Gift Books by St. Augustine Authors and Books about St. Augustine This Holiday Season

We have a lot of local St. Augustine authors in our beautiful town, and if you are looking for a local gift, want to be inspired, learn more about St. Augustine, or support local authors, take a look at this list of authors from St. Augustine and the surrounding area 

You can find St. Augustine books in every category from contemporary romance to historical fiction, children's books, and much more. 

Do you read books on an e-reader? Or do you like the feel of a book in your hands? These St. Augustine area authors have it all for you. 

Books by St. Augustine authors make great gifts, and you can support local creativity by adding one or more of the books below to your holiday shopping list.   
The St Augustine authors below are just a few of a big list of local area writers. 

St. Augustine Authors

St. Augustine Author L.R. Olson/ Lori Brighton

L.R. Olson has a degree in anthropology and worked as a museum curator. Deciding the people in her imagination were slightly more exciting than the dead things in a museum basement, she set out to become an author. L.R. has lived in the beautiful area of St. Augustine, FL for over a decade where she writes historical and contemporary romance. She also writes romance and young adult books, including her best-selling YA series, “The Mind Readers,” under Lori Brighton.

Find L. R. Olson's historical and contemporary romances here. 

Find Lori Brighton's romance and young adult books here. 

St Augustine Author Tara Lynn Masih

Tara Lynn Masih is a National Jewish Book Award Finalist and winner of the Julia Ward Howe Award for Young Readers for her debut novel My Real Name Is Hanna. Her anthologies include The Rose Metal Press Field Guide to Writing Flash Fiction and The Chalk Circle: Intercultural Prizewinning Essays. 

How We Disappear: Novella & Stories, her latest collection, won a 2022 Florida Book Award, and she’s published multiple chapbooks with the Feral Press that are archived in universities such as Yale and NYU. She founded the Intercultural Essay Prize in 2006 and The Best Small Fictions series in 2015.

My Real Name is Hanna

Hanna Slivka is on the cusp of fourteen when Hitler's army crosses the border into Soviet-occupied Ukraine. Soon, the Gestapo closes in, determined to make the shtetele she lives in "free of Jews." 

Until the German occupation, Hanna spent her time exploring Kwasova with her younger siblings, admiring the drawings of the handsome Leon Stadnick, and helping her neighbor dye decorative pysanky eggs. But now she, Leon, and their families are forced to flee and hide in the forest outside their shtetele--and then in the dark caves beneath the rolling meadows, rumored to harbor evil spirits. 

Underground, they battle sickness and starvation, while the hunt continues above. When Hanna's father disappears, suddenly it's up to Hanna to find him--and to find a way to keep the rest of her family, and friends, alive.

Buy My Real Name is Hanna by Tara Lynn Masih here.

Find all books by Tara Lynn Masih here.

St. Augustine Author Jane Hartenstein

A resident of St. Augustine, historical fiction writer Jane Hartenstein celebrates the unique history of the oldest city in her latest novel, Ancient City Stories. She is also the author of the Voices series based on her thirty years of experience in mental health.

Buy Ancient City Stories by Jane Hartenstein here.
Find all of Jane Hartenstein's books here. 

St. Augustine Author Christina Kaplan 

Christina Kaplan is a new St. Augustine author, who just released her first book Whispers of the Castillo. 

Whispers of The Castillo

A young woman in 1715 named Maria Dominio finds herself in St. Augustine, Florida after surviving a catastrophic shipwreck. Her journey was a chance at a new life with the love of her life, Michael, far and free from the loan shark hell-bent on killing them for breaking off an arranged marriage to his nephew. 

Maria, lost and alone in the new world, is rescued by an honorable soldier and his wife, who, along with a colorful collection of characters, will help her reunite with her lost love, Michael, and uncover secrets and desires among the whispers of the Castillo. 

Maria's dramatic and romantic adventure will bring her face to face with pirates, soldiers, hidden treasures, and within the grasp of a vengeful loan shark. Will these challenges dash her chances at freedom, or will she uncover the greatest treasure of all?

Buy Whispers of The Castillo by Christina Kaplan here. 

St. Augustine Author Madeline Martin

Madeline Martin is a bestselling New York Times author. She writes historical fiction and romance, and she has published 39 books with more on the way.

Madeline Martin's latest book is The Booklover's Library: A heartwarming WWII historical fiction novel.

You can buy Madeline Martin's The Booklover's Library here.

You can find All Madeline Martin's books here. 

Local St. Augustine Author Eleanor Tremayne

Eleanor Tremayne, a local writer from Saint Augustine, has written seven novels, including the bestselling historical Seven Days in Lebanon, honoring her grandmother’s exile from Bolshevik Russia in 1917 and marriage to the last Prince of Khiva. 

