Published Authors C and D
Below is a listing of all the Northeast Florida published authors we can find or have been told about with the last names beginning with the letters C and D. If you are a published northeast Florida author and your name isn’t listed please use our Contact Us form and let us know. We would be happy to add you.
Kasey Lynn Carothers (YA Suspense)
Mayo, Florida
Lafayette County
Personal Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/kasey.carothers
Kasey Lynn Carothers is a Mayo author writing in the young adult suspense genre. She represents Lafayette County in the directory, one of the smaller and more rural communities in our coverage area. Her debut novel, published in 2017, brings a playfully spooky sensibility to the YA shelf.
The Creepy House Down Spooky Lane – Nov 2017
Elsie H. Carr (Non-Fiction/Fantasy Romance)
St. Augustine, FL
St. Johns County
Personal Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/elsie.carr.7
Elsie H. Carr is a St. Augustine author whose published work spans local history nonfiction and fantasy romance fiction. Her co-authored guide to St. Augustine lodgings reflects deep knowledge of the Ancient City, while The Legend of Abigail Rose shows a writer willing to work across genres. Her Facebook page has been inactive since 2016.
A Comprehensive Guide to Lodgings of St. Augustine (Co-Author Robert Carr) – May 2012 – No longer available for purchase
The Legend of Abigail Rose – May 2013
Sudye Cauthen (General Fiction/Non-Fiction)
White Springs, FL
Hamilton County
Personal Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sudyecauthen
Email: cauthen4196@earthlink.net
Sudye Cauthen is one of White Springs’s most distinctive literary voices, a writer whose fiction and nonfiction are rooted in the landscapes and rhythms of the Suwannee River region. Her work has appeared in book form since the early 2000s, earning her a lasting place among Hamilton County’s published authors. She remains reachable by email and active on Facebook.
Alone, on the River This Spring – 2002 – OUT OF PRINT
Southern Comforts: Rooted in a Florida Place – Nov 2007
Waking Up In The Floodplain – 2010
The Salvation of Maggie Rider: Stories from Nokofta – 2010
Gracie L. Chandler (Historical Fiction)
Jacksonville, FL
Duval County
Personal Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/gracie.chandler.108
Gracie L. Chandler is a Jacksonville historical fiction author whose novel Free to Be was published in 2015. Her Facebook page has been inactive since its creation in 2018, and no additional published works have been located, but her novel remains available for purchase.
Free To Be: A Novel – June 2015
Sydney Clary (Romance/Non-Fiction) [A.K.A. Lacey Dancer] – 1948 to 2023
Live Oak, Florida
Suwannee County
All contact information listed under Lacey Dancer below.
Care Giving: Real Life Answers – 2014
Aileen N. Cook (YA Fiction/Fantasy/Middle Grade Thriller/Children/Teens)
Jacksonville, FL
Duval County
Website: http://www.aileencook.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authorA.N.Cook
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fantasynovelist
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@a.n.cook
Amazon: https://amzn.to/4vbFaQk
Aileen N. Cook is a prolific Jacksonville author for young readers, working across children’s picture books, middle grade, and young adult fantasy. Her Pharian Chronicles series alone spans four books, all published in early 2017 in a remarkable creative burst. Her newest title, Nightmare Race, marks her first venture into middle-grade thriller, developed after a year of surveying young male readers about what they most wanted to read.
Santa’s First Noel – Aug 2013
Secrets of the Sycamore – Jan 2016
Trucker Daddy – Dec 2016
Little Miss Not So Perfect – Jan 2017
The Pharian Chronicles
The Magic Book (Book 1) – Feb 2017
The Shark Skull (Book 2) – Jan 2017
Conquering Evil (Book 3) – Feb 2017
Life of the Damned (Book 4) – Feb 2017
Pushed Over The Edge – Feb 2017
Fang City – Jan 2019
Bunny’s First Easter – Feb 2022
Nightmare Race – 2025
Janet Cooper (Mystery/Historical Romance)
Jacksonville Beach, FL
Duval County
Facebook: https://facebook.com/JanetCooperAuthor
Amazon Profile: https://www.amazon.com/Janet-Cooper/e/B0084N17ZC
Janet Cooper is a Jacksonville Beach author who writes both historical romance and mystery fiction. Her Murder in the Low-country series, which launched in 2014, showcases her strength in regional suspense fiction. She publishes across both Amazon and other retail channels and maintains an active author presence online.
