From Memoir to Fiction and Today’s Publishing World

Vince Wyckoff will reveal the backstory to his first work of non-fiction, Beware of Cat, and Other Encounters of a Letter Carrier, and how it nearly cost him his career amid threats of federal felony charges. His Black Otter Bay mystery series has been met with less drama, but strong reviews and a loyal following of readers.

Born and raised in Columbia Heights, Minn, Mr. Wyckoff attended the University of Minnesota and is a veteran of the U.S. Army. His first book, “Beware of Cat,” celebrates the stories of people on his mail route. For a short time, he lived on the north shore of Lake Superior, from which he developed the background for Black Otter Bay, his first work of fiction and a finalist for the 2016 Midwest Independent Publishers Award. This was followed by a sequel, Nightwatchers, and the third installment, Refuge From the Sea. His stories have been published in several local periodicals as well as the anthology, Home. Wyckoff and his wife, Sybil, live in Minneapolis. They have two children and four grandchildren.