Chicago Authors
Chicago has long been a city that inspires creativity and innovation, and for generations, it has nurtured some of the most talented writers in the literary world. From the bustling streets of the Loop to the quiet corners of Lake Michigan, the Windy City has shaped the stories, voices, and visions of its writers. Whether it's through historical novels that dive into Chicago's rich past, contemporary narratives that mirror the complexities of modern life, or tales that push the boundaries of genre and form, Chicago authors continue to make their mark on the literary landscape. In this blog post, we’ll explore a selection of talented Chicago-based authors whose work reflects the diverse and dynamic spirit of this great city.
At the forefront of Chicago's literary scene is a growing community of authors whose voices span a range of genres and styles. For instance, Melanie Benjamin, a New York Times bestselling author, has captured readers' imaginations with her historical novels, including The Swans of Fifth Avenue, which delves into the life of Truman Capote and his society swans, and The Aviator’s Wife, about the life of Anne Morrow Lindbergh. Her works not only paint vivid pictures of historical figures but also offer readers a deep dive into the personal lives and hidden stories of iconic individuals. Melanie’s ability to transport readers into another time and place has earned her acclaim from national publications and has led her to become one of Chicago’s most well-known literary figures.
Another notable Chicago author is Sonali Dev, whose exploration of Indian culture and family dynamics has made her a standout in the romance genre. Her novels have received recognition from major outlets like Library Journal, NPR, and Washington Post, and she’s earned a place among the top romance authors with her unique blend of cultural insight and heartfelt storytelling. Dev's ability to combine her love of storytelling with her experiences as a mother and world traveler has resonated with readers worldwide, making her a vital part of the Chicago literary community.
In the realm of contemporary fiction, Rachel Swearingen's How to Walk on Water and Other Stories has garnered praise for its sharp observations of human nature and its deep emotional resonance. Rachel's short stories, essays, and reviews have been featured in some of the most respected literary magazines, and her debut collection won the New American Press Fiction Prize. She’s also been named one of the New City’s Lit 50 writers to watch, cementing her place as one of Chicago’s rising literary stars.
Then there’s Gillian Flynn, a name synonymous with psychological thrillers and gripping narratives. Best known for her bestselling novel Gone Girl, Flynn’s works have taken the world by storm, blending suspense and dark, twisted characters. Her contributions to the genre, both as an author and screenwriter, have earned her a place among the most influential writers of contemporary crime fiction. Living in Chicago with her family, Flynn continues to captivate readers with her thought-provoking plots and unforgettable characters.
Chicago is also home to writers who excel in different literary forms. Jamie Freveletti, for example, is an internationally bestselling author whose Emma Caldridge series has won prestigious awards, including the International Thriller Writers Best First Novel award. She’s also written for Robert Ludlum’s Covert One series, blending fast-paced action with complex characters. Freveletti’s work showcases the city’s penchant for dynamic storytelling that keeps readers on the edge of their seats.
In addition to these celebrated authors, the city also fosters emerging voices. Writers like Carly, who grew up in Chicago and discovered her passion for writing during the pandemic, are bringing fresh perspectives to the literary world. Carly’s love for romantic comedies and historical fiction reflects the city’s diversity, while her ability to create compelling stories has made her a rising star in the writing community.
Whether it’s the diverse influences that come from Chicago’s neighborhoods, the city’s rich cultural history, or its ability to foster a sense of community among writers, it’s clear that Chicago is a city where literature thrives. From bestsellers to emerging authors, Chicago writers are shaping the future of literature, telling stories that resonate with readers near and far. In this post, we’ll dive deeper into the works and careers of some of the most exciting Chicago authors, exploring their unique contributions to the literary world and how their writing reflects the spirit of this dynamic city.
I want to note that I do not get paid to do these posts, I just love authors and the book industry. However, they do take time and energy to create. If you want to donate a few dollars to my coffee fund, which keeps this blog going, you can do so here: https://venmo.com/AshleyHasty or here: http://paypal.me/hastybooklist.
Chicago Authors
Lisa Barr
Author Interview with Lisa Barr
Lisa Barr is the New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author of The Goddess of Warsaw, Woman on Fire, The Unbreakables, and Fugitive Colors. A seasoned journalist, Lisa's impressive career includes roles as an editor at The Jerusalem Post, Today’s Chicago Woman, Moment magazine, and the Chicago Sun-Times. She even covered the historic White House handshake between Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin, PLO leader Yasser Arafat, and President Bill Clinton. Her novels have captivated readers and Hollywood alike—Woman on Fire was optioned for film by actress Sharon Stone. Lisa has also been featured on Good Morning America and Today for her work as both an author and journalist.
