Book Festival 2015

2 | SCENE SPECIAL SECTION | 2015 FOX CITIES BOOK FESTIVAL
EDITOR’S INTRODUCTION
By Donna
Fischer
The theme of the
2015 Fox Cities Book
Festival is: Connect-
ing Writers and Read-
ers. One might shrug
and say, “Both oper-
ate very well on their
own; why connect
them?” One simple
reason might just be
that readers some-
times become writ-
ers, and that with the helpful insights from a pub-
lished author, the road to full – fledged authorship
can be less treacherous. Well, maybe treacherous
sounds too dramatic, but then I’ve heard some wild
stories about the long, arduous process of getting
one’s first book published. Why not take notes from
a fellow writer who has made it from novice to pro-
fessional, from an idea – chaser to a storyteller?
For some, the FCBF is less about getting helpful
hints and more about the fun of meeting that favor-
ite author or authors over the seven - day period. I’ve
had the privilege of communicating with most of
these writers during the past couple of months, and
I am left with a genuine appreciation for the coura-
geous spirit these writers possess. It takes nothing
less than courage to write a book, in my opinion.
Whether it is a highly – researched book or a flight
of fantasy, there is nothing easy about putting the
words together, page after page, until a book takes
shape.
As I’ve said, it’s a privilege for me to help bring you
comments from the writers of the festival. Hopefully,
you’ll enjoy learning what they think about the craft
and the business of writing as much as I do. I’d like to
thank the FCBF board members for their assistance
with this special section. This confluence of authors
in the Fox Cities is so remarkable, and it takes a good
deal of hard work by the board members and volun-
teers to make it operate so seamlessly.
So, get ready for another great FCBF and be sure
to connect with the website for the latest details on
author appearances throughout the week. FoxCities-
BookFestival.org.
The Fox Cities Book Festival is for the Book Lover in All of Us
Fast Service | Digital Printing
In-house Graphic Design
High Impact Color Copies
Personalized Wedding Invitations
Customer Service
Pick
it up
To
m
orrow
534 W. Wisconsin Ave.
Appleton, WI 54915
920.739.5218
instaprintplus.com
Order it
TODAY
Ask
Us
How!

2015 FOX CITIES BOOK FESTIVAL | SCENE SPECIAL SECTION | 3
A Unique Learning Experience for Writers
This April, book lovers will get to
meet the writers behind their favorite
mysteries, romances, biographies, and
moreattheseven–dayliterarybonan-
za known as the Fox Cities Book Festi-
val. Libraries, lecture halls, and coffee
shops will host authors from Wiscon-
sin and many other states. Their pre-
sentations will give us a chance to get
to know them, while providing useful
tips for turning a publishing dream
into reality.
Jeff Kuepper is the Board President
for the FCBF and notes that this fes-
tival is a key opportunity to expand
one’s reading palate. “As in years past,
we’ll be bringing in a wide variety of
authors to the festival,” Kuepper says.
“It’s a chance for readers to connect
with writers. It’s sort of a two – fold
approach. We bring in a lot of au-
thors who are favorites in the area. We
know that by books being sold and
checked out of libraries. It’s a chance
to connect with some of their favorite
authors and ask questions about char-
acters or plotlines. We always try to
look at authors that are new to theVal-
ley that we think are quality authors or
exciting authors to read. It’s a chance
to get exposed to some books that
you haven’t read before. Again, it’s a
combination of some area favorites
and some new people.”
What does it take to follow an idea
through to final publication? Listen
to a writer’s testimonial and find out.
“One of the things we try to do in addi-
tion to having authors talk about their
work is to have them talk about the
creative process. I think that’s good
even if you’re not a writer, just to hear
about how a book develops, and how
the author researches it or develops
their characters. But certainly for as-
piring writers, this is a great opportu-
nity to talk to people who have been
published and have won awards. They
can find out their tricks of the trade.”
The committee for the FCBF sets
out to please as many literary tastes as
possible. “There are so many genres
and niches in writing that obvious-
ly every year we can’t hit every one.
We try to over a period of time cover
as many as possible. Over the length
of the festival we have tried to cover
science fiction, and memoir, and biog-
raphy, and mystery, and history, and
classic literature. I would say that we
strive to hit a wide variety in our au-
dience. If your author wasn’t here this
year, let us know and maybe we can
work him in next year.”
This year’s Fox Cities Reads featured
author is Christina Baker Kline, who
wrote the New York Times’ bestseller,
Orphan Train. Her striking fictional
novel follows two characters from dif-
ferent generations who seek friend-
ship and a way to deal with secrets
in their pasts. This book involves an
overlooked story in U.S. history, the
transportation of a quarter of a mil-
lion orphaned children during the
early years of the twentieth century.
Kuepper is excited about having Kline
share her literary experiences with
readers in the Fox Cities. “We were
struck by the quality of the book,” he
says. “We thought it would appeal
to a wide audience. It’s fiction, but
it’s historical fiction. There are actu-
al ties to the Wisconsin area because
we know that some of the orphans
were brought even into our area, even
though the book is set north of here.
We thought it might touch home for
some folks. There is the concept of
family and adoption. It’s a great read.
High school kids can read it; adults
can read it. We thought it would have
some very broad appeal. It’s been
very popular with book clubs in the
area and the library in the area has re-
ported really strong circulation on the
book so there seemed to be an inter-
est in it. It’s always good to bring in an
author who has the public clamoring
to meet them.”
Another author to note is John Jack-
son Miller, author of four books in the
Star Wars series, among many other
works of fiction and non – fiction. He
has visited the FCBF before and Kuep-
per is happy to have the Wisconsin au-
thor back. “He’s a really engaging au-
thor because he does novels, graphic
novels, and comic books. So he has a
nice breadth. He talks with aspiring
writers about the writing process. We
certainly thought that was a nice tie –
in with the new Star Wars movie com-
ing out.”
Encouraging the writers of tomor-
row is part of the focus of this festival,
and organizers have reached out to
Appleton North High School in an ef-
fort to engage young readers. “We’re
having an honorary school and this
year; it’s Appleton North High School.
We got some suggestions on authors,
some help with marketing end of it.
We want a strong tie with K – 12 and
the universities so this is a way of ex-
panding that a bit.”
Poetry is also an important element
in this festival. Kuepper is proud to
announce that Wisconsin’s Poet Lau-
reate, Kimberly Blaeser will make an
appearance during the week. Student
poets can also get involved in an open
mic opportunity at the Student Poet-
ry Invitational, at Copper Rock Coffee
Company on College Avenue, Apple-
ton.
For Kuepper, the FCBF is the ideal
opportunity for every book lover. “It’s
fun to hear a novelist explain how
they develop characters, and how
their books have evolved. It’s also
fun to see a non – fiction author and
learn how they did their research for
the book. I enjoy not just meeting the
authors and getting turned on to new
books, but hearing them talk about
the writing process and what went
into the book, and what they had in
mind for characters.”
Get the latest information on author
appearances and other festival news
at FoxCitiesBookFestival.org.
Fox Cities Book Festival Board
Jeff Kuepper, president
Kris Clouthier, secretary
Martha Swanson, treasurer
Ruth Bloedow
Colette Lunday Brautigam
Bernard Edmonds
Vicki Lenz
Gail Ondresky
Tasha Saecker
Volunteer Chair
Kris Clouthier
Fundraisers
Gail Ondresky
Ruth Bloedow
Martha Swanson
Lou Hull
Jeff Kuepper
Bernard Edmonds
Webmasters
Anne Paterson
Evan Bend
Authors Committee
Vicki Lenz, chair
Ruth Bloedow
Joe Bongers, Elisha D. Smith Public Library in Menasha
Lou Hull, Appleton Area School District
Karla Huston, Fox Valley Poets
Jeff Kuepper, UW-Fox Valley
Colette Lunday Brautigam, Lawrence University
Amy Mazzariello, Readers Loft Independent Bookstore
Meghan Odegard, Neenah Public Library
Anne Paterson, Outagamie Waupaca Library System
Diana Sandberg, Appleton Public Library
Angela Schneider, Kimberly-Little Chute Public Library
Ashley Thiem Menning, Kaukauna Public Library
Vicki Vogel, Fox River Environmental Education Alliance

