about katie

Hello! I’m Katie.

I have been writing since before I can even remember— really!

I wrote my very first story in a spiralbound notebook when I was in Kindergarten, and just kept writing all throughout my childhood and youth. I wrote and illustrated so many stories and books as a kid. Some of my favorites included fan fiction of classic Disney movies and imaginary Pacers vs. Knicks games in the mid-’90s!

I wrote my first novel, Going over Home, while I was student teaching in college and released it in 2012. While that story always has a special place in my heart, it is now out of print. I have written many more books since, and of course am still writing more— particularly as a new student in the Writing for Children & Young Adults MFA program at Spalding University.

I love to learn and write stories from history, especially the seemingly small ones. They are, to me, often the most meaningful stories of all. My writing is very much grounded in Nature. Many times it seems Nature is my co-writer, as I draw on my experiences as a longtime hiker and budding herbalist. As a writer of historical fiction, I see Nature as a beautiful common thread woven throughout our collective history.

I am a late-diagnosed neurodivergent. Like many in my generation, I discovered as an adult that I am both autistic and ADHD. This has led me to new ways of understanding myself and my creativity. Many characters that I write now are also neurodivergent, even if they may not have been able to know this within their historic contexts.

I am a lifelong Hoosier, and live in the heart of Indianapolis, Indiana with my husband Ben and our four kids, plus a number of cats and dogs. You can often find us playing in our backyard, working in our gardens, out on a hiking trail, or camping in our pop-up camper. We are homeschoolers and love to wander and explore the world around us.

While you’re here, be sure to check out my books! And for more news and updates, plus a free short story and a kids’ creative writing activity, feel free to sign up for my monthly newsletter.

Thanks so much for stopping by. See you again soon!

Katie

Short Bio

Katie Andrews Potter is a novelist and poet, the author of imaginative historical fiction for young readers. She finds her inspiration in the stories of the past and the wonders of nature. A lifelong Hoosier, Katie and her family live in Indianapolis, Indiana.

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