Special thanks to Amy Kelly with Lone Star Literary Life for contributing this blog post in honor of Texas Writers Month. 

Growing up, authors were rock stars in my family. From Laura Ingalls Wilder’s historical fiction to Madeleine L’Engle’s sci-fi/fantasy to Cynthia Voigt’s poignant young adult novels, those who penned the stories I lost myself in were extraordinary superhumans.

I remember the first time I realized Joan Lowery Nixon lived in Houston—the author of my beloved Maggie Ledoux series, living a mere hour away! Suddenly, possibilities opened up: if she could become a writer, I could, too.

There was something magical about discovering an author was from my home state—the shared familiarity of place and culture left me feeling not quite so alone.

Fast-forward to May 2024, when I was given the opportunity to take the reins at Lone Star Literary Life. A year later, and I’m still pinching myself, checking to make sure this job—where I work with authors on a daily basis—is real.

Those authors are why I’m celebrating Texas Writers Month this May. Created in 1994, the goal of Texas Writers Month is to honor and elevate the Lone Star State’s literary talent. What a wealth of talent! Texas authors create a vast literary landscape that spans genres and opens the world for readers.

Check out some of the great books written by Texas-connected authors! You can find more at Lone Star Literary Life.

Fantasy – The Games Gods Play by Abigail Owens

In this fast-paced fantasy novel, a cursed office clerk in modern-day San Francisco is unwillingly thrust into the gods’ deadly competition known as the Crucible—a once-a-century battle where mortals fight on behalf of Olympian deities. Chosen by the enigmatic and dangerous Hades, she must navigate divine politics, hidden agendas, and her own growing connection to the god of the Underworld. As secrets unravel and the stakes rise, she discovers that in a game ruled by gods, survival might demand more than just staying alive—it might mean surrendering her heart.

Historical Fiction – Runners by Phil Oakley

From the author of Little Hatchet, this gripping historical saga continues—a powerful story of resilience, family, and the price of ambition. Perfect for fans of epic generational tales and action-packed historical fiction.

Walter Oakley and his wife, Ada, used the westward expansion of America to establish themselves as model citizens in the town of Telegraph, Texas. Now, they watch in despair as their children lurch from one crisis to another — rum running, train-hopping outlaws, shattered dreams. With one child dead and another on the wrong side of the law, Walter and Ada struggle to keep their younger children on the straight and narrow. But trouble and temptation beckon as Prohibition and the Great Depression give way to the horrors of World War II. Will hope survive the chaos?

Horror – In the Mad Mountains by Joe R. Lansdale

Eleven-time Bram Stoker Award-winner Joe R. Lansdale (Bubba Ho-tep) returns with this wicked short story collection of his irreverent Lovecraftian tributes. Lansdale is terrifyingly down-home while merging his classic gonzo stylings with the eldritch horrors of H. P. Lovecraft. Knowingly skewering Lovecraft’s paranoid mythos, Lansdale embarks upon haunting yet sly explorations of the unknown, capturing the essence of cosmic dread.

Exploring the darkest corners of the human psyche, here is a lethally entertaining journey through Joe Lansdale’s twisted landscape, where ancient evils lurk and sanity hangs by a rapidly fraying thread. 

Literary Fiction – Hollow Out the Dark by James Wade

Award-winning author James Wade blends atmospheric prose with soul-stirring themes in Hollow Out the Dark, a gothic adventure set against a Depression-era landscape where a whiskey war threatens to decimate a small Texas town.

Veteran of the Great War, Jesse Cole is grateful for the quiet life he now leads. But when his closest friend runs afoul of local criminals, Frog and Squirrel Fenley, Jesse is forced to enter a violent and volatile underworld of corrupt lawmen, hired assassins, and a dark family secret that will upend all he once knew.

As winter falls and resources dwindle, Jesse must choose between the law and the lawless—and find a way to survive while protecting those he loves.

Memoir – The Pink Dress by Jane Little Botkin

For fans of Little Miss Sunshine and Secrets of Miss America, this memoir from a national award-winning author reveals the raw reality of being the first Guyrex Girl in the 1970s.