2015 Fox Cities Book Festival Schedule of Events
There is no charge to attend these events, with the exception of the pre-festival
play at UW-Fox on April 17, the Happy Hour on Earth Day (Wednesday), and the
Westclectic Music and Poetry Fundraiser on Friday night, April 24, at the Outer-
Edge. Purchase tickets online at FoxCitiesBookFestival.org.
Pre-Festival Event: Tuesday, April 14
6:30 Linda Sue Park – Appleton Public Library
Pre-Festival Event: Friday, April 17
6:00 Playwright Philip Dawkins – UW-Fox, Perry Theater
7:00 Play: Failure: A Love Story by Philip Dawkins UW-Fox, Perry Theater (call
920-832-2646 and say“Book Festival Friend”for a discounted ticket)
Monday, April 20
Noon Jerry Apps – UW-Fox, Union
2:00 Christina Baker Kline (2015 Fox Cities Reads) – Kaukauna High School
4:30 Kathleen Ernst (American Girl books) – Elisha D. Smith Public Library
6:00 Brett Christopherson – Appleton Public Library
6:30 Christina Baker Kline (2015 Fox Cities Reads) – Neenah Public Library
6:30 Raen Smith – Kaukauna Public Library
6:30 Kathleen Ernst (Chloe Ellefson mysteries) – Gerard H. Van Hoof Library
7:00 Lawrence Student Poets Invitational – Copper Rock Coffee Company
(part of Wisconsin Fellowship of Poets series; followed by community open mic)
7:00 Monica Rico – Elisha D. Smith Public Library
7:30 Jessie Garcia – Appleton Public Library
Tuesday, April 21
11:00 Christina Baker Kline (meet the author) – UW-Fox, Perry Hall
Noon Christina Baker Kline (2015 Fox Cities Reads) – UW-Fox, Perry Hall
2:30 Zohra Sarwari – UW-Fox, Room 1346
4:00 Christina Baker Kline (meet the author) – Appleton Public Library
6:30 Christina Baker Kline (2015 Fox Cities Reads) – History Museum
6:30 Jeff Yeager (Money Smart Week event) – Appleton Public Library
6:30 John Ferak – James J. Siebers Memorial Library
6:30 Chad Lewis – Kaukauna Public Library
6:30 Lisa Klarner – Appleton North High School
6:30 Mike McCabe – Elisha D. Smith Public Library
7:00 Julie Mata – Neenah Public Library
7:00 Mill Literary Awards – Appleton Public Library
Wednesday, April 22 (Earth Day)
9:00 KidStage/Fox River Academy: Lorax Program – Fox River Environmental
Education Alliance—Chapel
9:50 Fox River Academy Students:The Canoe Song – Fox River Environmental
Education Alliance—Chapel
10:10 JeffYeager (Money Smart Week event) – Fox River Environmental Educa-
tion Alliance – Chapel
10:10 Stephanie Feuerstein: Butterfly Program – Fox River Environmental Edu-
cation Alliance –Green Room
11:00 to 1:30 Lunch for sale – Fox River Environmental Education Alliance —
Banquet Room
11:00 to 1:30 Children’s crafts from recycled stuff – Fox River Environmental
Education Alliance —Green Room
11:00 to 1:30 Animal exhibit tours – Fox River Environmental Education Alli-
ance —Large Sun Room
11:00 to 2:30 Sierra Club Members: Nature Hikes – Fox River Environmental
Education Alliance —Large Sun Room
11:00 to 2:30 Bird viewing – Fox River Environmental Education Alliance
—2nd Level Towers
Noon Bill Berry – UW-Fox, Perry Hall (sponsored by Wild Ones)
12:30 Dale Laurin – Fox River Environmental Education Alliance – Chapel
12:30 Vicki Vogel: Repurposing with Basic Sewing – Fox River Environmental
Education Alliance – Conference Room
12:30 Water Splash/Water Filtration – Fox River Environmental Education Alli-
ance – –Green Room (Children’s Program & Activities presented by Fox-Wolf Wa-
tershed Alliance)
12:30 Sandy Johnson – Fox River Environmental Education Alliance
1:00 Lorna Landvik – Elisha D. Smith Public Library (sponsored by Women’s
Fund for the Fox Valley Region)
1:00 Martin Brief Exhibit/Gallery Tour – Lawrence University --Wriston Art
Center/Hoffmaster Gallery
1:30 Sara Laux Akin – Appleton Public Library
1:45 Wild Ones Members: Rain Gardens – Fox River Environmental Education
Alliance – Chapel
3:00 Bill Berry – The Wild Center (Wild Ones)
3:30 Richard Logan & Tere Duperrault Fassbender – Fox River Environmental
Education Alliance – Chapel
4:30 to 8:00 Earth Day Happy Hour (for adults) – Fox River Environmental
Education Alliance (entertainment provided by Mile of Music-- admission is free,
refreshments are for sale )
5:30 Karla Huston – Neenah Public Library
5:30 Ace Champion, Cooking Demonstration – UW-Fox, Communication Arts
6:00 Northeast Wisc. Land Trust: Land Stewardship – Fox River Environmental
Education Alliance
6:00 Kay Scholtz – Elisha D. Smith Public Library
6:00 Lorna Landvik – Appleton Public Library (sponsored by Women’s Fund
for the Fox Valley Region)
6:00 Earth Day Sing-Along – The Wild Center (Wild Ones)
6:30 Gavin Schmitt – Kaukauna Public Library
7:00 Judith Waller/Compassion Café – UW-Fox Aylward Gallery
7:00 June Melby – Neenah Public Library
7:30 Harvey J. Kaye – Appleton Public Library

2015 FOX CITIES BOOK FESTIVAL | SCENE SPECIAL SECTION | 5
Thursday, April 23
Noon Nickolas Butler – UW-Fox, Perry Hall
4:00 B. J. Hollars – Neenah Public Library
4:00 Lynne Finch (Money Smart Week Event) – Appleton Public Library
4:30 Cynthia Marie Hoffman – Lawrence University--Wriston Art Center/Hoff-
master Gallery
6:00 Kathy Stewart – Neenah Public Library
6:00 Crystal Chan – Appleton Public Library
6:30 Jacqueline West – James J. Siebers Memorial Library
6:30 Victor Schueller – Kaukauna Public Library
6:30 Steve Hazell – Elisha D. Smith Public Library
7:00 Nickolas Butler – Appleton Public Library
7:30 Steven Brust – Neenah Public Library
Friday, April 24
9:30 Miranda Paul & Isatou Ceesay – Elisha D. Smith Public Library
Noon B. J. Hollars – UW-Fox, Union
Noon Nickolas Butler – Gerard H. Van Hoof Library
1:30 Julie Buckles – Gerard H. Van Hoof Library
1:30 Will Schwalbe – UW-Fox, Perry Hall
3:30 Will Schwalbe – Neenah Public Library
4:30 Douglas Beye Lorie – Appleton Public Library
4:30 Fox Cry Review reading with Sarah Gilbert – UW-Fox, Room 1346
5:00 Kevin Miyazaki & Travis Dewitz – Lawrence University -- Warch Campus
Center Cinema
5:30 Jericho Brown – UW-Fox , Room 1346
7:00 Fundraiser: Westclectic Music & Poetry with Doc Mehl - OuterEdge Stage
$20/person. Purchase tickets online at FoxCitiesBookFestival.org.
Saturday, April 25
9:00 Douglas Beye Lorie – Elisha D. Smith Public Library
9:00 Will Schwalbe (writing workshop) – Atlas Coffee Mill
9:30 Ann Wertz Garvin – Appleton Public Library
9:30 Rachael Hanel – Kaukauna Public Library
10:30 Jericho Brown – Atlas Coffee Mill
10:30 Patricia Skalka – Elisha D. Smith Public Library
11:00 Miranda Paul & Isatou Ceesay – Appleton Public Library
11:00 A. T. Haessly – Kaukauna Public Library
Noon Kimberly Blaeser – Atlas Coffee Mill
1:00 Susan Gloss – Gerard H. Van Hoof Library
1:00 Mike Hoeft – Elisha D. Smith Public Library
1:00 Vivian Probst – Angels Forever - Windows of Light
1:30 Poets Among Us: Cathryn Cofell/Bill Gillard/Megan Gannon – Atlas Cof-
fee Mill
1:30 Mini Comic-Con featuring John Jackson Miller – Appleton Public Library
1:30 Letters about Literature – Neenah Public Library
3:00 Michael Leannah – Elisha D. Smith Public Library
2:00 Wendy McClure & Wendy Wimmer – Roosevelt Middle School
6:00 Steve Hazell (Sing-along) – Wild Center (Wild Ones)
6:30 to 8:30 Poetry Slam – Copper Rock Coffee (audience participation)
Sunday, April 26
1:00 April Henry – Elisha D. Smith Public Library
1:00 Susan Dolan – UW-Fox, Communication Arts Center (sponsored by Com-
munity Health Action Team (CHAT))
1:30 Mary Kubica – Neenah Public Library
2:30 Claudia Turner – Elisha D. Smith Public Library
2:30 Wendy McClure – UW-Fox, Communication Arts Center
3:00 Dale Kushner – Neenah Public Library
4:30 Writers’Panel Discussion – UW-Fox, Communication Arts Center (featur-
ing Dale Kushner, Wendy McClure, and Mary Kubica)
Schedulesubjecttochange. Checkourwebsiteforlatestschedule.
Venues
AngelsForever-WindowsofLight,310W.CollegeAve.,Appleton angelsforever.
com
Appleton North High School, 5000 N. Ballard Rd., Appleton aasd.k12.wi.us/
north
Appleton Public Library, 225 N. Oneida St., Appleton apl.org
Atlas Coffee Mill, 425 W. Water St., Appleton atlascoffeemill.com
CopperRockCoffeeCompany,210W.CollegeAve.,Appleton copperrockcoffee.
com
Elisha D. Smith Public Library, 440 1st
St., Menasha menashalibrary.org
Fox River Environmental Education Alliance, 1000 N. Ballard St., Appleton
foxrivereea.org
Gerard H. Van Hoof Library, 625 Grand Ave., Little Chute kimlit.org
The History Museum at the Castle, 330 E. College, Ave., Appleton
myhistorymuseum.org
James J. Siebers Memorial Library, 515 W. Kimberly Ave., Kimberly kimlit.org
Kaukauna High School, 1701 County Road CE, Kaukauna kaukauna.k12.
wi.us
Kaukauna Public Library, 111 Main Ave., Kaukauna kaukaunalibrary.org
Lawrence University, 711 E. Boldt Way, Appleton lawrence.edu
Neenah Public Library, 240 E. Wisconsin Ave., Neenah neenahlibrary.org
OuterEdgeStage,303N.OneidaSt.,Appleton seeOuterEdgeStageonFacebook
Roosevelt Middle School Commons (southwest corner—go in front doors, go
left), 318 E. Brewster St., Appleton rooseveltmiddleschool.net
University ofWisconsin-FoxValley, 1478 Midway Rd., Menasha uwfox.uwc.edu
TheWildCenter(WildOnes), 2285 Butte des Morts Beach Rd., Neenah wildones.
org
Wriston Art Center/Hoffmaster Gallery, on Lawrence University Campus