Romance Novels
Independence – 2012
Loving My Enemy (AKA Mooncussers) – 2012
Another Chance – 2013
Murder in the Low-country Series
River of Lies (Book 1) – 2014
Retribution (Book 2) – 2015
Secret Deceptions (Book 3) – 2017
Benjamin Coward (YA Fantasy/Horror Thriller)
Gainesville, FL
Alachua County
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ben.coward.79
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/benjamin_coward_author/
Amazon Profile: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Benjamin-Coward/author/B0DDCM58KQ
Benjamin Coward is a Gainesville YA fantasy and thriller author who published his debut novel Dragon’s Tooth in 2024 and followed it quickly with Wendigo Nights in December 2025. A Missouri native with a degree in environmental science, he draws on his love of nature and history to build rich, imaginative worlds for teen readers. He appeared on Jolene’s Book and Writers Talk podcast and was a featured author at the Literary Indulgence Festival in 2025.
Dragon’s Tooth – 2024
Wendigo Nights – Dec 2025
Harry Eugene Crews (June 7, 1935 – March 28, 2012) (Fiction)
Gainesville, FL
Alachua County
Website: http://www.harrycrews.org/
Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harry_Crews
Harry Crews was one of the most important writers to come out of North Florida and one of the defining voices of Southern Gothic literature. A professor at the University of Florida for decades, he authored more than 16 novels between 1968 and 2006, celebrated for their raw, unflinching portraits of Southern working-class life. He passed away in Gainesville on March 28, 2012, leaving behind a literary legacy that continues to grow.
The Gospel Singer, 1968, 1995
Naked in Garden Hills, 1969 – Out of Print
This Thing Don’t Lead to Heaven, 1970 – Out of Print
Karate Is a Thing of the Spirit, 1971 – Out of Print
Car, 1972 – Out of Print
The Hawk Is Dying, 1973 – Out of Print
The Gypsy’s Curse, 1974 – Out of Print
A Feast of Snakes, 1976
All We Need of Hell, 1987 – used paperbacks and hardbacks available, no eBook
The Knockout Artist, 1988
Body, 1990 – available used in paperback and hardback, no eBook
Scar Lover, 1992 – available in paperback and hardback, no eBook
The Mulching of America, 1995 – available in paperback and hardback only
Celebration, 1998
An American Family: The Baby with the Curious Markings, 2006 – Out of Print, some used hardbacks available
Arthur “Art” Crummer (Fiction/Poetry)
Gainesville, FL
Alachua County
Email: FixingThings@bellsouth.net
Personal Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/artcrummer
Art Crummer is a Gainesville author and poet whose fiction blends humor, philosophy, and authentic small-town Florida sensibility. His two-book Fixing Things series follows a memorable protagonist through misadventures that are alternately comic and deeply human. He also writes poetry and has minimal formal web presence beyond Facebook.
Wrestling God: The All-True Misadventures of a Small Town Boy – Nov 2013
Floating Island: Awakening Paul (Fixing Things Book 2) – 2017
Almost Everywhere Convergent: Poetry Chapbook 3.14159 (Lacuna Character Poetry 1) – 2017
Jessica Dale (Romantic Suspense) [A.K.A. Kassandra Lamb]
Gainesville, FL
Alachua County
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JessicaDaleAuthor/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8151461.Jessica_Dale
Amazon Author Profile: https://amzn.to/43wEwAQ
Jessica Dale is a Gainesville author who writes steamy romantic suspense under this name, with a separate body of work under the pen name Kassandra Lamb. Her Unintended Consequences and Binding Love series deliver fast-paced romantic suspense with heat. She publishes through Dark Ardor Publications and maintains a dedicated reader platform.
