About Meg

Meg Cappel is an author, wife and mother of three young children. After fifteen years in advertising, she stepped away from her career to focus on raising her family. Through motherhood, her lifelong love of writing was reimagined in the daily rhythms of sharing stories, teaching lessons and instilling values.

A family of five walking outdoors on a dirt path, holding hands, surrounded by trees. The parents, a woman and a man, are smiling, with the woman carrying a baby and the children walking between them.

Hometown Roots

Meg is originally from Murphysboro, Illinois, a small town in Southern Illinois, about as far south as you can go before reaching Kentucky. Murphysboro is known for its award-winning barbecue, its unmistakable small-town charm, and the Murphysboro Apple Festival, a beloved hometown tradition that has been celebrated for 75 years.

The Origin of her first book

A woman in a strapless red dress waving and smiling from a convertible car during a parade, with a crowd and American flags in the background.

It was during the anticipatory lead-up to the Murphysboro Apple Festival—and one unforgettable bedtime chat with her daughter—that the idea for her first children’s book was born. A simple question about the Apple Festival planted the seed for a story Meg had carried in her heart for years.

Smiling elderly woman wearing glasses and a white jacket sitting next to an elderly man in a tan and orange jacket with a checkered hat, outdoors under a large tree, with other people in the background.

Debut Book

Her first book, inspired by the Murphysboro Apple Festival, is set to launch in August 2026. The story celebrates the magic of small-town rituals, family togetherness and the values that connect generations.

Sunset over a small town with commercial buildings, cars parked, and a water tower in the distance.
A family of five walking on a dirt path in a park during autumn. The woman is holding a baby and holding hands with a young boy, while the man holds hands with a girl. They are surrounded by trees with some leaves fallen.
A woman with dark hair celebrating and lifting a smiling baby boy in a park with trees in the background.

Life Today

Now living in the northwest suburbs of Chicago, Meg treasures her visits back to Murphysboro to see her family and relive her childhood during the festival. Sharing that experience with her own three children has become one of her greatest joys—and the inspiration behind her debut picture book.

Values & Community

Today, when she is not busy raising her three small children, Meg writes children’s books rooted in faith, community and tradition. She is actively involved in Heritage Church, volunteers at her children’s school, and the Barrington Junior Women’s Club.

At the heart of her work is a desire for children to value tradition and purpose, and to recognize that independence does not always require rebellion - sometimes it is found in faithfully walking a well-worn path.

She hopes to help families slow down and celebrate the everyday moments that shape childhood. She lives with her family where life is loud, joyful and often centered around storytime.