Programs for Children andYoung Adults
Tuesday, April 15
6:30 Linda Sue Park (young adults) – Appleton Public Library
Monday, April 20
2:00 Christina Baker Kline (young adults) – Kaukauna High School (public
event)
4:00 Kathleen Ernst (American Girl books) – Elisha D. Smith Public Library in
Menasha
6:30 Christina Baker Kline (young adults) – Neenah Public Library
7:00 LU Student Poets Invitational – Copper Rock Coffee Co. (part ofWiscon-
sin Fellowship of Poets series; followed by community open mic)
Tuesday, April 21
Noon Christina Baker Kline (young adults) – UW-Fox, Perry Hall
6:30 Christina Baker Kline (young adults) – History Museum in Appleton
6:30 Chad Lewis (young adults) – Kaukauna Public Library
Tuesday, April 21
6:30 Lisa Klarner (young adults) – Appleton North High School
Wednesday, April 22 , EARTH DAY
These events are at Fox River Environmental Education Alliance, 1000 N. Ballard
St., Appleton
9:00 Lorax program: KidStage and Fox River Academy Students in the Chapel
10:10 Stephanie Feuerstein: a naturalist discusses animals in the lower level
Green Room
11:00 to 1:30 Lunch for sale in the lower level Banquet Room
11:00 to 1:30 Children’s crafts from recycled stuff in the lower level Green
Room
11:00 to 1:30 Animal exhibit tours in the Sun Room
11:00 to 2:30 Nature hikes, leaving by back door of the Sun Room
11:00 to 2:30 Bird viewing from the second level Towers
12:30 Water Splash Activities: presented by Fox-WolfWatershed Alliance, lower
level Green Room
12:30 Sandy Johnson, author of Wisconsin’s Rock Island, a children’s book
Wednesday, April 22
1:30 Sara Laux Akin (story time & craft) – Appleton Public Library
Thursday, April 23
6:00 Crystal Chan (young adults) – Appleton Public Library
6:30 Jacqueline West (children’s fiction) – James J. Siebers Memorial Library
in Kimberly
Friday, April 24
9:30 Miranda Paul & Isatou Ceesay (story time) – Elisha D. Smith Public Library
Saturday, April 25
11:00 Miranda Paul & Isatou Ceesay (story time) – Appleton Public Library
Sunday, April 26
1:00 April Henry (young adults) – Elisha D. Smith Public Library
Special Events
Fox Cities Reads: Christina Baker Kline, author of Orphan Train, will be here on
Monday and Tuesday. Meet the author of this wonderful community reads book.
See schedule for all events.
Lawrence Students Invitational Poetry Night on Monday night at 7:00 at the
Copper Rock Coffee Company on College Avenue. This event, which will end
with a community open mic for local poets, is part of the Wisconsin Fellowship
Poets Series. See also the Poetry Slam on Saturday night from 6:30 to 8:30 at the
Copper Rock on College Avenue in Appleton. The public is invited to participate.
Mill Literary Awards winners will be announced and honored on Tuesday night,
at 7:00, at Appleton Public Library. At this, the Third Annual Mill Literary Prize
Event, Fox Cities writers will be recognized for their achievements in short fiction
and poetry. In each category, there will be a winner and several honorees, who
will read from their prize winning work.
Money Smart Week events include an appearance of author Jeff Yeager at the
Appleton Public Library onTuesday night and another event at Fox River Environ-
mental Education Alliance on Wednesday morning. Find out more about Money
Smart Week at Money Smart Week Fox Cities on Facebook.
Martin Brief/Wriston Art Galleries Tour at Lawrence University on Wednesday,
April 22, at 1:00 pm – exhibition of Martin Brief artwork, which focuses on lan-
guage, almost to the point of obsessiveness, digging deeper and deeper into the
meaning of words until he has reached the very limits of expression.
Earth Day Celebration see Wednesday, April 22, on schedule.
Compassion for the Earth Compassion Café on Wednesday, April 22, from 6:30
to 8:00 pm. at UW-Fox Communication Arts Building. Compassionate Fox Cities,
a program of Goodwill NCW, in collaboration with Judith Waller and her exhibit
‘Small Problems, Big Trouble’, will facilitate a discussion focused on compassion
for the earth. Compassion Café is modeled on the World Café, a progressive con-
versation featuring facilitated discussion of compelling questions related to the
earth. The Compassion Café will follow a gallery talk with Judith Waller.
Photography Panel: Friday at 5:00, see the work of photographers Kevin Mi-
yazaki & Travis Dewitz in the Lawrence University Warch Campus Center Cinema.
You may have heard Kevin on Wisconsin Public Radio discuss his book Perimeter.
Travis shot the photos for his book Blaze Orange: Whitetail Deer Hunting in Wiscon-
sin. They will discuss their craft.
Westclectic Music & Poetry with Doc Mehl, the Asphalt Cowboy, appearing at
the OuterEdge Stage in Appleton on Friday night. Tickets cost just $20. Purchase
tickets online at FoxCitiesBookFestival.org.
Writers’/Poetry Day on Saturday at the Atlas Coffee Mill down in the locks, start-
ing with Will Schwalbe who will talk about writing and publishing. Poetry events
begin at 10:30 with national award-winning poet Jericho Brown will talk at 10:30.
Wisconsin’s new Poet Laureate Kimberly Blaeser will appear at noon, followed by
other great Wisconsin poets Cathryn Cofell, Megan Gannon, and Bill Gillard.
Mini Comic-Con on Saturday afternoon at the Appleton Public Library: John
Jackson Miller will speak at 1:30 about his latest Star Wars book, and his new Star
Trek book which just came out. He will be followed by a panel on the history of
comics and collection including Zachariah Wilson of Power House Comics.
Letters about Literature on Saturday afternoon at 1:00 at the Neenah Public Li-
brary: The annual Letters about Literature competition gives Wisconsin students
an opportunity to write letters to authors, living or dead, about how a particu-
lar book has affected their lives. Students in grades four through twelve take up
the challenge and compete at three levels: Grades 4-6, Grades 7-8 and Grades
9-12. State awards are presented each April. Wisconsin’s top winners in each of
the three levels are entered into the national competition whose winners are an-
nounced at the National Book Festival in Washington, DC.

2015 FOX CITIES BOOK FESTIVAL | SCENE SPECIAL SECTION | 72015 FOX CITIES BOOK FESTIVAL | SCENE SPECIAL SECTION | 7
AUTHOR BIOS
Jerry Apps
Author of Whispers and Shadows: A Naturalists Memoir
Though he probably would never brag about such
a thing, Jerry Apps is one of the great ambassadors
for the state of Wisconsin. With his agricultural back-
ground and keen interest in a myriad of issues and
themes integral to our state, Apps humbly produces
book after book, each one telling a different tale of life
here. This Professor Emeritus at the University of Wis-
consin-Madison is the author of more than 30 books,
some in fiction, some non – fiction, and some for chil-
dren. Many of them focus on rural history and country
life. His nonfiction books include: Living a Country Year,
Every Farm Tells a Story, When Chores Were Done, Humor
from the Country, Country Ways and Country Days, One-
Room Schools, Cheese, Breweries of Wisconsin, Ringlingville USA (History of Ringling
Brothers circus), Old Farm: A History, Barns of Wisconsin, Horse Drawn Days: A Centu-
ry of Farming With Horses, and Campfires and Loon Calls.
At the Fox Cities Book Festival, Apps will talk about his newest book, Whispers
and Shadows: A Naturalist’s Memoir, along with his novel The Great Sand Fracas
of Ames County. He says that his novel dealing with the controversy over sand
mining has been well received so far. “Feedback from The Great Sand Fracas has
been very positive,” asserts Apps. “The issue of sand mining in Wisconsin is an
important one, and I, in an entertaining way with a focus on story, try to present
several sides to the issue with a focus on the discussion taking place in a small
town in Wisconsin.”
He endeavors to get the conversation, or debate, started. “I certainly hope that
my six novels, each one with an environmental focus, will help the discussion
about environmental issues. Too, often emotion gets in the way of critical, in-
formed thinking and decision - making.”
Apps grew up in Wisconsin, relishing the great outdoors, and hopes to pass on
some of his love of the state’s quiet beauty to others. “My new book, Whispersand
Shadows, is about how I grew up appreciating the out-of-doors, and how my fa-
ther, a farmer with a fifth grade education instilled in me a love for nature. I hope
this book may, in some small way, say something to the younger generation of
the importance of getting outside, working in a garden, hiking in a woods, watch-
ing a sunset, appreciating a rainy day--and learning to listen for the whispers and
look in the shadows. It is in the shadows that we see what others have missed,
and it is in the whispers of sound where often the deeper messages lie.”
Christina Baker Kline
Author of Orphan Train, featured book of Fox Cities Reads
In the early part of the last century, the lack of a structured support system for
orphaned children, particularly in New York City, led to the creation of a program
for transferring children via the rails to Midwestern states, where couples could
adopt them. Christina Baker Kline says she stumbled on the story of the largest
migration of children in United States history over a decade ago. This moment
of chance sparked something in the author that would lead to her #1 New York
Times bestselling book, Orphan Train, and an outpouring of acclaim for her fic-
tional account of this hidden chapter in our country’s history. Kline, an author
of ten books, likes to keep it all in perspective, but she is thrilled that the story is
finally reaching a wide audience.
As with most projects involving complex back-
grounds, Orphan Train didn’t easily jump from idea to
finished book. “It actually took a long time,” Kline re-
ports. “In the intervening seven years before I started
writing the book, I did three other books (two novels
and a non – fiction book) before I was ready to start
this book. It seemed like such a daunting undertaking
because of the historical research, but also because I
am not Midwestern, and I was worried. I felt like an in-
terloper. I’m not from the Midwest, and I knew that
people who had written about this before tend to be
relatives of people who rode on the orphan trains or
historians, and I’m neither of those two things. I finally did enough work on it
that I realized that I was as good a person as any, and I also felt I had learned a lot
about it. Part of the complicated task as I wrote the book was to absorb all of this
historical research but not to try to regurgitate it, but to try to transform it into
something that would be compelling, readable, and a story. I think that’s always
the task when you do a novel that involves a lot of research.”
When it came to research, Kline didn’t flinch from immersing herself in the
background of her story. She read some 300 first – person testimonials and even
interviewed seven living train riders. “It was only by talking to lots of train riders
… it was only by reading a lot of stories and interviewing a lot of people that I felt
like I had a handle on what that was like to be a train rider,”Kline recounts. “A lot
of people who rode on the trains didn’t want to dwell on that, even when they
told their stories they didn’t necessarily explain what it really felt like. It took me
quite a while to wrap my head around that. That was one of the most interesting
aspects of this whole experience was learning how that felt and how to convey
that. It’s one of the reasons that I wrote fiction. I had freedom as a writer to show
what life was like for this character, and that was really exciting.”
How did the train riders themselves feel about this project of Kline’s? “The feed-
back has been really positive. I think that a lot of them and especially the train
riders themselves…. Once they started telling their story, they wanted people
to hear it. I think they understood that this is a story that’s been hidden in plain
sight. So, the more people who know about it -the better. It’s so wonderful that
it’s getting attention. I think people are ready to hear it.”
Some novelists take liberty with historical facts without hesitation. Kline didn’t
feel this was the correct approach for Orphan Train. “Every single fact is accurate;
I did not take liberty with the facts. A lot of novelists are not trying to necessarily
be factually accurate – they’re writing novels. It’s sort of a debate among novel-
ists that if you’re telling a historical story whether you need to be accurate, and a
lot of people don’t feel that you do. But I felt that with this novel in particular that
I had a responsibility to the train riders to be accurate because their story has not
been told in a wide – spread way and I felt that I was lucky to have access to it and
I wanted to be true to their experience, if I could.”
Having Orphan Train reach the #1 spot on the New York Times bestseller list is
no small feat. For Kline though, it’s not something that should overshadow her
career as a writer. “I’ve been writing for a long time; this is my tenth book, my fifth
novel. I’m glad that I had a career as a working writer for all these years and I think
it gives me a kind of perspective. I never expected this to happen. It’s great. It’s
been wonderful, and really surprising, and kind of astounding, but I would have
been perfectly content to be a working writer for the rest of my life in the way
that I’ve always been. I published books and I think my next – biggest selling
book was about 30,000 copies and this book (Orphan Train) is over two million,
and that’s really different. But, I was a working writer, and I had contracts and I
had an editor and I always worked. That was fine as far as I was concerned. It’s