Arden Joy
Arden Joy brings her vibrant spirit to everything she creates—whether it's writing fiction, guiding mindfulness for new parents, or making travel more accessible. A queer, Jewish writer, Reiki Master, yoga teacher, and champion of the Oxford comma, Arden's work is rooted in the belief that joy can take root even in life's messiest moments. Her name, which means ardently, fervently, full of joy, has become an invitation to seek, cultivate, and share joy with others. With a passion for diversity, creativity, and mindful living, Arden's mission is to make the world a little more expansive, beautiful, and—above all—joyful.
Shelby Van Pelt
Shelby Van Pelt is the New York Times bestselling author of Remarkably Bright Creatures, a Read With Jenna Today Show book club pick that has sold over a million copies and spent more than a year on the NYT Hardcover Bestseller list. Her debut novel earned the 2023 Heartland Prize for Fiction and the McLaughlin-Esstman-Stearns First Novel Prize. Originally from the Pacific Northwest, Shelby now lives in the Chicago area, where she spends her time writing, wrangling kids, and herding cats—while missing the mountains back home.
Julia Fine
Julia Fine is the author of Maddalena and the Dark, The Upstairs House—which won the Chicago Review of Books Award for Fiction—and What Should Be Wild, a Bram Stoker Award finalist for Superior First Novel. Writing under the name Margaux Eliot, her upcoming novel Honeymoon Phase is set for release in Fall 2025. Julia teaches writing in Chicago, where she lives with her family.
Alison Hammer
Author Interview with Alison Hammer
Alison Hammer is a talented author of upmarket women’s fiction, including You and Me and Us and Little Pieces of Me, both published by William Morrow. When she's not writing, Alison works as an SVP Creative Director at an advertising agency. A graduate of the University of Florida and The Creative Circus in Atlanta, she's lived in nine cities before making Chicago her home. Alison is also one half of the writing duo Ali Brady, with two novels (The Beach Trap and The Comeback Summer) under their belt and their upcoming book Camp People releasing in Summer 2024. She’s represented by Joanna MacKenzie of Nelson Literary Agency.
Renee Rosen
Author Interview with Renee Rosen
Renee Rosen is a USA Today bestselling author known for her captivating novels, including Fifth Avenue Glamour Girl, The Social Graces, Park Avenue Summer, and Windy City Blues, as well as the young adult novel Every Crooked Pot. A native of Akron, Ohio, and a graduate of American University, Renee now calls Chicago home, where she is currently working on her next novel.
Layne Fargo
Layne Fargo is the bestselling author of The Favorites, They Never Learn, and Temper, as well as a co-author of the Young Rich Widows series. With a background in theater, women’s studies, and library science, Layne writes dramatic, unapologetically feminist stories that have been translated into over a dozen languages. She lives in Chicago with her partner, their pets, and a growing collection of books she’s determined to read before she dies.
Christie Tate
Christie Tate is a New York Times bestselling essayist and memoirist, best known for Group, a Reese’s Book Club pick translated into 19 languages, and B.F.F.-- A Memoir of Friendship Lost & Found. Her work has appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, Chicago Tribune, and McSweeney’s, and her essays have earned nominations for Pushcart Prizes. Tate writes about addiction, eating disorders, friendship, alienation, recovery, and life on her Grandma’s farm in Forreston, Texas. Originally from Dallas, she now lives in Chicago with her family. And while she’s finally stopped telling people she graduated first in her law school class, she’s also quick to clarify: no pets.
Michael Zapata
Michael Zapata is the author of The Lost Book of Adana Moreau, which won the 2020 Chicago Review of Books Award for Fiction and was named a Best Book of the Year by NPR, the A.V. Club, Los Angeles Public Library, and BookPage. His accolades also include a Meier Foundation Artist Achievement Award, an Illinois Arts Council Award for Fiction, and two City of Chicago DCASE Individual Artist Program Awards. Zapata is a founding editor of MAKE Literary Magazine and teaches at StoryStudio Chicago and Northwestern University’s MFA program. He has also worked as a public-school educator, teaching literature and writing to high school students. He lives in Chicago with his family.
