Authenticity is crucial to William’s work. His novels frequently feature the land that he calls home and make use of primary sources such as letters, oral histories, interviews, and old business documents to paint an accurate historical picture. His books tell the stories of homesteaders, fur traders, lumberjacks and other keepers of the great north. A winner of the Great Lakes Book Award and a two-time winner of the Minnesota Book Award, William has published eleven novels for young readers, including The Broken Blade, Wintering, and The Darkest Evening. His novel El Lector was recently optioned for film by Jane Startz Productions.