8 | SCENE SPECIAL SECTION | 2015 FOX CITIES BOOK FESTIVAL8 | SCENE SPECIAL SECTION | 2015 FOX CITIES BOOK FESTIVAL
AUTHOR BIOS
lovely and exciting and gratifying that this book has taken off, but I also feel that
if it all went back to the way it was tomorrow I would be okay with it, because the
whole point for me is the writing, and my love of writing and this kind of success
is fantastic but first of all it would probably never happen again, and second, I
don’t mind if it doesn’t. I’ve really enjoyed this but the point of it for me is about
the work, the writing.”
Kline is lingering in the days of the early 1900’s for a bit longer with her next
literary project, inspired by the Andrew Wyeth painting called, Christina’s World.
“It’s just a very interesting story and it’s been tremendously fun to research,”
Kline says. “It’s a different kind of research and it’s about making art. It’s not an
entirely shocking departure because the woman in the painting lived exactly at
the same thatVivian lived, so all that research that I did about America in the 20th
century is research that I can use again.”
Kline will be participating in the Fox Cities Book Festival several times through-
out the week. She plans to bring a slide show with archival photographs, in-
cluding some from the Library of Congress. Orphan Train has been selected as
the feature book for the Fox Cities Reads program, which involves a variety of
interactive events for the author.
To learn more about Orphan Train, or other books written by the author, go to
ChristinaBakerKline.com.
Jericho BrownJericho Brown, born Nelson Demery, III, is an Ameri-
can poet. In 2011, he was awarded a National Endow-
ment for the Arts Fellowship for Poetry.
Brown was raised in Shreveport, Louisiana. He grad-
uated from Dillard University, and from the University
of New Orleans with an MFA, and from the University of
Houston with a Ph.D.
He taught at the University of San Diego until 2012,
when he became a professor at Emory University. Pre-
viously worked as the speechwriter for the Mayor of
New Orleans.
His poems have appeared in The Iowa Review, jubi-
lat, The Nation, New England Review, The New Republic, Oxford American, The
New Yorker, and The Best American Poetry. He serves as an Assistant Editor at
Callaloo. His first book, Please, (New Issues Poetry & Prose, 2008) won the Amer-
ican Book Award. His most recent book of poetry, The New Testament, (Copper
Canyon Press, 2014) continues his examination of race, masculinity and sexuality,
often returning to the stories of the Bible.
Steven Brust
Author of “Taltos” novels, among others
Steven Brust is clearly comfortable working within the literary environment of
fantastical, deeply layered stories involving an immense range of characters. He
began writing novels in 1983 with, “Jhereg” and hasn’t let up since. Last year’s
release of,“The Incrementalists,”takes readers down a slightly more recognizable
rabbit hole, with a dizzying mixture of secret societies, murder, and immortality.
It’s also set in Las Vegas. One gets the idea that crafting complex, mysterious
tales, set in this world or another, is an irresistible thrill for Brust.
It’s tempting to assume there might be more free-
dom for a writer when the parameters of what is and
is not Earthly reality fall by the wayside. But, as in most
literary endeavors, it’s never that simple. “The thing is,
you start out with a world that’s constructed according
to your taste, a place that permits you to tell the sort of
stories you want to tell,” explains Brust. “As time goes
on, you find those early decisions more and more re-
stricting--you can’t go and drastically violate the laws
of nature you’ve carefully set up, or people will look
at you funny. And, here’s the thing, I’m finding the re-
strictions are more and more where the fun is -- or, if
you will, the creativity. How should I put this? It isn’t so much that the earlier
decisions prevent me from “this” as that they keep suggesting “that.” I’m always
discovering new, unexplored streets I can walk down, streets that I didn’t realized
I’d put there. It’s fun.”
Brust has written two extensive series of novels set in the world of Dragaera,
plus other novels and a long list of short stories. One would think his fingers
have not left the keyboard since the early‘80’s. “First of all, I wouldn’t call it work,
I’d call it play -- after all, I’m telling myself a story, right? I like the stories I tell. It
turns out that I’m the perfect audience for them. As for how long, I guess usually
three to six months, but it’s taken as long as 18 months, and twice I did a draft in
six weeks; I have no idea how that happened. One thing I learned is that, after I
finish a book, I need to give myself a break, because I’m not going to get anything
useful done anyway. Then, once I get a piece of story that won’t let go--usually an
opening line, or maybe a bit of plot from somewhere in the middle, or perhaps a
title that inspires all sorts of possibilities -- I start slowly. Maybe a sentence or two
a day. As the story builds, I do more and more, and generally the last couple of
chapters come in a rush as I need to find out what happens.”
Brust has come to appreciate working with fellow writers on novels. “I’ve col-
laborated with Skyler on a second one now, and I’ve also written books with Me-
gan Lindholm and Emma Bull, and they were all such wonderful experiences that,
sure, if something came up that made me think of someone, I could see doing it.
I’m kicking one around with Will Shetterly at the moment.”
Like something that Brust wrote? Send him a Tweet! “I get praise that way,”he
says. “And who doesn’t like praise? Useful feedback I get from my editors, from
my critique group, and from select individuals I trust. Twitter is just plain fun,
because it zings by so fast. It’s like the notes on a banjo--no sustain. And that
often suits my mood, because I’ll think of a line that strikes me as funny, but has
nowhere to go, and now I have outlet for it so I don’t have to interrupt one of my
housemates--though I usually do that too.”
Brust just keeps turning out more intrigue, mystery and suspense. “Well, the
second Incrementalists novel is finished in draft, and we’re now going through
the editorial process with it, so I imagine it’ll be out in a year or so. I can’t describe
how much I love those books, that world. I’m also working on anotherVlad novel,
Vallista, which takes place right before Hawk. It’s going more slowly than I’d like,
but somehow it’s fun anyway.”
Julie Buckles
Author of Paddling to Winter: A Couple’s Wilderness Journey
from Lake Superior to Northern Canada
Not long ago, Julie Buckles took off on a 1,700 – mile canoe trip with her new
husband through Lake Superior and into remote wilderness areas of Canada. The

AUTHOR BIOS
subsequent book is called, Paddling to Winter: A Cou-
ple’s Wilderness Journey from Lake Superior to North-
ern Canada, and it has captured attention for its candid
take on modern – day adventures and marriage. The
book was recently awarded the Next Generation Indie
Award, the Independent Publishers Award, the Fore-
word Book of the Year in Adventure and the Eric Hof-
fer da Vinci Eye Award for cover design. Buckles was
a reporter and freelance writer and as an adjunct pro-
fessor at Northland College, where she currently works
in the communications office as the public and media
relations specialist. She is a regular contributor to Lake
Superior Magazine and WPR’s Wisconsin Life.
The enthusiastic response to her book had Buckles feeling glad she took the
effort to put her experiences down for others to discover. “I had my head so deep
into writing the book and into working with the publisher to get it into print,
that I had not thought about what comes next. Well, what comes next is string
of fantastic surprises. I’ve had people contact me from Canada, the United States
and even New Zealand who have felt a strong connection to Paddling to Win-
ter. Just last week, a gentleman found my book at Robertson’s Trading Post in
LaRonge, Canada. I can safely say, you cannot shop any further north in Canada.
Robertson’s is this super cool old-fashioned trading post filled with furs from lo-
cal trappers, artistry, crafts, food, gear, supplies. This guy was in the north, his
plane was delayed so he spent an afternoon at Robertson’s and found my book.
He ended his email, ‘I was so glad I bought the book, and am happy for how
that winter had brought you into that world, which once was my world.’ I think
there are some of us that, having been in the North, we never completely leave
it, and it never completely leaves us. In short, every time I get a comment from a
young person about how I inspired them to take a wilderness trip or from some-
one older who once passed through Wollaston and wondered more about it -- I
get a jolt of adrenaline. I wrote this book in isolation for the most part -- but now
it has become a community affair, filled with life, depth, laugher, and memories.”
And just like a trip into the wilderness, this book found it’s way to comple-
tion, step – by – step. “The book started as a few random chapters that naturally
evolved into a book,” explains Buckles. “I didn’t have a strong idea that it would
be a book. In fact, I started graduate school at Antioch (for a MFA in Creative Writ-
ing) with the goal that I would not write about The Trip. Seems strange to set that
as a goal, but I had spent much of my 30’s planning for, packing for, and then pad-
dling -- I wanted to think and write about something else. But then I wrote an es-
say and it was that essay the elicited the most questions. So I wrote another essay.
And the same thing happened.The essays started to look like book chapters and I
realized it was a story that needed and deserved the length of a book. I spent my
last semester writing the first half of the book, then took six months afterwards
to write the second half. I had never taken time to reflect on what the journey
meant -- we returned and jumped back into our lives, and never really looked
back. The writing process really became the time for reflection, allowing me to
look back and to realize what an amazing thing it was. Going out and talking
about the story then took reflection to another level.”
Sharing private observations of family life is a daring step for any writer. Buck-
les seems to have struck gold with her good – natured husband. “Charly was with
me all the way. He never flinched. In one writer’s group session in grad school,
someone commented that it felt as if I was writing with someone looking over my
shoulder. Charly was never literally looking over my shoulder, but he was always
in my head. So, I had to excise him mentally so I could write my book rather than
our book. I announced this to him and as always, he shrugged and said, ‘fine.’
He’s great with the way I portrayed him -- even the less flattering moments. I was
probably more worried about my parents’reactions.They are such private people
but they were so much a part of our trip that I had to flesh them out. They never
flinched either, at least in front of me. My dad said he was so nervous for us that
he couldn’t enjoy the first time he read the book. And obviously he knew how it
turned out.”
The Buckles have turned their adventurous minds to the world of sled dogs
upon finishing their journey. “I’ve not written much about dog sledding mostly
because it’s hard to do when you’re in the middle of it. But now that we’re slowly
ending a very long run with the team, I’ve been feeling nostalgic and wanting to
explore what it meant to our marriage, our family, and our life to have a dozen Si-
berian huskies in our lives at any one time. Plus, we’ve been on many adventures
with them.”
Buckles says she’s finding a tricky time getting this new story to fit within a nat-
ural structure, as with Paddling to Winter, but that she’s having fun with it none-
theless.
Nickolas Butler
Author of Shotgun Lovesongs
Nickolas Butler set his first novel, Shotgun Lovesongs,
in a small Wisconsin town. A group of friends with a
shared past feel the pull from the town and from each
other, even after they’ve moved on. A New York Times
review called the work a “big-hearted book” that is
“impressively original.” High marks from one of the na-
tion’s leaders in book reviews, and one sure that will
help the novel reach a wider audience. Butler says that
reviews are just opinions and it’s important to keep it
all in perspective. “Good reviews are always rewarding,
I suppose, but you can’t take reviews very seriously,”he
asserts. “You have to write or create art for yourself, without a thought to critical
considerations. I’ve gotten some pretty mean reviews too. Everyone has an opin-
ion, and that’s just fine.”
Shotgun Lovesong took Butler two years of constant writing, and an additional
year of editing. As a married father of two young children, he works during the
late evening hours, after every one goes to sleep. “I try to write every day, but
that’s not always possible,” Butler says. “I might be traveling or focused on my
kids or reading another writer’s work and trying to get them feedback. I’m not
sure I’m“highly disciplined”, but I also think that being a good father and husband
and friend and brother and son are frankly more important than writing fiction.”
Butler was born in Allentown, Pennsylvania, and raised in Eau Claire,Wisconsin.
He earned his BA from UW – Madison, and an MFA from the University of Iowa
Writers Workshop. His writing has appeared or is forthcoming in The Progres-
sive, The Christian Science Monitor, Ploughshares, Narrative, The Kenyon Review
Online, Isthmus, Roast, Wisconsin State Journal, Madison Magazine, New Verse
News, PANK, Volume One, Wisconsin People & Ideas, Sixth Finch, terrain.org, The
Lumberyard, and Fresh Cup. He currently lives in rural Wisconsin. With his next
book entitled, Beneath the Bonfire due out in May of this year, Butler says he is
busy with a lot of projects, but hopes to see a third book out before too long.