Rita Woods
Dr. Rita Woods, born and raised in Detroit, Michigan, is the author of the award-winning novel Remembrance and the upcoming The Last Dreamwalker (September 2022). She holds a BS in Microbiology from Purdue University and a medical degree from Howard University College of Medicine, with experience as a Medical Director for a major Wellness Center. A passionate mentor and member of the American Writer’s Program, Rita also serves as a Trustee on her local library board in suburban Chicago. She enjoys magic, history, books, coffee, and travel—especially visits to cemeteries.
Nancy Johnson
Nancy Johnson, a native of Chicago’s South Side, spent over a decade as an Emmy-nominated television journalist before transitioning to fiction writing. Her debut novel, The Kindest Lie, has received widespread acclaim, with reviews from The New York Times, The Washington Post, and Los Angeles Times, and features on Entertainment Weekly’s Must List. It was named a New York Times Editors' Choice and selected as one of 2021's most anticipated books by Newsweek, O, The Oprah Magazine, and more. Nancy’s work has also appeared in Real Simple and O, The Oprah Magazine. A graduate of Northwestern University and UNC Chapel Hill, she currently resides in downtown Chicago, where she leads communications for a health care nonprofit.
Rebecca Makkai
Rebecca Makkai is an award-winning author whose works have been translated into over 20 languages. Her debut novel, The Borrower, and her second novel, The Hundred-Year House, earned widespread acclaim, with The Great Believers—set during the American AIDS epidemic and 2015 Paris—becoming a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize and National Book Award. It also won several prestigious honors, including the ALA Carnegie Medal and the LA Times Book Prize. Rebecca's writing has appeared in The Pushcart Prize and The Best American Short Stories, and she has received fellowships from the National Endowment for the Arts, the Guggenheim Foundation, and more. In 2020, she was awarded the Mark Twain Award for Distinguished Contributions to Midwestern Literature.
Lori Rader Day
Lori Rader-Day, an award-winning crime novelist, grew up in Boone County, Indiana, surrounded by cornfields, and went on to earn journalism degrees from Ball State University and an MFA in creative writing from Roosevelt University. She is the author of several crime novels, including The Death of Us, Death at Greenway, and The Lucky One, and her work has been published in Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine. Lori has received numerous accolades, including the 2016 Mary Higgins Clark Award, the 2022 Agatha Award for Best Historical Novel, and the 2015 Anthony Award for Best First Novel. She teaches at Northwestern University and has held various roles in communications, including at Ball State University and Northwestern. An active leader in the crime fiction community, she has served as president of Sisters in Crime and the regional chapter of Mystery Writers of America. Lori lives in Chicago with her husband, Greg, and their dog, Clementine.
Mary Kubica
Author Interview with Mary Kubica
Mary Kubica is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of suspense novels, including The Good Girl, Pretty Baby, Don’t You Cry, Every Last Lie, When the Lights Go Out, The Other Mrs., Local Woman Missing, and Just the Nicest Couple. A former high school history teacher, Mary holds a degree in History and American Literature from Miami University in Ohio. Her debut novel, The Good Girl, was an Indie Next pick and nominated for various awards, while Local Woman Missing was a finalist for an Audie Award and a Goodreads Choice nominee. Her books have been translated into over 30 languages and sold over five million copies worldwide. Mary lives outside of Chicago with her husband and two children and is currently working on her next novel.
Mia P. Manansala
Mia P. Manansala is a Chicago-based writer known for her debut novel Arsenic and Adobo, which received starred reviews from Library Journal, Publishers Weekly, and others, hitting the ABA Indie Bestseller List and winning multiple awards. Her writing often weaves together themes of family, food, and love. Mia’s accolades include the 2022 Anthony Award for Best First Novel, the 2021 Agatha Award for Best First Novel, and several other prestigious honors. A lover of all things geeky, she enjoys baking, playing RPGs and otome games, reading cozy mysteries, and spending time with her dog, Gumiho.
Emily Belden
Emily Bond (née Belden) is an author with Harlequin/HarperCollins, known for her debut novel Hot Mess, which received a starred review and was published by Graydon House. Her sophomore novel Husband Material is available nationwide, including in mass retailers like Target and Kroger. Bond's work is recognized for its strong commercial appeal and book club-worthy fiction.
