LITERARY & SPECULATIVE FICTION · MEMOIR

Some stories
stay with you.

The writing of John F. Wolfgram.

Explore the writing
Ghosts in My Heart: Backroads, Barstools, and Bad Decisions by John F. Wolfgram, with a foggy dock on the cover
BASED IN MINNESOTASTORIES ROOTED IN THE HUMAN EXPERIENCE

01 / SELECTED WORK

LITERARY FICTION · SEEKING REPRESENTATION

Ghosts in
My Heart

Backroads, Barstools, and Bad Decisions

In a small Wisconsin town, first love leaves a mark that time cannot quite erase. The past waits in a cigar box: a mixtape, a few keepsakes, and a letter that has never been opened.

A novel about memory, longing, and the people we carry with us—told with humor, music, and the ache of looking back.

“Not all ghosts haunt houses—some haunt hearts.”
Memory   /   First love   /   Music

SCIENCE FICTION · UNPUBLISHED NOVELLA

Echo’s Drift

Something is waiting beyond the hatch.

A team boards a mysterious derelict in the asteroid belt. Its interior defies their instruments—and their understanding of time.

As the crew discovers what the ship contains, the mission becomes a question of what they are willing to surrender to get home.

Time   /   Loss   /   Sacrifice

Also in Development

SPECULATIVE HISTORICAL FICTION

When the Sphinx Was Young

In an ancient port city, a rising religion has outlawed the old faith—and marked a king’s niece for sacrifice. With the help of Corvan, a thief and rogue, Saia seeks escape and a place where she can start over.

ALTERNATE HISTORY

Valkyrie’s Wing

The First World War never happened, and the empires have plenty worth stealing. A mercenary baron and the crew of the Valkyrie’s Wing navigate dangerous heists and deals where everyone has an angle. He isn’t in it for God or country. He’s in it for the money.

MEMOIR

Ghost in the Ashes

A memoir exploring life as a firefighter and the lasting effects of PTSD.

LITERARY FICTION

Driving Out of Vitebsk

After a divorce, a man travels to Belarus in search of love. Amid unfamiliar customs, language barriers, and unexpected friendships, he begins to question what he wants.

02 / STORIES & RECOGNITION

A story finds
its way into
the world.

Published fiction and recognition for shorter work.

PUBLISHED SHORT STORY

The Birth of the Goatman

Macabre Magazine June 2026

Read the story
HONORABLE MENTION

Allegory Magazine

Volume 49/76 · Spring/Summer 2026

FIRST PLACE · 2025

The Color of Love

Fremont Public Library · Color Our World

Read the story PDF · page 3
SECOND PLACE · 2026

Plenty of Time

Fremont Public Library · Winter Wonderland

Read the story PDF · page 10

03 / THE AUTHOR

John F.
Wolfgram

Writer. Firefighter. Gardener.

A Wisconsin beginning.
A Minnesota writing life.

Originally from Wisconsin, he lives in Minnesota with his fiancée Kate and their rescue dog Cash, named after Johnny Cash.

A retired firefighter and now a Master Gardener, John moves between the familiar and the strange in his writing, returning to questions of love, loss, memory, and the choices that shape a life. He believes the best stories spring from deep roots… and maybe a few dirty little secrets. He volunteers with The Loft Literary Center and participates in writing and critique communities.

04 / GET IN TOUCH

Contact John

Have a question about John’s writing, or want to invite him to read at an event? Get in touch.

jwolfgram177@gmail.com

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