The Southeast Wisconsin Festival of Books has renamed its Authors Marketplace and Exhibit Area to memorialize support given by Don Taylor who was the primary sponsor of the Writers Marketplace and Exhibit Area since it began in 2014. “We thought this an appropriate recognition for someone who was so important to the success of the Festival,” said Laraine O’Brien, Festival founder. He gave the support in the name of Waukesha State Bank, the financial institution founded by his family which he headed for 25 years. His public service commitment, both personally and through the bank, helped many organizations like the Southeast Wisconsin Festival of Books over the years. An author himself, Taylor had written several books of historical fiction set in Waukesha.
AUTHORS
Malinda Andrews
Book: The Irish Baker
Genres: Multi-genre including Contemporary Romance, Fantasy, Fairy Tale and Paranormal Romance
Website: www.malindawrites.com
Social Media: Facebook/instagram- @malindawrites
Email:
andrewsmalinda@gmail.com
Sold by: Amazon
When life hands you lemons… you make lemon scones! At least that is the case for Aubriee Harper. After a humiliating break from her fiancé Aubriee loses herself in the orders of baked goods that flood her small Chicago bakery. Life is quiet and routine. At least until her best friend and business partner Karen gives her a one-way ticket to Ireland with strict orders to take a vacation. Thrust out of her element, will Aubriee be able find the healing that Karen encourages in the quaint town of Doolin near the Cliffs of Moher? Local musician and heartthrob Declan O’Tyne spends his days sleeping and his nights performing music. A true lover of women, his heart is transformed after meeting a devastatingly beautiful woman under the full moon one night. Will he be able to convince Aubriee that she can trust again after her heartbreak?
Geoffrey Carter
Books: In Bad Faith; Thicker Than Water; and The P.S. Wars: Last Stand at Custer High
Genre: Mystery
Website: https://geoffreymalcolmcarter.com
Social Media: Facebook
Email: geoffcarter1@mac.com
Sold by: Amazon, Henschel Haus Books
Nelson West, a former Chicago homicide detective, is hired by wealthy heir Lionel Bing to discreetly help “fix” scandals and legal problems for his father’s wealthy friends. They are enlisted to investigate the case of a five-million-dollar loan fraud from a local bank that takes them from elite financial boardrooms to the jungles of Mexico where they uncover an unlikely link between a gold mine, the Catholic Church, and the ruthless chief of a drug cartel.
Kimberly Anne Conway
Book: My Journey to Somewhere (Or Ramblings from a Chaotic Mind on Mental Illness, Fear, Anxiety, and Depression—You Know, the Fun Stuff)
Genre: Non-Fiction/Memoir
Website: http://kimberlyanneconway.com
Social Media: Facebook
Email: kimberlyconway9@gmail.com
Sold by: Dorrance Publishing
This book chronicles the anxiety and fear Conway felt while writing her first novel. She began journaling her feelings which led to revisiting her past and understanding the path she traveled. She learned why she thought she did not matter as a child–despite loving parents–and came face-to-face with the depression that traveled with her most of her life. She talked about childhood trauma, sexual abuse, and how it affected the rest of her life.
In the end she realized she had written her memoir.
Conway’s honesty and raw emotions give hope and understanding for those who struggle with mental illness and those who love them.
Taryn L. Davidson
Book: The Flame of Prometheus
Genre: Science Fiction
Website: http://www.tarynldavidson.com
Social Media: @tarynldavidson
Email: author@tarynldavidson.com
Sold by: Amazon, Barnes & Noble
Rowyn Eloise Darrow is no stranger to death. At twenty two, Agent Red, the best soldier in the Coalition Resistance Forces, is not only tasked with protecting her sister, but the entire Resistance. When her mission is sabotaged, Red is apprehended by her childhood friend and current Lieutenant General of the Coalition Army, Callum Osouf.
Rowyn manages to keep her cover, but as she navigates her new role as spy, she finds herself slipping into her past as her feelings for the Lieutenant General grow and dark family secrets unravel.
Will Rowyn take up the old life she thought she’d lost all those years ago, or will she burn the world to create a new one?