Carly Margolin
Carly is a 30-year-old Chicago native with a lifelong love of reading, thanks to her mom. While she enjoys all genres, romantic comedies and historical fiction have always been her favorites. It wasn't until the pandemic that she was inspired to pursue her dream of becoming an author. When she's not writing rom coms or working in brand marketing, Carly enjoys trying out new restaurants, watching Grand Prix races, spending time with friends and family, walking her dogs, and binge-watching true crime shows (she’s a Law & Order trivia champ).
Jamie Freveletti
Jamie Freveletti is an award-winning and internationally bestselling author of seven novels, four short stories, and works published in four languages. Her Emma Caldridge series, including Running From The Devil and Blood Run, has earned prestigious awards such as the International Thriller Writers Best First Novel award and the Barry Award. In addition to her own work, she has contributed to Robert Ludlum's Covert One series and various anthologies, including Anatomy of Innocence, which was named one of Literary Hub's best True Crime books of 2017. Jamie holds a law degree and a post-graduate diploma in International Studies, previously practicing law in Chicago. An avid distance runner and black belt in Aikido, she divides her time between Chicago and Los Angeles.
Melanie Benjamin
Author Interview with Melanie Benjamin
Melanie Benjamin is the bestselling author of historical novels, including The Swans of Fifth Avenue, The Aviator’s Wife, and Mistress of the Ritz, as well as her latest release, The Children’s Blizzard. Her works have been translated into over fifteen languages, featured in publications like Good Housekeeping and Entertainment Weekly, and optioned for film. Prior to her success in historical fiction, Melanie wrote contemporary novels under the name Melanie Hauser and was a parenting columnist. A native of Indianapolis, she now lives in Chicago with her husband and is an active speaker with Authors Unbound. Melanie’s passion for reading and storytelling continues to drive her literary career.
Gillian Flynn
Gillian Flynn is the bestselling author of Gone Girl, Dark Places, Sharp Objects, and the novella The Grownup. Known for her dark psychological thrillers, Flynn adapted Gone Girl into a Golden Globe–nominated screenplay. A former critic for Entertainment Weekly, she now resides in Chicago with her husband and children.
Rowan Beaird
Rowan Beaird is a fiction writer whose work has been featured in The Kenyon Review, The Southern Review, and The Common. She has received the Ploughshares Emerging Writer Award and has been nominated for a Pushcart Prize. Rowan has earned scholarships from the Bread Loaf Writers’ Conference and StoryStudio and currently works at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. Her debut novel, The Divorcées, has been recognized as a best book by Harper’s Bazaar, Elle, People, The Independent, and the Chicago Review of Books.
Jennifer Allison
Jennifer Allison, a Michigan native, holds a BA from the University of Michigan and an MFA from American University. Her career journey has included roles as a news reporter, high school English teacher, and a variety of odd jobs, such as a piano player in a shopping mall and an assembly-line worker at General Motors. These experiences have inspired her writing. Jennifer currently lives in Chicago with her husband, Michael, and their three children, Max, and twins Marcus and Genevieve ("Gigi").
Annie Cathryn
Annie Cathryn, a passionate Bookstagrammer and host of the hit podcast Soulful Series, is the author of The Friendship Breakup, her debut novel. With a background in marketing communications and a love for travel, inspired by reading Eat, Pray, Love, Annie transitioned into writing, where she found her true calling. Her debut novel hit #15 on Amazon’s New Releases in Friendship Fiction and received numerous accolades, including The BookFest® Award and the Best Midwest Regional Fiction IPPY Award. Annie’s essays have been published by various platforms, and she’s active in the Women’s Fiction Writers Association. When she's not writing or reading, she enjoys organizing her personal library and indulging in chocolate. She lives in Chicagoland with her husband, daughter, and two fur babies.
Sonali Dev
Author Interview with Sonali Dev
Sonali Dev, an award-winning author, discovered her passion for storytelling at the age of eight with a play about mistaken identities. After earning degrees in architecture and writing, she spent years migrating across the globe, starting a family, and writing for magazines and websites. Inspired by her love for Indian culture and her life as a supermom and world traveler, Sonali returned to writing and now creates captivating stories that blend her personal experiences. Her novels have appeared on numerous best-of-the-year lists and have earned prestigious awards, including the American Library Association’s award for best romance and multiple RT Seals of Excellence. Sonali lives in the Chicago suburbs with her husband, two teens, and the world’s most perfect dog.