Growing up in West Texas, Jane Little Botkin didn’t aspire to be a beauty queen. But after entering a college pageant on a whim, she became the first protégé of El Paso’s Richard Guy and Rex Holt—“Kings of Beauty”—just as the 1970s counterculture took hold.

A pink, rose-covered Guyrex gown symbolizes the fairy tale many young women imagined—its near destruction revealing the truth: fractured family relationships, lost innocence, and a search for self. The Pink Dress reflects the era’s shifting roles for women, where Guyrex Girls—like the author—found themselves evolving amid tradition, feminism, and flamboyant showbiz.

Mystery/Crime – Vanishing into the 100% Dark by Amber Royer

Texas chocolatier Felicity Koerber is in Tokyo for a prestigious chocolate festival, joined by friends cheering her on. But when she stumbles upon a murder on a monster movie set—and young influencer Chloe, in her group, becomes the main suspect—Felicity is pulled back into sleuthing. As Chloe’s chaperone, she’s determined to find the real killer.

Meanwhile, a rival chocolatier tries to get Felicity disqualified, accusing her of attracting trouble. Secrets among her friends and fiancé begin to surface, and even a mysterious calico cat may hold clues. Can Felicity solve the case, protect Chloe, and still shine at the festival?

Poetry – Autobiomythography of by Ayokunle Falomo

Autobiomythography sifts through Nigerian stories and mythologies—both inherited and invented—to explore self, family, and nationhood. In an attempt at decolonization, it examines what it means to be a subject in the aftermath of colonization, seeking to wrest subjectivity from a failed project of modernity.

Spanning autobiography, mythology, biography, history, and geography, the book features a prominent speaker who tries on multiple voices, including Frederick Lugard’s, in search of his self/voice. Tangentially, it explores a son’s relationship with his father, interrogating identity, reality, and ownership, while eroding the lines between fact and fiction to reveal the fragility of our beliefs.

Romance – This Time Around by Kimberly Packard

Josie Gardner’s life is falling apart. Her husband threatens to take their kids, and her business is failing. A panic attack sends her thirty years back to relive her painful senior year—the year she cut ties with her father, lost a friend, and rejected the boy she loved.

Determined to return to her children, Josie tries to fix her past, hoping it will bring her back to the present. But when tempted by her high school crush, she risks losing everything.

Would you take a second chance for love… at the cost of your future?

Sci-Fi – Left by Paul McGrath

First-time novelist Paul McGrath delivers a sharp, witty, and wildly entertaining sci-fi satire that asks: What if an alien held up a mirror to America—and we didn’t like what we saw?

Anton-7—aka Roy McDonald—was supposed to observe Earth, not get stuck on it. But after missing his ride back to planet Xylodon, he decides to make the most of his exile in Hernando, Mississippi. Breaking the number-one rule of alien espionage—never interfere—he dives headfirst into human affairs, finding friendship, romance, and the simple joys of a good cup of coffee and a highly anticipated trip to Buc-ee’s.

But when tragedy strikes, Anton-7 takes matters into his own hands, setting off a whirlwind of chaos that shakes both Earth and Xylodon. 

Thriller/Suspense –

Lethal Standoff by DiAnn Mills

Justice is elusive, and family secrets can be deadly. Hostage negotiator Carrington Reed is called to a south Texas standoff, where the Kendrix brothers are holding fifteen hostages, demanding the police identify their father’s murderer.

Working with investigative reporter Levi Ehrlich, Carrington digs into the case and realizes some details don’t add up. As she uncovers hidden motives, it becomes clear that revenge may not be their true goal. Carrington must solve the mystery and protect the hostages before time runs out.

Award-winning author DiAnn Mills delivers a pulse-pounding romantic suspense about secrets, betrayal, and forgiveness.

Homecoming Queen by Chad Boudreaux

Homecoming Queen is a thriller chronicling the plight of Anika Raven, who faces the challenge of a lifetime after returning to Miranda, Texas, to rescue her little sister. 

