Texas Writers Month: Honoring Bold Voices and Unique Stories

May is Texas Writers Month, and since 1994, it has served as an opportunity to celebrate and honor literary talent from across the state. 

It’s a chance to appreciate the influential authors in your own backyard, as writers from the Lone Star State continue to inspire conversations that shape culture, identity, and change. No matter the genre, niche, or narrative style, picking up a book by a Texas writer helps sustain the state’s already vibrant literary culture and community.

Check out a few Texas writers you don’t want to miss—their work is full of heart, wisdom, and pure creativity. With perspectives from botanists, economists, historians, journalists, comedians, and beyond, there’s a story here for every reader.

Joey Santore – Mission, Concrete Botany

Influencer Joey Santore, referred to as “Botany’s Badass” and host of the podcast Crime Pays but Botany Doesn’t, is known for his unconventional and humorous approach to plant science. He offers a gritty and unapologetic look at the ecological disturbance humans have caused and the solutions that need to come next. Concrete Botany offers a message of resilience and hope, pushing back against the doom-and-gloom tone often present in environmental conversations.

Jon Roberts – Austin, The Cost of Cool

Jon Roberts is an economic development expert and managing director of TIP Strategies, and a former advisor on economic policy for both Texas and Washington. He explains why everyone wants to be Austin, visit Austin, live in Austin. In The Cost of Cool: Austin’s Tech Growth and the People Left Behind, he examines how Austin’s tech boom transformed the city, and what that rapid growth means for affordability, culture, and its citizens.

Matt Evans – Austin, Chomping at the Bit

This memoir, written by an equine veterinarian and stand-up comedian, uses witty humor to illuminate the harsh realities of pursuing a childhood dream. Debut author Matt Evans shares surprising and heartfelt insights into the world of veterinary medicine while offering a universal message. Chomping at the Bit explores themes of perseverance, imposter syndrome, and the importance of finding opportunities for a laugh in high-pressure professions.

Amy Weinland Daughters – Houston, You Cannot Mess This Up 

Amy Weinland Daughters is an award-winning author who gained national attention on The Kelly Clarkson Show. In her novel, You Cannot Mess This Up, a woman ends up back in 1978 and spends 36 hours with her childhood family, reexamining memory, relationships, and second chances.

Joe Battaglia – College Station, Beneath the Rings

Joe Battaglia is an award-winning sports journalist who worked on NBC’s Emmy-winning Olympic coverage and has spent more than two decades in sports media. His novel, Beneath the Rings, is a thriller set during the 2040 Olympics, where a journalist investigates the disappearance of athletes and the secrets hiding within the biggest sporting event in the world.

Lindsay Whorton – Austin, A New School Leadership Architecture

Founder of The Holdsworth Center, Dr. Lindsay Whorton draws on decades of research to redesign school leadership. She confronts the challenges that school systems face today, from teacher burnout to increasingly complex school environments. A New School Leadership Architecture advocates for collaborative leadership roles that empower leaders and students, providing practical steps to implement change.

James Bevill – Houston, Spies in Saigon

Historian James Bevill uncovers the previously classified story of the CIA’s first chief of station in Saigon and America’s earliest covert operations in Vietnam. Drawing from decades-sealed intelligence files and personal archives his family fought to obtain, Spies in Saigon brings new clarity to a largely overlooked chapter in the lead-up to the Vietnam War.

Eric Moyer – Austin, Redeeming Identity

Dr. Eric Moyer dives into why many of us can list our strengths, recite a personality type, or describe our professions yet still struggle to answer the deeper question: “Who am I?” Redeeming Identity pairs psychology with theology, prompting conversations surrounding self-discovery. 

These authors represent the breadth of talent, passion, and intellect of writers throughout the state. Texas Writers Month invites readers to engage more deeply with the stories that enrich our communities, and to honor literature as a tool for self-expression, growth, and understanding. 

________________________________________________________________

Lydia Jacobson is an Assistant Publicist at PR by the Book and a recent graduate of Appalachian State University with a degree in Public Relations. She is passionate about supporting books and authors through her career endeavors.