Authors

2019 Authors

Whitney Scharer, author of The Age of Light, is the opening keynote of the 10th Salem Lit Fest on September 20.

Whitney holds a BA in English Literature from Wesleyan University and an MFA in Creative Writing from the University of Washington. Her short fiction has appeared in numerous journals including New Flash Fiction Review, Cimarron Review, and Bellevue Literary Review. Her first novel, The Age of Light, based on the life of pioneering photographer Lee Miller, was published by Little, Brown (US) and Picador (UK) in February, 2019, and is forthcoming from over a dozen other countries. She lives with her husband and daughter in Arlington, MA.

Hank Phillippi Ryan, award-winning mystery author, is keynote on September 21.

Hank is on-air investigative reporter for Boston’s WHDH-TV. She’s won 36 EMMYs and dozens more journalism honors. The nationally bestselling author of 11 mysteries, Ryan’s also an award-winner in her second profession—with five Agathas, three Anthonys, two Macavitys, the Daphne, and for The Other Woman, the coveted Mary Higgins Clark Award. Critics call her “a master of suspense” and “a superb and gifted storyteller” and she is the only author to have won the Agatha in four different categories: Best First, Best Novel, Best Short Story and Best Non-Fiction. Her novels have been named Library Journal’s Best of 2014, 2015 and 2016. Her highly-acclaimed first standalone psychological suspense, Trust Me, is an Agatha Nominee and was also named a Best Thriller by New York Post, BOOK BUB, Real Simple Magazine, CrimeReads and Criminal Element. Hank’s newest book is The Murder List. NYT bestseller Liv Constantine calls it “an exhilarating thrill ride,” A.J. Finn says, “exciting, explosive, relentless,” and B.A. Paris says it’s “her best yet.” Hank is a founder of MWA University and past president of National Sisters in Crime.

Authors and Moderators at the 2019 Festival!
Read their bios

Janella Angeles
Jabari Asim
Brunonia Barry
Peter Berkrot
Chaya Bhuvaneswar
Jeanne McWilliams Blasberg
Deborah Blum
Belle Brett
Erin Callahan
Erin Cashman
Kim Chaffee
Steven Jay Cohen
Erin Dionne
David Elliott
Hallie Ephron
Sara Farizan
Juliette Fay
Gary Galone
David Gillham
Meredith Goldstein
Karlin Gray
Jane Healey
Ioana Hobai
Ann Hood
Marjan Kamali
Crystal King
Jakob Kramer
Kendall Kulper
Ryan La Sala
Rajani Larocca
Jen Malone
Adriana Mather
Edith Maxwell
Kim McLarin
Randy Susan Meyers
Louise Miller
Joe Moldover
Hillary Monahan
Susan Oleksiw
Matthew Phillion
Rebecca Podos
Annie Cronin Romano
Michael Ruhlman
Katrin Schumann
Laura Sibson
Diane Stern
Laurie Faria Stolarz
Cheryl Suchors
Alexandra Villasante
Jason (JR) Walcutt
James Weinberg
Rebecca Kim Wells

Coming soon: A list of discussion panels, locations and more!

 

Past Festivals