Unintended Consequences Series
Payback (Book 1) – Jan 2018
Backlash (Book 2) – Feb 2018
Backfire (Book 3) – Aug 2023
Binding Love Series
Binding Vows – Nov 2018
Binding Choice – May 2017
Bartered Innocence: A Romantic Thriller – Jan 2021
Lacey Dancer [A.K.A. Sydney Clary] (Romance/Non-Fiction) – 1948 to 2023
Live Oak, FL
Suwannee County
Passed away 2023
Website: https://laceydancer.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BooksByLaceyDancer/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/laceydancerauthor/
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/laceydancerauthor/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@laceydancerauthor/
Facebook (Caregiving): https://www.facebook.com/SydneyAnnClaryauthor13
Lacey Dancer was the pen name of Live Oak’s Sydney Clary, a prolific and warmly regarded romance author who published across multiple series throughout her career. Her Live Oak Series, set in the community where she lived, brought her hometown into fiction with affection and authenticity. She passed away in 2023, leaving behind a substantial body of work that remains available to readers.
The Pippa Series
Choices (Book 1) – 2013
Diamond and Ice (Book 2) – 2016
Thirteen Nights of Luck (Book 3) – 2022
The Live Oak Series
Chasing the Fire (Book 1) – 2015
Playing with Fire (Book 2) – 2017
Strike the Fire (Book 3) – 2018
Catch the Fire (Book 4) – 2020
Light the Fire (Book 5) – 2021
The Truth Series
Truth Kills (Book 1) – 2019
Truth Tells (Book 2) – 2020
Truth Wins (Book 3) – 2022
Joyce Davidson (Historical Fiction)
Jacksonville, FL
Duval County
Amazon Profile: https://www.amazon.com/Joyce-Davidson/e/B002YALTOA
Personal Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/joyce.davidson.1447
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joyce-davidson-screenwriter-master-certificate-b7a59a1b/
Joyce Davidson is a Jacksonville historical fiction author and credentialed screenwriter whose three novels span nearly a decade of publishing. Her work draws on the settings and sensibilities of the American South, and her LinkedIn profile reflects a professional background that extends well beyond prose fiction into the visual storytelling arts.
Olivia’s Favorites – 2007
Moss Grove – 2012
Along Sunken Roads – 2015
Jack E. Davis (History/Non-Fiction)
Gainesville, FL
Alachua County
Work Website: http://history.ufl.edu/directory/current-faculty/jack-e-davis/
Personal Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jack.e.davis.16
Jack E. Davis is a Pulitzer Prize-winning historian on the faculty of the University of Florida whose work centers on Florida’s environmental history and the natural world. His 2018 book The Gulf: The Making of an American Sea won the Pulitzer Prize for General Nonfiction, bringing national recognition to a body of scholarship that has consistently illuminated the relationship between Floridians and their landscape.
The Civil Rights Movement – Oct 2000
The Wide Brim: Early Poems and Ponderings of Marjory Stoneman Douglas – April 2002
Making Waves: Female Activists in Twentieth-Century Florida – Mar 2003
Race Against Time: Culture and Separation in Natchez Since 1930 – Oct 2004
Paradise Lost?: The Environmental History of Florida – Sept 2005
An Everglades Providence: Marjory Stoneman Douglas and the American Environmental Century – Feb 2009
The Gulf: The Making of An American Sea – Mar 2018
The Wilder Heart of Florida: More Writers Inspired by Florida Nature (Editor) – Mar 2021
The Bald Eagle: The Improbable Journey of America’s Bird – Mar 2022
Dr. Jimmy Deas (Christian/Inspirational)
Live Oak, FL
Suwannee County
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jimmy.deas.9
Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Jimmy-Deas/author/B087QXKRPH
Dr. Jimmy Deas is a Live Oak pastor and author whose books reflect a life of faith, community ministry, and storytelling rooted in the Suwannee River region. He was featured in Year 2, Episode 8 of the North Florida Writers Tour podcast. Publishing consistently since 2019, he has built one of the more substantial catalogs among Suwannee County authors.
