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Name |
Session Title |
Speaker Bio |
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Amy Reichert |
Keynote: Saturday
Master Class
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Amy E. Reichert loves to write stories that end well with characters you’d invite to dinner. A wife, mom, amateur chef, and a cider enthusiast, she earned her MA in English Literature at Marquette University and serves on her library’s board of directors.
A lifelong cheesehead (aka born and raised Wisconsinite), her hometown is Manitowoc. As a high school cheerleader she made sure to enunciate while shouting out for the Manitowoc Lincoln Ships.
Amy admits to being super nerdy. She sneaks in references to wizards, spaceships, dragons and superheroes so her editor doesn’t delete them. She never thought she could write one novel and now, is the author of six novels. Every story Amy has spun is filled with her heart and humor. Once you meet Amy Reichert, you’ll agree with her… she is truly delightful.
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Doug Moe |
Keynote: Friday |
Doug Moe is the award-winning author of critically-acclaimed non-fiction books, newspaper columns and magazine articles. He writes with a signature storytelling style that has earned him a dedicated following.
A lifelong Madisonian and graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Doug was called “the inimitable chronicler of Madison.” Formerly the editor of Madison Magazine, he now writes a regular column for the Magazine.
Doug’s book-length biographies have given him the inside scoop on some adored Wisconsin personalities. In telling his behind the scenes stories he continually renews interest and appreciation of Wisconsin’s resonant history.
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Alicia Boemi
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You Oughta Be in Pictures! Crafting Your Author Presence with Branding & Social Media |
Alicia Boemi’s work brings together literature, conversation, and creative business. As the owner of Lakeside Books in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin and Izzy Works Media, Alicia is passionate about creating spaces where stories and community intersect. She is the author of the children's books, The Mailboat Dog and The Safety Patrol Dog and the poetry chapbook, The Lake Remains. Through her “in-conversations” sessions and speaking engagements, she connects with audiences on storytelling, social media, and the power of building meaningful, creative lives.
Alicia holds a Master's Degree in Organizational Leadership from Lewis University, and a Dual Bachelor's Degree in English Writing and Public Relations from Drake University.
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Robert Fromberg |
Compose Your Fiction Like Phillip Glass: Try Innovative Shapes and Structures
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Robert Fromberg’s novel Gee, That Was Fun: 7 Days of Mayhem, 1983 won the Edna Ferber Fiction Book Award; his memoir How to Walk with Steve won the Next Generation Indie Book Award for memoir; and his novel The Serial Stowaway is drumming its fingers on a tabletop awaiting its award. He runs Giant Books, which reissues overlooked works by mid-twentieth-century women authors. Robert graduated from the Warren Wilson MFA Program for Writers and taught writing at Northwestern University.
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Shoshauna Shy
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A Sound Reason for Reading: A Perfect Pitch Title |
Shoshauna Shy is a Midwestern poet, short story, micro-memoir and flash fiction author as well as a copy editor and proofreader. She is the founder of Woodrow Hall Editions and the Poetry Jumps Off the Shelf program. With her valuable experience as a copy editor and proofreader, Shoshauna is an editor for the literary journal 101 Words and Four-WayBooks. While working for the Wisconsin Humanities, she helped create, coordinate and facilitate poetry programs for the annual Book Festival in her hometown of Madison, Wisconsin. |
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Gary Boelhower
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Listen and Discover Your Poetry's Melody |
Gary J. Boelhower, PhD is a writer of poetry, fiction and nonfiction. He has facilitated workshops on creativity and writing, leading a life of meaning and listening to inner wisdom. His published work includes: A Common Thirst, Step Close In, Naming Rites: Poems, Choose Wisely: Practical Insights from Spiritual Traditions. Gary’s idea to organize a free poetry project in his home town of Duluth made him the poet laureate that year. “I’m honored to take part in this sprinkling of poetry across our city!” |
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Rachael Waldburger
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Squeeze sessions: Productive Writing for Busy People |
Rachael Waldburger is an editor, poet, writer and word nerd. The stories she writes feature a lot of the elements she loves to read: found families, swashbuckling adventures, snarky heroes. When not writing, she’s a middle school teacher talking about… writing. She lives in Wisconsin with her amazing husband, two wild children, two clingy cats, and a houseful of dying plants. And she loves stories. |
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Emilie Lindemann
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Discover Your Next Chapbook...Curious? |
Author Emilie Lindemann lives on a Wisconsin dairy farm and lines her days with lavender, chicory root, Queen Anne’s lace, and red clover. She teaches writing courses at Lakeshore College and is passionate about fostering lifelong learning. She’s the author of several chapbooks and her latest release (Fresh Water Press) is Ghost(ed) Woman & the Electric Purple Pants.
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Rebecca Zornow
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The Beat Goes On |
Rebecca Zornow is a writer, editor and book coach through her book coaching firm, Conquer Books. She writes science fiction and fantasy books for overthinkers & romantics. Rebecca is an alumna of Lawrence University and active in Appleton’s writing community. Her newest books are LandsomeRoads and LandsomeRuins, a fantasy romance series about a reader who enters into her favorite series of books.
