What’s better than a good book? Maybe a good book written by your neighbor. Brew up a batch of your favorite local coffee and get ready to meet your next read, because we’re talking about locally written books in Lakeland, FL.

Pro tip: Stop by these bookstores to find even more options from Lakeland’s local booksellers.

Fiction

"A Forever Kind of Guy" by Barbara Meyers | Release date: Oct. 18, 2011 | This romance novel tells the story of Hayley, her nephew Fletcher, and her new love interest, Ray.
"Dream Weaver" by Sofia Simpson | Release date: March 2, 2014 | Ari is part of a parallel world that teaches humans to dream when romance sparks between her and her best friend.
"Like a Hole in the Water: A Coming of Age Novel" by J. Neil Sherouse | Release date: June 16, 2021 | Set in the 1960s, this coming-of-age tale follows two young boys in the North Florida town of Palatka.
"Monessen Falls" by Greg Burdick | Release date: August 2019 | An architect grapples with his family's past in this play by a local playwright + theatre teacher. Pro tip: Check out Burdick's latest work, "Accommodation," as well.
"Taboo Tech" by Joy V. Smith | Release date: May 21, 2019 | Eighteen year-old Lacie is left in the care of her eccentric space-traveling uncle when her parents head out on an expedition.
"Terra: An Elemental Series" by Sofia Simpson | Release date: January 26, 2023 | Earth Elemental Vela begins to bond with Fire Elemental Linc, but they could be part of a prophecy to unite their warring clans.
"Melanin's Motive" by Abisola Adeyemo | Release date: Feb. 22, 2019 | This PCPS alumnus wrote about protagonist Kemi’s life on the fictional African island of Oloro. Reviewers say this book will keep you guessing through the story’s twists + turns.

Learn something new

"Not by Bread Alone: Taking the F's of Life & Making Them Work for You" by Juli McShay | Release date: March 3, 2023 | Try your hand at globally-inspired recipes by this Lakeland native.
"Day Hustle" by Gianna Rahmani | Release date: Oct. 3, 2022 | Learn how to scale your business and build wealth in this book by a local business owner.
"Ease into Aging" by Dick Hartman | Release date: Jan. 30, 2021 | This book by Winter Haven native Dick Hartman shares tips for mitigating the effects of aging. From retirement readiness to continued self-improvement, Dick explores relevant topics for older adults of all ages.
"Greater Than a Tourist - Lakeland Florida USA: 50 Travel Tips from a Local" by Morgan Brownlee | Release date: April 19, 2022 | Learn Swan City's secrets in this tour guide written by a true Lakelander.
"Human Training: A User Guide to You" by Charles E. McDanal Jr. | Release date: Nov. 15, 2020 | Improve your life with methods for "business adulting" and living with others from this Lakeland leader.
"Millennial Marketing: Engage and Retain the Young Adult Consumer Market" by Deliza Elizee | Release date: July 16, 2018 | Learn the skills required to communicate with young adults using branding + marketing tactics in this informative glimpse into Millennial shopping and communication.
"Our Lakeland: The Other End of Florida Avenue" by Yvonne M. McShay | Release date: 2012 | Read essays, profiles, and interviews about 31 prominent members of Lakeland’s African-American community.

The children’s section at Pressed Books & Coffee features a few of these featured titles. | Photo by LALtoday

For the family

"Goodnight Lakeland" by Ida Mundell and Josh "Bump" Galletta | Release date: Nov. 11, 2020 | This local take on "Goodnight Moon" is a 42-page homage to Swan City featuring illustrations of Lakeland’s most iconic landmarks + small businesses. Pro tip: The creators collaborated again in 2025 for the book "Begin."
"How to Cheer Up Dad" by Fred Koehler | Release date: March 20, 2014 | Fred is also known for his 2018 children’s book "Garbage Island (The Nearly Always Precarious Adventures of Archibald Shrew)" and for winning the Boston Globe-Horn Book Honor Award for his illustrations in "One Day, The End."
"I'm an Airplane Pilot" by Tiffany M. Sutherland | Release date: Nov. 24, 2023 | The two brothers in this book live in a small town and achieve their dreams of becoming pilots together.
"Kyler Treks to Ghana" by Stephanie Claytor and Kat Powell | Release date: Feb. 1, 2022 | In this picture book, an African American family travels to Ghana to learn about their ancestors and history.
"My Little Mockingbird" by Rebekah Firmin | Release date: Feb. 7, 2022 | This children’s book from local illustrator Rebekah Firmin follows a baby mockingbird who is overwhelmed by noise.
"Oh, to Be a Delight" by Anna Rodriguez | Release date: April 21, 2021 | Anna Rodriguez encourages children to be a good example in this book with 100% 5-star ratings on Amazon.
"Phil and The Good-Luck Charm" by Jennifer Audette | Release date: Mar. 13, 2019 | Phil’s summer is consumed by two things: baseball and bar mitzvah lessons. What will happen when the two collide in an unexpected way?
"Strawberry Pickles Vs. Bee-Bo the Rob-ot" by Randy Richburg | Release date: April 26, 2021 | Round up the children for a reading of this illustrated children’s book about bravery and kindness from a local author + artist also responsible for titles like "The Little Star: The Story of Who and What You Are."
"Will You Be My Friend?" By Hunter Blaise | Release date: March 2, 2021 | Hunter Blaise, an author who is legally blind, wrote “Will You Be My Friend?” and other stories about children with different abilities. This particular tale follows the story of a mermaid attempting to befriend a giant bunny who prefers to be alone.

