Three Allied Authors of Wisconsin spec-fic writers will share their experiences and expertise at an upcoming book festival.

Mark J. Engels, Christopher Whitmore and David Michael Williams will participate in panels and a workshop at UntitledTown, an annual literary event that promotes all aspects of book culture. The festival will be held April 25 to 28 throughout downtown Green Bay, Wis.

Most of the events, including readings, book signings and presentations, are free and open to the public. Here are the events featuring AAW members:

Fantasy & Sci-fi World-Building Workshop

Williams will lead a workshop that focuses on the essential elements for creating a fully realized world and offer tips for successfully integrating those details into one’s story.

• 4 – 5:30 p.m. Friday, April 26, in Think Tank C of the Brown County Library (Central Branch), 515 Pine St.

Writing & Publishing Sci-fi / Paranormal / Fantasy Fiction

Engels, Whitmore and Williams — along with three other Wisconsin authors — will share their trials, passion for the craft, the horrors of publishing and more during this panel.

• 12 – 1 p.m. Saturday, April 27, in the Waterford Room of St. Brendan’s Inn, 234 S. Washington St.

Writing Mysteries & Thrillers

At this panel, Engels and a handful of other Wisconsin writers will talk about the craft of writing in the mystery and thriller genres.

• 4 – 5 p.m. Saturday, April 27, in Breakout Room 5A of the KI Convention Center, 333 Main St.

For more details about the festival, including the full schedule of events, visit https://2019.untitledtown.org.

Williams’ genre-bending book series returns this month

Even good girls have secrets…

If Sin Dwells Deep, the second installment in David Michael Williams’ speculative fiction series, tells the story of Allison, a straight-laced woman who transforms into a rebellious goddess when she dreams.

“Allison is living a double life,” the Fond du Lac author said. “She thinks having a fling in the dreamscape is harmless fun until a sadistic predator learns her true identity and she must deal with the real-world consequences.”

The 380-page paperback and e-book delves deeper into the hidden world of dream drifters, people who possess the power to invade the minds of others. If Sin Dwells Deep also sheds light on the war between gifted government agents and those who would use their abilities to corrupt life, death and the afterlife—a conflict only hinted at in the first book.

As with its predecessor, If Souls Can Sleep, the new novel contains elements of science fiction, fantasy, suspense, metafiction and more.

“It’s a wonderfully weird mashup,” Williams said. “I took a risk by doing something different. Given the positive reception of the first book, I’m thrilled to report that readers apparently appreciate the strangeness.”

Although If Sin Dwells Deep is the second book in The Soul Sleep Cycle, it is not a typical sequel.

“Book Two is a parallel novel, which means the plot runs concurrently with that of Book One. It’s another side of the story. The two books are interconnected yet independent,” Williams said.

“Which means readers can enjoy If Sin Dwells Deep without having read If Souls Can Sleep,” he added.

Williams’ indie publishing company, One Million Words, will publish If Sin Dwells Deep in paperback on Oct. 2. The e-book is currently available through the Kindle Store.

To celebrate the release of If Sin Dwells Deep, Williams will sell and sign copies of the book from 5 to 9 p.m. on Nov. 2 at Gallery & Frame Shop, 94 S. Main St., Fond du Lac, as part of Fond du Lac Gallery Night.

The third installment in The Soul Sleep Cycle, If Dreams Can Die, is slated for publication in spring 2019.

In addition to The Soul Sleep Cycle, Williams is the author of The Renegade Chronicles, a fantasy trilogy comprised of Rebels and Fools, Heroes and Liars, and Martyrs and Monsters. He joined the Allied Authors of Wisconsin in 2005 and the Wisconsin Writers Association in 2018.

Learn more about the author and his fiction at david-michael-williams.com.

• Buy If Sin Dwells Deep

The Allied Authors of Wisconsin lost a longtime member and close friend on July 19, 2018, when Fern Ramirez passed away at age 91.

A onetime teacher, Fern married Tom Ramirez in 1947. The two joined AAW in 1956 after being invited to a meeting by the late Beverly Butler Olson, a childhood playmate. Fern valued being a part of AAW and counted it as a privilege to have known Larry Sternig, Ann Powers Schwartz and Harry Schwartz, Don Emerson, Aubrey Young and many others during her rich tenure.