Rachel Swearingen
Rachel Swearingen is the author of the acclaimed story collection How to Walk on Water and Other Stories, which won the New American Press Fiction Prize and was named the 2021 Chicago Writers Association Book of the Year. Her work has been featured in top literary outlets such as Electric Lit, VICE, and The Missouri Review, and has earned prestigious awards, including the Berlin Writing Prize and the Rona Jaffe Foundation Writers’ Award. A graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Madison and Western Michigan University, Rachel has taught writing at several institutions and completed residencies at MacDowell and Hedgebrook. Originally from rural Wisconsin, she now lives in Chicago, where she continues to write and teach.
Keir Graff
Keir Graff is a versatile author and editor based in Chicago, with twelve novels published under three different names. He writes thrillers, mysteries, contemporary fiction for adults, and adventure novels for younger readers. His recent works include The Three Mrs. Wrights and Drowning with Others, coauthored with Linda Joffe Hull under the name Linda Keir. Graff also coauthored Minerva Keen’s Detective Club with James Patterson and has published four solo middle-grade novels, such as The Tiny Mansion and The Matchstick Castle. He’s the editor of A Million Acres: Montana Writers Reflect on Land and Open Space and coeditor of Montana Noir. A former executive editor of Booklist, Graff co-founded the literary gathering Publishing Cocktails and offers writing advice and book recommendations in his monthly newsletter, Graff Paper.
Janet Burroway
Janet Burroway, awarded the Florida Humanities Council's 2014 Lifetime Achievement Award in Writing, is the author of eight novels as well as short fiction, plays, poetry, essays, texts for dance, and children's books. Her Writing Fiction: A Guide to Narrative Craft (tenth edition), is the most widely used creative writing text in America, and her multi-genre Imaginative Writing is out in a fourth edition. Her most recent novel is Bridge of Sand (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt 2009; Hopcyn Press, London, 2013) and her memoir Losing Tim was published in 2014 (Think Piece Publishers). Her play Parts of Speech won the Brink! award at the Renaissance Theatreworks, Milwaukee in 2015 and Boomerang, a modern female Lear was commissioned by Sideshow Theatre Company, Chicago, also in 2015.
Ananda Lima
Ananda Lima is the author of Craft: Stories I Wrote for the Devil (Tor Books, 2024) and Mother/land (Black Lawrence Press, 2021), winner of the Hudson Prize. Her work has appeared in American Poetry Review, Poets.org, Kenyon Review, Electric Literature, and elsewhere, and is forthcoming in Ghosts of Where We Are From, an anthology of dark fiction by Latin American authors, edited by Cynthia Pelayo (Primer Sueño/Atria Books). She is a Contributing Editor at Poets & Writers and Program Curator at StoryStudio, Chicago. Lima was a mentor at the NYFA Immigrant Artist Program and the inaugural Latinx-in-Publishing WIP Fellow, sponsored by Macmillan Publishers. She has an MA in Linguistics (UCLA) and an MFA in Creative Writing (Rutgers-Newark). Craft, her fiction debut, was longlisted for the ALA Andrew Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Fiction and received starred reviews from Kirkus, Publishers Weekly, and Library Journal. The New York Times describes it as “a remarkable debut that announces the arrival of a towering talent in speculative fiction.” Originally from Brazil, she lives in Chicago and New York.
Rebecca Keller
Rebecca Keller is a writer, an internationally exhibited artist, a college professor, a Fulbright Scholar, and recipient of awards from the National Endowment for the Arts.
But once upon a time she was a house-cleaner, shuttle driver, waitress, and nursing home cook. She got a graduate degree to improve her lot, and ended up working in museums, where she wrote about art and gave tours, making her own work at night. She had children. She began teaching at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. She was awarded a Fulbright. She did a TEDx talk.
And she began writing fiction. Her stories have been nominated for a Pushcart prize, and her debut novel "You Should Have Known" will be released from Crooked Lane Books in 2023. She is now working on stories about art and another novel.
