C J McGroarty

C.J. McGroarty grew up in a small town outside Philadelphia, PA, where history was around every corner. She knew she was a writer early on and made it her life's work. A former reporter for The Philadelphia Inquirer with an MFA in Creative Writing, she has also taught English and writing at the college level.Her fiction and nonfiction has been published in journals and magazines that include The MacGuffin, BloodLotus, Newtopia, The Schuylkill Valley Journal, Dark City Mystery Magazine, Rathalla...See more

C.J. McGroarty grew up in a small town outside Philadelphia, PA, where history was around every corner. She knew she was a writer early on and made it her life's work. A former reporter for The Philadelphia Inquirer with an MFA in Creative Writing, she has also taught English and writing at the college level.Her fiction and nonfiction has been published in journals and magazines that include The MacGuffin, BloodLotus, Newtopia, The Schuylkill Valley Journal, Dark City Mystery Magazine, Rathalla Review, and Toasted Cheese, among others. Her short story "The Dying Season" was nominated for a Pushcart Prize. C.J.'s debut novel, Clara in a Time of War, was published in 2022 by Atmosphere Press. Set in Pennsylvania during the American Revolution, the story features an earthy and determined heroine as well as some of C.J.'s favorite themes, including love, loss, friendship, and courage. Her novel The House on Chambers Road, a paranormal mystery, is forthcoming from Literary Wanderlust.When she isn't writing, C.J. enjoys reading, gardening, and scratching her history itch as a tour guide at Historic Waynesborough, the lifelong home of celebrated Revolutionary War General Anthony Wayne. She lives in Chester County with her wonderful husband, Jim, and their indomitable tortoiseshell tabby, Lily. See less