Meet Lost Lake Erie Author Jennifer Boresz Engelking
Find out how this Willowick, Ohio, native discovered her passion for storytelling and showcasing Lake Erie's legends and lores.
From her childhood in Willowick, Ohio, to a broadcasting career that took her to Toledo, Ohio, and Erie, Pennsylvania, Jennifer Boresz Engelking has lived on — and admired — Lake Erie her whole life.
And that prompted her to start writing books for the History Press. The first, “Hidden History of Lake County, Ohio,” came out in 2021, followed by “Lost Lake County, Ohio” the next year. Her latest, “Lost Lake Erie,” came out at the end of 2023.
“There’s history all around us,” she says. “Sometimes it’s in plain sight; sometimes it’s hidden and most people just don’t know it. It’s fun for me to investigate it and bring it to light.”
Boresz Engelking comes from a storytelling background. As a child, she would make stories for her parents and grandparents for Christmas presents. “I always wanted to be a writer,” she says.
In 2019, she started work on her first book, but publication was delayed due to COVID-19. By the time it came out, she was already working on her second book. And with her third book out, she’s already thinking about the next one, either another volume for the History Press or a work of historical fiction. “Whichever one I can finish first,” she says.
For the latest book, she’s partnered with local retailer Anne Cate, offering a beach read and beach bag deal, with an autographed copy of “Lost Lake Erie” and a custom-designed tote bag.
“We both grew up on the lake, and I called her on a fluke,” she says. “I’m really excited to collaborate with her.”
Stay on top of everything Lake Erie has to offer — all year long — by subscribing to our free The Splash newsletter. It’s your guide to the best food, drinks, parks, beaches, shopping, festivals, music and more.
