Here are some of the many McKinnon Press authors who have taken the world by storm after high school:

Kate Shefte – The Universal Editor at the Charlotte Observer and a former contributor to the Independent Weekly and the Technician.

Ike Opara – After winning a national championship as a soccer player at Wake Forest, Ike was drafted #3 in the MLS SuperDraft and currently plays for the San Jose Earthquakes.

G. Yamazawa – The youngest slam poet (along with McKinnon Press alumnus Zak Corsi) to ever make it to the finals of the World Individual Poetry Slam. G is a professional poet who has performed at the Sundance Film Festival and has won the prestigious Southern Fried Poetry Slam, among many other nationally recognized poetry slams.

Andrew Blaylock – Won two national championships as a quarterback for the Florida Gators football program. Andrew was Tim Tebow’s primary back-up.

Siddiq Haynes – Honored as the AFCA Good Works Team Captain during the ESPN College Football Awards program. Also featured on Good Morning America for his work in the Delaware community. Siddiq was an All-CAA Football Second Team defensive lineman at Delaware.

Linnie Green – Contributing writer to the New York Times and GQ. Formerly the Diversions Editor for the Daily Tar Heel and a contributing writer to the recent book 27 Views of Chapel Hill.

Danielle Thorpe – All-American track runner at Appalachian State University.

Erika Stewart – Participated in the 2008 Olympics as a swimmer for the Colombian team. Set several ACC records as an athlete at the University of Virginia.

Emily Palmer – Currently a staff reporter for the New York Times. Emily was a contributing writer for the Carolina Alumni Review and the author of The Gingerbread Philosophy, a novel which was profiled in the Daily Tar Heel.

TJ Thorpe – Freshman All-American football player at the University of North Carolina.