SamiJo is a first-class shenanigator, decorated coddiwompler, narrator, creator, and award-winning author. Among her works are “Abney Kelly & the Yuletide Shenanigans,” a dark YA Fantasy steeped in Pagan lore, and “The Haunt,” a brisk, witty tale about a witch running a haunted bookstore. She earned fourth place in Writer’s Digest’s prestigious annual writing competition for her short story “One Samhain Night.” Additionally, her poem “The Bottom” appeared in Great Plains Medley, an anthology of prose and poetry by North Dakota writers.
Her passion for making the arts accessible led her to co-found the North Dakota Book and Arts Festival in Jamestown, North Dakota. Unlike most events, the festival never charges authors or artists for table space, and admission is free to all. By removing financial barriers, the festival ensures equal opportunities for artists and makes the arts accessible to everyone. She feels privileged to work with co-founders Jill Pfaff (Assistant Director/Outreach Librarian, James River Library System) and Aaron Cloyd (Professor, University of Jamestown) toward this mission. Learn more about the North Dakota Book and Arts Festival here: (5) Facebook
SamiJo lives in North Dakota with her husband and a small menagerie. Most days, she’s at her keyboard creating new worlds and adventures. When she can, she curls up with a book and blanket, enjoys video games, or, if lucky, gathers with friends and family for Dungeons & Dragons.
Follow her on social media—she loves connecting with readers and writers. Join the conversation, share your thoughts, and be part of her creative community. Your support means everything!
Awards
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SamiJo McQuiston is at Chapter 40 Bookshop.
Those are my books!
SamiJo McQuiston
Too often I find myself here, pondering the choices I have made.
SamiJo McQuiston
It has been such an amazing experience working with these phenomenal, funny, and talented authors: Ellie Boese, Aurora Dimitre, Cassie Pettys, Amanda Tolls, and Laurel
SamiJo McQuiston
Normal. Yes, must seem.normal.
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SamiJo McQuiston
Vlad for the win 😂
SamiJo McQuiston
L.K. Kaphengst and I have a surprise. We finished our children’s book! You can grab your copy of a Yuletide Tale on September 8th!
SamiJo McQuiston updated their status.
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Books by SamiJo
Abney Kelly seems like your typical thirteen-year-old trying to find her place in the world. She’s shy, awkward, has no friends, and is bullied constantly. However things are not always as they appear, after being pushed into a clover patch, a creature who says he’s her assigned guardian whisks her off to a school in Tìr na nÓg, called Yule.
Turns out she’s a Changeling, and it’s time she learns what that means. Between making new friends, discovering that all the monsters in her nightmares are real, and starting at a new school, Abney didn’t think life could get any harder as she splits her time between the human and Fae realms.
That is until her house matron warns them about Nicholas Kringle. He is stalking his prey throughout realms and collecting the hearts of those on his so-called nice list. At a New Year’s Eve party, Abney and her new gang use an Ouija board and discover that one of their friends is on Kringle’s list.
Determined to stop their friend’s death, Abney and company set off on a chilly adventure, to try to change fate, but only one thing is for certain… This year they’ll end up on the naughty list or die trying.
My name is Hecate Grimm, and I own a bookshop. It’s pretty average as far as bookstores go. Nothing special to see here, or at least that’s what my regulars believe. They also think I’m a ventriloquist, special effects guru, and dedicated actress.
Clearly, when it was raining brains, the vast majority went out with umbrellas. I’ve told them, time and time again that I’m a witch, and this is a haunted bookstore, which is why it’s called The Haunt.
But no, it’s much easier to believe I wasted time learning to throw my voice and hanging invisible wires all over the place. After all, you’re modern people. How could anything supernatural be going on right under your noses?
Maiden, Mother, and Crone—the stupidity of it makes me sick. I guess you can come in if you must. Look around and actually buy something since you’ve had the audacity to interrupt my book. Just don’t wear out your welcome or waste my time with your idiotic questions. I have fictional characters to get back to, and they’re all more interesting than you.
Collaborations
Titles Come Later: A Collection of Stories is a book of stories written by the members of The Wednesday Writing Club.
The Wednesday Writing Club is a group of friends who decided to start meeting regularly to discuss writing and books. They may get off topic at times and end up laughing a lot, but in the end it always comes back to words and books. They set a goal to write stories for their meetings, which led to them writing more stories than they normally would have. Titles Come Later came from the stories they all wrote for these regular meetings. The title is a nod to the fact that the first drafts of most of their stories were “Untitled.”
This is their first book together.
SamiJo’s Contributions:
How to Catch an Introvert
The Sycamore Tree
The Midnight Hope Farmer
Pink Cookies for Birdie
Five Years
My Poem, The Bottom, is included in this publication, along with other works by talented writers in my area!
