Loren Steffy

Loren Steffy

Loren Steffy is the author of five books of nonfiction: Deconstructed: An Insider’s View of Illegal Immigration and the Building Trades (with Stan Marek); The Last Trial of T. Boone Pickens (with Chrysta Castañeda); George P. Mitchell: Fracking, Sustainability, and an Unorthodox Quest to Save the Planet; The Man Who Thought Like a Ship; and Drowning in Oil: BP and the Reckless Pursuit of Profit.” He is also the author of a novel, The Big Empty, which combines a sweeping appreciation for history and the struggles of small-town America with an examination of technology and the social and economic changes that come about when the two meet head to head.

Steffy is also a writer-at-large for Texas Monthly and a managing director for the communications firm 30 Point Strategies, where he heads the 30 Point Press publishing imprint. He is the founder of his own imprint, Stoney Creek Publishing, a company committed to stories and narratives from unique voices. Stoney Creek has an award-winning team of editors and designers who are committed to producing high-quality books in less time and with fewer hurdles than traditional publishing.

He writes a regular blog, Loren Steffy’s Writings and Ramblings, which can be viewed through his website at www.lorensteffy.com. He has appeared on CNBC, Fox Business, MSNBC, the BBC and the PBS NewsHour, and is regular guest on local television and radio news programs in Houston.

Prior to his current positions, Steffy was the business columnist for the Houston Chronicle for nine years and his writing has been published in newspapers and other publications nationwide.

Before joining the Chronicle, Steffy was the Dallas bureau chief and a senior writer for Bloomberg News for twelve years. He covered a variety of business topics in Texas and across the country, including the collapse of Enron. His reporting on the demise of Arthur Andersen was selected for the 2003 edition of the “Best Business Stories of the Year.” Before joining Bloomberg, Steffy worked at the Dallas Times Herald, the Dallas Business Journal and the Arlington Daily News.

Steffy holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Texas A&M University. He and his wife, Laura, live in Wimberley, Texas, and share their home with 3 rescue dogs and an ungrateful cat.

Books by Loren Steffy

Deconstructed

By Loren Steffy and Stan Marek

Deconstructed

Deconstructed reveals how decades of immigration policy failures created today’s crisis. Following the Marek family journey from Czech immigrants to major contractors, this definitive account challenges divisive myths and offers a pragmatic blueprint for immigration reform that benefits workers, businesses, and the American economy.

George P. Mitchell

By Loren Steffy

George P. Mitchell

Fracking, Sustainability, and an Unorthodox Quest to Save the Planet

Published by Texas A&M University Press

The first definitive biography of George Mitchell, “the father of fracking,” who perfected drilling techniques that transformed America from being oil-dependent to a major producer. Yet he also created The Woodlands, pioneering sustainable community development. Steffy examines the “Mitchell Paradox”—his conflicting legacy in energy innovation and environmental protection.

The Last Trial of T. Boone Pickens

By Chrysta Castañeda and Loren Steffy

The Last Trial of T. Boone Pickens

Silver Winner — Best New Nonfiction, IBPA’s Ben Franklin Awards

Legendary oilman T. Boone Pickens, cut from a lucrative Permian Basin oil deal, fights back with trial lawyer Chrysta Castañeda. This riveting true story chronicles their billion-dollar courtroom battle against powerful oil industry adversaries, offering an intimate portrait of a business icon’s final fight and the determination required to win.

The Man Who Thought Like a Ship

By Loren Steffy

The Man Who Thought Like a Ship

The first person ever to reconstruct an ancient ship from its sunken fragments, J. Richard Steffy said ships spoke to him. In this biography and adventure story of the highest caliber, learn of Steffy’s unlikely transition from small-town electrician to the world’s leading authority on ancient ships and how he helped build a field of study that continues to harvest new discoveries from the depths of the world’s oceans.

The Big Empty

By Loren Steffy

The Big Empty

Silver Winner — Best New Fiction, IBPA’s Ben Franklin Awards

When a computer chip factory arrives in the West Texas ranch town of Conquistador, worlds collide. Third-generation cowboy Trace Malloy and Silicon Valley executive Blaine Witherspoon clash as drought and cultural tensions ignite. Loren C. Steffy’s The Big Empty explores what families will sacrifice for pride, tradition, and the future.