John Schlimm

John Schlimm believes having fun and being creative flows through his veins as a member of the country’s third-oldest brewing family. Early in his career, he wrote the world’s largest beer cookbook while also honing his skills as a teacher, multimedia artist, and youth/mental health advocate. He has since become the international award-winning author of more than thirty books, including Extraordinary Dogs: Stories from Search and Rescue Dogs, Comfort Dogs, and Other Canine Heroes.

John shared his passion for animals with millions on The Ellen DeGeneres Show when he said, “No living being—human or animal—should ever go through this life unloved.” Likewise, he showed his fun and humorous side as guest bartender on Bravo’s Watch What Happens Live where he served up a high-octane punch. At home in Pennsylvania, John indulges his love for all things spine-tingling by exploring haunted locations, watching scary movies, totally geeking out during Spooky Season, and writing Thriller and Horror novels.

He also works with students and others across the country to create STEAM x Community Service projects. These unique partnerships have included The Smile That Changed the World (is yours), The 988 Coin, and Thumbs Down to Bullying—resulting in 80,000+ pieces of advocacy-driven art being created and distributed—as well as The Gen-Z Time Capsule in collaboration with The Andy Warhol Museum.

When not writing or making art (or ghost hunting!), John volunteers for a number of causes, including mental health, education, and rescue animals.