Dale A Davis
Book: The Harvesting of Pecans Pigs and People
Genres: Suspense Thriller, Crime Action-Adventure, Mystery Action Adventure, Fiction
Website: http://Daleadavis.com
Social Media: LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok
Email: dalexl1414@gmail.com
Sold by: Dale Davis, Archway Books, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Goodreads
Tarek’s world is shattered by the abduction of his sister Sara, leaving nightmares, guilt, and an unshakeable sense of loss in its wake. Against the brooding Southern landscape, he confronts the devil in human form and embarks on a desperate search through fading leads and mounting suspicion. As family bonds unravel and sinister characters close in. Tarek remains resolute in his quest to uncover the truth behind the darkness that has upended his life. A haunting tale of grief, survival, and unwavering resolve.
Alli Dunlop
Book: Work of Art
Genre: Picture Book
Website: https://www.allidunlop.com
Social Media: @allitheauthor
Email: allisonmdunlop@gmail.com
Sold by: Alli Dunlop
Work of Art is a funny, full-of-heart picture book about big feelings, bigger messes, and the magic of making things right. When Mommy’s having a day and the paint is out of reach, one determined little artist’s impatience sparks a spectacular mess, a splash of chaos…and a glitter-filled lesson in empathy, repair, and love. This relatable story celebrates being imperfectly human and models how to address mistakes without shame, holding space for growth and connection. Perfect for ages 3–8, it’s a must-have for families, classrooms, and anyone raising sensitive, spirited kids.
Pamela Jones and Elizabeth Ridley
Book: The Dirt Beneath Our Door: My Journey to Freedom After Escaping a Polygamist Mormon Cult
Genre: Nonfiction/Memoir
Website: https://www.pamelaspeaks.live/
Social Media: Instagram, Facebook
Email: ejridley153@gmail.com
Sold by: Amazon
Pamela Jones had sixty-one siblings, five sister wives, nine children, and one carefully hidden dream: to escape the violent, fundamentalist Mormon cult that had kept her perpetually pregnant, broken, and brutalized for 34 years. With a daring escape, she gained her freedom, but with less than a fifth-grade education and nine mouths to feed, her journey had just begun. A remarkable and inspirational true story, this book is not only a testament to a mother’s resilience and grit, but an epic and harrowing tale of finding freedom, believing in yourself, and achieving your dreams.
Nathan Kippley
Book: Man of the Sea
Genre: Thriller/Action Adventure
Website: http://PirateIslandClub.com
Social Media: Facebook
Email: NathanKippley@yahoo.com
Sold by: Amazon
For decades, whispers of The Man of the Sea—a ruthless predator carving victims into bait—have haunted the Florida Keys. Authorities find nothing, but the body count rises. After tragedy, brothers Silas and Joe chase a new life on the water, only to discover their paradise hides deadly shadows. Meanwhile, millionaire Billie’s dream vacation shatters when her yacht is attacked, leaving her stranded on the eerie island of Heaven’s Gate. With danger closing in from every shore, survival demands cunning, courage, and sacrifice. A pulse-pounding thriller where paradise becomes the perfect hunting ground.
Tim Knutson
Books: The Kitchen Fable; The Lakeside Yarn; A Northwoods Log; and Wistopia: An American Dairy Tale
Genre: Humorous Fiction
Website: http://tnknutson.com
Email: tnknutson@gmail.com
Sold by: Amazon
When the Gen-X owner of Miss Betty’s Diner has her sandwich “discovered” by a budding podcaster, how will she handle her new found fame? Thankfully, her son and his collection of roguish friends are willing to help her navigate the media, the wake of influencers, and a litigious billionaire, intent on complicating her unpretentious life.
From Wisconsin to Nashville, Chicago to Los Angeles, Austin to Iowa, the phenomenon of pairing peanut butter with jelly on two slices of bread is about to get swallowed up by American popular culture.
Lisabeth Lange
Book: The Luminescence Manual
Genre: Mystery/Thriller
Website: http://www.lisabethlange.com
Social Media: @lisabethlangeauthor,
FB: Lisabeth Lange,
X: @lisabeth_lange
Email: lisabeth@wrongspeak.net
Sold by: Amazon, Barnes and Noble
Dead sea life. Dead farmlands. Dead doctors. Dead homeless people. A dead mother. But it’s the discovery of prophetical notes about a dead-end news story that propels Lylah Clyne’s quest. Believing the story is a direct link to her mother’s disappearance, Lylah follows its message like a compass.
