I'm Michael Popke, a debut novelist.
My agent, Tina Schwartz at The Purcell
Agency, and I are seeking a publisher for
Why Iowa? I live just outside of Madison, Wisconsin, where I run Two Lakes Media Group and provide professional writing and editing services.
My fiction and essays have appeared in The Sun, Moss Piglet and The 50 Word Stories of 2025 microfiction anthology (Vine Leaves Press). ​I've spent the majority of my life in the Midwest: Wisconsin, Minnesota, and, yes, Iowa. My work is rooted in the heartland, and so am I.
Why Iowa?:
A Novel
What's the book about?
The death of a college bandmate sets off a weeklong whirlwind of renewed regrets, rivalries,
and romance among former friends. Set in the American Midwest, Why Iowa? examines how prejudices betray us and how redemption—no matter how elusive—always remains within reach.
Now available for acquisition.
Please contact Tina Schwartz: tina@thepurcellagency.com
Advance praise for Why Iowa?
"Michael Popke's debut is a masterful mixtape of life's greatest hits—young love, crushing regrets, and the burning need for redemption—all set against the backdrop of a college band whose music spoke truths their hearts couldn't. A story that reminds us that it's never too late to face the truth of who we once were, and be better for it."
—Ann Garvin, bestselling author of
I Thought You Said This Would Work
Read the novel's origin story
A cover piece I wrote in 2017 for Isthmus, the alternative weekly newspaper of Madison, Wisconsin, convinced me that a story stuck in my head for two decades was still worth telling. This book is that story...
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Listen to the playlist for Why Iowa?
Sign up to receive updates about Why Iowa?'s path to publication
(and, potentially, my future Substack newsletter). To thank you for your support, I'll send you a link to an exclusive Spotify playlist featuring 20 songs and artists that are either referenced in the book or provided inspiration during the writing process. The more subscribers I have, the more I'll be able to demonstrate demand for this book.
(Check your "promotions" folder if the link doesn't land directly in your inbox.)
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© 2026 Michael Popke | All Rights Reserved