Garnett Kilberg Cohen
Garnett Kilberg Cohen is the author of four story collections: Cravings (October 2023); Lost Women, Banished Souls; How We Move the Air; and Swarm to Glory. Her chapbook, Passion Tour, was published by Finishing Line Press. Her writing has appeared in The New Yorker online, Rumpus, The Gettysburg Review, Witness, The Literary Review, StoryQuarterly, The Antioch Review and elsewhere, and she has been the recipient of many awards including a 2022 Curt Johnson award from december magazine, the Crazyhorse National Fiction Prize, The Lawrence Foundation Prize from Michigan Quarterly Review, and four Illinois Arts Council Awards, as well as two Notable Essay citations from Best American Essays. A former fiction editor at The Pennsylvania Review and Hotel Amerika, Garnett has also been an editor at Another Chicago Magazine, The South Loop Review, Punctuate, A Nonfiction Journal, and a guest editor at Fifth Wednesday.
She taught writing at Columbia College Chicago for more than thirty years. She also teaches creative writing workshops at various conferences and organizations, and works as a consultant with individual writers of fiction and nonfiction.
Diego Báez
Diego Báez is a writer, educator, and abolitionist. He is the author of Yaguareté White (Univ. Arizona, 2024), a finalist for The Georgia Poetry Prize and a semi-finalist for the Berkshire Prize for Poetry. A recipient of fellowships from CantoMundo, the Surge Institute, the Poetry Foundation Incubator for Community-Engaged Poets, and DreamYard’s Rad(ical) Poetry Consortium, Diego has served on the boards of the National Book Critics Circle, the International David Foster Wallace Society, and Families Together Cooperative Nursery School. Poems have previously appeared or are forthcoming in Freeman's, Poetry Northwest, and Latino Poetry: A New Anthology. Book reviews have appeared at Booklist, Harriet, Letras Latinas Blog 2, and The Boston Globe. Essays and other non-fiction have been published in The Georgia Review, Spoon River Poetry Review, and Los Angeles Review of Books. Diego lives in Chicago and teaches poetry, English composition, and first-year seminars at the City Colleges, where he is an Assistant Professor of Multidisciplinary Studies.
David Ellis
David Ellis is a judge and an Edgar-award-winning author of ten novels of crime fiction, as well as eight bestselling books co-authored with James Patterson. His novels have been translated into more than ten languages worldwide. In December 2014, Dave was sworn in as the youngest-serving Justice of the Illinois Appellate Court for the First District. He lives outside Chicago with his wife and three children.
Tracy Clark
Tracy Clark was born and raised in Chicago, a city she loves despite its sweltering summers, frigid winters, and relentless humidity. She always knew she wanted to be a writer, though it took years before she admitted it aloud and even longer before she wrote anything she considered good. A lifelong reader, her path to crime fiction began with Dr. Seuss and Harriet the Spy before she discovered the powerhouse female crime writers of the ’80s and ’90s—Grafton, Muller, Maron, Paretsky, and others—who inspired her to follow in their footsteps.
Clark built a career in the newspaper industry, earning degrees in college and graduate school before becoming an editor of op-eds, comic strips, crossword puzzles, and features. She writes early in the morning with a cup of Earl Grey in hand, balancing her passion with her profession. When she’s not writing or editing, she enjoys classic black-and-white films, especially goofy comedies and noir, and considers a rainy Sunday with ginger snap cookies the perfect day.
Erin Clifford
Erin Clifford is deeply passionate about helping professionals develop healthy lifestyles to create a more fulfilling, happier existence. She has trained with some of the world’s foremost experts in diet theories, nutrition, exercise, and healthy lifestyle management. She brings her knowledge and expertise to her work so that her clients have the education and tools to lead healthier and happier lives.
Alex Crespo
Born and raised by the Great Lakes, Alex Crespo writes about queer love, magic, and all the ways they intersect. When not writing, you can find him making art or daydreaming about Mothman. He currently lives in Chicago with an endless anime watchlist and his black cat Hex.
Briana Johnson
Briana Johnson is a young adult writer whose debut novel, If I Could Go Back, will be published by Peachtree Teen in May 2025. She has a degree in Computer Network and Cybersecurity and was a mentee in the 2019 Pitch Wars class. She currently lives in Chicago with her family.
Beth Kander
Beth Kander is a USA Today best-selling novelist with tangled roots in the Midwest and Deep South. She is the author of I MADE IT OUT OF CLAY, her adult debut, as well as several books for younger readers. The granddaughter of immigrants, her work often explores how worlds old and new intertwine—or collide. Described as a “genre-defying author and playwright” (Oxford American), her work has been called “riveting” and “habit-forming.” Her work has been featured in Oprah Daily, Writer’s Digest, Slackjaw, Frazzled, and other outlets.
