Midwest Writers Room

BIO : Bruce Landay writes near future military political techno-thrillers. As a former US Air Force officer, he brings an authentic vibe to his military characters, their mission focus, and internal motivation to defend their core principles and their country. He consults with multiple military experts on his books to get the facts right. Landay also writes a weekly Substack column, Future Trends...

BIO : Katrina worked as a therapist, professor, and researcher in the field of occupational therapy for over two decades. She started poemwalking after a delightful midlife crisis and ended up hiking the entire 1,200 miles of Wisconsin’s Ice Age National Scenic Trail.  Katrina published a chapbook, First Steps (Brain Mill Press, 2025), that won the Brain Mill Press + Wisconsin Fellowship of Poets...

BIO : Brad H. Hill is the author of No One Is Normal: Breaking Free from Normal , a collection of raw and honest short stories exploring struggle, identity, and the pressure to live up to society’s idea of “normal.” Drawing from personal experience and real life observations, Brad writes about adversity, resilience, addiction, personal growth, and the complicated paths people take to find themselv...

BIO: Laurie spent 15 years as the books editor at the Minneapolis Star Tribune (now called the Minnesota Star Tribune) and is the author of News to Me: Adventures of an Accidental Journalist, also published by the University of Minnesota Press and winner of a Minnesota Book Award. She reviews books for the Washington Post and the Boston Globe, and teaches in the MFA in Narrative Nonfiction program...

BIO : Tammy Borden is sought-after speaker and author of Waltraud: A True Story of Growing Up in Nazi Germany, a World War II novel based on her mother’s first-hand accounts as a German girl during one of the darkest chapters in history. As a professional copywriter turned novelist, she also worked in nonprofits for more than 20 years where she helped others tell their stories before pursuing her...

BIO : Geoff grew up in Southwestern Wisconsin playing both football and the cello. He is the author of nine Young Adult novels, a picture book, and a literary novel. He received the Cybils Award for best YA Fiction, the Minnesota Book Award, and the Burr/Worzalla Award from the Wisconsin Library Association.  Geoff’s books have been highlighted by the Junior Library Guild and listed among the year...

Bio:  Jackie Redmer is a family medicine physician who practices geriatrics and palliative care in the Driftless Region of Southwest Wisconsin. She is also the mother of three school-aged daughters.   She started writing poetry during the pandemic to steady herself during the brief pauses of a busy life.  Over the years this has taken on different forms.  Her writing has been published in the Exam...

BIO: Richard is an award-winning writer and longtime morning radio host. He received his Master of Arts degree in Creative Writing from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. Prior to that he studied English Literature and Creative Writing at UW-Stevens Point, winning the English Department Award, the Letters and Science Award, and the Ellen Specht Memorial Award, all while graduating summa cum la...

BIO: Kara is an elementary school teacher by day and a literary agent for 3 Seas Literary Agency by mid-afternoon. She is passionate about championing high-interest, accessible stories that celebrate diverse identities and experiences. Having grown up immersed in the publishing world, Kara developed an early appreciation for the journey from manuscript to bookshelf. She is drawn to heartfelt, auth...

BIO : Sarah, who writes under the pen name, Serra Wildheart, is a multi-genre indie author, speaker, and coach. The Legends of Star Junction series invites readers on an entertaining and insightful journey with captivating characters and mystical allies. She is the managing co-founder of Scribe Hive Publishing, which is a cooperative of indie authors.  LINKS : www.serrawildheart.com https://www.sc...

BIO : Angie is a former pediatrician, mother, and a Wisconsinite from birth. Her interests run the gamut from genealogy to the obsessive collecting of perennials, from pilates to creative napping. Voices is her second book, the first was a work of nonfiction genealogical mystery titled The Accidental Archivist. She is a member of AllWriters Workplace & Workshop and a member of the Door County...

BIO : Mike Barden wrote From Reactive to Resilient because he lived it. After his 25-year marriage ended, his career in ministry dissolved, and his belief system shifted, he found himself wondering, "Who am I now?" The book emerged from his journey through identity crisis—discovering that beneath all the roles and labels, something steady remained - the core self. Mike currently works in...

BIO : Matt Cashion’s fourth book, HOW WE DO THINGS HERE (a finalist in the Flannery O’Connor Award for short fiction) is forthcoming February 17 (Cornerstone Press). His story collection, LAST WORDS OF THE HOLY GHOST won the 2015 Katherine Anne Porter Prize, and his novel, OUR 13th DIVORCE, won the Edna Ferber Prize. Other work appears in The Sun, Cincinnati Review, Willow Springs, Carolina Quarte...