Time is of the essence as the hurricane of the century, predicted to obliterate everything in its path, barrels toward Anika’s hometown. But the deadly storm is not her biggest problem. Not long ago, she was the high school’s beloved homecoming queen, but now she finds herself on the run from the law and running out of time after family troubles force her to pursue vigilante justice. With the storm approaching and tensions in town increasing, factions brace for battle with Anika and her sister trying to survive. 

Homecoming Queen was written for adults of all ages with a love for fast-paced thrillers. With a unique plot line, memorable characters, and page-turning storytelling, the book packs intriguing substance into a quick read.

The Editors by Stephen Harrison

Aim for Neutrality. We Need Better Sources. Anonymity is Fundamental. Keep Developing.

The editors know these principles. They follow them every day—usually. Though rarely recognized, these editors shape the information seen in nearly every internet search. Through Infopendium, a global crowd-sourced encyclopedia, they influence the world.

Freelance journalist Morgan Wentworth, recently laid off from PopFeed News, attends the Global Infopendium Conference hoping for a quick story and a rent check. But the “pendium people” are full of surprises. PhDs mingle with high schoolers, all fluent in the site’s rules. Millions read their work—so who really cares?

When a hacker attacks the conference with a cryptic message, it’s clear someone does. As Morgan investigates, she’s drawn into an online information war involving foreign governments, billionaires, and a global virus—all battling to control the truth on Infopendium.

And in places as far apart as Beijing and Kansas, some editors have plans of their own…

Western – Call of the Wilde by Preston Lewis

H.H. Lomax, wrongfully accused of robbing a bank, is arrested in a town vying for a stop on the Texas & Pacific Railroad. With no money for a trial, officials hatch a plan to get rid of him, but Lomax escapes with an unlikely ally and seeks revenge.

Lomax’s journey takes him to Salt Lake City, where he helps a relative and meets Irish poet Oscar Wilde. From there, his adventures go from bad to worse, filled with nonstop, hilarious action that blends western thrills with genuine humor.

True Crime – The Scientist and the Serial Killer by Lise Olsen

In the early 1970s, Houston, Texas, was home to NASA but also harbored a dark secret: more than two dozen teenage boys went missing. The police dismissed them as runaways, but it wasn’t until their killer, Dean Corll, was murdered that their bodies were found in mass graves. Corll, the “Candy Man,” lured victims to parties where they were tortured and killed with the help of two teens.

Years later, forensic anthropologist Sharon Derrick discovered remains labeled “1973 Murders” and was compelled to act. With new investigative methods and interviews with Corll’s accomplices, Derrick worked tirelessly to identify the Lost Boys and give them back their dignity.

Religion and Science – The Call of Wonder by Brian Cranley

In the battle between faith and science, you don’t have to choose a side.

The rift between faith and science seems to grow larger by the day, as many view the modes of thinking in opposition to one another. People often feel forced to choose between the two, with no apparent way of reconciling them. However, the experience of wonder might just hold the key that brings these two seemingly contradictory sides back together.

In The Call of Wonder, Brian Cranley expertly guides you on a journey through philosophy, theology, cosmology, and biology, where you will discover how science can be a revelation of God all its own. Using fictional elements combined with time-tested wisdom and historical facts, this book challenges you to rethink how you view modern scientific discoveries—like the Big Bang, life’s evolution, and the human mind—in light of ancient descriptions of a rational God.

The Call of Wonder is a fascinating exploration into the connections between God and science that have been present since the very beginning of time. Cranley’s expertise in these diverse fields will help you uncover a new and powerful perspective on how faith and science are two sides of the same truth.