An avid, attentive reader, Fern always provided constructive feedback on members’ manuscripts.

“In the group, Fern’s comments were eagerly sought, well thought out and highly beneficial. Fortunately, her discerning eye, attention to detail and sharp wit were always tempered by a kind, gentle heart,” Jack Byrne recalled.

“An extraordinary lady, Fern was loved, and she shall be missed.”

Fern also went above and beyond with her assistance, including proofing one AAW member’s trilogy.

“Dear friend, fellow Allied Author, proofreader — Fern was all of these things and more to me,” David Michael Williams reflected. “While she will be greatly missed, I know she is now in a place where there is no pain or suffering — indeed, only joy — and look forward to reuniting with her again when my time comes.”

Fern’s various teaching positions ranged from first grade through high school and also included leading classes at a women’s correction facility. Her writing consists of short news articles and op-ed pieces. She also wrote a series of Sunday school stories with lesson plans and tinkered with a children’s novel, Bay’s Story.

• Read the full obituary.

Photo provided by the Fond du Lac Public Library

A longtime member of the Allied Authors was recently honored with an engraving on an unconventional monument.

Thomas P. Ramirez is one of six Wisconsin writers whose name appears on a new bicycle rack outside of the Fond du Lac Public Library. He is featured for his memoir, That Wonderful Mexican Band, published in 2017.

The book-themed rack was introduced as part of recent improvements to the library. When two standard bike racks had to be removed to accommodate a driveway redesign, library staff elected to replace them with a unique option that celebrates Fond du Lac writers from across the years and from a variety of genres.

The following works are represented on the rack (with abbreviated titles to fit the space):

• Foot of the Lake: An Early History of Fond du Lac, Wisconsin by Cindy Barden
• Seventeenth Summer by Maureen Daly
• Fond du Lac: A Gift of the Glacier by Michael Mentzer
• That Wonderful Mexican Band: A Memoir of The Great Depression by Thomas P. Ramirez
• Extraordinary People: Understanding Savant Syndrome by Darold Treffert
• Secrets of the Ledge: Pictorial Report of Archaeological Findings on the Niagara Escarpment in Fond du Lac County, Wisconsin by Dwight Weiser

The inclusion of That Wonderful Band is appropriate not only because the memoir so vividly captures Fond du Lac during The Great Depression, but because Ramirez specifically cites the Fond du Lac Public Library as one of his favorite childhood destinations.

Ramirez, 92, is also the author of 150 paperbacks and dozens of published short stories—including three popular Phoenix Force novels in the 1980s—making him among the state’s most prolific authors. He joined the Allied Authors in 1955.

Related links

• AAW member releases Great Depression memoir
• Thomas P. Ramirez’s biography
• Thomas P. Ramirez’s bibliography

From 1981 to 2001, Robert M. Price, a theologian, pulp-scholar and writer, edited many dozens of semi-pro, staple-bound periodicals—including Crypt of Cthulhu. Aficionados of the iconic Weird Tales magazine, especially its more famous authors, which includes H. P. Lovecraft and Robert E. Howard, appreciated Crypt’s occasional fiction-themed issues but especially the nonfiction.

In late 2017, Price resurrected Crypt to appear irregularly, though probably not less than three or four times each year.

Allied Authors is pleased to report that Price has accepted two essays by John D. Haefele for publication. Both will shed new light regarding a Wisconsin author’s impact on the fantasy field in two important areas.

• “Serendipitous Canonization”—appearing in the next issue of Crypt of Cthulhu, No.110 (2018)—uncovers August Derleth’s role in the important transition of H. P. Lovecraft’s status from “genre” to “mainstream.”

• “First and Final Estimates: August Derleth Looks at Weird Tales Magazine”—to be included in Crypt of Cthulhu No. 112 (late 2018 or early 2019)—builds upon Haefele’s earlier discussion in August Derleth Redux: The Weird Tale 1930-1971 (H. Harksen Productions, 2009), emphasizing Derleth’s positive impact on the reputation of Weird Tales magazine.

Along with the aforementioned essays, Haefele’s short story “One Starry Night” will be published in Eldritch Tales—a periodical that originally ran during the 1970s and ’80s and which also was revived by Price.