AUTHOR BIOS
Crystal Chan
Author of Bird
Growing up is never a painless process, but grow-
ing up as a mixed – race child in the Midwest makes
finding one’s place in the world uniquely complex.
Crystal Chan says there is a lot of herself in her book,
Bird. It has reached countless readers in nine countries
through its tale of loss and discovery, and has garnered
high praise along the way. She’ll share this and more
when she makes an appearance at the Fox Cities Book
Festival. “I’ll talk a bit about my writer’s journey: how I
was“supposed”to be a doctor, lawyer, or engineer and
somehow ended up a children’s writer and storyteller
for adults and kids alike – integral to that story is the
process by which I learned how to claim my voice,”
Chan says. “Specific to my novel Bird, I’ll talk about the process that took me from
initial inspiration to landing one of the best agents in the industry; having Bird be
welcomed in, trumpets blaring, at Simon and Schuster; and then being published
in nine countries around the world.”
Chan, who now calls Chicago home, reports that she simply didn’t know any
other mixed – race families when she grew up in Oshkosh during the 1980’s and
1990’s. “But beyond race and ethnicity, everyone questions who they are and
where they fit in in the world, and that’s one of the strengths of the novel – that
no matter what the reader’s background is, you can relate. That’s one of the rea-
sons why I think it’s sold so strong internationally, too.”
When a writer brings in shades of his or her past, sometimes there needs to be
a bit of distance from the biographical details. “I wanted to write about a mixed-
race family, but I didn’t want it to be my mix (Chinese/White) – that would be a
little too close to home, and I needed some creative distance,”Chan admits. “I had
to do a lot of research, then, on both Jamaica and Mexico, but Jewel’s experience
of being mixed – how people respond to her, how they question her – I could
identify with very closely.”
Young readers have thoroughly embraced Bird. “I’ve found that kids love Jewel
and John, and they love how some of the adults in the story change over time,
too. The story surprises them: both with the plot as well as with the characters.
And they become curious about the different elements in the book: love of na-
ture and the outdoors, curiosity about other cultures, and even curiosity about
silence. One young girl, after reading the book, said that she was the loudest
kid she knew, but after reading the book she thought she’d give silence a try. I
thought that was a high compliment, indeed!”
Choosing a young girl for her book’s central character was more of a impulse
than a careful decision for Chan. “This girl’s voice was speaking to me, telling me
her story – I guess that’s okay to admit publicly, since I’m a writer. But seriously,
Bird has some pretty sophisticated material in it, which is why adults really enjoy
the book, too. In fact, I get some really strong responses from adults – this one
guy in Germany climbed a tree with my book in hand (the kids in the book climb
trees)…and he was sixty years old! In the U.S., though, it is for middle school kids
– although my UK publisher put Bird for teens, which is interesting. In the book,
Jewel, the protagonist, is twelve years old, and so is her best friend, John. I think
that kids in middle school are starting to approach the world with a unique per-
spective – on the one hand, they’re starting to see all that’s broken in the world,
and on the other hand, they still know what the magical and the fantastical feels
like. One foot in each world. One of my mottos is never to underestimate the
depth of kids’understanding and questioning. Never. And so I wrote a book that
underscores that belief.”
Chan reports that she is at work on another novel aimed at middle – grade
readers. She’s also busy visiting schools and making the festival circuit. She’s
surprised that in 2015 people still get asked,“What are you?”in a clumsy attempt
to learn more about a person’s heritage. She says that living in Chicago with all
its diversity means she doesn’t face questions like that very much anymore, but
that level of insensitivity never really seems to disappear. “I’m active on Face-
book groups where mixed-race people talk about receiving questions like this,
so I know it still happens, and all the time. When I do get the question, I feel frus-
trated, unseen, and sad. There’s so much more to people than the labels society
gives us, whether they be gender, race, whatever. And that’s another reason why
I wrote Bird – to explore beyond labels, to discover those qualities that are both
unique and universal within each one of us.”
Brett Christopherson
Author of Over and Back - Mickey Crowe The Strange and
Troubled Life of a Wisconsin High School Basketball Legend
Brett Christopherson reports for Post – Crescent
Media, specializing in digital content and sports, and
in 2013 published what has to be a dream project for
any sports enthusiast. Over and Back - Mickey Crowe
The Strange and Troubled Life of a Wisconsin High School
Basketball Legend follows the rise and fall of a Wiscon-
sin high school basketball star. Christopherson spoke
with family and friends of Crowe, and plowed through
piles of old newspaper articles in an attempt to cap-
ture the most comprehensive report of Crowe’s sto-
ry. He’ll share that process with folks at the Fox Cities
Book Festival this April. “I’ll be discussing the legend
of Mickey Crowe, his continued relevance among Wis-
consin sports icons despite him achieving his fame during a high school career
that ended 40 years ago, his debilitating fall as he dealt with mental illness, de-
pression, drugs and alcohol and how the book project served as a source of ther-
apy,” says Christopherson. “Opening up and telling his story has helped Mickey
achieve a sense of inner peace and closure as he continues to shift his life from
– in his words –‘drift to direction.’”
What began as a feature story for his paper evolved into a full – fledged book
– writing endeavor. “I’ve always been enamored with sports history and biogra-
phies and had heard about the Crowe legend while growing up in Wisconsin. I
always wondered what had happened to him, so I reached out to a family friend
and arranged a face-to-face interview in Mickey’s hometown of Eau Claire. We
ended up having a great two-hour conversation, and I turned the meeting into a
sports feature that ran in The Post-Crescent. But because I had so much unused
material from that interview, I was convinced I could write a book about his life.
So I approached him about my idea, he pledged support and we ended up hav-
ing many more discussions throughout the years as I sought to tell the story of
one of the more intriguing and iconic figures in Wisconsin sports history.”
Fortunately for Christopherson, building the framework for his book with back-
ground details wasn’t terribly difficult. “Mickey’s family was very helpful, as were
former teammates and those who chronicled his playing days in the 1970s. The
research wasn’t as difficult as it was time-consuming. I’d often start writing but
would then run into more questions that required me to search through piles of

AUTHOR BIOS
old newspaper articles and Mickey’s own clippings and mementos. So I spent a
lot of time looking through articles and things like that. The most frustrating as-
pect of the research was trying to hunt down old photos and video clips. Thank-
fully, I was able to put together a decent collection of photos through images
loaned by the Crowe family and other research sources, but I was surprised to
find many newspapers had gotten rid of old negatives. And I was surprised to
learn that TV stations typically didn’t archive old footage.”
Christopherson says that response to the 2013 book has been positive. “I’ve
received a lot of emails and phone calls from folks telling me how much they
enjoyed reading the book. And we’ve had strong turnouts at the five signings
we’ve had throughout the state: Appleton, Ashwaubenon, Eau Claire, Madison
and Manitowoc. We have another signing scheduled for March 4 in Stevens
Point, and I anticipate we’ll have another strong turnout since Mickey played in
the central part of the state, as well. It’s a tribute to Mickey, what he was able to
accomplish and the impact he had that he’s still remembered so strongly 40 years
after he graduated from high school. There might have been better players that
have come through the state high school basketball circuit, but no player before
or since has garnered so much hype, intensity and scrutiny. One of my personal
highlights was stopping by Barnes & Noble in Appleton around Christmas of that
year and being told by a sales associate that the book had sold out. The title had
been moved from the bottom shelf of the Wisconsin section to the main sports
section with three facings on the top shelf.”
Cathryn Cofell
Author of Sister Satellite
The Fox Cities Book Festival is not just a get – to-
gether for novelists. Poetry will enchant audiences at
several venues during the week. Cathryn Cofell is one
of several poets heading to the festival. In addition to
Sister Satellite, she has six chapbooks of poetry under
her belt, and finds collaboration with other artists valu-
able. “While the Fox Cities Book Festival has a rich his-
tory of celebrating writers and books from around the
globe, you don’t need to travel far to find some of the
country’s best poets,”asserts Cofell. “Several years ago,
I worked with Karla Huston to create a series of events
that would highlight some of this regional talent. With
such a positive turnout and response from attendees, Poets Among Us has be-
come an annual event. I’m excited to be joined by Megan Gannon, who is the
new Assistant Professor of English at Ripon College, and Bill Gillard, who teaches
at UW-Fox Valley.”
The rhythm of poetry met its musical match when Cofell teamed up with the
artist, Obvious Dog (Bruce Dethlefsen) for the 2010 release of Lip. “I grew up with
music,” says Cofell. “My mom taught herself how to play the piano; she loved
Broadway show tunes! I took piano lessons myself, switched over to saxophone
and played into my junior year of college when poetry took over. Rhythm and
sound continue to inspire my work, but the actual pairing of my poems to mu-
sic was pushed into existence by my friend Bruce Dethlefsen (former Wisconsin
Poet Laureate) and three free hours in a recording studio (part of a prize for win-
ning a poetry contest). Bruce and fellow musician Bill Orth spent several months
creating music to support my poems or pairing my poems to songs they’d al-
ready written. From their hard work, our CD“Lip”was born and we’ve continued
to perform live and create new sounds, songs and pairings as time permits.”
Cofell worked as an advisor to former Governor Tommy Thompson on the es-
tablishment of the Wisconsin Poet Laureate, as well as chairing the Wisconsin
Poet Laureate Commission. She explains that it isn’t just a symbolic title. “The
poet laureate plays a crucial role in keeping the arts accessible and vital—to all
age groups—and acts as an ambassador for poetry and creativity and its impor-
tance in the cultural life of Wisconsin. So many of life’s most crucial celebrations
and ceremonies -- births, dedications, weddings, inaugurations, funerals -- are
made fuller and more meaningful by the gift of poetry and music...yet so many
people, when asked, seem to fear poetry for its (often) misperceived complexity.
Through the Wisconsin Poet Laureate program, we’ve been able to change that
fear to joy in thousands upon thousands of lives in this state and beyond.”
Susan Dolan
Author of The End-of-Life Advisor: Personal, Legal and Medi-
cal Considerations for a Peaceful, Dignified Death
It’s the subject most people love to avoid. Whether
it’s planning one’s parents’ care or making one’s own
arrangements, the very idea of planning what should
be done at the end of life can seem so intimidating.
This is where Susan Dolan, a registered nurse and an
attorney steps in. She serves as a healthcare consul-
tant and an end-of-life advisor. Dolan co – authored
the award – winning book, The End-of-Life Advisor:
Personal, Legal and Medical Considerations for a Peace-
ful, Dignified Death. At the Fox Cities Book Festival she
will speak about getting the conversations about one’s
end – of – life wishes going at the right time. “The
presentation is intended to benefit patients, loved ones, caregivers, healthcare
professionals, lawyers, healthcare consumers and students,” explains Dolan. “I
will deliver a message of reassurance and hope using real-life stories and prac-
tical step-by-step guidance to dramatically improve the quality of end-of-life for
everyone involved. A key takeaway message is to document wishes and have
the “conversation” around end-of-life now--don’t wait until there is a dramatic
change in a loved one’s health or, even worse, when he/she can no longer speak
for themselves. As the stories I’ll share illustrate, documenting wishes and having
conversations allows our loved one’s wishes to become known--which ultimately
becomes a loving legacy.”
The group most likely to reject the discussion of planning for the end of life
isn’t the group farthest from death. “Young people consistently surprise me with
their openness to learn more about planning and preparing for end-of-life care.
Their motivation and interest is often sparked because a relative, friend, co-work-
er or someone in the news has been diagnosed with a terminal illness, experi-
enced hospice or has died. They immediately think about other people in their
circle or themselves and how they want to be treated at end-of-life. Smart phone
advance care planning apps like MyDirectives.com simplify the process of com-
pleting an advance directive for busy young adults. Tools such as MyDirectives
are appealing because they enable people to express and record their choices
now--in the context of their lives today.Those choices could change as life chang-
es, but that’s the beauty of an online tool that can be updated as often as need-
ed--easily and seamlessly.”
Dolan reports that feedback for her books has been rewarding for her, espe-
cially when a reader truly embraces her message. One letter said,“You have man-
aged to make the subject of death ‘unscary’, which is not an easy thing to do. I