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Roger Skrypczak
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Sell Your Book Like a Rock Star
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Roger Skrypczak’s appreciation for rural Wisconsin comes from his roots growing up in a small town in Wisconsin. In 2020, he began to write mystery/romance novels. His career in sales and marketing had him exhibiting in hundreds of tradeshows and events. This experience is evident at the multiple book signing events Roger attends. Where he generously coaches other authors the art of selling through exhibitions. Recently, his third novel, Emma’s Demise, was released by Little Creek Press. Roger loves talking to readers about books and spends time with his wife Elizabeth (56 years!) in their hometown, Appleton.
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Jane Kelley
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Voice Matters: The Who and the Why of Telling a Story |
Jane Kelley grew up by a woods in Mequon, Wisconsin - a perfect place for her imagination to roam. After graduating from Northwestern University, she performed street theater throughout the Midwest. She then moved to Brooklyn, New York, with her husband, and was inspired by their daughter to write for kids. She has written dozens of middle-grade novels. Her most recent work is Grace and the Butterfly Effect. Jane’s favorite journeys are… imaginative. Planning a story, living in each character, and solving the puzzle of rewriting. Ultimately, exchanging ideas with readers.
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Sue Leamy Kies
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Reach readers by Tuning into Your Community |
Sue Leamy Kies raised five children with her husband, as well as numerous farm calves and crops. Now retired from teaching, she’s living out her third act as an author. In 2025, her teaching memoir, My Homecoming Dance: Reflections on Teaching in Wisconsin was released. Sue lives in her hometown of Platteville, Wisconsin and is often found in her office, looking out the window in search of the right words for her stories.
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Lori Helke
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Writing with Wanderlust |
Lori Helke is a travel writer and blogger, author of two children's books and two travel guides. She’s dedicated to inspiring women to live a joy-filled second half of life through travel. She shares tips and tricks for solo women travelers. Her book, 100 Things To Do In Sheboygan Before You Die, was released in 2025. Her home is in a small-town in Wisconsin, although you may not find her home. You might have better luck finding her… In Paris? Or maybe Amsterdam?
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Denise Jendusa
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Panel Discussion Join writers Tracey S. Phillips, Jim Jackson, Joy Ribar, Jeff Nania, and Casey Osbourne as they reveal their secrets in crafting crime books and why readers love them. |
Denise is the VP of Programs for Wisconsin Sisters in Crime - responsible for coordinating all monthly presentations/author panels seen worldwide within the Sister in Crime International communities. A thriller writer, professional speaker, educator, and former adjunct faculty member at the University of WI, Denise has over 30 published articles, stories, and plays. She is a member of the WWA, The Authors Guild, the Mystery Writers of America, the Women Fiction Writers Association, and lives in Wisconsin with her furry friend and foot warmer, Emmie her collie.
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Katrina Serwe |
Poemwalking (Ice Age trail) |
I have studied haiku with the American Haiku Society (AHS), the British Haiku Society (BHS), and the Cradle of American Haiku through workshops, conferences, and independent study of resource materials. I’ve been a part of the monthly Oxford critique group through the BHS for the past two years. I’ve published haiku, senryu, and haibun in Blithe Spirit, Cold Moon Journal, Ginko Gold (the 2025 AHS anthology) and Hope (the BHS 2025 anthology). My poetry is inspired by nature. I am the author of First Steps (Brain Mill Press, 2025) and A Thousand Miles of Poetry (WWA Press, 2026) both comprised of poems in a variety of forms foraged on Wisconsin’s Ice Age Trail. You can learn more at KatrinaSerwe.com. |
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Catherine Stover |
The Beauty of Being Specific in Memoir |
Catherine Stover was introduced to the power of memoir when her 79-year-old grandfather wrote a 100-page book about his life. He asked her to be his typist. She saw how his book helped future generations understand family history and how it shaped the way this grandfather is remembered. She has taught memoir classes and workshops for a decade, and is an award-winning writer and an award-winning teacher. She is the author of the book "A Palette of Memories: Finding Clarity in Memoir," which Wisconsin Writers Association will publish in March of 2027. |
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Kim Suhr |
Intensive: Writing and Appreciating the Short Story |
Kim Suhr is author of the story collections Nothing to Lose and Close Call. She holds an MFA in fiction from the Solstice Program where she was the Dennis Lehane Fellow. Her writing has appeared in various publications and she co-authored the as-told-to memoir, Ramon: An Immigrant’s Journey. As the Director of Red Oak Writing, she leads Writers’ Roundtable critique groups, provides manuscript critiques and coaching. When she isn’t writing, she enjoys hiking, gardening, and being a fan-girl for her grown children. |
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Laura Zats |
Intensive: Publishing Pathways |
During her career, Laura has worked with books in every way from bookselling to editing to self-publishing. A literary agent since 2014, she finds the most joy in working closely with authors to build their long-term careers in ways that contribute positively to their financial and mental health, as well as the greater community. She is passionate about teaching, mentorship, and the role books play in the fight for social justice. In her spare time, Laura plays tabletop role-playing games, cooks elaborate meals, weaves tapestries, and drinks a lot of tea. |