“One Starry Night,” appearing next year in Eldritch Tales Vol. 2, No. 7, is a weird tale inspired by the works of H. P. Lovecraft and August Derleth. The short story is one in a series that also includes “Little Bastards” and “The Sculptures in the House,” both of which have been previously published.

Both Crypt of Cthulhu and Eldritch Tales are currently published by Necronomicon Press.

For the first time in the organization’s 80-plus years, the Allied Authors of Wisconsin will attend WisCon.

Among the world’s largest science fiction conventions with a feminist/social justice focus, WisCon features panels, academic programming, readings and parties. It will be held May 25 to 28 at the Concourse Hotel in Madison, Wis.

Learn more about WisCon.

In addition to enjoying all that the convention has to offer, members of Allied Authors will participate in a group reading as well as host a table in the Dealers Room.

Allied Authors Reading

AAW members will read excerpts from their published novels and works in progress from 4 to 5:15 p.m. Friday, May 25, at Michelangelo’s Coffee House, 114 State St.

Feature readers include:

• Mark J. Engels, Always Gray in Winter (anthropomorphic/paranormal sci-fi thriller)
• A.J. Lamont, Wedding Hell (horror/urban fantasy)
• Maureen Mertens, The Kayak Connection (general fiction)
• Christopher Whitmore, Saviour (post-apocalyptic fantasy)
• David Michael Williams, If Souls Can Sleep (slipstream/hybrid fantasy)

Allied Authors Table

Photo by Mark J. Engels

WisCon attendees are encouraged to visit the Allied Authors table in the Dealers Room to learn more about the organization, meet members and peruse the published works of the Allied Authors. Some unique items from Arkham House — a Sauk City, Wis. publishing house specializing in weird fiction and founded in 1939 — will also be for sale on Saturday and Sunday.

The first three months of 2018 has already given the Allied Authors of Wisconsin plenty to celebrate:

Whitmore welcomed into AAW ranks

AAW is thrilled to introduce its newest member, Christopher Whitmore.

A longtime fan of science fiction and fantasy in their many forms, the Fond du Lac native has been writing for most of his life. He recently released his debut novel, Saviour, available in paperback and for Kindle at Amazon.com.

• Learn more about Whitmore.

Engels’ novel nominated for Ursa Major

Mark J. Engels’ paranormal sci-fi thriller Always Gray in Winter has been included in the “Best Novel” category of the Ursa Major Awards, also called the Annual Anthropomorphic Literature and Arts Award.

In addition to the story itself—which features a modern-day remnant of an ancient clan of werecats torn apart by militaries trying to exploit their deadly talents—the cover art also has been nominated for an Ursa Major Award.

Voting is open to the public and continues through the end of March. Winners will be announced in early May.

• Cast your ballot for the Ursa Major Awards.

Haefele’s weird tale will appear in upcoming magazine

John D. Haefele’s “One Starry Night” is scheduled to appear next year in Eldritch Tales Vol. 2, No. 7, published by Necronomicon Press. Noted scholar, editor and publisher Robert M. Price revived the periodical, which originally ran during the 1970s and ’80s.

“Starry Night” is a weird tale inspired by the works of H. P. Lovecraft and August Derleth. The short story is one in a series that also includes Haefele’s “Little Bastards” and “The Sculptures in the House,” both of which have been previously published.

• Learn more about Necronomicon Press.

Williams’ short story published in anthology

“Ghost Mode,” written by David Michael Williams, was among 40 short stories comprising the One Million Project Fantasy Anthology. Available in paperback and for Kindle, the collection raises funds to fight cancer, homelessness and social injustice.

Williams donated “Ghost Mode,” a sci-fi story that takes augmented reality to a chilling extreme, not only because of the synergy between the publication’s name and the name of his own publishing company (One Million Words), but also as a tribute to his father, who is battling multiple myeloma.

• Order the One Million Project Fantasy Anthology.

Genre-bender explores life, death, dreams

After years of being haunted by the day his daughter drowned, Vincent Cruz faces a new nightmare—one that reaches into the real world and beyond the grave.

If Souls Can Sleep, a new novel by Fond du Lac fiction writer David Michael Williams, introduces a hidden world where gifted individuals possess the power to invade the dreams of others. Two rival factions have transformed the dreamscape into a war zone where all reality is relative and even the dead can’t rest in peace.

