Pen Name:
N. J. Schrock
Genres:
Historical and other fiction, Science Fiction, Inspirational
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Bio
Drawing on her Virden, Illinois, roots, local history, journalism, and scholarship, N. J. Schrock recreates in her second novel, Morning of a Crescent Moon, a pivotal labor battle that fortified the United Mine Workers of America and inspired future union activism. With a Ph.D. in chemistry and an M.A. in English, she brought both science and storytelling to her first novel, Incense Rising, a work of speculative fiction. Schrock lives in New Mexico with her husband and two dogs. Learn more at NJSchrock.com.
Books
Title: Morning of a Crescent Moon
Published: Indigo River Publishing/2026
Genre: Historical Fiction
In Morning of a Crescent Moon, N. J. Schrock renders the tumult of the 1898 Battle of Virden with a storyteller’s grace, fusing historical truth with imagined lives. Against the backdrop of labor unrest and the gathering storm of violence, Cate Merry—a young woman scarred by war and seeking renewal—steps into a town divided by strikes and shadows. There she encounters Noah McCall, a miner bound by duty to his siblings and by circumstance to the perils of the pit. As Virden braces for conflict, their stories entwine with the fates of families, workers, and townsfolk caught in the crosscurrents of justice, sacrifice, and survival. Both elegy and love story, the novel gives voice to the ordinary people whose courage and longing shaped one of America’s fiercest struggles for dignity.
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Title: Incense Rising
Published: Indigo River Publishing/2017
Genre: Science Fiction
Névé is a young woman who rescues things like dogs, sugar beets, and a scientific theory, which is in the possession of a fugitive scientist named Incense Rising. Incense is wanted by the Central Bureau of Intelligence for work she did with her murdered uncle. As Névé and Incense gather allies and dodge assassins, they will learn the harsh truths about their world, where consumerism has invaded every aspect of their lives, and the political system protects itself by making people and information disappear.
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Short Stories
Title: Beyond Boundaries (SouthWest Writers Annual Writing Contest Anthologies)
Publisher: SouthWest Writers (October 6, 2025)
“Droids Like White Elephants” ♦ 2nd Place: Short Story, Science Fiction/Fantasy
In Beyond Boundaries, you’ll find adventure, wisdom, whimsy, and finesse. Some of the authors showcased here consider themselves to be professionals of the craft; some consider themselves hobbyists. Some wrote in genres or styles outside of their comfort zones; some revisited familiar waters in search of new treasures. But they all have one thing in common: they had the courage to share their work with the world. The result of their courage is evident in this year’s anthology of winning entries.
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Publication: The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction, Mar/Apr 2016
Genre: Science Fiction
“The Silver Strands of Alpha Crucis-d”
March-April 2016. Cover art by Jason Van Hollander illustrating “The Ghost Penny Post” by Marc Laidlaw. ALSO: “Belief” by Nancy Kress; plus stories by James L. Cambias, Sarina Dorie, Cat Rambo and others. FEATURES include: book reviews, film essay, and more. Editor: C. C. Finlay.