Five Salina-area authors provide readers with mystery, romance and non-fiction stories
Kansas is home to many authors. Some of them live in the Salina area.
These storytellers write romance and fantasy novels, poetry, biography and memoir. Here are five storytellers from the greater-Salina region.
Christen Stovall
Salina author Christen Stovall specializes in fantasy books. The owner and operator of Ad Astra Books and Coffee House, Tammy Jarvis, praised her writing.
“[Stovall is] young with quite a collection under her belt already,” she said.
To date, Stovall has published a trilogy titled "Song of Souls," as well as an ongoing series—"The Fae-Touched Chronicles"—written alongside Jennifer Sanders.
“I was 28 when my husband ended his life,” Stovall wrote on her online author biography. “We'd only been married for a year and a half and didn't have any children. One of my biggest struggles was trying to find meaning in the time we shared. 'The Song of Souls' trilogy is my way of giving a legacy to my husband and the brief time we had together.”
From this deep well of emotion, Stovall created an adventurous, imaginative and touching story.
Harley Elliott
Harley Elliott, also of Salina, is well-known among locals for his poetry. Elliott is an artist and a poet. He earned his bachelor's degree from Kansas Wesleyan University and his master's degree from New Mexico Highlands University in Las Vegas, New Mexico. He taught art at Marymount College and worked as the coordinator of education at the Salina Art Center.
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He has written many books of poems. His first work, "Dark Country," was published by Crossing Press in 1971 and one of his more recent pieces, "Fugitive Histories," was published by Woodley Memorial Press in 2011.
Ann Parr
Ann Parr of McPherson County focuses on nonfiction work, especially biographies and testimonial pieces. Parr's desire to work with nonfiction stems from an interest in history and current affairs.
“I’ve always said that I couldn’t make up anything as fascinating as real life stories,” she said on her online author biography.
This love of real world accounts is displayed beautifully in books like "Stories of World War II" or "Grit and Grace: Gordon Parks."
In the former, Parr sits down with students who are learning about the past as well as veterans who lived the past. These two perspectives blend in a thought-provoking manner.
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In the latter, Parr pieces together many aspects of Gordon Parks' life, fueled by research, phone calls and personal interviews with Parks. She honors his legacy by exploring the work he did and the hardships he endured.
Barbara Rhoades
Barbara Rhoades of Salina has a love for romance. With works like "Breaking All The Rules" and "How Do You Mend a Broken Heart," Rhoades enjoys combining genres to achieve a narrative.
Rhoades' books vary in mood and genre, implementing aspects of mystery and suspense with a through line of romance and intrigue.
"She’s quite a prolific writer as well; she has three novels that we sell here at the store," Jarvis said.
Lisa Short
Lisa Short, who is from Assaria, had an especially personal story to tell and wanted to share it with family, friends and her local community.
"Nothing Short of a Miracle: A true story of faith, family, community and perseverance," follows the story of Short’s son, who was in a terrible farming accident. It focusses on all the trials and tribulations he endures.
Short describes the book as “a true story of faith, family, community and perseverance."
These books are available at Ad Astra Books and Coffee House and other bookstores in the surrounding area, as well as online.
This article originally appeared on Salina Journal: 5 Salina-area authors available at ad astra