A Teacher’s Gift and Other Stories – Jan 2019
Ran Like Joseph – Feb 2019
The Jonah Trait: A fresh look at an intriguing book – Aug 2019
Just a Dog and Other Stories – Nov 2019
Just Have Faith – Mar 2020
Prodigal Sons – Sept 2020
Mama Said: Stories of Life, Love, and Laughter – Mar 2022
Ripples: A Mark Thomas Novel – Sept 2022
Let Me Tell You a Story: A Journey of Life, Love, and Laughter – April 2024
George R. Dekle, Sr. “Bob” (Non-Fiction/True Crime)
Gainesville, FL
Alachua County
Columbia High School graduate, Lake City; University of Florida
Writing Website: http://www.bobdeklebooks.com/
Personal Blog: http://bobdekle.blogspot.com/
Amazon Author Profile: https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B004NK3I7A/allbooks
George R. Dekle Sr. is a retired Florida prosecutor turned prolific author whose books examine landmark criminal cases with the authority of someone who spent decades in the courtroom. His work on Ted Bundy, Abraham Lincoln’s legal career, and historic murder cases has established him as one of the country’s most published authors in the true crime history genre. A Columbia High School graduate from Lake City now based in Gainesville, he brings deep Florida roots to an internationally recognized body of work.
Prosecution Principles: A Clinical Handbook (Coursebook)
The Last Murder: The Investigation, Prosecution, and Execution of Ted Bundy – May 2011
The Case Against Christ: A Critique of the Prosecution of Jesus – Sept 2011
The Killing of Jorm Pelorvis – Aug 2013 – OUT OF PRINT
The Evolution of Chess – Sept 2013
Abraham Lincoln’s Most Famous Case: The Almanac Trial – April 2014
Ted Bundy, Celebrity Slayer (Supplement to The Last Murder) – July 2014
Cross Examination Handbook: Persuasion Strategies and Techniques (Co-Author) – May 2015
The Lindbergh Kidnapping Case: A Critical Analysis of the Trial of Bruno Richard Hauptmann – Sept 2016
Chronicles of Crime and Criminals: Thirty-two Years in the Courtroom – Feb 2017
Prairie Defender: The Murder Trials of Abraham Lincoln – May 2017
Six Capsules: The Gilded Age Murder of Helen Potts – 2019
The Lindbergh Kidnapping Case: What the Lawyers Said – Aug 2020
The East River Ripper: The Mysterious 1891 Murder of Old Shakespeare – Aug 2021
A Retired Prosecutor’s Random Thoughts – Sept 2021
Variations on the Theme of Chess – March 2023
Canada’s Greatest Murder Case: The 1891 Prosecution of the Hyams Twins – Jan 2024
Howard Denson [A.K.A. William Howard Denson] (Science Fiction/Historical Mystery/Non-Fiction/Humor)
Jacksonville, FL
Duval County
Website: http://howarddenson.webs.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/howard.denson
Amazon Profile: https://amzn.to/42UxYMf
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/howard-denson-0a60421a/
Howard Denson is among the most prolific authors in the Jacksonville area, writing across science fiction, historical mystery, humor, and nonfiction with equal energy. His Wild-Eyed Moderate essay collections, his long-running Mowbray historical mystery series, and his Fibbles of Quandarica fantasy novellas all demonstrate a writer with an insatiable appetite for storytelling across genres and time periods. His output in 2023 alone included more than half a dozen titles.
