Today, we are chatting with prize-winning Wisconsin writer, documentary maker, and innovator in the arts, B.J. Hollars. B.J. is the author of several books, including the forthcoming Wisconsin for Kennedy: The Primary That Launched A President and Changed the Course of History (WI Historical Society Press, March 2024) and Year of Plenty: A Family’s Season of Grief (Univ. of Wisconsin Press, May 2024). He’s also co-directing a documentary on the closing of the Eau Claire tire plant, When Rubber Hit The Road.
B.J. is also the founder and executive director of the Chippewa Valley Writers Guild and the founder of the Midwest Artist Academy, as well as an associate professor of English at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire.
Get comfortable, folks. This episode is a little longer than normal due to the sheer volume of BJ's work.
Links reference in this episode:
CrimeLess: Hillbilly Heist
It’s 1996 in rural North Carolina, and an oddball crew makes history when they pull off America’s third largest cash heist. But it’s all downhill from there. Join host Johnny Knoxville as he unspools a wild and woolly tale about a group of regular ‘ol folks who risked it all for a chance at a better life. CrimeLess: Hillbilly Heist answers the question: what would you do with 17.3 million dollars? The answer includes diamond rings, mansions, velvet Elvis paintings, plus a run for the border, murder-for-hire-plots, and FBI busts.
Crime Junkie
Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies! Crime Junkie is presented by audiochuck Media Company.
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.