The Lakeland Public Library has an entire collection of locally written books. | Photo by LALtoday

Part of a series

"Dreadgod" by Will Wight | Release date: July 5, 2022 | The eleventh installment of the fantasy series "Cradle," this novel was topping the bestseller charts on Audible + Amazon Kindle in June 2022.
"If You Stay" by Barbara Meyers | Release date: May 1, 2022 | Buckle up for the second installment of the Lakeland author’s "Red Bud, Iowa" series, which tells the tale of a young woman who does whatever it takes to make a new life for her daughter.
"Penalty Box" by Kayla Tirrell | Release date: March 20, 2020 | Fall in love with this soccer-themed romance novel, the first in the "Love in the Arena" series.
"Survival of the Fittest: The Lifeboat Augusta Book 5" by Jamie Beckett | Release date: Oct. 4, 2014 | Beckett’s five-book series revolves around Randy Tagget, the man responsible for saving the human race by creating a new civilization to repopulate the Earth.
"The Eastwood Event" by J.G. Petrichor | Release date: April 4, 2021 | A mysterious mass disappearance, children with special abilities, and an unknown entity in a massive crater are just the beginning of this fantasy novel. The sequel, "On The Road," is also available now.
"The Imaginary Voyages of Edgar Allan Poe" by Dwight L. MacPherson | Release date: March 4, 2019 | There are three volumes in this series of comic books by the team at HP Comics.
"North of the Killing Hand" by Joni M. Fisher | Release date: Oct. 16, 2016 | The first book in the “Compass Crimes” contemporary Christian suspense series follows a young law enforcement officer who must choose between law and revenge.
"Tampa Heat" by Thad Diaz | Release date: May 25, 2023 | A former Tampa firefighter himself, Diaz now writes about the city's "gritty underbelly" from the perspective of a hard-boiled detective in the "Cigar City Files" series.

Personal stories

"Reaching Across the Aisle: Reflections on My Experiences in Politics" by Dennis Ross | Release date: Jan. 16, 2024 | This Lakeland native, Florida congressman, and Southeastern University professor shares his experiences in politics in this memoir.
"1995: Out of the Darkness, into the Light" by Charles R. Sands | Release date: May 31, 2023 | The author of this book wrote about his 11 years in Haiti where he has built two bakeries and helped to feed local children.
"A Boy from Down East" by Larry B. Gray | Release date: March, 5, 2014 | Read this collection of stories about one boy's childhood growing up in rural North Carolina.
"Heaven’s Joy" by Susan McCeldry | Release date: July 9, 2022 | Susan McCeldry’s autobiography documents her journey from one realm of spirituality to another.
"Jimmy Buffett: The Key West Years" by Tom Corcoran | Release date: Nov. 21, 2006 | Lakeland author + photographer Tom Corcoran was Jimmy Buffett’s longtime photographer (and even co-wrote lyrics for “Cuban Crime of Passion”). This photo book includes over three dozen photos from Jimmy’s time in Key West.
"Resolve, Courage, Hope" by Scott Headley with Alison Nissen | Release date: May 19, 2016 | In this true account of what is considered the worst violent spree in Polk County history, Scott and Allison tell the story of regaining one’s sense of self after tragedy.
"Serena Williams: Tennis Champion, Sports Legend, and Cultural Heroine" by Merlisa Lawrence Corbett | Release date: Feb. 15, 2020 | Dubbed as “more than a biography,” former “Sports Illustrated” reporter Merlisa Lawrence Corbett shares the stories behind the legendary tennis player and female icon.
"Success in Exile" by Teresa Vázquez Martínez | Release date: Jan. 1, 2009 | Stories of 25 families fleeing 1970s Cuba are told in this bilingual book of short stories.
"The One Jesus Loves" by Robert Crosby | Release date: March 25, 2014 | This Southeastern University professor, former pastor + conference speaker shares relationship theory and provides personal and reflective opportunities for readers to examine their position of faith.