Podcast
Midwest Writers Room
Hosted by Luella and Ken · EN
Podcast from the Wisconsin Writers Association. We discuss all things writerly, with an emphasis on the unique flavor of works that originate in the Midwest.
37episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
Season 4, Ep. 11 - Steven Strackbein, June 2026
Yesterday00:37:42Tap to summarizeBIO:After navigating the challenges of independently publishing his own speculative fiction, including The Change Paradox, Alexandria’s Genesis and Digital Landscape, Steven founded Sisyphus Triumphant Publishing to guide fellow writers through the production process. The company offers tailored, honest partnership for those seeking to transform their manuscripts into professionally finished books, providing structure for those stuck or transitioning away from traditional publishing.LINKS:sisyphustriumphant.comThe Change Paradox (The Catalyst Series Book 1)Alexandria's GenesisDigital LandscapeMourning of Lost Magics
Transcribe →Chapter Break with Julie Jacob
2w ago00:19:28Tap to summarizeBIO: When Julie A. Jacob was a child, she decided she wanted to be a writer, and she’s been writing ever since. Her professional career has focused on health care communications, but through the years she has kept on writing creatively in her spare time. Her creative non-fiction essays have been published in Midwest Prairie Review, On Wisconsin, Open, Under the Sun, and several editions of the TallGrass Writers Guild annual anthology. Bicentennial Eve is her first novel. SYNOPSIS:Bicentennial Eve is a gentle, slice-of-life tale of a Wisconsin family gathering for the fireworks on the eve of Independence Day in 1976. As the cast of characters go about their day, each of them struggles with their own dilemma. From Grandma Kitty's quest for some adventure to young Skylar's search for a taste of first love, each member of the family is looking for a little independence of their own against the backdrop of a changing country.LINKS:https://www.julieajacobwriter.ink
Transcribe →Season 4, Ep. 10 - Rebecca Zornow, May 2026
2w ago00:43:18Tap to summarizeBIO:Rebecca writes science fiction and fantasy for overthinkers and romantics. She is a Hal Prize winner, member of the Wisconsin Writers Association, and full member of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers Association. Rebecca is the CEO of Conquer Books, a book coaching firm for science fiction and fantasy writers. She lives with her family on over an acre of river-adjacent land in her favorite Wisconsin downtown.LINKS:RebeccaMZornow.comConquerBooks.com
Transcribe →Season 4, Ep. 9 - Alicia Boemi, May 2026
4w ago00:43:18Tap to summarizeBIO:Alicia Boemi calls herself a ‘literary dabbler’, she is the author of the children's books, THE MAILBOAT DOG and THE SAFETY PATROL DOG. Alicia has a poetry chapbook called THE LAKE REMAINS coming out summer of 2026. She is also the owner of two businesses, a bookstore in Lake Geneva called Lakeside Books, and a social media storytelling agency called Izzy Works Media.LINKS:@alicia.boemialiciaboemi.com@lakesidebookslglakesidebookslg.com
Transcribe →Season 4, Ep. 8 - Scott McConnaha - April 2026
Apr 2000:42:25Tap to summarizeBIO:Scott is an Army veteran, former middle school and high teacher, journal editor, and healthcare administrator. He and his wife, Colleen, have four children and two grandchildren. He holds master’s degrees in English and moral theology and an MBA. Scott is a member of the Wisconsin Fellowship of Poets and the Wisconsin Writers Association and is on the board of directors of the Sheboygan Symphony Orchestra. He is the author of a recently published poetry chapbook titled Without a Prayer, and his work has appeared in Mobius, America, Door is a Jar, New Verse News, and Moss Piglet, among other literary publications. LINK:https://scottmcconnaha.com/about/
Transcribe →Chapter Break with Debra Hall
Apr 1700:22:05Tap to summarizeBIO:Debra Hall is a Racine poet whose work explores the intersection of love, loss, and the sacred ordinary. She just published her debut chapbook, What the Current Cannot Swallow. She serves as the current president of the Kenosha/Racine Poet Laureate program and she was Racine Poet Laureate from 2020-2022. Her poems have appeared in Bramble Literary Magazine, Wisconsin Poets Calendar(s), A Wreath of Golden Laurels by Local Gems Press and Moss PigletSYNOPSIS:Debra and her husband were on dream trip in Rome when a medical emergency changed everything. Brain surgery, navigating a foreign healthcare system in a language not their own, and a dire six-month prognosis—the crisis that followed would test their 35-year marriage. In this intimate chapbook, ancient gods and Catholic icons become unexpected companions through illness and loss. Hall traces her journey from crisis through grief to hard-won transcendence, finding that even in the current's pull toward despair, moments of grace remain.LINKS:https://www.poetdebra.com/
