She has written five novels: Up Through the Water, Suicide Blonde, Jesus Saves, Milk,[2] and Sister Golden Hair.

[10] She is a graduate of Cave Spring High School, Goucher College, and the University of Virginia, where she received a Master of Fine Arts in creative writing.

[9] She is the author of four novels, Up Through the Water, Suicide Blonde, Jesus Saves, and Milk,[2] and the spiritual memoir Easter Everywhere.

[3] Steinke co-edited the collection of essays Joyful Noise: The New Testament Revisited with Rick Moody.

[18] • "God Is In The House" (2020), an essay about the musician & songwriter Nick Cave, contained in his book "Stranger Than Kindness" (Canongate), published in association with Stranger Than Kindness: The Nick Cave Exhibition, Royal Danish Library, Copenhagen, March 23 – October 3, 2020