What's better than a novel lady? TWO, of course! We're just a couple of Ohio friends teaming up to share our author stories.
About The Novel Ladies
Brenda Haas
Brenda Haas
Brenda Haas
Brenda Haas—author, freelance writer/editor, speaker, and regional photographer—was raised in Coshocton County, Ohio. A graduate of Otterbein University ("College" — 1991), she spent many years working in the nonprofit sector and as a reporter and columnist for Penn Franklin Publishing Company, a Pittsburgh press.
Brenda lives in Lakeside, Ohio, the setting for her debut novel—Finding Sutton’s Choice—released by Ten16 Press in May 2025. The novel received the Gold Literary Titan Book Award (2025) and was recognized as winner of International Impact Book Awards in Aging and Women's Fiction categories (2025).
Brenda's writing has also appeared in Leisure Living Magazine, The Beacon, Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, and My Outer Banks Home magazine, among other publications.
A circa-1870s Chautauqua resort community, Lakeside, Ohio, attracts generations of annual vacationers, artists, and educators.
Brenda is a member of Womens Fiction Writers Association (WFWA) and active locally with her community foundation. In her spare time, she can be found on the water with her husband, giving endless pets to her gregarious Australian Shepherd Joey, and behind the camera as a regional photographer (because Lake Erie is always an inspiration). For info, visit brendahaas.com.
Susan Poole
Brenda Haas
Brenda Haas
Susan Poole was born and raised in Lakewood, Ohio. She graduated from Baldwin-Wallace University and the University of Buffalo School of Law. After a lengthy career in nonprofit administration, she finally got the opportunity to pursue her lifelong passion for writing full-time.
In her fiction, Susan enjoys delving into the moral gray area and is proud to announce that her award-winning debut novel, Out of the Crash, was released in July 2025 by The Wild Rose Press.
Susan's essays have appeared on popular parenting websites, including Grown and Flown and Scary Mommy. Additionally, she has published two nonfiction pieces: a memoir in Neighborhood Voices, an anthology published by Literary Cleveland, and an article about her experiences as a wrestling mom in Grapple Alley.
Susan is an active member of the Women's Fiction Writers Association (WFWA) and received the 2023 WFWA Rising Star Award. When she isn't writing, she enjoys traveling to visit her three adult children and walking her two very needy dogs when she's at home. For info, visit susanpooleauthor.com.
Debut Novels
Finding Sutton's Choice by Brenda Haas
It’s been ten, long years since her abrupt departure, and, with a cryptic voicemail, 28-year-old Pittsburgh writer Charlotte Sutton finds herself back in her hometown of Lakeside, Ohio. Only this time, her estranged father doesn't recognize her, and a surprise half-sibling has taken her place.
Chuck Sutton—newspaper editor, retired baseball player, and the town’s most beloved celebrity—is thought to have Alzheimer’s disease. The community newspaper is also on the verge of closure, and a childhood friend holds a decade-long grudge. Despite all this, there is Lakeside. The quaint waterfront community, flush with ivy-covered cottages and vintage charm, hasn’t changed even as everything else in Charlotte’s life has shifted. She intends to stay only long enough to get her father’s affairs in order.
But, to reconcile her past and unearth family secrets, Charlotte must reconnect with Chuck through his Alzheimer's diagnosis and reevaluate her own misconceptions about growing up in the small Ohio town that still holds her heart.
Out of the Crash by Susan Poole
After a fatal hit-and-run devastates their close-knit community, author Caroline Beasley and high school senior Ethan Shawver find themselves at a crossroads as their lives intertwine in unexpected ways.
Both are left reeling as they try to make sense of the tragedy that has irrevocably changed their families forever.
Caroline struggles with the dark implications of her son's role in the crash, feeling the weight of guilt and despair. Meanwhile, Ethan grapples with the sudden loss of his mother and stumbles upon a disturbing secret that threatens to upend everything he believes.
As they each search for truth and healing, they must confront their deepest fears and regrets to find a way forward.
Because a photo is worth a thousand words
Contact The Novel Ladies
Brenda & Susan... Two writers. Two journeys. Two debut novels.
What's better than a novel lady? TWO, of course! Please reach out to either (or both) of us using the "Contact The Novel Ladies" button or by visiting our individual websites for more information and to follow on socials. Let's connect!
Awarding-winning novels Finding Sutton's Choice and Out of the Crash are great book club discussion picks. Discussion questions are available upon request. We, The Novel Ladies, are also available for individual and joint speaker opportunities.
