Her debut novel, Christmas Wish Upon A Star, was published in 2022 and was recently longlisted for the 2023 Chatelaine Book Awards for Romance Fiction. Her second book, Home for Love released in October of 2023. She is presently working on a third book, Sweet Ridge Hearts, for the Maple Ridge series and loves seeing new characters come to life. She loves walking, yoga, Pilates and playing the piano. You can follow Susan at:
susanbagby.com
Instagram: @susanbagbyauthor
Facebook: @susanbagbyauthor

David F. Balog was born, raised, and still lives in northeast Ohio. He grew up with the old Cleveland Aquarium as his favorite baby-sitter, connecting with and mesmerized by the giant Pacific octopus. He was always an avid reader; the library was across the street from the grocery store and laundromat, so he and his mother were there regularly. His love for folklore, mythology, and fantasy began at an early age, and grew to an interest in science, theology, metaphysics, philosophy, and anything else that might explain how and why the universe is the way it is.

He discovered role-playing games at age 12, beginning with Dungeons & Dragons, where he could create his own worlds and characters. His writing was mostly focused for designing the best games for his friends at this time, but those creations were always held in his heart. After finishing his Masters Degree in History, he was in need for a creative outlet and began writing the stories that had been mostly verbal to that point. Once he began, they again took a life of their own, with the characters telling their own story outside of David’s plans. Necromancer’s Lament became the first of a trilogy.

As David learned more about the publishing industry, he and a friend left their original publisher to strike out on their own. After a short distraction with another publisher, they created Owl Talyn Press with the plan of giving new authors a chance to shine in the same way their first publisher brought their works into the world. Shortly thereafter, Necromancer’s Sorrow was released, with Necromancer’s Grief planned for the summer of 2024.

More information at:
davidbalog.com
owltalynpress.com

Since his childhood, RJ Davila has written poetry and short stories—with aspirations of one day writing his own original children's book. After years as an award-winning writer, with degrees in journalism and public relations, he finally realized his dream of writing a children's book in 2016.

"I've rekindled a sort of magical creative inspiration that has allowed me to make this book series a reality for children around the world!" exclaimed Davila. "I want kiddos to have a laugh, learn about right and wrong, challenges and hardships in life, and to ultimately show them that your dreams can come true if you believe in yourself, work hard, find hope in the possibilities, and leverage those around you for support and guidance."

When Willie Got His Wheels is the first installment of three planned books in the "Willie's Wonderful Adventures" series.
He added, "I'm thrilled to have the opportunity to self-publish When Willie Got His Wheels and share it with kiddos who have big dreams and a passion for cool motorcycles!"

More information at:
WilliesWonderfulAdventures.com

Cari Dubiel is a writer and librarian in Northeast Ohio. She is the author of HOW TO REMEMBER, an award winner from the Mystery Writers of America (Midwest Chapter) and Library Journal. She has also published multiple short stories and a novella, OFF SWITCH (written as C.T. Baker). Cari is represented by Lynnette Novak of the Seymour Agency.

More information at:

CariDubiel.com

Akron native Greg Fiocca began playing the cello at age nine. He attended the Johns Hopkins - Peabody Institute of Music pre-college division where he studied cello, and later earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in music at The Juilliard School in New York City. After years of working regional
orchestras, wedding gigs, and teaching cello, Greg pivoted to electronics, attending Fortis College in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, a move that eventually landed him in the world of information technology. For thirty six years Greg led a dual life. By day he worked in IT, where he held multiple technical and
managerial roles in corporations, human services, and the food industry. By night Greg performed with Akron, Youngstown, Columbus symphonies as well as Akron Baroque, Summit Choral Society, Singers
Companye and the Cuyahoga Valley Chorale. His first book, Digital Grace Notes – One Cellist’s Journey, chronicles Greg’s early days as a music student in Akron, through the Juilliard years and beyond. This
dual existence provided Greg with an abundance of colorful experiences and stories which he crafts into a
book that is humorous, inspiring, sometimes cringeworthy, and heartfelt. Digital Grace Notes started out as a bucket list item. Four years and one tenacious editor later, it developed into a manuscript that is not
so much a memoir as it is a series of evocative stories describing the people, places and events along the way, those life vignettes that seem to resonate with so many people. Now with his first book under his
belt, the writing bug is taking him into the world of fiction. Greg plans to draw his inspiration from local people and places, weaving these into an espionage thriller where the protagonist is a smart, crafty,
woman who is disabled, and is as comfortable accomplishing her perilous missions in the neighborhoods of Lima, Peru or Guayaquil, Ecuador as she is selling imported art works out of her humble shop in
Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio.

