Midwest Writers Room

Season 4, Ep. 12 - Jamie Wolf, June 2026

BIO: Jamie is a Wisconsin author, speaker, and community advocate. Her work is mostly non-fiction, focusing on emotional strength and healing. In 2024, she published her memoir Putting Myself Back Together: From Broken to Healed After Abuse, chronicling her journey through domestic violence and turning her life around after. One of her works has been recognized with an Honorable Mention in the Humor category for the 2025 Reader’s Digest Short Story Competition. In addition to writing, Jamie is a mother, an accountant, and an aspiring law school student. She most recently founded Chapters & Beyond, an inclusive literary convention dedicated to connecting readers, writers, and her local community. She believes that everyone has a story to tell, and every story can inspire change.  LINKS: www.jamie-lockwood.com [http://www.jamie-lockwood.com/]  Chaptersandbeyond.com

Season 4, Ep. 11 - Steven Strackbein, June 2026

BIO: 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.com [https://sisyphustriumphant.com/] The Change Paradox [https://www.amazon.com/Change-Paradox-Catalyst-Book-ebook/dp/B0DQV8YDJ1/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3K99K4AJXQ6FM&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.UTRupirq6tsAlbR45vud_1MRL6UbhMAYsDrUrrtKF9EJqvbdPRk8e5PD9V4k39L-c7M4AY0McK-rnPHPfaUANCvmfxptCSvYvQ3SFvleiFTl9BC43AqeFpwYAYQ9THCyT0hl2vQal9wcE61VD7j_jb9V1YA7W5mcNlFK-tqMfkLsKW8Kwv6tm6MYw_QibrFaZ94luUg4w1NLG1XTYAQqrVUHD7yqoodl8GEsR_25uLc.Es8bAoUQndN4E_p_5U4URTjksn2a4v7V4XUVH8Soxb4&dib_tag=se&keywords=change+paradox&qid=1779914296&sprefix=change+paradox%2Caps%2C188&sr=8-1] (The Catalyst Series Book 1) Alexandria's Genesis [https://www.amazon.com/Alexandrias-Genesis-Steven-W-Strackbein/dp/B0GJD7GCG2/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2FRY0TV8BQI7H&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.Rhl_5phJg3AFzZxZnYSXPGryP-ixt2Ek1P2d9DBGEcjFbhGIjBfUzOD8AzFu0JbVnAiAP-Ln-xTCpQvccK40F9b_GgkLqe0uaa2GaRofq_d8_xrWzvSVtCPBHVZd-zhHdXp00e7edwOWFr7628eChL1aQvkqVtgywol0ap_kBYgCXOZ6NPlrxG6K0kyBebGYtkb4LsCacXsUqb5XE3QowRr8kpGIoUh0WFp709b2BUQ.6cjaoWF1rgwbBAguCDiG9l6tYspOXfwqt4mDh2J-4-8&dib_tag=se&keywords=alexandria+genesis&qid=1779914501&sprefix=alexandrais+genisis%2Caps%2C182&sr=8-1] Digital Landscape [https://www.amazon.com/Digital-Landscape-S-w-Strackbein/dp/B0DZ6YBCBT/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2XVILJFRUS6G6&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.qC3shHF2CpLk6ACCRXPogOtjv8u9RcdAkzOtj8YZE7qPFi3odyrFIyTEdQ6JxJ9UXUe8KRuSD6VOowT41RW-dZxPIeYu-KrdTE-oT7k5V7QqZUwDkJBSYB2Mjt_KzlN2aPw60yVpaOz0Gys-aeR8GlS-SwuogofZXjj37az1cMRYSsmd1KxTUqtDCpW4UmlVV4Sb2iVNcIcb0VHaqDeZY1jHPrULkV2NON3gQdq7mp8.ASI9HgdKOSiJQsfYlO5iJM5cIBicu9P3DskUh78RHl8&dib_tag=se&keywords=digital+landscape&qid=1779914556&sprefix=digital+landscape%2Caps%2C190&sr=8-1] Mourning of Lost Magics [https://www.amazon.com/Mourning-Lost-Magics-S-Strackbein/dp/B0CNWFLBVC/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3060K6YYKI8NT&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.qEMpmwBnYo0kE9t-Kq2HcMkBoc-eewDj2WWO1XEGGaM.UG48CPFVxPCHMy-ln7J8vKF-R4K-7jf9iKtMPTo4m2A&dib_tag=se&keywords=mourning+of+lost+magicks&qid=1779914608&sprefix=mouning+of+lost+majics%2Caps%2C171&sr=8-1]

Chapter Break with Julie Jacob

BIO:  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

Season 4, Ep. 10 - Rebecca Zornow, May 2026

BIO: 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.com [http://rebeccamzornow.com] ConquerBooks.com [http://conquerbooks.com]

Season 4, Ep. 9 - Alicia Boemi, May 2026

BIO: 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.boemi * aliciaboemi.com * @lakesidebookslg * lakesidebookslg.com