The Wild-Eyed Moderate Collections
Shoot-Out with a Wild-Eyed Moderate – 2012
Gunfight with a Wild-Eyed Moderate: On Cowboys, Cowgirls, Penboys, and Chalkers-and-Talkers – 2015
Duel with a Wild-Eyed Moderate: Essays and Opinion – Mar 2018
The Wild-Eyed Moderate Rides Again: Humor and Opinion – Jul 2022 – OUT OF PRINT
The Wrong Stuff: Findings of a Forensic Grammarian (2nd ed.) – Dec 2016
Mowbray and the Sharks, Nazis, and Gangsters Series
Mowbray and the Sharks: Being a Tale of Ghosts, Gangsters, and Nazis (Book 1) – 2015
Mowbray and the Baron: Being a Tale of Ghosts, Crooks, and Social Vampires (Book 2) – 2015
Mowbray and the Wolves: A Novel Set in 1938 Tennessee and New York (Book 3) – Nov 2017
Mowbray and the Catacombs: A Novel (Book 4) – Jul 2019
Mowbray and the Ghosts: Fantasy Novel Set in 1908-1920 (Book 5) – Nov 2023
Mowbray and the Swamp Rats: A Fantasy/Mystery Novel Set in 1927 (Book 6) – Oct 2023
The Fibbles of Quandarica Series
The Princess and Sir Jonathan d’Klutz: Fantasy Fibble No. 1 – Oct 2023
The Horrible Adventures of Princess Ethel and the Ambassadors: Fantasy Fibble No. 2 – Oct 2023
Private Reuben and His Flighty Battalion: Fantasy Fibble No. 3 – Oct 2023
Murder Most Foul Series
The Case of the Anniversary Libation: A Judah P. Benjamin-Horatio T. Burdette Mystery – 2015
A Grievance with Death: An Edwina Heyward-Bill Tartleton Mystery – Jul 2019
McGregor and the Indians Series
McGregor and the Lost Tribe: A Novel about Scots among the Indians (Book 1) – June 2017
McGregor and the Patriots: A Novel (Book 2) – Mar 2018
The Savage Scot Amid the Redskins and Redcoats: Two Novels about Levi McGregor (Book 3) – Mar 2018
Tales About Lower Appalachia Series
Clare and the Country People and Other Stories: Tales of Lower Appalachia – Dec 2016
The Waldentown Express: A Novel – Feb 2018
The Michelangelo of Marsay: A Contemporary Novel in the Foothills of Appalachia – Feb 2018
Happy Birthday, Authors: Finding Your Place Among Writers – Jan 2017
Parables for Our Vexing Times: For Bubbas Past and Present – Mar 2018
The Rainbow Ranch Series
Wolfram and the Rainbow Ranch: A Novel of the Old West of the 1870s – Mar 2018
From Krakatoa to the Rainbow Ranch: A Novel from the Far East to the Old West – Nov 2023
Grammar Grumbles: Forensic Findings – Oct 2023
Alas, Poor Elvis, I Knew Him, Bubba: Nearing the 50th Anniversary of The Death of The King – Oct 2023
The Flood of Time: A Time-Travel SF Novel – Oct 2023
Wild Bill Rides Again: Humor and Opinion – Nov 2023
Lena Diaz (Romantic Suspense)
St. Augustine, FL
St. Johns County
Website: http://www.lenadiaz.com/index.html
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LenaDiazAuthor
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/diaz2661/
Amaon Author Profile: https://amzn.to/49UwOEn
Lena Diaz is one of North Florida’s most commercially successful romance authors, a St. Augustine writer who has published nearly 40 romantic suspense novels through Harlequin Intrigue and other major publishers. Her series span law enforcement, SWAT teams, wilderness survival, cold case investigations, and now small-town FBI mysteries with her new Mystic Lake Mystery series launching in 2025. With new titles published through 2026, she remains one of the most actively publishing authors in our St. Johns County coverage area.