Greg resides in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio and can be contacted at: gafiocca@gmail.com

James Gardner was born and raised in Akron, Ohio. He received his B.A. from The Ohio
State University and his J.D. from Case Western Reserve University. A practicing lawyer for more than thirty years, Jim is an avid history buff and a vagabond at heart. He is also a strong advocate for people with physical and mental (dis)abilities. When not working in Ohio, Jim can be found at his second home in historic Beaufort, South Carolina. Married with two grown children, A Chance to Breathe is his first book. Having caught the writing bug, he is currently
working on his second book which will chronicle his annual pilgrimage with family to different college football games over the past decades.

Michael Gershe is a survivor of a drunk driving crash that killed his mother and nearly himself when he was 8 weeks old. Despite breaking almost all his bones in the crash, he went on to become a collegiate swimmer, comedian, speaker, author, college educator and photographer.

With over 25 years’ experience on stage as a comedian and speaker, Michael has presented his programs at schools, colleges, military bases and a TedxTalk. He uses humor, audience participation and his story for an educational and inspirational message. His topics include impaired driving prevention, alcohol abuse, diversity, student-athlete success and mental health/grief.

More information at: TheMagicOfLife.com

KL Griffiths hikes or bikes as often as the Northeast Ohio weather allows. Single-track mountain biking is her go-to for staving off a midlife crisis. One ill-timed sneeze or a bug in the eye and all her metaphysical questions get answered at the bottom of a ravine. Her fiction is similarly twisty and lush and has been published by The Forge Literary Magazine, Dark Moon Digest, and was nominated for Best Small Fictions by Cleveland's Gordon Square Review. Spiked is a darkly funny, gross, and tragic tale that takes readers inside the mind of an insecure beer chemist who tries to exact revenge on the company bully and accidentally kills the boss. Join her ongoing discussion of the deep, dark, and droll here.

Michael Haase lives a double life in terms of his authorhood. His "Dr. Jekyll" side has produced a children's picture book, "School of Fish," that is all about the rewards of taking care of one another and the inherent happiness that comes with service to others. This side of his author's life deserves his real name, as it is something he is particularly proud of. In order to keep this readership separate from his "Mr. Hyde" side, Michael writes under the pen name of Rodent for his novels. His debut as Rodent, "Izzy, Her Dada, and a Demon Named Ned," is a foulmouthed romp into the challenges and triumphs of fatherhood as explored through a tale that is comedy/horror/fantasy. "Izzy" is a kind hearted story, but the reader should heed the warning on its cover. More books from both sides of his character are in the works.

Otherwise, Michael lives in a perpetual state of Cleveland-esque bliss with his wife, two kids, and elderly dog.

Megan Marie Higgins began her storytelling adventure after her adorable daughter started wearing super special magic shoes. She was never able to find a book that described how wonderful these shoes are to wear. Inspired by her daughter, Isabella, she wanted to create a fun, joyful story about these cool shoes and represent leg braces in a positive way. Megan enjoys bringing awareness to special needs issues in a fun and happy light. She loves children’s literature and how it can spark imagination and creativity.

Megan resides in Akron, OH with her husband and their beautiful daughter. They enjoy fun adventures and traveling the world. Megan loves being a mommy and playing, snuggling, and reading with her daughter. Her favorite activities are baking, party planning, holiday decorating, spending time with her friends and family and anything Disney.

Learn more at:
Instagram @superspecialmagicshoes
superspecialbooks.com

H. C. Kilgour is a fantasy writer perfect for young adults and new adults, and the young at heart. She lives in Florida with her husband and cat and is a marine biologist by trade. When not writing, she is usually reading. And when not reading, she is usually in the water. Outside of reading and writing her hobbies include scuba diving, wildlife photography, and pestering her husband.

Nanagin is her first book and is perfect for fans of Avatar: the Last Airbender, Eragon, and Game of Thrones. Nanagin is basically what happens when you take someone from our world, throw them into one filled with magic, and say good luck! Be on the look out for Nanagin’s sequel later this year.