The 368-page paperback captures elements of science fiction, fantasy, suspense, and metafiction, covering such disparate topics as Norse mythology and neuroscience.

“After years of focusing exclusively on sword-and-sorcery fantasy, as both a writer and a reader, I made it my goal to write something very different. I wanted to create a book I had never read before, something very unusual and unique,” Williams said.

“It was time to take a risk,” he added.

While categorizing If Souls Can Sleep can be tricky, Williams sees the mashup of genres as a strength because the story has something for readers of many backgrounds. He describes the narrative as complex yet accessible, peculiar yet relatable.

“This book has no shortage of paradoxes. I tried to break the rules without ending up with a broken story,” Williams said. “Fortunately, early feedback suggests the experiment was successful.”

If Souls Can Sleep will be published through Williams’ indie publishing company, One Million Words, on Jan. 30. The book is currently available for preorder as a paperback at Amazon.com and as an e-book through the Kindle Store. Other e-book formats will follow at various online retailers starting in May 2018.

If Souls Can Sleep serves as the first book of The Soul Sleep Cycle. The sequel, If Sin Dwells Deep, is scheduled for a fall 2018 release, with a third installment, If Dreams Can Die, slated for spring 2019.

Williams is also the author of The Renegade Chronicles, a fantasy trilogy comprised of Rebels and Fools, Heroes and Liars, and Martyrs and Monsters. He joined the Allied Authors of Wisconsin in 2005.

His website, david-michael-williams.com, features a blog about his fiction and the craft of writing.

• Order If Souls Can Sleep

On the heels of the release of Always Gray in Winter, Allied Author Mark Engels will make a Fond du Lac appearance to promote his debut novel.

According to the Chapter 52 Bookstore press release:

Local author Mark J. Engels will sell and sign copies of his paranormal sci-fi thriller, Always Gray in Winter, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, November 11, at Chapter 52 Bookstore, next door to the Fond du Lac Public Library at 52 Sheboygan St.

His book, the first in a series, tells the tale of family of werecats, who, in modern-day Midwestern United States, are standing up to violent persecution by genetically enhanced soldiers and battling their way through an ancient clan feud. It’s an example of the subgenre anthropomorphic fiction, where characters have uniquely human characteristics and qualities despite being nonhuman.

Engels grew up in Michigan and followed boyhood interests in trains and electronics into a career as an electrical engineer for railroads and rail transit agencies. His longtime interests in anime, manga and anthropomorphic fandoms grew into writing genre fiction. He lives in Fond du Lac with his wife and son.

Chapter 52 Bookstore sells used books, movies, music and magazines for all ages at deep discounts. For more information, call (920) 322-3957 or visit www.fdlpl.org/chapter52.

Related news:

• Cat is out of the bag with AAW member’s first novel

Allied Author’s own Mark J. Engels recently made his literary debut with Always Gray in Winter.

The paperback novel, published by Thurston Howl Publications, features a family of werecats and straddles several genres, including military fiction, science fiction and anthropomorphics.

Members of the Allied Authors of Wisconsin had the privilege of hearing excerpts from the book while Engels was working on it. As of Aug. 10, the story is available to the public at Amazon.com.

The back-cover synopsis hints at many layers of intrigue and action:

A distant daughter. A peculiar device. A family lineage full of secrets. When werecat Pawlina Katczynski finally resurfaces, her location previously unknown to anyone close to her, the reunion is short of welcomed. Instead, she finds herself thrust tooth and nail — tooth and claw — into a feud between opposing werecat clans as her family and their enemies reignite a battle that has raged for years. Always Gray in Winter invites the reader to join the feud and see if blood is truly thicker than water…

Engels will be promoting the book on the Speculative Fiction Cantina internet radio program on Aug. 11 and on the South Afrifur Pawdcast on Aug. 13. He also will attend Furry Migration in Minneapolis from Aug. 25 to 27.

A sequel is already in the works.

For more information about Always Gray in Winter, including artwork inspired by the novel, visit the author’s website at www.mark-engels.com.

• See Mark J. Engels’ biography.
• Buy Always Gray in Winter.