Author Marcy Campbell achieves what only two others Wayne Countians have done in 82 years

Wooster author Marcy Campbell's rise to fame from her first published book in 2018 to her accolade for earning the 2023 Ohioana Award for Juvenile Fiction may seem meteoric.

But according to Campbell, her career is not "an overnight success."

"It's not easy to sell books to major publishers," or even to secure an agent, she said.

She has a notebook full of ideas and has been coming up with them since she was a child in Illinois, spending "a lot of time alone as a kid, just me and my dog on the farm. I climbed trees and made up stories."

Delayed gratification is a hard concept

Delayed gratification is a concept she could get her mind around, and it's one of the themes of her Ohioana award-winning book, "The More You Give," which revolves around community, showing "how we all nurture each other and how we nurture the earth" through multiple generations of family members watching trees they planted grow.'

"The first thing a child wants to know when planting a tree," she said, is when it can hold a tire swing. "Delayed gratification is a hard concept. Good things take time, but they're worth it."

When she came across the proverb to "plant a tree you'll never see the shade of," Campbell said, 'I immediately started writing the book."

She has always loved trees; one specific tree giving her motivation was the huge oak tree on the property of the former Gault Schoolhouse − turned into College of Wooster housing − which used to be a preschool attended by her now teenaged children.

Empathy is a recurring theme in Campbell's books

So far, a recurring theme in her three picture books, "Adrian Simcox Does NOT Have a Horse," "Something Good" and "The More You Give" is empathy.

Her books, which include "Rule of Threes," a middle school novel, are layered, and can and should be read on many levels, she said.

A high school teacher told her he used her book about Adrian Simcox in one of his classes. "Adults still read picture books," she said. "Some are really profound."

"When I read 'Adrian Simcox Does Not Have a Horse,'" Wooster High School English teacher Brett Hiner said in a text message, "Marcy's unique storytelling gift really resonated.

"What Adrian experiences, in a more childlike way, is not at all dissimilar from what Juror 8 experiences in Reginald Rose's seminal play, '12 Angry Men.'

"Both works of fiction focus on the need for empathy without preaching about it," Hiner said. "Students are able to connect the thematic idea, in two very different forms, quite well."

One of her goals is to "let kids add themselves into the story" and interpret it themselves.

Her children gave her the impetus to delve into writing children's books. Campbell said she fell in love with picture books reading them to her children.

Campbell earned a public relations degree from Winona State University in and a master's degree in creative writing from Eastern Michigan University. She has taught writing at The College of Wooster and written articles for journals and magazines.

"Adrian Simcox Does NOT Have a Horse" was based on a childhood classmate who may or may not have had the possessions he boasted and how to react to similar claims.

"Something Good" was Campbell's response to an incident of hate speech, inspired by real-life events at her children's schools.

As a parent and a school volunteer, she witnessed children's reactions and offered in her book one potential solution for dealing with the issue.

"In my own life, I've found that creating art is a useful way to process strong emotions," she said in her author's note.

In 2025, Campbell's book "What Are You Waiting For?" will be released, tackling "taking chances, trying new things, and picking yourself up when things don't go as planned."

In 2026 her book about "friendship gone wrong" will offer a different take on the topic.

In the meantime, Campbell will enjoy daylong school visits and writing workshops.

Rule of Threes" as a title could apply to Campbell's Ohioana award. She was a finalist twice before − in 2018 for "Adrian Simcox Does NOT Have a Horse" and in 2022 for "Something Good."

The third author from Wayne County to win Ohioana award

According to a statement from David Weaver, director of Ohioana Library, "Campbell is only the third author in the 82-year history of the Ohioana Book Awards to come from Wayne County. "The first was Lucy L. Notestein in the nonfiction category in 1964 for 'Hill Towns of Italy.'

"In 1992, Ellice Ronsheim won in the about Ohio category for 'Quilts in Community: Ohio's Traditions,'" Weaver said in his statement.

Campbell's books have won many awards, but perhaps her favorite is the Ohioana Readers' Choice award. Having her readers like her books "is important to me."

Campbell will be honored at a reception and ceremony to be held at the Ohio Statehouse in Columbus 6-9 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 21.

This article originally appeared on The Daily Record: Wayne County author Marcy Campbell wins Ohioana book award