Women’s Fiction – You Cannot Mess This Up by Amy Weinland Daughters

It’s 2014 and Amy Daughters is a forty-six-year old stay-at-home mom living in Dayton, Ohio. She returns to her hometown of Houston over the Thanksgiving holiday to discuss her parents’ estate—and finds herself hurled back in time. Suddenly, it’s 1978, and she is forced to spend thirty-six hours in her childhood home with her nuclear family, including her ten-year old self. Over the next day and a half she reconsiders every feeling she’s ever had, discusses current events with dead people, gets overserved at a party with her parents’ friends, and is treated to lunch at the Bonanza Sirloin Pit. Besides noticing that everyone is smoking cigarettes, she’s still jealous of her sister, and there is a serious lack of tampons in the house, Amy also begins to appreciate that memories are malleable, wholly dependent on who is doing the remembering. In viewing her parents as peers and her siblings as detached children, she redefines her difficult relationships with her family members and, ultimately, realizes that her life story matters and is profoundly significant—not so much to everyone else, perhaps, but certainly to her. Amy’s guide said her trip back in time wouldn’t change anything in the future, but by the time her thirty-six hours are up, she’s convinced that she’ll never be the same again.

Children’s – They Built Me for Freedom by Tonya Duncan Ellis, illustrated by Jenin Mohammed

When people visit me, they are free—to run, play, gather, and rejoice.

They built me to remember.

On June 19, 1865, the 250,000 enslaved people of Texas learned they were free, ending slavery in the United States. This day was soon to be memorialized with the dedication of a park in Houston. The park was called Emancipation Park, and the day it honored would come to be known as Juneteenth.  

In the voice and memory of the park itself—its fields and pools, its protests and cookouts, and, most of all, its people—the 150-year story of Emancipation Park is brought to life. Through lyrical text and vibrant artwork, Tonya Duncan Ellis and Jenin Mohammed have crafted an ode to the struggle, triumph, courage, and joy of Black America—and the promise of a people to remember.

Middle Grade – The Aquamarine Surfboard by Kellye Abernathy

Thirteen-year-old Condi Bloom dreams of learning to surf, but her beach town is changing, with big resorts taking over the cove. Worse, someone is harassing the mysterious Beachlings, old women living in the cliffs of Windy Hollow, a haunted spot. When surfer boy Trustin invites Condi to a secret surfing spot, she embarks on an underwater adventure that changes her life. Along with Trustin, his quirky twin, and a mystical surfboard, Condi uncovers the secrets of the Beachlings and the magic of Windy Hollow.

Blending reality and magic, The Aquamarine Surfboard is a captivating tale of mystery, community, and discovering the ocean’s transformative magic.

Young Adult – Canto Contigo by Jonny Garza Villa

When Mariachi star Rafael Alvarez transfers schools, he expects to take the lead vocalist spot. Instead, he meets Rey Chavez, the current lead, with a very familiar, very kissable face.

Eight months after leading his Mariachi group to victory, Rafie faces the loss of his abuelo and his family’s move to San Antonio. Now, at the Selena Quintanilla-Perez Academy, Rafie must compete with Rey, who stands between him and the legacy he wants to honor. Despite their rivalry, Rafie can’t deny his feelings for Rey.

Canto Contigo is a heartfelt love letter to Mexican culture, family, and the journey of forging your own path, wrapped in a rivals-to-lovers romance.

On a final note, the current climate for books in Texas is challenging. It is easy to feel overwhelmed by the tide of book bans, censorship, and proposed laws like House Bill 1375 that would allow individuals to sue bookstores for selling “harmful materials” to minors.

If authors are also rock stars in your world, I urge you to support all the authors throughout Texas in whatever way makes you comfortable. The simplest way to support them beyond buying their books?  Send an encouraging message via social media. Not sure what to say? Here are some suggestions:

• Thanks for the important work you’re doing!
• Keep writing—you’re making a difference in lives!
• Your book made me feel like I’m not alone. Thank you!
• I loved your story. Thank you for sharing it with the world.

Let them know their work is making a difference. That their book is needed. That it reached the right hands at the right time—and helped someone feel seen.

Stories save lives. They spark curiosity, build empathy, and remind us that we’re not alone. Texas authors—like the ones I adored growing up, and the ones I now have the joy of championing—are shaping hearts and minds with every page. This Texas Writers Month, let’s celebrate their voices, defend their right to be heard, and pass their stories on. And to every young or aspiring writer reading this: your words matter. Your story matters. Keep going—the world needs what only you can write.

Are you an author looking for help with your Book Marketing? Schedule your FREE Discovery Call today!

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