Recently Eleanor has converted her novel, Saint Augustine Sisterhood, to a play script, Saint Augustine Sisterhood at the Enchanted Grove, to be staged at the Limelight Theatre in March 2025.

You can buy Saint Augustine Sisterhood by Eleanor Tremayne here.  

You can buy Seven Days in Lebanon here.

Find all books by Eleanor Tremayne here.

 

St. Augustine Author Tracy Upchurch

Tracy Upchurch, St. Augustine's former mayor is now a published author. 

Buy The Road to Picolata by Tracy Upchurch here.

St. Augustine Author Ashley McConnell

Meet Ashley: a coastal Floridian who turns everything into a story. Creepy next-door neighbor? That’s a thriller. The ups and downs of corporate life? Perfect rom-com material. Hears a weird sound outside her in-law’s house? Another thriller. She’s a Product Owner by day, keeping tasks on track and her team productive. By night, she’s scribbling away on random notepads and furiously typing on Word docs, transforming everyday experiences into captivating tales.

In this feel-good holiday story set in a charming Southern coastal town, busy business owners Blythe and Charlie set out for a much-needed weekend getaway. Their carefully planned trip takes an unexpected turn, leading to a night of wild adventures, spontaneous decisions, and unforgettable moments. Through the laughter and mishaps, they rediscover what truly matters: love, spontaneity, and embracing the unexpected. Tides and Tidings is a heartwarming, humorous romance perfect for anyone seeking a joyful escape.

You can buy the most recent release Tides and Tidings by Ashley McConnell here.

You can find all books by Ashley McConnell here.

 

St. Augustine Author N. Jane Quackenbush

N. Jane Quackenbush is a multi-genre author writing children's books to YA. You can often find her at the St. Augustine Amphitheater farmer's market on Saturdays, where she has a booth selling her books. 

Dee and Orbit's Out of This World Romance: A Sweet & Spacey Coming of Age Love Story.

"If you're looking for something out of the ordinary this is the book for you. It's been called, The Space Between Us meets Contact with all the “feels” of The Notebook," says Quackenbush about her latest novel. 

You can buy this romance by N. Jane Quackenbush here. 

 

Buy The Afternoon Moon by N. Jane Quackenbush here.

Find all books by N. Jane Quackenbush here. 

St. Augustine Author Warren Clark

Warren Clark is a talented artist-activist. His newest book, ‘Light One Candle’, tells the stories of people who chose to light one candle rather than curse the darkness. Warren is a leader on social justice issues with Compassionate St. Augustine’s initiative Good Trouble.

The Mystique of Spanish "La Florida" by Dr. Warren Clark. Mystique is the first booklet in the Illustrated Florida History series. Early cartoon-illustrations appeared in over 50 newspapers as Lewis and Clark Explorations of La Florida. It is the creative result of a 40-year collaboration of illustrators and professional Florida historians. 

Buy The Mystique of Spanish La Florida here.

You can find all of Warren Clark's books here. 

Clark has a book signing on Friday the 13th at the Voorhees Mission House in St. Augustine 
Time: 11:45 a.m. - 1 p.m.
Location: 130 Martin Luther King Avenue, St. Augustine, Florida 

This is part of the monthly Community Gathering for Compassionate St. Augustine.

St. Augustine Author Tina Verduzco

Florida Author Tina Verduzco has co-written two St. Augustine-based young adult books she's with Florida author Meghan Richardson. Storm and The Mermaid's Knot and Storm and the Hurricane Lady (Mermaid's Knot Book 2) 

Storm Harn, sixteen, hates having to spend her summer in St. Augustine, Florida. The beachside town is where a freak tropical storm took her mother’s life. Little does Storm know her own life is about to change forever. Resigned to a horrible summer haunted by the past, Storm instead gets drawn into a mythical world she never knew existed.

Buy Storm and the Mermaid's Knot here.

Find all of Tina Verduzco's books here.

Local Author K. Pearson Bradley 

K. Pearson Bradley is the author of the historical fiction adventure series Merchant Tides, which includes the books Tears of Chios and Scions of Smyrna set in Greece and Turkey.  

Buy Tears of Chios here. 
Find all K. Pearson Bradley's books here

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Find more info about St. Augustine authors and stay up-to-date by following Florida Authors and Book Lovers on Instagram, YouTube, and Facebook.

All woman writers in the area are also encouraged to join the St. Augustine Women Writers and Publishing Professionals group on Facebook. 

If you are a local St. Augustine Area author not mentioned in this piece, please feel free to reach out to be added to the list of St. Augustine authors. 

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