Meet Grant Overstake
Grant Overstake is a Kansas-based author, journalist, and creative producer whose work explores personal growth, social justice, and emotional resilience—often through the lens of sport and coming-of-age. His novels and audio productions invite reflection, evoke emotion, and resonate across generations.
A graduate of the University of Kansas School of Journalism, Grant began his career as a sportswriter for The Wichita Eagle and later The Miami Herald, covering everything from high school championships to pro sports and long-form features. His reporting earned the William Randolph Hearst Award, often called the “Pulitzer Prize of college journalism.”
Grant’s debut novel, Maggie Vaults Over the Moon, follows a Kansas farm girl who finds strength through pole vaulting after a family tragedy. It received a starred review from Kirkus Reviews, and Olympic gold medalist Katerina Stefanidi wrote the foreword to the second edition.
As an author and teaching artist, Grant has inspired thousands of students through writing workshops and school assemblies focused on resilience and grit.
His second novel, The Real Education of TJ Crowley, set in 1968 Wichita, confronts racism through the eyes of a white teenager coming to terms with hard truths. It was named Book of the Year by the Kansas Authors Club and adapted into a full-cast audio drama, which earned the 2025 Audie Award for Best Young Adult Audiobook.
Grant is the founder of Grain Valley Publishing, an independent press focused on emotionally rich, socially relevant storytelling. He lives in Wichita, Kansas, with his wife, Claire Overstake, an award-winning science educator. They share a deep love of family, the arts, and track and field.
Grant and Claire Overstake
Teaching Artist
Beyond his writing career, Overstake has also dedicated himself to teaching and community service. As a teaching artist, he has presented writing workshops and school assemblies on resilience and grit to thousands of students.
Master’s Athletes
A lifelong athlete, Overstake continues to compete in masters athletics, alongside his wife, Claire, winning multiple awards at state and national levels. Together, they were honored with the "Couples Spirit Award" at the 2020 Virtual Worldwide Masters Athletic Challenge Championships.
ARISE Ensemble
Grant and Claire are also active members of the ARISE Ensemble, a multicultural choir promoting racial harmony and preserving the legacy of negro spirituals. The choir was founded by Josephine Brown, whose family inspired The Real Education of TJ Crowley.