The notes lead her to a position with Courtyard Central Media, one of the biggest and best media companies in the world, where Lylah seeks to find her mother and unravel these mysteries. Yet, her discoveries unravel suspicions within leading newscasts and thought monopolies. Peculiar interest in the same extraordinary plants that Lylah’s mother worked with emerges as suspect reasons, placing Lylah directly inside the continuing plot. With Courtyard Central’s big plans to govern humanity’s well-being and consciousness hovering, Lylah must secretly hunt for evidence. But will she be believed?
Audrey Lynden
Books: The Brit Brothers series: 1 The Artful Bargain; 2 To Sense a Passion; 3 Freefalling in the Moonlight
Genre: Women’s Fiction/Contemporary Romance
Website: http://audreylynden.com
Social Media: Instagram, Facebook
Email: tquinnies@gmail.com
Sold by: Amazon, Indie Bookstores, and Barnes and Noble
To safeguard her late mother’s legacy, Maddie has returned home to Baileys Harbor. A New York fashion stylist and influencer for the past decade, Maddie now must brave daddy long-legs, decrepit lighthouses and fundraising fiascos in the tiny lakeside town. Then while reconnecting to her roots, she trips into her first and only love, Rob Reid. As Rob and Maddie navigate old wounds, fresh sparks fly. But when a high-profile scandal threatens Maddie’s safety and reputation, she must fight back to reclaim her voice. Without a doubt, Rob stands beside her. Except when justice is on the line and gossip battles with truth, a newly mended love might not survive.
Rob and Maddie have another chance… Will they dive in and hang tight or will their love go adrift again?
Dana Marie
My book is about facing loss and overcoming it.
James P. Roberts
Book: One Hundred Breaths and Spirit Fire
Genre: Poetry
Website: https://wordwiz4you.com
Social Media: Facebook
Email: Rob52162@aol.com
Sold at: Book Festivals, Readings
One Hundred Breaths is a collection of poetry. Winner of the 2020 Portage Press Poetry Book Contest.
L. Sutton Schleicher
Book: The Long December
Genre: Young Adult Contemporary
Website: http://lydiature101.com
Email: LSuttonSchleicher@gmail.com
Sold by: Amazon
The Long December follows sixteen-year-old Allie Ellis through the hardest year of her life: a crumbling home, shifting friendships, and the secret relationship she can’t tell anyone about. When a new gossip app weaponizes her classmates’ worst instincts, Allie is caught between silence and survival. With whispers turning to rumors and rumors turning to evidence, she must decide whether to keep hiding or finally speak the truth. Set in a Wisconsin suburb where appearances matter more than reality, The Long December is a raw, emotional exploration of loyalty, betrayal, and finding your voice when it matters most.
DJ Slater
Book: Legend Has It
Genre: Horror
Website: www.djslaterauthor.com
Social Media: See author’s website
Email: djslaterauthor@gmail.com
Sold by: Books2Read.com
Soon-to-be college graduate Seth McCartney finds his love for his favorite October pastime – visiting haunted house attractions – fading. His friends want to help Seth move on from this tradition, but not without one final hurrah. He and five college friends find an elusive haunt known for being unfinishable deep in the woods in Mukwonago, Wisconsin. It features 10 floors of sheer terror with the exit on the top floor.
Once inside, they soon realize all the threats are real and must endure the depths of true terror if they hope to survive.
Jill Sorenson
Book: Triggers and Hope
Genre: Self Help/Spiritual
Email: Jsorensonrdn@gmail.com
Sold by: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Outskirts Press Direct Bookstore
Do you feel alone in your trauma, espicially involving medical, judicial, government or spiritual betrayal? Triggers and Hope is an emotionally raw, truth-telling story blended with spiritual insight that will leave you feeling stronger and better supported. The book addresses topics including the following:
~Medical trauma and health sovereignty
~Religious trauma and faith evolution
~Divine feminine empowerment
~Disclosure awakenings
It contains first-person testimony of medical and judicial malpractice and healing through both spiritual awakening and conscious self-education, along with candid discussions of Ascension, Law of One, and New Age frameworks not commonly woven into trauma memoirs-all while emphasizing the radical honesty and healing message for trauma survivors seeking spiritual meaning. Triggers and Hope is a voice of empowerment and truth in a time of spiritual awakening!
