Authors — Lake Erie Literary Festival

Welcome to the heart of our literary festival. This collection of authors represents a tapestry of voices, each thread woven with unique experiences. Each author brings a distinct flavor to the festival, offering a glimpse into the human experience through the lens of their own unique narrative.

Attending Authors

  • Alexandria Long

    Fantasy Romance
    Website

  • Aly Welch

    Horror
    Website

  • Mike Welch

    Horror
    Website

  • Lori Duffy Foster

    Thriller & Suspense
    Website

  • K.D. Finnegan

    Children’s Books
    Website

  • Ashley Snyder

    LGBTQ+ Romance
    Instagram

  • Heather Cash

    Children’s Books
    Website

  • Chuck Joy

    Poetry
    Website

  • Mae Wagner

    Memoir
    Website

  • Brian Colella

    Action & Adventure
    Website

  • Joan Wahl

    Romance
    Website

  • LeAnne Nipps

    Children’s Books
    Website

  • Ellen Byham

    Children’s Books
    Website

  • Jayne M. Simon

    Historical Fiction

  • Debra R Sanchez

    Bilingual Children’s Books
    Website

  • Doug Solter

    Young Adult
    Website

  • Pierre Books

    Children’s Books
    Website

  • Nathan Large

    Sci-Fi/Fantasy
    Website

  • Tess Carletta

    LGBT Romantic Fantasy
    Website

  • Sarah Arnette

    Sci-Fi & Fantasy
    Website

  • Michelle Tobin

    Psychological Fiction
    Website

  • Christopher Baldwin

    Thriller

  • Annie Guest

    Interior Design & Mental Health
    Website

  • Jason K. Bussman

    Memoir
    Website

  • Paul Jessup

    Horror
    Website

  • Janyce Brawn

    Children’s Books
    Website

  • Roxanne Kleckner

    Children’s Books

  • Andrea Richmond

    Memoir
    Website

  • Julie Lauscher

    Adult Coloring Books (+18)

  • Aimee Gross

    Memoir
    Website

  • Michael Lockett

    Literary Fiction
    Website

General Information

    • Meet and greet with all of the local community’s fantastic authors. Our authors write a wide range of genres, including romance, memoir, fantasy, horror, children’s, literary fiction, and more. There’s something there for everyone!

    • In the event of rain, we will stay at Frontier Park and wait it out. If the weather turns dangerous we will cancel.

    • Authors within reasonable driving distance of the festival are welcome to apply to vend at the Lit Fest.

    • Self-published, indie, and traditionally published authors are welcome.

    • Authors are housed together at the Lit Fest under the “Author Tent.” The vending fee is $25. This includes tables, chairs, and tent.

    • Water will be provided

    • The Lit Fest is offering an author vendor workshop prior to the event to help authors feel confident about selling their books. This workshop will be free - date to come.

    • No books generated by AI will be accepted at this year’s Lit Fest. (more below)

    • The Literary Festival reserves the right to decline any application for any reason.

    • No generative AI will be accepted in the Author’s Tent.

    • Why? — Generative artificial intelligence (Gen AI) creates new content like writing, art, music, and more based on an inputted prompt. Gen AI learns to fulfill these prompts by “scraping” data that was created by human artists. Often times, this occurs without the original artist’s consent. Because of this, Gen AI poses several ethical and legal concerns. The Lit Fest seeks to celebrate human creators and artists, honoring their time and craft.

    • What isn’t allowed? Books with AI generated covers, interior images, and writing. AI generated marketing materials such as images, videos, and music.

  • If you have questions or concerns, don’t hesitate to reach out to Tess Carletta at tesscarletta@erielitfest.com

Author Vendor FAQ

  • Authors can park along the side of the park while setting up, but are then encouraged to move their cars to any of the parking lots or residential streets close by. During tear-down, guests will have left and you’ll be able to move your car closer again.

    If you require a parking accommodation because of a physical disability, please reach out to Tess.

  • The Lit Fest wants you to sell as many books as you can. However, sales are impacted by many things, including types of readers who pass through the tent. To set you up for success, the Lit Fest is offering a Vending Workshop to help equip you with the skills you need to pitch and sell your book. However, vending fees are final.

  • There should be, but in the case of food truck cancellations, I suggest bringing snacks or even a small cooler. However, water will be provided.

  • Yes, chairs and tables are included in your vending fee. Your vending fee also contributes to the cost of the author tent, which has good airflow and windows.

  • Authors are encouraged to bring their own tablecloths. The Lit Fest may have some back up ones just in case, but we cannot guarantee a preferred design or size.

  • 20-30 may be a good starting point. Bring as many as you’re comfortable carrying and selling. It’s a good rule of thumb to bring more. You can also bring eBook codes just in case.

  • After you receiving your acceptance to the Lit Fest, we recommending ordering your stock ASAP. Distributors sometimes take

  • Yes! You are invited to sell other merch and food items at your table. We ask that food items are clearly labeled with allergy information and that additional merch be suitable for children (no NSFW).

  • Authors will be responsible for collecting payment at their stations. We recommend having both cash and card options. Authors will also be responsible for their own sales tax.