From 'Princess Diaries' to 'Shiloh,' here are 8 authors you might not realize are Hoosiers

Indiana residents are likely familiar with the state's literary celebrities — Kurt Vonnegut, John Green and Lew Wallace,to name a few — but there are a handful of both established and up-and-coming writers who call Indiana home.

Here’s a list of just a few authors who either grew up, went to school or have otherwise strong ties to the Hoosier state.

Meg Cabot

Meg Cabot might as well be the reigning queen of young adult fiction and chick-lit, boasting titles such as "Airhead," "Jinx" and the book-turned-movie series "The Princess Diaries" and "Avalon High." Born and raised in Bloomington, Indiana, and having received a bachelor's degree from Indiana University, Cabot said being a Hoosier has inspired much of her work.

"I think part of it was growing up in Indiana, which is rich in quirky stories," she said. "So you know, there's been a lot of Hoosier lore I've gotten to explore in my novels."

Some of those Midwestern details include things such as the cutthroat world of show choir, as described in her 2009 book "Teen Idol," and Hoosier recipes such as lemon pudding cake and a dip made of mayonnaise, sour cream, cream cheese and barbecue sauce mentioned in her 2019 book "No Judgments."

Now based in Key West, Florida, and having more than 80 books to her name, Cabot said she draws inspiration from her home in the Midwest, with several books — including "1-800 WHERE R YOU," which was adapted into a drama series in 2003 — set in Indiana.

Her latest book — yet to be announced — is set to release spring of 2023. However, her most recent book, "No Words," was written at the beginning of the pandemic and released in October of 2021.

"It's about two authors who hate each other, and they end up stuck trapped, not knowing that each other is going to end up at this Writers Festival," she said. "They're trapped on the island with each other but of course, sparks, and sparks fly."

Saundra Mitchell

Anyone who has picked up one of Saundra Mitchell's books will have no doubt she's a Midwesterner — more importantly, a Hoosier. Author of "Things We Do in the Dark" and editor of "All Out" and "Out Now," said she grew up on the east side of Indianapolis, and her childhood love of reading inspired her to create the stories she wanted more of as a kid, including LGBTQ+ main characters she could relate to.

“I grew up economically disadvantaged and you do not often see neighborhoods like Carriage House East in books,” she said. “There was ‘normal’ and then there was gay. And so like, you know, the whole spectrum of words that we have now we certainly didn't have at the time.”

Having been named a 2020 Indiana Author Award Winner and having nearly 20 books to her name, Mitchell said she used her books as a way to represent young, queer, midwestern teens, giving them the stories she always wished she had.

Now residing in Greenwood, Mitchell said her latest work was as the editor for "Out There," the final installment in the science-fiction anthology trilogy, released in early June. In the trilogy, Mitchell said the main characters — the ones who save the day — represent a variety of folks in the LBGTQ+ community as well as people of color.

“We wanted an opportunity for queer kids to have stories where they drove the rocket ship or you know, they were Indiana Jones or whatever,” she said. “I had the opportunity to ask my favorite authors just like, ‘what story would you wish you had had when you were 16?’ ”

Steven Sater

Steven Sater wrote the lyrics and book for the Tony Award-winning musical "Spring Awakening." Hailing from Evansville, Sater is a TV screenwriter, poet and playwright who penned the book “Alice by Heart,” based on the Broadway musical of the same name, which he also co-wrote alongside Jessie Nelson.

"Alice by Heart," which debuted off-Broadway in January 2019 and later closed in April 2019, was inspired by Lewis Carroll's "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland."

Suzanne Collins

Well...almost. Although Collins isn't an Indiana native, she did receive her bachelor's of arts from Indiana University and is, therefore, a Hoosier.

Collins is most famously known for her young adult dystopian series-turned-movie-franchise "The Hunger Games" series but started her career as a television screenwriter. Collins has her name on titles such as "Little Bear," "Oswald," "Clifford's Puppy Days" and "Wow! Wow! Wubbzy!" according to her website.

In addition to "The Hunger Games," Collins released the young adult series "The Underland Chronicles" and children's books "The Year of the Jungle" and "When Charlie McButton Lost Power."

Leah Johnson

The author, editor and op-ed writer known for thought-provoking articles in magazines such as Teen Vogue, Cosmopolitan and Refinery29, was born and raised on the west side of Indianapolis and attended Indiana University.

"Everything I write is, in some way, influenced by Indiana because who I am as a person was shaped by growing up here," she said. "Everything I am is a result of having experienced the first 18 years of my life living exclusively in Central Indiana."

Johnson said all of her books, including her debut young adult novel "You Should See Me in a Crown" — which made Time's 100 Best YA Books of All Time list — are set in Indiana.

Her upcoming novel, "Ellie Engle Saves Herself" is a middle-grade novel that tells the story of a 12-year-old girl who gains the ability to bring things back to life following an earthquake in her northwest Indiana town. The book is expected in spring 2023.

"I'm drawing from these feelings of isolation that sometimes come with being Black and queer in a small and small-ish town in Indiana," she said. "Really, the book is born out of the belief that you are unspectacular because nobody around you is reminding you that you are something special. And realizing that, like, your extraordinary gifts aren't the thing that makes you special."

Jay Coles

A graduate of both Vincennes and Ball State universities, Jay Coles is not only the author of the critically acclaimed young adult novel "Tyler Johnson Was Here," but also a professional musician and composer with the ASCAP.

Currently residing in Muncie, Coles uses his novels to tell compelling stories with diverse and Black characters at the helm while tackling issues of police brutality and racial injustices.

Coles' latest book, "Things We Couldn't Say," was released in September 2021.

Phyllis Reynolds Naylor

Hoosiers can likely recall "Shiloh," the middle-grade fiction book about a poor, beloved beagle, showing up on their elementary school reading list, but did you know the author, Phyllis Reynolds Naylor, hails from Anderson?

Having also penned the 28-book "Alice" series, (which is one of the most frequently banned book series), Naylor has written and published more than 135 books. For "Shiloh," she won the John Newberry Medal, and won the Edgar Allen Poe Award in 1985 for "Night Cry" and in 2004 for "Bernie Magruder & the Bats in the Belfry."

Ashley C. Ford

People might recognize Ashley C. Ford from her op-eds in magazines and newspapers such as Allure Magazine, ELLE, The Guardian and Indianapolis Monthly, but the Fort Wayne native — now based in Indianapolis — wrote and published a memoir entitled "Somebody’s Daughter."

Released in June of 2021, Ford's debut details personal issues and challenges including the complexity of family relationships. "Somebody's Daughter" made the New York Times Best Seller list.

Contact IndyStar reporter Chloe McGowan at CWilkersonMcGowan@gannett.com. Follow her Twitter: @chloe_mcgowanxx.

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Eight Hoosier writers and poets to add to your reading list