AUTHOR BIOS
have read LOTS of books about end-of-life care and the importance of planning
for end-of-life health care decisions. I can honestly say that your book is the best
all-around, concise, easy to read book I’ve read.” Dolan says that comments like
that help her to know her book delivered the intended message on a topic that is
difficult and emotional for most of us.
Megan Gannon
Author of Cumberland
Megan Gannon seems to be doubly – gifted, as
moves with ease between writing poetry and writing
narrative fiction. Her novel, Cumberland involves twin
sisters in starkly different worlds and gives an intimate
vision of their arresting story. For Gannon, both genres
have their place and season. “They fulfill such different
needs in me,” she admits. “Poetry is my religion and
fiction is my recreation. Poetry takes a lot more wool -
gathering and other – poet - reading and wall - staring,
so it’s often better suited for the summer months. Fic-
tion is nice during the fall and winter, because I can just
sit down and pick up where I left off.”
For the twins in Cumberland, Gannon didn’t pull from research in a tradition-
al sense, but relied on something more instinctive. “I did a lot of research for
Cumberland, but I actually didn’t research anything about twins at all. I’ve experi-
enced two or three symbiotic mind - meld friendships in my life, one of which was
with my sister, so I suppose I just drew upon that. I hope it worked.”
This poet and novelist earned degrees from Vassar College, the University of
Montana, and the University of Nebraska – Lincoln. She currently teaches at Ri-
pon College in Ripon, Wisconsin.
There are more distinctive and intriguing publications coming from Gannon in
the near future.“I’m on the final, arduous, make-every-sentence-sparkle stage of
revising a second novel,” says Gannon. “It’s called Claim, and it’s set in the min-
ing camp of Jerome, Arizona in 1898. It’s kind of a panoramic story--much wider
scope with more characters and plot lines that overlap and intersect in this tiny
town.This book took a ton of research--on mining, on food and clothes and prod-
ucts and household amenities in 1898, on the history of Jerome and prostitution
and important town figures and the layout of the town--but it was all fun. Still,
I hope to finish revising it by the early part of the summer so I can move on to
some poems. I’m amassing notes and semi-drafts for some poems about chronic
pain, with some tributes to Frida Kahlo.”
When she visits the Fox Cities Book Festival, Gannon will read a few of her po-
ems from her new collection, White Nightgown.
Jessie Garcia
Author of “My Life with the Green and Gold: Tales from 20
Years of Sportscasting,”
Wisconsin has never suffered from a shortage of fervent sports fans. But, histor-
ically, when it came to journalists reporting on sports, there was a definite short-
age of women on the scene. Jessie Garcia took her love of sports and carved a
path in the television news industry by becoming the state’s first female sports re-
porter. She was a Packers sideline reporter and host of both“The Mike Holmgren
Show”and“The Mike McCarthy Show.” She works at WTMJ in Milwaukee and has
just published a memoir of her years following some
rather famous teams and individuals called, “My Life
with the Green and Gold: Tales from 20Years of Sports-
casting.”
Garcia plans to share some behind – the – scenes
stories from the high profile sporting events she has
covered when she visits the Fox Cities Book Festival. “I
also have some fun videos to share and will do a Q & A
on Wisconsin sports and on being a woman/mom in a
male-dominated field,”Garcia says.
Writing the memoir was not a difficult decision for
her.“I felt I had some funny experiences that people might enjoy reading about,”
Garcia explains. “I wanted to tell about my struggles balancing work and kids as
well as some of the early challenges with being Wisconsin’s first female sports
anchor. I wanted to peel back the curtain on what it’s like at a TV station and
how we cover major events like a Super Bowl and finally, I had many interactions
with famous athletes and coaches and I got to see them more as humans than as
superstars. I wanted to share some of these moments that hopefully humanize
names like Brett Favre, Mike Holmgren and Mike McCarthy.”
Though she wasn’t one to keep journals, Garcia believes she has a good mem-
ory for the people, the conversations, and the details that make up the book. “I
verified stories with others who were there and I’m lucky to work in a business
where much of what we do is on videotape so I consulted stories directly for ex-
act quotes.”
So far the response to Garcia’s memoir has been positive. “The feedback has
been great! People seem to enjoy hearing about a reporter’s life and also learn-
ing many new things about the Packers and other sports teams that they never
knew.”
Garcia is quick to point out how proud she is of the television news industry
and the way women have made their mark on it. “My profession has changed
for the better (much better) for female sports journalists. In fact, a young female
sportscaster would have an edge over males entering the field today because
many stations would like to hire a qualified woman. Whether or not that is fair is
a valid question that I am more than willing to debate with people. There is also
a lot of talk about where this profession is headed-- i.e. are local TV stations and
newspapers dying? Perhaps they are, but I still believe there will always be a place
for a talented and hard-working journalist. I will say though that you need to be
much more Internet savvy now and also be comfortable being on camera. Even
print journalists need to tape video chats and things of the like and that will likely
only grow in the future.”
Writing books seems to be something Garcia was called to do, as she has a
second book out now called,“No Stone Unturned,”a non – fiction account of the
FitzRandolph family from Verona, whose son won an Olympic medal and whose
daughter fought cancer. “This book chronicles their life journey-- from the high-
est of highs to the lowest of lows-- and also details why they chose to fight her
cancer with alternative medicine and what they think worked and didn’t. The
third book is still untitled. It’s the history of Olympians who have Wisconsin con-
nections. The book goes from 1900-present day detailing various Olympics and
the Wisconsinites who competed in them. It will be published by the same pub-
lisher as the first, the Wisconsin Historical Society Press.”
Garcia is also an adjunct professor of journalism in the Milwaukee area and is
married with two boys.