To stay up to date on her reading and writing adventures, follow on Instagram
@by_hckilgour

For information on the publisher, Owl Talyn Press, follow on Instagram
@owltaylnpress
or sign up for the publisher newsletter at owltalynpress.com

Amanda Kowalsky is an author and illustrator who lives in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio. She works at the Akron-Summit County Public Library as and loves working for the library. She has always had a passion for reading and writing her own stories and going to the library as a kid was always a special treat. She was able to leave her troubles behind and immerse herself into new worlds. My books were her best friends growing up and they helped her to connect with other people. As a neurodivergent person, that has not always come easy for Amanda.
She has always wanted to write her own books, and in 2021 she finally accomplished that with “The Garbage Bandits”. It was an idea that was in her head for 3 years before she finally sat down and started it. The story is about a group of animals who stay up late, skate really fast, eat trash, and also save the city. They call themselves The Garbage Bandits. When a local villain creates a toxic sludge that makes the trash come alive and wreak havoc on the town, The Garbage Bandits step in to help. She hopes her book helps other kids just like she has been helped by books. She also hopes they enjoy it and that it makes them laugh.

Patricia Miller is the award-winning author of Joshua: Life After Theos, Joshua: Breaking Free and Joshua: Between Two Worlds a young adult, science fiction romance trilogy. She also published Mysterious Tales of the Unexplained, Volume 1. Both series have received awards from the Next Generation & American Book Fest Best Book awards competitions.

May 16th, 2023 marks the release of Mysterious Tales of the Unexplained, Volume 3. Available for purchase now.

Patricia grew up in a small town in Ohio and has worked as a mental health clinical counselor for the past 30 years. When not writing she enjoys hiking/biking weekend trips and indulging in British murder mystery marathons.

Follow her on Facebook @patriciamillerauthor

Barbara Marie Minney, a retired attorney, native of West Virginia now living in Tallmadge, Ohio with her wife of 40 years and a menagerie of stuffed animals, writes personal and emotional poetry that describes her feelings, thoughts, and passions while struggling to live her truth as a transgender woman. She began her transition to living authentically as the woman that she now knows she was meant to be at the age of 63 after repressing her true gender identity for over 60 years. Barbara also wrote the introduction to the 2021 Akron Pride Festival Guide. Barbara’s first collection of poetry, If There’s No Heaven, was the winner of the 2020 Poetry Is Life Book Award and was published in May of 2020 by Poetry Is Life Publishing. It was selected by the Akron Beacon Journal as a Best Northeast Ohio Book in 2020. Barbara is also the author of the Poetic Memoir Chapbook Challenge. Barbara has also appeared on the West Virginia Author TV program and the Transpositive radio program.

For a full bibliography click here

You can follow Barbara at:

barbaramarieminneypoetry.com

Goodreads @20819684.Barbara_Marie_Minney

facebook @barbara.marie.minney.3

instagram @barbaramarieminney

Mark Morelli lives and writes in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, at his family's home since 1999. He is the author of “Tales of Zoalmont and the Melancholy Fringe” (2013), “Effwords: Faith, Family, Fatherhood and that Other One” (2014) and “Rearview: Looking back on what that was all about. Taking a wild guess at what's next” (2016). In 2022, he released a collected archive of PAH! – his humor and commentary 'zine published from 1988-2008. It is available as a free download on his website, where you can also connect with him.
MarkMorelli.net

Whitney Parnell-Williams is a mom and author from Akron, Ohio. As a lifelong lover of reading, writing, and words, she is beyond excited to introduce her first self-published book to the world: It’s Okay to Be Sleepy, a bedtime story featuring a lullaby she wrote for her son.

Motivated by motherhood, Whitney’s current focus is creating work that supports parents and that children will love to read. Whitney lives with her husband, son and two dogs in the Firestone Park neighborhood. She draws inspiration from their daily life.

More information at:

booksbywpw.com

Barbara Sabol’s sixth collection is WATERMARK: Poems of the Johnstown Flood of 1889 (Alternating Current Press, 2023.) Her book, Imagine a Town, won the 2019 Poetry Manuscript Prize from Sheila-Na-Gig Editions. She went on to become the associate editor of the journal, Sheil-Na-Gig online, and edited the anthology, Sharing This Delicate Bread: Selections from Sheila-Na-Gig online (2022.) Barbara’s honors include an Individual Excellence Award from the Ohio Arts Council. She conducts poetry workshops through Literary Cleveland and the Cuyahoga Falls Library. Barbara holds an MFA in Creative Writing from Spalding University. She is a retired speech pathologist who lives in Akron, Ohio with her husband and wonder dogs.

