Keeping literature classrooms vibrant, energized, and current can require supreme pedagogical effort, especially in light of students' sometimes pointed disinterest in traditional and/or canonical texts. Integrating local authors into a standard curriculum can be an effective strategy for invigorating students' interest in literature and helping them connect meaningfully with literary texts. When students recognize familiar locales and real people in the texts of local authors, literary texts almost magically become "living" literature. Additionally, because they are frequently accessible for classroom visits and/or interviews, local authors provide insights into the genesis, development, and impact of literature. All told, as a means of revitalizing teaching, fostering student-centered classroom experiences, and transforming literature into meaningful experience, local authors are a valuable resource for literature classrooms. In this article, the author describes her experiences and many teaching strategies she has used in bringing two local authors to speak with her students.