Hendricks County, Indiana, lies in the heart of the Midwest, the perfect place for the birth of stories. With the changing of seasons, the forests and fields and lakes and farms, many authors have found inspiration and published books from right here in our own small towns.
Here is a list of local published authors. Consider finding them in your library or on Amazon to get a feel for the local talent. Who knows; maybe you’ll become inspired to write too!
Philip Gulley, Danville
Gulley is a Quaker pastor, writer and speaker who has written 22 books about life in the Quaker community of Harmony, Indiana.
He’s most famous for his book Porch Talk, a collection of essays revolving around a time when life was slower and shared on the front porch with friends and family. His writings tend to focus on faith, self-reflection, wisdom and common sense.
His books can be found on Amazon and Barnes & Noble.
Tony Perona and Elizabeth Dombrosky, Plainfield
This father/daughter team are known for their “cozy mysteries,” a series entitled the Bucket List Mystery series. Their current published titles are Murder On the Bucket List, Murder Under the Covered Bridge and Murder at the Male Revue.
Together they’re working on the fourth book in the series. Tony also wrote the Nick Bertetto mystery series, the thriller The Final Mayan Prophecy with Paul Skorich, and is a co-editor and contributor to the anthologies Racing Can Be Murder and Hoosier Hoops & Hijinks.
Tony and Elizabeth live in Plainfield. Tony recently retired from his day job as the Deputy Town Manager for the Town of Plainfield.
You can find their books on Amazon or Barnes and Noble.
John Graham, Brownsburg
It turns out for some, the pandemic offered time and inspiration for a book! Graham wrote a book in 2020 titled Parenting Moments From Quarantine, a publication that’s part-picture and part-journal. He was able to write about the highs and lows of staying home with the kids during a pandemic, something most parents really resonate with regardless of whether they worked or stayed home.
We were all experiencing it, so we all had stories we could swap. Graham just took the time to write them down. While many moments are laughable, he focuses on recording the positive, too, and encourages other parents to do the same.
His book can be found on Amazon.
Tammi Huggins, Avon
Mystery writing must be fun because we have another mystery writer in Hendricks County! Huggins is an author and speaker who lives in Avon, and she has written the Ben Time Mystery series, available on Amazon.
The book titles are Murder and Misconception and Bridges and Bodies. She has also published more than 50 Christian articles for various denominations.
Pauline Kurtz, Danville
Kurtz has a handful of books under her belt, many of them action-packed historical fiction. One takes place during the time just before World War I (Call Me Huck) and is actually based on family stories passed down from her father.
One of her stories even takes place in Hendricks County circa 1896, a book that explores the diary of a young teacher during the Victorian period.
All her books can be found on Amazon.
Tom Pado, Danville
Pado is the author of Damn the Pressure, Full Speed Ahead, and he’s working on his second novel! His background in the development of undersea robots for the oil and gas industries have given him some riveting stories to tell.
His engineering and ingenuity for feats accomplished in the depths of the oceans are fascinating. For many, submarines are interesting, but for Pado, they’re his passion.
You can find his book on Amazon.
Gary Varvel, Brownsburg
Varvel is somewhat of a local celebrity. He was a cartoonist for the Indianapolis Star for years, winning multiple journalism awards. He also wrote and published the children’s book The Good Shepherd.
He’s an artist who has published political cartoon books as well as a few books about life in local towns.
His books can be found on Amazon.
While this is not an exhaustive list of local authors, it’s a great place to start. Winter is the perfect time to be transported with a good book. Be taken back in history, into the depths of the ocean, into the middle of a murder mystery or maybe even back to simpler times while supporting some of your neighbors who live right here in Hendricks County.
Happy reading!
