2026 Festival of Faith and Writing

Kristin Wolden Nitz has written two middle grade novels and one YA cozy mystery. Her first middle grade novel, DEFENDING IRENE,  features an American girl playing on an Italian boys' soccer team. Ms. Nitz's second novel, SAVING THE GRIFFIN, which is also set in Italy, was a nominee for the Kentucky Bluegrass Award and Georgia Book Award. Her young adult mystery, SUSPECT, was nominated to YALSA's Best Fiction for young adults list. It was also selected to the Kansas Reading Circle, The Society of School Librarians International Best Books, and the Keystone State Reading Association YA book award. She's served as an instructor for the Institute of Children's Literature since 2005 in the introductory writing course and novel course.