Local Authors Craft Novels Across Genres

Iowa City-area writers employ unique strategies to develop plots, settings, and characters in their fiction and nonfiction works.

Jan. 27, 2026 at 9:39pm

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Through epic tales of love, sprawling maps of castles, and endless puzzles of mystery, writers in the Iowa City area are bringing fleshed-out worlds to life using different techniques. While some authors like Sarah Prineas take an organic, discovery-based approach, others such as Tatiana Schlote-Bonne prefer to outline every major story beat. Meanwhile, Joseph LeValley has found that his writing process varies with each new book, and Chloe Angyal has had to adapt her journalistic habits when shifting to fiction. Despite their differences, these local authors share a commitment to the craft and a desire to connect with readers through compelling narratives.

Why it matters

The diverse approaches of these Iowa City-area authors showcase the many ways in which writers can bring their creative visions to life. Their stories and strategies offer insights into the writing process and the unique challenges and rewards of crafting novels across genres, from fantasy and horror to romance and mystery.

The details

Sarah Prineas, a fantasy author living in Iowa City, allows her characters and setting to grow organically as the story comes to her, rather than outlining in advance. Tatiana Schlote-Bonne, a graduate of the University of Iowa's Nonfiction Writing Program, prefers to outline every major story beat before beginning to write, which has proven effective for her published horror novels. Joseph LeValley, a Des Moines-based murder mystery author, has found that his writing process varies with each new book, with some taking just over a month to complete and others taking decades. Chloe Angyal, a romance author based in Iowa City, has had to adapt her journalistic habits when shifting to fiction, finding that the "pantser" approach of her first novel led to missing significant plot points.

  • Prineas has published 14 books, with the second book of her second trilogy being the most difficult to write.
  • Schlote-Bonne's third novel, "What Feeds Below," is set to be released in fall 2026.
  • LeValley's first novel, "Burying the Lede," took 33 years to write, while his second, "Cry from an Unknown Grave," was completed in just over a month.
  • Angyal has written a total of four books, three of which are fictional romance stories and one a nonfiction work about ballet.

The players

Sarah Prineas

A fantasy author living in Iowa City who takes an organic, discovery-based approach to her writing.

Tatiana Schlote-Bonne

A graduate of the University of Iowa's Nonfiction Writing Program who writes horror novels and prefers to outline every major story beat before beginning to write.

Joseph LeValley

A Des Moines-based murder mystery author who has found that his writing process varies with each new book.

Chloe Angyal

A romance author based in Iowa City who has had to adapt her journalistic habits when shifting to fiction.

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What they’re saying

“My characters feel like real people to me, and they come along with their own wants and needs. I don't outline, and I don't know how my books are going to end when I start them.”

— Sarah Prineas

“Usually, when I turn in my manuscripts to my editor, she'd write me these editorial notes for how to revise a book and at the end she would always say, 'but remember it's your book.' Well, for this book, she sent me a long note and basically it said 'you have to rewrite the entire book.'”

— Sarah Prineas

“I was wondering, well, how do I make it matter? How do I make it unique? So I take my external plot, like an evil video game, and build my characters around it.”

— Tatiana Schlote-Bonne

“When I speak to college classes, or whomever, I often say that what you can learn from my writing is there's no one way to do it. My first novel took 33 years to write.”

— Joseph LeValley

“I pantsed my first book, and then I was missing some pretty significant places of plot. I have not pantsed a book since then.”

— Chloe Angyal

The takeaway

The diverse approaches of these Iowa City-area authors showcase the many ways in which writers can bring their creative visions to life, from organic discovery-based methods to meticulous outlining. Their stories and strategies offer valuable insights into the writing process and the unique challenges and rewards of crafting novels across genres.