The Marshals’ Witness – Feb 2013
The Bodyguard – Apr 2014
Morgan Brothers Series
Explosive Attraction – Apr 2013
Undercover Twin – Nov 2013
Deadly Games Series – Available in used paperback editions only
He Kills Me, He Kills Me Not – Sep 2011
Simon Says Die – Apr 2012
Ashes, Ashes, They All Fall Dead – Sept 2013
Take the Key and Lock Her Up – Sept 2014
Marshland Justice Series
Missing in the Glades – Dec 2015
Arresting Developments – Jan 2016
Deep Cover Detective – Aug 2016
Hostage Negotiation – Sep 2016
EXIT Inc Series
EXIT Strategy – Jun 2015
No EXIT – Jan 2016
Final EXIT – Jan 2017
Tennessee SWAT Series
Tennessee Takedown – Jan 2014
Mountain Witness – Feb 2017
Secret Stalker – Mar 2017
Stranded with the Detective – May 2018
SWAT Standoff – Jun 2018
Mighty McKenzies Series
Smoky Mountains Ranger – Mar 2019
Smokies Special Agent – Apr 2019
Conflicting Evidence – Jan 2020
Undercover Rebel – Feb 2020
The Justice Seekers Series
Cowboy Under Fire – Dec 2020
Agent Under Siege – Jan 2021
Killer Conspiracy – May 2021
Deadly Double-Cross – Jun 2021
Tennessee Cold Case Series
Murder on Prescott Mountain – Feb 2022
Serial Slayer Cold Case – Mar 2022
Shrouded in the Smokies – Jul 2023
The Secret She Keeps – Oct 2023
Smoky Mountains Graveyard – Apr 2024
Smoky Mountains Mystery – Oct 2024
Mystic Lake Mystery Series
Hunting the Crossbow Killer (Book 1) – Apr 2025
Vanished in the Mist (Book 2) – Sept 2025
The Lawman’s Deadly Bargain (Book 3) – May 2026
Cold Case Conspiracy (Book 4) – Oct 2026
Victor DiGenti [See also Parker Francis] (Adventure/Mystery Fiction)
Ponte Vedra Beach, FL
St. Johns County
Author Website: https://windrusherhallpress.com/
Amazon Author Profile: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Victor-DiGenti/author/B002VW9GZU
Personal Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/vic.digenti
Victor DiGenti is a Ponte Vedra Beach author best known for his Windrusher series, adventure novels told from the perspective of a lost cat navigating his way home. Beyond fiction, he has collaborated on biographies with veterans, musicians, and adventurers, bringing other people’s extraordinary lives to the page with skill and respect. He also writes under the pen name Parker Francis, listed separately in the directory.
Windrusher Series
Windrusher (Book 1) – 2004
Windrusher and the Cave of Tho-hoth (Book 2) – 2005
Windrusher and the Trail of Fire (Book 3) – 2008
Biographies
We Were Amateur Soldiers (with Martin Olsen) – Feb 2016
Music is My Ticket: The Musical Journey of Bill Prince (with Bill Prince) – Oct 2018
The Last Beach Boy: A True American Story of Life and Adventure (with Robert (Bobby) Solano) – June 2023
Rosey Dow (Romance/Mystery)
Live Oak, FL
Suwannee County
See Lana McAra listing under L and M directory page.
Sharon Drane (Romance)
Jacksonville, FL
Duval County
Website: http://sdraneauthor.blogspot.com/
Personal Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sharon.drane.7
Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B00M9KSW68
Publisher’s Website: https://saltrunpublishing.com/sharon-drane
Sharon Drane is a Jacksonville romance author whose Touch the Sky series was published through Salt Run Publishing between 2014 and 2016. Her blog has been inactive since 2017, but her novels remain available through Amazon and her publisher’s website. She is one of several Jacksonville authors published through the Florida-based Salt Run imprint.
Touch the Sky Series
Touch The Sky (Book 1) – June 2014
Swept Away (Book 2) – Nov 2015
His Wicked Lady (Book 3) – Aug 2016
Trust Your Heart (novella) – No longer available
Frances Driscoll (Poetry/Children’s Fiction)
Atlantic Beach, FL
Duval County
Personal Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/frances.driscoll.9
Amazon Author Profile: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Frances-Driscoll/author/B001KC6L3W
Frances Driscoll is an Atlantic Beach poet and children’s author whose work spans adult poetry collections and picture books. Her 1997 collection The Rape Poems was a significant contribution to the literature of sexual violence and survival; it is now out of print but remains part of her lasting legacy. Her more recent titles show a writer who has continued to find new audiences and new forms.
The Rape Poems – Jan 1997 – OUT OF PRINT
The Swan Boat Ride – Feb 2013
Seaglass Picnic – Dec 2015