A fanatic of all things dark and creepy, Neil Sater lives in Brecksville with his wife, Mary. They have two grown children and two grandchildren. Having spent his career doing other things, Neil is happy to now be finding time for writing. His debut novel, Phantom Realm: The Haunting of Misery Mansion, earned the #1 New Release rating in Young Adult Ghost Stories. He’s currently working on his next novel, Mercy Killing, which will be published in 2024.

You can follow Neil on facebook
@authorsater

Greg Scheetz is a first-time author/illustrator who recently self-published his first children’s book “An Aardvark at an Amusement Park? (and other strange things)”. Greg’s professional career includes working as an art director, graphic designer and illustrator. He also co-created and produced an original animated series “The Nine Lives of Claw” which can be seen on the Tubi app and online.

His first book was born as a labor of love from the desire to create a fun children’s book his grandkids could enjoy. With much positive feedback, he’s now making his book available at various local shops, book events, and the library.

Greg resides in Cuyahoga Falls with his wife Kim.

You can follow Greg on Facebook here.

Marion Starling Boyer is a professor emerita of Communication and has published three full-length poetry collections and three chapbooks. Her book, Ice Hours (2023), won the University of Michigan’s Wheelbarrow prize and was named “New and Noteworthy” by Poets & Writers.

Her chapbook, What Word for This, won Grayson Books 2023 competition. Boyer lives in Twinsburg, home of the annual world gathering of twins. She conducts workshops for Lit Cleveland.

More information at:
marionstarlingboyer.com

Dylan Stover has worked variously as a landscaper, a donut-maker, a field botanist, a factory assembler, a museum technician, and as a clerk in a cheese shop. Poetry, he is assured, isn’t a real job, just a way of wasting time. He is really good at wasting time. He currently resides in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, where he works for money. He doesn’t own any pets.

His first book of poetry, What’s in Front of the Sky, was first published in June 2021.

A second collection of poems, entitled dead serious, is forthcoming.

Contact: greenishyellow@gmail.com

Elizabeth “Beth” Winter-Sharpe is a humorist who primarily speaks at nonprofit fundraisers to entertain audiences with stories about her life experiences being socially awkward and ever so slightly out of step with the rest of the world. Her audiences so frequently requested a book of her stories, she self-published her first book, a compilation of humor essays entitled, “Tales of the Terminally Awkward.”

Beth’s professional career has primarily been in the communications field, including marketing, public relations, speechwriting, event planning, training, and partner engagement. She has also taught a variety of communication courses at The University of Akron.

Beth firmly believes in the power of a sense of humor and being able to laugh at yourself. She lives in Cuyahoga Falls with her husband, Jeff. Together, they find the funny in life and enjoy almost every minute.

Jim Woods is a novelist, freelance writer, and writing coach who loves helping first-time authors bring their story into the world. Jim's work has been featured by LifeHacker, Fast Company, and more. Jim has also written two bestselling non-fiction books: Ready Aim Fire! and Focus Booster. Most recently, Jim released his debut novel, Bite The Bullet. He is currently working on a new novel.

You can connect with him at jimwoodswrites.com

Matthew Zorich is the author of the historical fantasy book Bastards of Liberty, book one in The Conspiracy of Crows trilogy. His book imprint, Raccoon County Press, focuses on fantasy and horror.

Matthew is an avid reader picking up Dragons of the Autumn Twilight many years ago, falling in love with fantasy books early on. He earned a degree in journalism from The University of Akron. Besides writing, Matthew plays video games and supports local arts whenever possible. He also performs both urban and natural exploring in his free time. You can find his graffiti finds and hiking moments on Instagram often.

Matthew takes in various genres from literature, historical fiction, nonfiction, science fiction, and, of course, all forms of fantasy. He's a streaky reader and picks whatever feels right for the moment/season. Some of his favorite books come from authors Neil Gaiman, Christopher Cameron, Hunter S. Thompson, Ken Follet, and Andrzej Sapkowski. He reads and reviews about twenty books a year, and like most, his TBR list is bigger than it should be.

He's working on several projects right now, including the immediate follow-up to Bastards of Liberty, called Maiden of Storms.

You can find Matthew
on Goodreads

at raccooncountypress.com

on Twitter @matthewzorich

on Instagram @matthew_zorich_author