AUTHOR BIOS
Susan Gloss
Author of Vintage
Inspiration can come from just about any source,
even a second – hand source. Susan Gloss is an author
with an eye for the styles of the middle part of the last
century. Her debut novel, Vintage, clearly takes notes
from Gloss’ interest in the look of Mad Men. Charac-
ters in her novel all frequent a shop called, Hourglass
Vintage, set in Madison, Wisconsin. Readers have em-
braced this story for its depiction of women coming to-
gether to support each other through the rough seas
of life. Gloss’ presentation at the Fox Cities Book Fes-
tival is entitled, Second Chances: How Thrift Store Finds
Inspired a Novel. She says she will discuss the ideas and
the process behind her novel, as share of her experi-
ences when getting Vintage published. Have questions? Gloss is happy to an-
swer them.
The story of this book’s publication is a tale of determination. “I started Vintage
in the spring of 2010 and finished the first draft by the end of that year,” Gloss
explains. “I revised and rewrote the manuscript on and off for another eighteen
months on my own before I signed with a literary agent. Once I began work-
ing with my agent, she and I went through two more rounds of revisions before
shopping it around to publishers. After the book sold to HarperCollins, my editor
and I went through even more revisions before the book was published in 2014.
So when I add up the time from when I first came up with the idea to when the
book appeared on book store shelves, it totals about 4 years!”
When it comes to getting the characters in a novel just right, this graduate of
the University of Notre Dame says that each revision improved the story. “For me,
that’s where the layers of complexity come in. With each pass I make of the man-
uscript, I add details that enrich the character’s back story and conflicts.”
Gloss says that the experience of touching others through her book makes
the long process worthwhile. “Connecting with readers is why I write, so I love
hearing from readers. Of course, not every person who picks up my book will
love it, and I’ve learned to be okay with that. But when I hear that a particular
character or scene resonated with someone, it makes all the long hours spent en-
trenched in the writing process worth it. I hear from quite a few readers through
my website. It always brightens my day when a reader takes the time to write me
an email, and I try to respond to as many as I can.”
When she’s not working, Gloss still likes to take in a little vintage shopping
around town. “For good old thrift store shopping, the St. Vincent de Paul store on
Williamson Street can’t be beat. My favorite place for well-curated, mint condition
vintage dresses and accessories is Good Style Shop which, coincidentally, moved
to a location on Johnson Street--which is where Hourglass Vintage, the fictional
shop in the novel, is located.”
Already hard at work on her second novel, Gloss, a wife and mother of a son
says these days she is all about the mod style of Jean Shrimpton. She has even
thrown dress – up parties for past Mad Men premieres. So who knows? Maybe
you’ll bump into Gloss someday when browsing your favorite vintage shop in our
state’s capitol. Be sure to let he know how much you liked reading Vintage! In
the meantime, check out her blog, GlossingOverIt at SusanGloss.com.
A.T. Haessly
Author of The Beginning of War
Anthony Haessly has been intrigued by stories of the
Apocalypse for many years. This interest has been wo-
ven into his novel, The Beginning of War, which came
out last year. Here the author takes elements of the
myth and sculpts a modern interpretation filled with
revenge and adventure. “My interest in the plot, and
my entire series, came to me through both religious
and entertainment mediums,” says Haessly. “I always
enjoyed the stories of the end times of all different re-
ligions. In these tales humanity is driven to transform
to prove its worth. And though some deeper meanings
and the stories may be controversial to some, I wanted
to write the end times from a unique perspective. So
I made the Horsemen humans. The Apocalypse has always been an interesting
topic for me because of its numerous interpretations. Anywhere from Ragnarok
to excitable people looking at a Mayan calender, I enjoy the stories and the idea
of a pivotal moment for humanity.”
Haessly lives in the FoxValley area and says the book took about a year to write,
but he’s already close to finished with revisions on his second book. Conquest of
Gods involves the first Horseman and his rise to power. “He is from ancient Rome
and is tasked with handling gods that have betrayed the Maker and balance,”
Haessly explains. “The third book pertaining to Famine has also been started.
And there will be plenty more to come.”
Steve Hazell
Author of The Kindred Path
When a writer shares deeply personal experiences
and emotions in his written work, the hope is to forge
a meaningful connection with readers. Steve Hazell
felt compelled to do this after reflecting on his friend’s
life, along with his own civic and artistic accomplish-
ments. His book, The Kindred Path follows Hazell’s life in
the folk music scene in the Fox Cities, his participation
in the 2011 demonstrations in Madison, and his friend,
Bob Weitzel’s adventure on Lake Superior, which was
tragically cut short. “It wasn’t until after Bob had died
that I thought of writing The Kindred Path,” explains Ha-
zell. “After Bob died I spent time getting to know him
better by searching out things he had written and put on the Internet and videos
he had posted. As I learned more about Bob, I thought about the impact that he
had on my life, and I came to believe that there was a story waiting to be told. I
felt that Bob wanted me to write that story.”
Hazell seems to have embraced the role of author and recounts how the pro-
cess required a range of intellectual efforts. “I imagine it’s very common for au-
thors to assume different identities as they go through the stages of writing a
book. Before I started writing I felt like an explorer, sifting through the sources
I’d gathered over the years for threads I needed to follow, digging up old photo-
graphs and articles, and searching for new information and verifying things on
the Internet. Once I started writing in earnest, I felt like a keyboard player, with
each chapter being “played” on a different perspective. I orchestrated the differ-
ent parts into a coherent piece. Finally, when I was finished, I felt like a baker. I’d

AUTHOR BIOS
taken separate parts, mixed them together, and was ready to share my finished
creation with the world. I am very proud of the finished book.”
Hazell’s wife, Vivian, served as his editor for The Kindred Path.“I have respect for
her ability and am very comfortable taking her advice. She has helped with many
things I’ve written, so it felt totally natural to have her give input on the book.”
As a prolific folk song writer, Hazell is confident when he says there are similari-
ties in the two writing disciplines. “Writing a book is definitely similar to writing a
folk song,”he notes.“In both cases you are sharing a part of yourself that is deeply
personal, but that you hope is also universal so it has meaning for others.You take
a leap of faith and follow inspiration, trying to create a mood. Each chapter is like
a verse.” He admits that it took him many years to write his first book, but with the
level of heartfelt reflection in The Kindred Path, the wait was worthwhile.
April Henry
Author of Adult Suspense Novels and Novels for Teens
April Henry grew up poor in a small Oregon town. At
the time, Medford, Oregon had about 18,000 residents
and the economy was based on timber and pears.
While my family didn’t have much money, thanks to
the local library, we were rich in books.
According to her parents, she started to read at the
age of three. Henry remembers her mom teaching
her with alphabet flash cards. White with a picture of
an object on one side and a letter on the other, those
cards glowed with magic. Her mom was a florist and
her dad was a TV broadcaster.
When she was 12, she sent Roald Dahl, the author of Charlie and the Chocolate
Factory, a short story about a frog named Herman who loved peanut butter. The
day he received it, Dahl had lunch with the editor of an international children’s
magazine and read her the story. She contacted Henry and asked to publish it.
But as she got older, even though she read all the time, April didn’t even dream
of being a writer. It would have been like thinking she could fly by flapping my
arms really, really hard. Henry put away my dreams, got a business degree from
Oregon State University, and graduated into a terrible job market.
Eventually, Henry got a job in hospital admitting with lots of down time and
started thinking maybe she could try to write a book about the life and death that
surrounded me every day. She was finally pushed into trying to do something
about it when she read a really bad book. She could, Henry figured, write a book
that was at least better than that book.
That first book Henry wrote attracted no interest from agents. Her second book
got her an agent (and they’re still together many years and many books later) and
nice rejection letters from editors. Her third book didn’t even get nice rejection
letters from editors. Her fourth book, Circles of Confusion, sold in two days. It was
like an eight-year overnight success.
Since then, she’s written more than a dozen mysteries and thrillers for teens
and adults. The first in the Triple Threat Club series, co-written with Lis Wiehl, was
on the New York Times bestseller list for four weeks. It was followed by Hand of
Fate, Heart of Ice and Eyes of Justice. They have a new series that begins with A
Matter of Trust.
Her books have been short-listed for the Agatha Award, the Anthony Award,
and the Oregon Book Award, and chosen twice for Booksense by the indepen-
dent booksellers of America. They have been translated into Chinese, Japanese,
Spanish, Dutch, German, Polish, French, and Turkish.
She is married and lives in Portland, Oregon. They have one daughter who is
going to college. In her free time, she loves kung fu (she has a purple belt), Brazil-
ian jujitsu, running, cooking, and of course, reading!
Mike Hoeft
Author of The Bingo Queens of Oneida: How Two Moms
Started Tribal Gaming in Wisconsin
Discovering a great story right under one’s nose can be one of the most gratify-
ing moments in writing. Dan Hoeft was born in Green
Bay, and had a career as a reporter for the Green Bay
Press – Gazette, but it was at his wife’s urging that he
looked into the backstory of the Oneida Bingo enter-
prise. What Hoeft found was a culturally rich story
about the building of a recreational business that went
on to help sustain the Oneida Tribe through uncertain
economic times. The result was, The Bingo Queens of
Oneida: How Two Moms Started Tribal Gaming in Wis-
consin. “Well, it was my wife’s idea,” Hoeft says. “I’m
white, my wife, Patty, is Oneida. She was a teenager
when her mom, Sandy Ninham, and Alma Webster
helped start Oneida Bingo in 1976 to pay the bills at
a struggling civic center. Patty and her siblings worked bingo as a family. Bingo
grew and soon began financing other tribal programs to aid the elderly and the
needy.This was before Indian casinos. It was not clear in federal law if tribes could
run bingo outside of state law. The state of Wisconsin believed Oneida Bingo was
illegal and threatened to arrest the bingo managers and shut down the bingo
hall. A tribal chairman and three attorneys played crucial roles in what happened
next.”
It took a dramatic change in Hoeft’s life to allow him time to delve into this
story. “It’s a true story that’s largely unknown to the general public. For years
Patty told me somebody ought to write a book about the two women. I thought
someone else would write it. I was busy with my career as a newspaper reporter
at the Green Bay Press-Gazette. Then I went through a serious health scare with
lymphoma cancer in 2009. Time was suddenly precious, and I felt this was a story
worth telling now. When I recovered from chemo, I decided to quit my job on the
newspaper so I could write the book. It was kind of a risky move to be jobless. But
I’m glad I did it. As I started interviewing people, the more intrigued I became by
the story. It went much deeper than I thought.”
The book took four years to research, write, and edit. And in that time, Hoeft got
to know key people within the tribe and gained valuable insight into the Tribe’s
past. “Many people said the bingo story needed to be told. The Cultural Heritage
Department was a big help in tracking down records and photo archives to sup-
plement what Sandy and Alma told me. Dr. Carol Cornelius, department man-
ager at the time, came up with the analogy of bingo being the new corn crop.
Tribal Historian, Loretta Metoxen graciously shared stories with me. I interviewed
many Oneidas who had stories about the late Tribal Chairman, Purcy Powless, a
defender of bingo. He referred to bingo managers as“the bingo queens”and his
nickname for them inspired the book’s title.The tribal council granted permission
to use documents and photos in the book. And Tribal Communications Director,
Bobbi Webster served as emcee for a book launch in May at the tribally owned
Radisson Hotel and Conference Center. I donate all profits from my book sales to
the Purcell Powless Scholarship Fund, which assists tribal members with business
education. I want to give back a little in return for all the Oneida community has

