Malcolm O. Varner

Malcolm O. Varner, writer and mental health advocate, resides in Grove City, OH. Malcolm is the author of "Looking Beyond the Storm: Selections of Poetry", "Creating Positive Ripples: 100 Messages of Encouragement", as well as "Looking Beyond the Storm: Now the Rainbow is Out". These three books are primarily dedicated to themes of hope, inspiration, and resilience, particularly in the face of dealing with mental illness. Malcolm's latest book, "Cotton Candy Coated Chocolate Kisses: Black Gay Love Poems" celebrates romance and sensuality between same-gender-loving Black men.

In addition to his self-published work, he has been a contributing writer to the Columbus African American News Journal and TRUTH magazine. Past article topics in these literary outlets have included suicide prevention in Black gay communities, school bullying, and the impact of HIV among Blacks in Franklin County. As a licensed social worker, Malcolm holds a BA from Oberlin College in Religion and MSSA from Case Western Reserve University, where he studied Community and Social Development at the Mandel School of Applied Social Sciences. He was born and raised in Cincinnati, OH by his paternal grandmother, Ellen J. Varner.