God is not the author of evil. That was Satan of course. It was man's disobedience to the Lord, in what was the paradise of Eden, that led to the spread of evil in the world.
Lest you think I have all the answers and am just parroting a glib reply, I've pinged pastorbillrandles, the initiator of this thread to get his take.
I'll also add that there's one question I have in terms of evil: What happens when Satan is ultimately vanquished? Is there any chance that a Heavenly being might go rogue again. Presuming that there's free will in Heaven, will its inhabitants be prevented from even considering evil for all of eternity?
Revelation — the separation of the sheep from the goats — forever.
But God created Satan knowing what Satan was going to do, and created Satan anyway. And in doing so, God created evil, the source of evil.
And infinity is a long time. Who knows if there will be another war of angels.
Isaiah 45:7 I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the Lord do all these things.