AUTHOR BIOS
done for my family. Indian nations still face many threats to their existence. Will
bingo and gaming be tools that strengthen Oneida tribal culture, or hasten its
end? That’s the challenge for the next generation.”
So, does Hoeft enjoy a game of bingo himself? “No,” Hoeft says. “Strangely
enough, I don’t like to play bingo, cards or gamble. I don’t really enjoy any games.
Still, isn’t life itself a bit of a gamble? We take risks playing with life decisions ev-
ery day. I bring an outsider’s perspective to this topic. Just what is the fascination
with playing bingo? People told me the attraction is to build friendships and so-
cialize as much as it is to win money. Some players got to be lifelong friends with
bingo workers.”
In his presentation at the Fox Cities Book Festival, Hoeft says he will have a
PowerPoint slide show, questions and answers, and soup. This might very well be
the only presentation at the 2015 FCBF to include soup as part of the discussion.
Hoeft says soup (corn soup – a traditional Oneida food) and bingo have helped
to sustain the Oneida people through hard times. “And we can thank women
for developing both of them,” points out Hoeft. “Our friend, Laura Manthe, will
talk briefly about how women farmed the “Three Sisters” crops of corn, beans
and squash, the mainstay food of Iroquois people from time immemorial. Onei-
da warriors shared their corn soup with starving American soldiers wintering at
Valley Forge during the Revolutionary War. Corn soup was a lifesaver! Bingo has
been called the new corn crop, and women were behind it, too. So this book is
also a story about the power of women.The bingo moms are modest and humble
about accepting credit. I think what they did was heroic, not unlike what women
anywhere do for their communities.”
Hoeft currently works with the Oneida Tribe Child Support Agency, as a para-
legal. For his next publishing project he has been considering a book sequel, or
possibly a screenplay.
John Jackson Miller
Author of Star Wars: New Dawn and Star Trek: The Next Gen-
eration: Takedown
Any Star Wars fan will tell you that John Jackson Miller has a dream job. The
author gets to create new adventures and scenarios for
some of the most beloved fictional characters in pop-
ular culture. His Star Wars novels include 2014’s Star
Wars: A New Dawn, the first work created in conjunc-
tion with the new Lucasfilm Story Group; the New York
Times bestseller Star Wars: Kenobi, winner of the 2013
Scribe Award for Best Original Tie-In Novel – Specula-
tive Fiction; StarWars:KnightErrant,StarWars:LostTribe
of the Sith, as well as twenty graphic novels, including
ten Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic volumes from
Dark Horse. His first Start Trek novel, The Next Genera-
tion: Takedown, is out this year.
Jackson will be a big draw at the Fox Cities Book Festival, to be sure. Fans of
comics, science fiction, and science fantasy, will want to hear from the author
about his approach to his work, and his plans for forthcoming novels or comics.
Jackson, who has been to the FCBF before, says he’ll try his best to give the crowd
what they want. “I’ll be speaking about my writing both in novels and in comics,
and the various franchises I’ve written for, ranging from Star Wars and Star Trek to
video game franchises like Mass Effect to comic familiars like Iron Man and The
Simpsons. As a fan of a variety of different things, I have tried to look for ways to
play in a lot of different sandboxes. I know there are people who are interested in
herding about the particular worlds I’ve written in, but also in how I got started
and what my process is. I’ll try to answer as many questions as I can.”
Jackson works in an unusual avenue of the literary world, one where enthusias-
tic fans feel a sense of ownership of the franchise they’ve come to know and love.
It’s good to have an audience, but this one can be a little intimidating. “Certainly
the fans feel passionately about the worlds we’re writing in, and they want some-
thing that feels like what they remember,” says Jackson. “Fortunately that isn’t
too difficult to arrange, because most writers of tie-in fiction are fans themselves.
I sort of know what kinds of incidents and what lines of dialogue feel right in a
StarWarsbook, as opposed to a StarTrek book or something else. Having had that
extra experience from the start makes it more likely that the eventual work will
ring true to a reader.”
Jackson, who has a Master’s in Comparative Politics from Louisiana State Uni-
versity, admits he has been able to model some elements in his fiction after the
political dramas going on in reality. “It’s funny, given that I am often writing
about science-fiction or fantasy settings, how many times I have been able to
draw upon real-life history for ideas or inspiration. The New Dawn novel, for ex-
ample, is about a time in which the Galactic Empire is consolidating its power and
transforming the Republic from a trade organization into a military powerhouse;
that gave me the chance to borrow some ideas from my own studies of the rise of
the Soviet Union, and the period of industrialization there. There are never direct
parallels, of course — J.R.R. Tolkien rejected the suggestion that there were spe-
cific real-life nations represented by each of the races in his stories. But certainly
there are places where an event you’re writing about will have the same feeling as
something else from world history, and you can draw a little on that to get more
comfortable in the story you’re telling.”
2015 is an important year for any Star Wars fan, as the next installment, The
Force Awakens, arrives in theaters this December. Jackson will be right there in
line with the rest of the excited movie – goers. “I’m definitely excited about the
new film — films, really, because a lot more are coming out. I will be signing at
Star Wars Celebration (in Anaheim, California) for my publisher, Random House;
StarWars:ANewDawn will be out in paperback in time for the show, and I will also
have an original short story in the April issue of Star Wars: Insider magazine. That’s
my stop right before the Fox Cities Book Festival.”
When this busy author isn’t writing books or signing them, he’s happy to kick
back and read both fiction and non – fiction. “On the fiction side of things I’m
working my way through Patrick O’Brian’s naval series that was the basis of the
movie Master and Commander; I’m eleven books in. There’s a naval theme in gen-
eral — probably the best book I’ve read in the last several years was Herman
Wouk’s classic The Caine Mutiny. On the non-fiction side I read a lot about televi-
sion and pop cultural history, one of my hobbies: Saul Austerlitz’s Sitcom and Alan
Light’s Let’s Go Crazy are two of my recent favorites.”
Sandy Johnson
Author of Wisconsin’s Rock Island -- Images in Paint-
ings and Verse, uses history, poetry, art and music to
tell this amazing true story. The Rock Island Passage
was the waterway used along with the Fox River by ex-
plorers to open up trade and settlement in what was
to become the Wisconsin Territory in 1835. Her presen-
tation is geared to more students grade 5 & up, but she
is very interesting to adults also.

AUTHOR BIOS
Mary Kubica
Author of The Good Girl and Pretty Baby
Mary Kubica enjoys the challenge of keeping readers
hooked on her suspenseful stories. Just like the reader,
she says she enjoys the experience of discovering the
twists and revelations that make the stories so grip-
ping. She says she’ll be discussing her debut as a nov-
elist at the Fox Cities Book Festival, as well as her jour-
ney to publication in her career as a suspense author.
“I am so honored to be attending the Fox Cities Book
Festival this year,” Kubica says. “I can’t wait to meet fel-
low authors and readers throughout the Fox Cities area
and get the opportunity to share my experiences with
them.”
Mysteries and thrillers seem like daunting books to write, but for Kubica, it’s the
kind of test she loves. “Catching the reader unaware would definitely be the big-
gest challenge in writing a mystery,”explains Kubica. “I attempt to create strong,
multifaceted characters that will appeal to the reader on some level, but ultimate-
ly the story itself is of vital importance. The groundwork needs to be laid correctly
so that when the twist is revealed at the end, the reader doesn’t see it coming,
and yet, the twist isn’t so impossible that the reader finds it farfetched and unbe-
lievable. This can be a tricky task. One of my favorite parts in writing suspense
novels is placing clues along the path to help guide the reader, or in some cases,
to misguide them and keep the reader guessing all the way to the end.”
She says the comparisons of her novel, The Good Girl to Gillian Flynn’s Gone Girl
haven’t bothered her at all. “Not in the least bit. Gone Girl is such a tremendous
hit that I feel the comparisons have done nothing but help promote The Good
Girl. People either agree with the comparison or they don’t. I, myself, certainly
see areas where the books are similar in nature, and areas were they are strikingly
different. Gillian Flynn is such a talented author, and I’m a huge fan. I am truly
honored by the comparison.”
After her first novel became successful, Kubica charged ahead with novel num-
ber two. “Pretty Baby was quite a different experience than The Good Girl for me
for many reasons,” says Kubica. “First, I had a deadline, and I had never written
with a deadline before. Second, I needed to have a proposal approved, and was
working on edits for The Good Girl while simultaneously writing Pretty Baby – so
I quickly learned the value of multitasking. That said, I learned a lot about my-
self and about storytelling while working on The Good Girl. This benefited me
immensely on my second novel and will continue to benefit me for future works
as well. I wrote The Good Girl in secret, and sent if off to agents without a single
friend or family member checking for typos. With Pretty Baby, on the other hand,
I had a tremendous support network of friends, family, a devoted agent and a
brilliant editor. Pretty Baby came together quite smoothly, though my third novel
is now giving me great grief. I don’t think novels get easier or harder along the
way; I believe they are all their own independent (and sometimes very stubborn)
beings. They provide me with great enjoyment. I love what I do. My hope is that
I, as the author, will learn from each of my novels and continue to improve in my
craft.”
Good writers tend to be avid readers, and Kubica is no exception. “Mysteries
and thrillers are always my go-to as a reader,” she asserts. “Though I’m an avid
reader of all genres, it’s by far my first pick. I’m a huge admirer of such suspense
authors as S.J. Watson, John Searles, Sabine Durrant, Liane Morarity and more. As
an author however, in my early days of writing, I experimented with many genres,
from women’s fiction to children’s stories and more. I wasn’t certain where I be-
longed. But when I started writing The Good Girl, I knew right away I’d found my
niche. I don’t outline or do much in the way of brainstorming before starting a
novel, and so find much joy and excitement in discovering myself how the story
will end. These days, I can’t see myself writing anything other than mystery and
suspense.”
Kubica holds a BA degree in History and American Literature from Miami Uni-
versity in Oxford, Ohio, and says she can’t see herself writing anything other than
mystery and suspense novels. She’s just signed a new contract with Harlequin
MIRA for her third and fourth novels. “My third book is in the early stages of edits,
while I’ve begun to brainstorm ideas for my forth. I’m also very fortunate to be
traveling to quite a few conferences this spring to meet and get to know eager,
enthusiastic writers and readers – and come July will be traveling to promote
Pretty Baby. It’s really amazing to be able to live my dream.
Kubica lives outside of Chicago with her husband and two children and enjoys
photography, gardening, and caring for the animals at a local shelter.
Lorna LandvikLorna Landvik is the author of ten novels, including
the best-selling PATTY JANE’S HOUSE OF CURL, ANGRY
HOUSEWIVES EATING BON BONS, OH MY STARS and
the recently published BEST TO LAUGH.
Landvik’s checkered (but legal) past includes work-
ing as a chambermaid in Bavaria, winning a trip to
Tahiti as a contestant on ‘$25,000 Pyramid’ (MacGyver
was her partner), temping at the Playboy Mansion (it
was strictly a clerical position) and walking across the
country as a member of The Great Peace March.
She has acted in many theatrical productions, in-
cluding a half dozen shows she conveniently wrote for
herself. Her all-improvised show, PARTY IN THE REC ROOM is a local legend, due
in no small part to the margaritas she mixes up onstage.
She is currently working on two novels, one of which is a sequel to her first
book. She has one husband and two daughters and lives in the beautiful blue and
green state of Minnesota.
Chad Lewis
Co - Author of Wisconsin Road Guide to Haunted Locations
Chad Lewis promises an evening of bizarre ghosts,
wicked spirits, and deadly poltergeists when he speaks
to people at the Fox Cities Book Festival this April.
“Although I will feature a lot of Fox Cities locations,
this presentation takes the audience on a ghostly jour-
ney to some of the most haunted places in Wisconsin,”
Lewis explains. “It covers the entire state of Wiscon-
sin from wandering ghosts of the North Woods to a
haunted B&B in Milwaukee. From phantom creatures
prowling the woods to graveyard apparitions located
in your own back yard, no place inWisconsin is without
its own haunting.” If you’re not intrigued yet, consider
the photos and eyewitness accounts Lewis will include during his talk. The co –

Book Festival 2015

Recommended

Recommended

More Related Content

What's hot

What's hot (19)

Viewers also liked

Viewers also liked (20)

Similar to Book Festival 2015

Similar to Book Festival 2015 (20)

More from CalumetPress

More from CalumetPress (20)

Recently uploaded

Recently uploaded (20)

Book Festival 2015