Utah Wrestler and Coach Participating in Utah Authors Day

West Jordan, Uta. — The League of Utah Writers (LUW) recently announced the Utah authors taking part in the third annual Utah Authors Day (UAD) event on Dec. 2, 2023. Award-winning science fiction and fantasy author W.D. Kilpack III of West Jordan is among the 120-plus Utah authors taking part at bookstores and libraries throughout the state.

Kilpack will be appearing at the Salt Lake County Millcreek Community Library from 2–4 p.m. to meet and talk with readers, discuss future plans, and sign copies of his books that the readers bring with them. Being a library, there will be no book sales on site, so anyone wanting to have books signed at the event will need to acquire them ahead of time and bring them to the event, either from Amazon, The Printed Garden bookstore in Sandy, or the author directly.

Kilpack said, "I am very honored and grateful to be included in Utah Authors Day this year! Being selected is very humbling. It feels like winning an award, like some payoff for the hard work and grueling late nights writing, editing, going down rabbit holes on the Internet or dusting off books for research. I am honored, excited, and a little anxious. A lot has gone into it this year, and I just want to do it justice."

UAD was revived in 2021 in collaboration between Utah Humanities, Gov. Spencer Cox, and LUW after its initial creation in the 1970s by LUW with Gov. Cal Rampton and Gov. Scott Matheson. The revival has been very successful, growing from just two locations that first year to 46 bookstores and libraries across the State of Utah and more than 120 Utah authors in 2023, as well as pre-event activities includes raffles and mini-contests (more information).

UAD Co-Chair Steve Capone said, "We really encourage community members and readers to participate and celebrate their local wordsmith heroes!"

Kilpack has published five novels to date, four in the epic fantasy New Blood Saga (Crown Prince, Order of Light, Demon Seed, and Rilari), and the science-fiction novella, Pale Face. Between them, they have won 17 book awards and honors, including the International Firebird Book Award, The BookFest Award, Honorable Mention in L. Ron Hubbard's Writers of the Future, Editor's Choice and Top Pick from BooksShelf.com, and runner-up finishes in the Sci-Fi/Fantasy category of the Online Book Club's Book of the Year Competition. By that time, his next novel, the sci-fi epic Battle Calm, should also be available, barring any issues in the publication process.

Kilpack said, "I love hearing from my readers! They send me pictures of themselves holding my books, send messages with their comments, and I am so thankful for all of their support. So I would love to meet more of them in person! That said, I would also love to meet some young aspiring writers. I taught college for 25 years and coached wrestling for even longer. If I could help a few people pursue their own literary passions in some way, even just a little by sharing some bit of what I've learned thus far, then that would really make the event that much better."

According to Sinister Soup podcast co-founder, Clay Vermulm, "Bill [Kilpack] is a wonderful man who works extremely hard on his craft. Kilpack delivers a stunning blow to the belief that Indie-Fantasy is worth any less that its salt [with] well-crafted epic[s] with unique plot mechanisms, well-developed and believable characters, and a world grounded in the visceral and the real."

Author and screenwriter Jeff Bailey said that Kilpack "is an active author of novels, TV screenwriter, producer, and partner in a movie production company. I consider him to be one of the new breed of fast rising influencers in the publishing, television, and movie industries."

About Kilpack

Kilpack is an award-winning and critically acclaimed internationally published writer, with works appearing in print, online, radio and television, starting with his first publication credit at the age of nine, when he wrote an award-winning poem. As an adult, he has been editor and/or publisher of 19 news and literary publications, both online and in print, with circulations as high as 770,000. He is an accomplished cook and has cooked nearly every type of food on a grill. He received both his bachelor's and master's degrees from Westminster College of Salt Lake City. As an undergrad, he double-majored in communication and philosophy, while completing the Honors Program. As a graduate student, he earned a master of professional communication with a writing emphasis. He was also a high-performing athlete, qualifying for international competition in Greco-Roman wrestling. He is a communication professor and a nationally recognized wrestling coach. He is happily married to his high-school sweetheart and is father to five children, as well as helping to raise five step-children. He was born in Salt Lake City, Utah, where he continues to live, coach and teach. For more information go to www.Kilpack.net.

About the League of Utah Writers

LUW is a vibrant writing community built on the backbone of local chapters throughout the state — from Cache Valley to St. George — with many to choose from along the Wasatch Front. Founded in 1935, LUW has grown into a strong network of writers and authors throughout the state. As a nonprofit organization, its members strive to promote literacy and creativity through education, mentoring, and inclusivity accessible through its local chapters. For more information go to www.LeagueofUtahWriters.org.

About Utah Humanities

UH is an independent nonprofit established in 1975. With a small, dedicated staff and volunteer board of directors, it offers public humanities programs across the state that involve thousands of people and organizations. To do its work, UH partners with organizations that want to improve their communities through the humanities. UH's partnerships span Utah and focus on literature, heritage, education, conversations, and local humanities ideas. Its mission is to empower Utahns to improve their communities through active engagement in the humanities. UAD received funding from UH. For more information go to www.UtahHumanities.org.