Beth earned an MSW from the University of Michigan and an MFA in Creative Writing from Mississippi University for Women, where she now serves as visiting faculty. She currently calls Chicago home, and is lucky to live there with her very favorite characters: her heroic husband, their two hilarious kids, and a giant rescue dog named Oz. Right this moment, she’s probably revising a scene while drinking too much coffee.
Greater Chicago Area Authors
Shelby Saville
Shelby Saville lives in a suburb west of Chicago, but at heart, she’s a small-town girl. Growing up in a community of just 2,000 people, she spent her teenage years typing late into the night, using stories to explore a world beyond her town’s 1.6 square miles. Her first writing job was at the Lacon Home Journal, where she covered local news and took particular care in crafting obituaries, honoring lives with thoughtful words. But the city was calling, and she eventually moved to Chicago to pursue her dream job in advertising.
Over the past 25 years, Shelby has built a career at Publicis Media, focusing on media investment—how advertising space is bought and sold—unexpectedly finding her place in numbers rather than words. Now, she returns to storytelling with her debut novel, And They Had A Great Fall, a second-chance love story set in a foreign city with a touch of celebrity intrigue. Writing this novel has felt like coming home, merging both sides of her creative and analytical mind. When she’s not at her computer, she enjoys time with her husband, Scott, their teenage daughter, three dogs, and one particularly mean cat.
Sally McQuillen
Sally McQuillen, LCSW, CADC, is a psychotherapist in private practice specializing in addiction, grief, and trauma recovery.
She provides ongoing support for addiction recovery, as well as support for those recovering from the impact of a loved one’s addiction. She sees adults seeking relief from mood symptoms, helps them navigate their personal and professional relationships and lead more fulfilling lives. She works with clients to find peace and healing from trauma and loss. Her goal is to bring light into the lives of her clients intuitively pulling from different therapeutic models and resources to support their specific needs.
Jeff Hoffmann
Jeff quit a perfectly good job at the age of 47 to return to college for his MFA, and his first novel, Other People’s Children (Simon and Schuster, 2021), emerged from that silly decision. His second Novel, Like It Never Happened, will be released by Crooked Lane Books on March 5, 2024.
In addition to his two novels, Jeff’s writing has been published in The Sun, Booth, Harpur Palate, and Publishers Weekly. He was the winner of the Madison Review’s Chris O’Malley Prize in Fiction and a finalist for the Missouri Review’s Jeffrey E. Smith Editor’s Prize.
He is a passionate proponent of the Oxford comma, a mediocre men’s league hockey player, and a fair-weather fan of the Chicago Blackhawks. He was born and raised in St. Louis and now lives in Elmhurst, Illinois, with his wife and two children.
Christina Hillsberg
Christina Hillsberg is a former CIA intelligence officer, writer, and recognized expert on women in espionage and intelligence tradecraft. The recipient of multiple CIA Exceptional Performance Awards, her work at the CIA included specializing in African politics and leaders as one of the Intelligence Community’s few Swahili and Zulu linguists, producing analytic assessments for senior-level policymakers including the President and his Cabinet, and serving in the CIA’s Directorate of Operations, clandestinely collecting intelligence from the field. After leaving the CIA, Christina worked in Information Security at Amazon, where she stood up the company’s first Insider Threat program, created a new global framework to analyze cyber risks, and established new processes to utilize intelligence tradecraft to analyze information security threats. She now writes full-time and is the author of License to Parent: How My Career as a Spy Helped Me Raise Resourceful, Self-Sufficient Kids as well as Agents of Change . Her writing has been featured in The Washington Post, The Seattle Times, Harvard Business Review, Parents Magazine, Thrive Global, Parade, and more.
April Nauman
A.D. Nauman is an author and educator in Chicago. Her second novel, Down the Steep, will be released by Regal House Publishing in October 2023. Nauman’s short fiction, appearing in many literary journals, has been recognized in Best American Short Stories and the Pushcart Prize anthology, produced by Stories on Stage, broadcast on NPR, and granted an Illinois Arts Council Literary Award. Her first novel, Scorch, was recently re-released in an ebook StoryBundle. Nauman’s fiction investigates the sociopolitical in the personal, especially the impact of culture on identity, the mechanisms of power in personal relationships, and the challenges of life in a hyper-capitalist society. Now a Midwesterner, Nauman grew up mostly in Tidewater, Virginia.
