About Linda F. Radke
PRESIDENT & PUBLISHER
For more than 35 years, Linda F. Radke has helped authors transform ideas into award-winning books. As president of Story Monsters LLC and publisher of Story Monsters Ink® magazine, she is recognized for her expertise in publishing, book marketing, and brand development. Her creativity, innovation, and commitment to excellence have earned widespread recognition, including being named "Book Marketer of the Year" by Book Publicists of Southern California and 2024 Publisher of the Year by the Outstanding Creator Awards.
Photo: Member Photography
Whether working with first-time or bestselling authors, Radke remains committed to one guiding principle: "You can't compromise on quality. Do it right—or don't do it at all."
Radke's publishing journey began with a desire to produce a how-to book to complement the household employment agency she owned. The experience of publishing that first book ignited a passion that led her to change careers. In 1985, she founded Five Star Publications, Inc., which grew into an award-winning publishing company offering editorial, design, marketing, publicity, networking, and event services to help deserving authors gain the visibility they deserve.
A former K–12 special education teacher, Radke has always been passionate about helping children develop a love of reading and writing. She created the Story Monsters Approved! book designation program to recognize children's books that inspire, inform, teach, and entertain. In 2014, she launched Story Monsters Ink® magazine, which has been named among the "Great Magazines for Kids and Teens" by School Library Journal. Building on the success of the Story Monsters brand, she founded Story Monsters LLC in 2016, bringing her publishing, marketing, literacy, and educational initiatives together under one umbrella.
Today, Story Monsters LLC offers a wide range of services and programs for authors, educators, librarians, parents, and young readers, including the Dragonfly Book Awards, AuthorBookings.com, School Express Press, Story Monsters Teacher of the Year, professional book reviews, publicity opportunities, and educational resources. The company also features four publishing imprints—Story Monsters Press, Book Street Press, Back2Ink Press, and InkLinks Press—giving authors the flexibility to choose the publishing path that best fits their goals while providing comprehensive marketing and promotional support.
Radke's newest creative venture, Studio Story Monster, began with the production of "The Story Monster Theme Song" and has grown into a full-service multimedia division of Story Monsters LLC. Today, Studio Story Monster creates Little Monster Read-Alongs, original musicals, custom theme songs, book trailers, graphics, and other multimedia projects that bring books and stories to life while helping authors connect with readers in exciting new ways.
Produced by Radke, "The Story Monster Theme Song" features lyrics by children's author Conrad J. Storad, music composed by Zachary (ZR) Simpson, and vocals by Erin Rementer, Leanora Legg, and Miles Rementer. The song is available on major streaming platforms, including Apple Music, Spotify, YouTube, and DistroKid.
Radke is an active member of the Children's Book Council, the Independent Book Publishers Association, the Association for Rural and Small Libraries, and the National Federation of Press Women. Based in Chandler, Arizona, she remains dedicated to promoting literacy, supporting authors, and creating innovative programs that connect books with readers of all ages.
When she's not championing authors and literacy, Radke enjoys camping, photography, and spending time with her family and their German Shepherd, Riley.
Photo: Member Photography
What Folks Are Saying About Linda F. Radke ...
"The fun part of writing this syndicated newspaper column is being able to help my readers and meeting good people, like you. In reality, to your clients, you are more than a businesswoman; you are a gift."
— H. Dennis Beaver, Esq., You and the Law, Times Standard“There is so much good stuff in the marketing plan. It gave me a fresh perspective on things I can/should be doing. The links to awards, bloggers/influencers are invaluable. It saves me so much time researching things. I've started implementing things and am working on some goals for the next 6 months based on it.
I can't tell you how much I've benefited from working with [Story Monsters LLC]. I've been in this industry a long time and have never had the type of collaborative relationship that I have with you and your team. You genuinely care about what's important to me. The quality of the marketing materials your team has done for us and the visibility you've given us through social media are above and beyond what we expected….All the ads, press releases, and email blasts that Story Monsters has created for us have been amazing….Being a small press, it's nice to work with a team that has my back!” — Luana K. Mitten, Publisher, BeaLu Books, LLC
“I wanted to take a moment and thank you for all you do, and all that you have taught me and continue to teach me in my author evolution. I had such a magnificent day yesterday at Remington Elementary School in Potwin, Kansas. It was through your willingness to participate in ARSL that I gained the exposure to the librarian who made this happen. I was asked to do a program for kids from Pre-K to 4th grade, and although daunting at first, it was a blast to evolve and stretch! I watch you do that all the time with how you think, and what you continue to do with Story Monsters...I look forward to working together on new and continued projects in the coming months and to stretching and continuing to grow!”— Pam Saxelby, award-winning author of Josie the Great, Max and Bear, and The Great Grace Escape
“Linda Radke and her team are a great pleasure to work with. On a professional level, they know the 'ins and outs' of book promotion. They don't get stuck. With this team, I learned to expect the unexpected. If one idea didn't work, they would find another one that did. The bottom line: they get results. As an author, I am grateful for what she did, and recommend her services to others who need a winning marketing strategy for their books.”— John Horvat II, author of Return to Order: From a Frenzied Economy to an Organic Christian Society Where We've Been, How We Got Here, and Where We Need to Go
