About
Phyllis Wheeler set a goal at age 13 to write a children’s book. But it didn’t happen quickly! Life threw in lots of delays.
She’s written for daily newspapers, worked on airplanes as a mechanical engineer, worked as a publisher and editor, and raised four children, doing some homeschooling along the way. Now, finally, she’s writing award-winning time-travel fantasy tales for kids and teens.
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Award-winning author and Jesus follower Phyllis Wheeler has done a little bit of many things. After studying English in college, she worked for five years as a newspaper reporter. Then she went back to school and became a mechanical engineer working in aerospace for seven years.
During her next career as a homeschool mom, she created and self-published a computer-programming curriculum (focusing on fun projects for kids) that won many first-place awards. She picked up her childhood goal of writing a children’s book and learned a lot of writing craft. With a friend she operated a small press for five years, winning several awards.
Her debut middle-grade novel published in 2021 and won a Moonbeam Award and an Purple Dragonfly Award. Since then she has been creating a chapter book series, time-travel fantasy adventure for kids 8-11. The first book in this series, The Dog Snatcher, won a Purple Dragonfly Award, and in addition was a finalist for the prestigious Selah Award for Christian Fiction.
Book 2 is a finalist for the prestigious Selah Award. Book 3 was published in 2024, and Book 4 arrives in 2025.
Phyllis is available for school visits. She likes to teach about storytelling to a variety of ages.
She lives in St. Louis with her husband, keeping tabs occasionally on their four grown children.
Get the prequel to her chapter book series, a short story, when you sign up for her newsletter at https://www.phylliswheeler.com/join-my-newsletter !
Interviews
Listen to a 2025 podcast interview on the Bookworthy Podcast.
Listen to a 2025 podcast interview on Ice Cream With Authors.
Listen to a podcast from Ye Olde Dragons Library. Look for Season 3, Episode 27.
She’s got more to say in this 2023 blog interview.
Speaking, Teaching
Download a high-resolution photo here.
Phyllis gives talks on storytelling and the author life. Contact her to book an outing!
