30 ratings | 14 reviews | avg rating:4.70

Wm.’s Year In Books

Wm.’s 2025 Year in Books

Take a look at Wm.’s Year in Books, including some fun facts about their reading.

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Wm. Stage

Goodreads Author

Born

in Kalamazoo, Michigan, The United States

Website

http://www.wmstage.com

Genre

Fiction, Crime, Contemporary

Influences

For about 10 years now, I've been an avid reader of crime fiction. The ...more

Member Since

May 2013

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Wm. Stage has been a newspaper journalist / columnist and photographer for more than 30 years. Before that, he was a public health officer with the Centers for Disease Control assigned to the St. Louis Sexually Transmitted Diseases Clinic. He has taught photojournalism at Saint Louis University School for Professional Studies; and feature writing with the Defense Information School [DINFOS], Fort Benjamin Harrison, Indiana. As of 2025, he has authored 16 books with the most recent, Down And Out In The River City, being his fifth novel. Wm. Stage lives in St. Louis with his wife, Mary, and their many unruly children.

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Popular Answered Questions

How do you deal with writer’s block?

Wm. Stage Fortunately, I'm not cursed with that. I was a journalist for over 30 years and you simply discipline yourself to produce. Quality work, not just any …moreFortunately, I'm not cursed with that. I was a journalist for over 30 years and you simply discipline yourself to produce. Quality work, not just any old dreck. For me, though, what is important is to not try to do too much at once. Whether I'm writing a column or a short story, I like to sit down with it 2 -3 hours every morning, write as much as I'm content with, and then leave it 'til the next day. In that time between sit downs I am thinking, actively or subconsciously, where I want to take the narrative next, how I can better say something already said, etc. For my newspaper column I had a week lead time, so the process was sped up, but with a novel it's a real luxury to have ample time to fabricate plot. As a journalist, I like deadlines so even with a creative work such as my recent novel, I gave myself a deadline of one year. I made that deadline, and then spent another 4 months editing and fine-tuning, but no major plot changes. (less)

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What’s your advice for aspiring writers?

Wm. Stage My best answer: Have a fairly good idea of where you're going with your story. You might map out the plot in the manner of a Wikipedia synopsis of a m…moreMy best answer: Have a fairly good idea of where you're going with your story. You might map out the plot in the manner of a Wikipedia synopsis of a movie; that helped me in my last project. Doesn't mean you have to keep to your outline / map, but at least you have one. Next, don't try to bite off too much in one setting. Try for small increments at a regular pace, and that means a sit-down with your story each day -- .early morning, afternoon, late night, whatever feels right to you. In the interim between writing sessions, you'll find yourself writing the story in your head and you'll be eager to get back to where you left off. Finally, a lot of fledgling authors have a hard time knowing where to begin. Don't even worry about that. Begin with a dramatic incident or a strong point and go from there. Your "beginning" might turn out to be the middle of the book or the toward the end; you'll figure it out as your story unfolds. I hope this helps. (less)

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Wm. Stage’s books

Average rating: 3.95 · 119 ratings · 42 reviews · 24 distinct works • Similar authors

	Down and Out in the River City it was amazing 5.00 avg rating — 24 ratings — 2 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	St. Francis Of Dogtown 3.41 avg rating — 17 ratings — 3 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	No Big Thing 3.69 avg rating — 13 ratings — published 2017 — 2 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Litchfield: A Strange and Twisted Saga of Murder in the Midwest, 20th Anniversary Edition 3.75 avg rating — 12 ratings — 3 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Creatures On Display 3.80 avg rating — 10 ratings — published 2015 — 3 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Practical Guide to Process Serving by Wm. Stage (Goodreads Author), Daniel Pearlmutter (Illustrator) 3.71 avg rating — 7 ratings — published 2007 — 4 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	A Friend Of King Neptune really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 6 ratings — 2 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Down and Out in the River City 4.40 avg rating — 5 ratings	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Fading Ads of St. Louis 3.33 avg rating — 6 ratings — 3 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Have a Weird Day really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 4 ratings — published 2003 — 5 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

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Wm. Stage's Blog

NOVEL TAKES HONORS IN CONTEST

A Friend Of King Neptune by Wm. Stage

This novel took first in the 2023 Indie Author Project regional contest, category: Adult Fiction. It was featured in the prestigious Library Journal December 2023 issue Best Books. The author celebrated with an hour-long bike ride in the cornfields of Monroe County Illinois.

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Published on January 28, 2024 04:35 • Tags: literary-awards-st-louis-author

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Wm.’s Recent Updates

Wm. Stage is now following Patrica R.Christian and Kira C.
Nov 01, 2025 09:37AM
Wm. Stage rated a book it was amazing Down and Out in the River City by Wm. Stage (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Sep 28, 2025 04:52AM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Down and Out in the River City by Wm. Stage. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Down and Out in the River City by Wm. Stage <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Wm. Stage rated a book really liked it Down and Out in the River City by Wm. Stage (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Apr 05, 2025 04:29AM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Down and Out in the River City by Wm. Stage. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Down and Out in the River City by Wm. Stage <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Wm. Stage has read The Heron by Don Winslow (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Really good, had me going. It's a short piece, maybe 4 disks, audio book. I listened to it twice. Has a great twisted ending. Since then, I've either read or listened to 2 other Don Winslow novels. ...more
Jan 26, 2025 10:18AM · like · see review
Wm. Stage has read The Whites by Harry Brandt	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
serious crime fiction, had me going. Love this author.
Jan 26, 2025 10:12AM · like · see review · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of The Whites by Harry Brandt. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — The Whites by Harry Brandt <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Jan 26, 2025 09:43AM · like · view books
Wm. Stage has read A Friend Of King Neptune by Wm. Stage (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
This novel took first in the 2023 Indie Author Project regional contest, category: Adult Fiction. It was featured in the prestigious Library Journal December 2023 issue Best Books. The author celebrated with an hour-long bike ride in the cornfields o ...more
Jan 28, 2024 04:32AM · like · see review