John Goetz writes psychologically driven stories where the past is never finished—and the cost of looking away is always higher than expected.

A longtime technologist turned author, screenwriter, baker, and chef, John brings a systems thinker’s precision to fiction, crafting narratives that unfold slowly, layer by layer, until the weight of consequence becomes unavoidable. His work leans dark, atmospheric, and deeply human—focused on characters shaped by buried truths, moral fracture, and the quiet violence of secrets kept too long.

His most recent novel Dirt received critical acclaim and was optioned for film, with John adapting the screenplay himself. The story’s success cemented his reputation for emotionally grounded suspense and characters that translate powerfully from page to screen.

John is currently developing Seasons, a multi-generational, 4-novel thriller series that spans more than 125 years and explores how inherited choices ripple forward—sometimes awakening forces that should have stayed buried.

When he isn’t writing, John is usually building something tangible—baking bread, crafting chocolate, or restoring old spaces—drawn to work that values patience, process, and intention. He believes the best stories, like the best creations, take time to rise and leave something lasting behind.

John has retired from corporate life but is still very active. You can find him at his keyboard or in an apron covered in flour at LumberJax BakeHouse & Cafe, his business in the heart of Menomonie, WI.