Transcribe →Chapter Break with Jason Rumbaugh
Apr 1300:29:31Tap to summarizeBIO:SYNOPSIS:Waves of Shrapnel: A Soldier’s Journey” is a dark, raunchy, and unfiltered memoir from Jason’s time in the Iraq War. It captures the reality of deployment—the absurdity, the fear, and the dark humor that keeps soldiers going. While it doesn’t hold back, at its core the book is about brotherhood, loss, and honoring the men we lost. It’s not a polished war story—it’s the one that actually gets told behind closed doors.LINKS:
Transcribe →Chapter Break with Bruce Landay
Apr 900:29:14Tap to summarizeBIO:Bruce Landay writes near future military political techno-thrillers. As a former US Air Force officer, he brings an authentic vibe to his military characters, their mission focus, and internal motivation to defend their core principles and their country. He consults with multiple military experts on his books to get the facts right.Landay also writes a weekly Substack column, Future Trends and Science Fiction, where he reviews new technology and how it was portrayed in the past by science fiction books, films, and television.SYNOPSIS:Five years ago, a covert rescue mission at a Chinese military base ended in slaughter. Navy Special Ops pilot Jazmin Hassani was the sole survivor of a live test of a classified directed-energy weapon—left broken, burned, and not expected to live.Now the weapon strikes again. On American soil.Assigned to investigate, Jazmin uncovers a conspiracy powerful enough to bury the truth. When a U.S. Senator shuts down the case and intelligence agencies deny the weapon exists, she goes underground. Teaming with a rogue Cyber Command operative, Jazmin defies orders to expose the truth—while hunted by elite operatives and betrayed by her own government.LINKS:https://brucelanday.com/https://brucelanday.substack.com/https://www.amazon.com/Electromagnetic-Assault-Bruce-Landay-ebook/dp/B0GBLBZLBKhttps://bookshop.org/p/books/electromagnetic-assault-bruce-landay/416f175721b96489?ean=9798993999203&next=t
Transcribe →Season 4, Ep. 7 - Katrina Serwe, April 2026
Apr 600:29:18Tap to summarizeBIO:Katrina worked as a therapist, professor, and researcher in the field of occupational therapy for over two decades. She started poemwalking after a delightful midlife crisis and ended up hiking the entire 1,200 miles of Wisconsin’s Ice Age National Scenic Trail. Katrina published a chapbook, First Steps (Brain Mill Press, 2025), that won the Brain Mill Press + Wisconsin Fellowship of Poets Chapbook Contest, and a full-length collection of foraged poems, A Thousand Miles of Poetry released this month with WWA Press. Her poems have been featured in a variety of publications including Ploughshares, Blue Heron Review, The Solitary Plover, Scrawl Place, Portage Magazine, and Bramble. LINKS:https://katrinaserwe.com/
Transcribe →Chapter Break with Brad H Hill
Apr 200:20:02Tap to summarizeBIO:Brad H. Hill is the author of No One Is Normal: Breaking Free from Normal, a collection of raw and honest short stories exploring struggle, identity, and the pressure to live up to society’s idea of “normal.” Drawing from personal experience and real life observations, Brad writes about adversity, resilience, addiction, personal growth, and the complicated paths people take to find themselves. His work resonates with readers who have ever felt like they didn’t quite fit the mold. Brad is also the host of the No One Is Normal Podcast, where he continues the conversation by exploring the deeper stories behind personal transformation and self discovery.SYNOPSIS:No One Is Normal is a powerful collection of short stories that challenge the idea that anyone’s life follows a “normal” path. Through deeply personal experiences and honest reflection, Brad Hill explores themes of adversity, addiction, resilience, identity, and the difficult lessons that shape who we become. Rather than presenting life as a tidy self help formula, the book reveals the messy reality of growth and the strength that can emerge from struggle. Each story invites readers to reflect on their own journey and reminds them that the parts of life that make us feel different may actually be the things that define our strength.LINKS:https://www.bradhhill.com/
Transcribe →