BIO: Michael Carr has a background in editing and writing, and represents writers in a variety of genres, with a special emphasis on historical fiction, mystery and suspense, and science fiction and fantasy. Michael works carefully with clients to produce the cleanest, most professional manuscripts and enjoys teaching at workshops and conferences to help develop emerging writers. He speaks Brazili...

BIO : Ken Humphrey is the author of nine novels in the genres of middle grade, teen reader and adult thriller. His most recent release, The Breakfast Jury, spawned from a Kenosha, WI, murder trial. He served as jury foreman for a man accused of murdering his wife with antifreeze. The result of this experience was a murder mystery that's part Breakfast Club and part John Grisham thriller. Ken...

BIO: Erin has spent the last 29 years in middle school. Yes, by choice. She is a cross categorical teacher specializing in reading, writing, math & social thinking, and an experienced mother of two daughters. She has a master’s degree and is twice National Board certified. Writing has been a lifelong project.   Between the Lines (book one of a three-book series) and Seeing Eye to Eye (book two...

BIO : Today we are interviewing Maggie Ginsberg. Maggie Ginsberg is the author of the novel Still True , published by the University of Wisconsin Press and winner of the Wisconsin Library Association’s 2023 Literary Award for Fiction . Still True was the honorable mention selection for the 2022 Edna Ferber Fiction Book Award , and is the 2026 inaugural pick for the new Wisconsin Libraries’ statewi...

BIO : Sloan Sullivan is a Wisconsin author whose picture book The Blueberries of Life was inspired by real Sunday mornings with her granddaughter Brooklyn and Grandpa Tom and the joy of blueberry pancakes shared around the table. Through her “Blueberry Adventures” series, Sloan celebrates family, gratitude, and the simple traditions that make life sweet. She loves connecting with readers at school...

BIO : Julianne Lepp has a background in finance, game design, and massage therapy. She lives with rheumatoid arthritis and supports those living with chronic illness in many capacities. She has served as the parish minister of the Unitarian Universalist Congregation in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, since 2010 and trained with Meadville Lombard Theological School to become a spiritual director. SYNOPSIS :...

BIO : TK Sheffield, MA, writes stories to laugh and escape, including Nellie’s Island, a children’s horse story set in Mackinac Island available at Island Books. Sheffield’s funny cozy mysteries are The Devil Wears Prada meets a Wisconsin supper club, and they’ve earned an IBPA Humor medal, a Claymore, and an IPPY. She also has a new magical romance series releasing in DECEMBER, THE VALENTINE LINE...

BIO : Steve is the winner of the Rick Bass Montana Prize for Fiction, the Zona Gale Award for Short Fiction, The Great Midwest Writing Contest, the Jade Ring Award, the Wisconsin Academy of Sciences, Arts & Letters Fiction Contest, and the Midwestern Gothic Summer Flash Contest. His fiction has appeared in New Ohio Review, MQR, Whitefish Review, and others. SYNOPSIS : Award-winning writer Stev...

BIO: Pernille Ipsen was professor of gender and women’s studies and history at the University of Wisconsin–Madison for fifteen years and is now a full-time writer. The Danish-language version of this book, Et åbent øjeblik (An open moment), was published in 2020 and was awarded the Montana Prize for literature, one of Denmark’s top literary prizes. She divides her time between Madison and Copenhag...

BIO: Harvey Araton is a longtime sports journalist, a former New York Times columnist and author of 10 books, including Driving Mr. Yogi, a New York Times best-seller, and When The Garden Was Eden, the same title of an ESPN 30for30 documentary, which he co-produced. Araton was inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in 2017 for his work in media. SYNOPSIS: The Goal of the Game is a midd...

BIO : Sarah Jane Peters is a peace and love teacher in Green Bay, WI, licensed counselor, storyteller, musician, and mother of three. Through her practice, she helps families navigate the digital world with presence, emotional connection, and care.  SYNOPSIS : Written with busy caregivers in mind, it offers quick-access tools, age-specific strategies, and reflective prompts that deepen your unders...

BIO :  Dennis McBride is Mayor of Wauwatosa, Wisconsin. He holds a journalism degree from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, a master’s degree in public administration from Princeton University, and a law degree from New York University. He practiced law for 35 years for Boston and Milwaukee law firms and the U.S. government.  A two-time marathon champion, he is a member of the UW-Milwaukee an...