Here goes...everything. The opening statement to each episode of the Misbehaving in Maine podcast sets the comedic yet sincere tone of the stories told by Daniel Williams, PhD, associate professor of English. His podcast wrapped its second season in May 2025, just before the release of his new book, sharing the name Misbehaving in Maine.
Williams' first book is part memoir, part creative nonfiction humor, published by Falls City Press. A series of short stories plot a narrative arc of his childhood in Maine, and particularly his love-hate relationship with his older brother. “He was the only person I ever truly hated and the one whose attention I wanted most,” says Williams.
In his true narrative fashion, the stories are absurd and comedic, yet sincere depictions of childhood angst and identity. Each story reveals a new layer of family relationships and coming-of-age experiences that resonate with readers — who perhaps learned these life lessons through less shocking means. The book is a favorite for readers of all ages (though parents may want to skip the chapter called “You Never Forget Your First F-Bomb,” the story of young Dan encountering new vocabulary).
Williams jokes, “I challenge you to find an audience who won’t like this book. Friends, family, children, professors, the young and the old — even people who don’t like me — like it.”
And one of the best parts? This book does have pictures. Each story is accompanied by original illustrations by Williams, artwork immediately recognizable by his unique style.
Read a sample of Williams book online at fallscitypress.com/misbehaving-sample.
Although Misbehaving in Maine is full of stories set in another state, the book has developed through the Geneva community. Williams credits his fellow writers at the College, including faculty, staff, alumni, and current students. The book was published by Geneva professor Keith Martel, PhD, through his local publishing house Falls City Press, and the cover was designed by Kristen Slebodnik, a coordinator in the Center for Student Engagement.
“It’s very much a book that was discovered at Geneva” Williams says. “This place has been the audience, you guys heard it first.”
Williams came to Geneva in 2013 on a one-year appointment, fresh from his doctoral program at the University of Louisiana. When a position unexpectedly opened in the English department, his PhD advisor urged him to make his mark on campus — so he launched the Geneva Reading Series, a regular event featuring original work from students and faculty. The GRS became the space where Williams honed his creative voice. More than a decade later, he’s a tenured professor whose quirks, expertise, and teaching methods have left their mark on the English department.
Though Misbehaving in Maine is his first book, Williams’ voice and creative pursuits are familiar to many through podcasting, blogging, and other media. On his Misbehaving in Maine podcast, started in August 2024, Williams tells stories “from his life in Maine and from his afterlife in Pennsylvania.” Episodes range from five minutes to half an hour.
His blog on Medium began in 2018 at the encouragement of a student, Adam Rowe ‘14, who set up Williams’ first account. Though originally an outlet for writing advice, the blog has become a workshop for his creative nonfiction writing to an audience of over 64,000 followers.
Williams views online platforms as helpful spaces for writers to hone their creativity and voice. “The internet is brutal, but it’s honest,” he explains. “[Sharing content] is a great way to get out of your weird, self-worshiping, introverted shell, which can tempt you to think that you’re the greatest writer who ever lived. You need to roll that person out into the public ... it’ll help you become the writer you’re supposed to be.”
He also warns students of the double-edged nature of online platforms. In particular, social media is useful for building a following but can also devour time and emotional energy. “You could get lost there, so you need extreme discipline to not constantly check it. If you go into the internet unarmed with discipline, you’ll have half your life eaten up.”
Followings garnered online are also helpful in attracting the attention of publishers. This is a benefit to authors and other creatives who can share their current work and audience rather than “going in cold” to publishers. Professors like Williams have adapted to navigate the changing industry, guiding students into the field while learning alongside them.
Williams has a strong presence in shaping Geneva’s writing program. His guiding outcomes for students are simple: Write every day as a discipline. Practice accepting criticism well. Find your own voice. Learn what constitutes a story.
The final project in each of his writing classes is for students to submit what they consider to be their best piece to a magazine. “Get busy getting rejected,” Williams laughs. His method is tailored after the “model of Stephen King,” who spent years receiving rejection letters until slowly the notes grew to become positive encouragements leading to his success as a bestselling author. The continual practice of writing, presenting your work to others, and editing is a discipline requiring dedication and thick skin.
“It takes [time] to learn what a story is, to build the courage to be rejected as much as you need to be rejected, to build this separation between your writing and your identity,” Williams shares. “Maybe it takes four years of rejection to realize your writing isn’t you. It’s not your soul. It’s a craft you’re building to offer to people.”
Williams’ primary encouragement for students and fellow writers is this: Write every day. The habit took root from three professors who shaped his path. One warned that talent fades without discipline, another pointed out that Mark Twain wrote daily, and a third urged him to find a career that left time for writing. Ever since, Williams has written at least 15 minutes every day — on mountains, on Christmas, even when he doesn't feel like it.
While Misbehaving in Maine captures his creative nonfiction storytelling, his other ongoing works are what he terms “New England gothic,” stemming from his love of Southern gothic, magical realism, and the dark humor he inherited from his family. “I want it to be a real world, but I want wild things to happen that are impossible and fantastic.” Set in the imagined town of Kettle, Maine, he’s created a literary world where wells in basements lead to hell, bamboo-like weeds whisper secrets, and humor tempers horror.
Williams’ route to publication demonstrates to students that writing is not solitary work, but a process of sharing, experimenting, and growing — and that Geneva’s English program is a place where those practices take root and flourish.
Misbehaving in Maine is available for purchase at FallsCityPress.com/misbehaving. Use code MISBEHAVINGGC online at Falls City Press for a 20% discount through October 1, 2025.
By Erika Kauffman '20
Artwork in header image: Daniel Williams
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