Author of Historical Fiction & Children’s Books
I was born and raised in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and was always interested in the fact that on both my mother’s and father’s sides, all the ancestors that we could identify came from Germany (mainly the south and the border area next to France) in the 1850s-80s. That is a bit unusual in the US, where different ethnicities and nationalities often blend in one or two generations—as my own family has now done. After reviewing our genealogy a few years ago I was inspired to write MAGDA, STANDING loosely based on elements of my ancestry, and key characters are modeled on certain older relatives. I believe that everyone has a tale to tell, and often the best way to start may be at the beginning—where we came from and who we came from. I have also written a sequel novel–MAGDA, CARING–with most of the same characters, set in 1921-23. It will be released by Bold Story Press in late 2026 or early 2027. Watch this space!
After college and grad school at Northwestern University and Princeton University, respectively, I was very fortunate to have had a career as a policy analyst at the World Bank, in Washington, DC — although my written output was economic policy reports in international development, not stories.
My two picture books published in 2025 were inspired by our grandsons, Apollo and Axel. I actually conceived the “tail” stories while a student, but didn’t think to publish them until Apollo started asking for stories.
In retirement I help manage a women’s giving circle that pools funds for nonprofit organizations that support women and families in the Maryland/DC region. Reading, especially historical fiction, has always been my passion, and I love sharing favorite books with friends, as well as pursuing yoga and travel. I live in suburban Maryland with my husband, not far from our son, and try to see our three daughters, two grandsons and granddaughter at opposite ends of the country as much as possible, as well as our granddogs.
Email me at ckessides@gmail.com