A.J. West
Book: Welcome to Murder-World
Genre: Dystopian Fiction
Website: https://bloodmane.com/
Social Media: Facebook
Email: info@bloodmane.com
Sales Site: Amazon.com
What if murder was legal? Scratch that. What if murder was a part of everyday life, sanctioned by the government, and encouraged by the culture of society? The world is an efficient, bloody machine, and one girl is about to throw a wrench into that machine. Welcome to Murder-World.
This is the first book in the Murder-World dystopian future series being built by author AJ West. This book is packed with the three F’s: fighting, friendships, and family. This is the first look into Murder-World and all of its horror that will have you coming back time and time again.
Malcolm McDowell Woods
Book: What the Tide Leaves Behind
Genre: Fiction
Website: https://malcolmmcdw58.wixsite.com/writing
Social Media: Facebook
Email: malcolmmcdw58@gmail.com
Sold by: Amazon, Barnes & Noble
The novel is a powerful exploration of loss, healing and finding one’s way home, set along the Wild Atlantic Way in Ireland’s scenic County Donegal. A heartwarming celebration of friendship and the love of a dog. The selection of the 2025 Tosa All-City Reads as well as Elm Grove Reads.
Kristian Zenz
Book: Vernacular Whirlwind
Genre: Poetry
Website: http://www.kristianzenz.com
Social Media: Instagram
Email: zenzkristian@gmail.com
Sold by: Amazon
Art and media of the modern world is adorned with many dimensions, styles, and voices of criticism. To seamlessly blend art and utilize intermediality is a challenging feat, and it is one that Kristian Zenz isn’t afraid of. He addresses the many and the few in his second poetry book, Vernacular Whrilwind.
This second installment of invigorating, poignant poetry is all about people, from all places of the world. It is about relationships and their highs and lows. It is about bars, alcohol and America. It is about dinosaurs (your parents), flowers, garbage, and sunshine. It is about Zenz himself, and above all else, it is about you.
OTHER EXHIBITORS
AllWriters’ Workplace & Workshop
Contact: Kathie Giorgio
Website: https://www.allwritersworkshop.com
Email: kathie11@aol.com
Address:
234 Brook Street Unit 2
Waukesha, WI 53188
Become a professional writer and achieve your writing dreams at AllWriters’ Workplace & Workshop, LLC — an international creative writing studio located in Waukesha, Wisconsin. AllWriters’ offers online and on-site classes in all genres and abilities of creative writing, as well as coaching and editing services. All instructors are professional writers whose work is released by traditional publishing in their field.
Novel Bookcamp
Website: http://www.novelbookcamp
Contact: David J. Rank
Email: davejr390@gmail.com
Address:
831 S. Seventh Ave.
West Bend, Wisconsin 53095
The Novel Bookcamp is an annual in-person writers’ event held each June at the Siena Retreat Center in Racine, Wisconsin, now in its 13th year. Offering workshops, writing retreats, and one-on-one book coaches. A 501(c)(3) nonprofit registered in Wisconsin.
Offline Wine
Website: https://www.offline.wine/
Contact: Sarah Mack
Email: sarah@offline.wine
Address:
8 The Green #1624
Dover, DE 19901
Offline Wine creates thoughtfully made non-snob European wines with fabulously cheeky labels and easy pairings curated for you. Offline Wine was founded by sisters Sarah and Emily Mack from Wisconsin.
Sarah and Emily will be showcasing their book club, Offline Chapters, that celebrates the joy of reading! Just as Offline Wine offers thoughtfully crafted European wines, Offline Chapters brings together a community of book lovers who appreciate great stories and engaging discussions. Our selections feature diverse genres, with hidden-gem book picks for everyone, whether you’re a casual reader or a literary enthusiast.
Photographic Images
Website: http://www.billlemke.com
Contact: William Lemke
Email: williamf.lemke@gmail.com
Address:
S42W32278 Spring Ridge Ln
Waukesha, WI 53189
Phone: (262) 968-1928
I am a fine art photographer who primarily focuses on landscapes, but I have been involved in a long-term unique project that is the subject of my first self-published book (Aging Gratefully: Deadheads Then and Now). This book includes formal, black and white portraits of Deadheads in the late 80’s/early 90’s as well as re-photographs of the approximately 40 that were found again over the past decade of searching and the stories we collected from them about their lives.
