About My Chicago Childhood.  Hotdogs and Other Tales

Books and hotdogs.

I’d written 33 novels, worked in ICUs, ran medical simulation labs and oversaw the design and construction of a middle school.  But, at 47, I’d reached a crossroads.

All I’d ever wanted to do, really, was to work for myself, sell some books, and make a living.

It was a joke at first, “I’ll open a hotdog cart.”

And then, one day, it stopped being a joke.  I wanted to do it.  I kinda had to.

People love hotdogs. I love hotdogs.  Specifically, Vienna Beef hotdogs.  But you can’t get Vienna hotdogs here in the Pacific Northwest.  So I figured why not combine the thing I miss most about Chicago with selling books?  Steady income, bringing the glory of Vienna hotdogs and Polish to my new home and steady exposure to the public for my books…what could be more American than that?

The chips we have were my favorites as a kid: Fritos, Cheetos, Lays Potato Chips, & Doritos.  We have a rotation of Coke, Orange and Grape Crush because I lived for them as a kid.  

About William Hrdina

William Hrdina started writing in college in 1998 (at the ripe old age of 24).  Since then,  he’s completed 37 novels and over 150 short stories (and counting).  See a full list below.  His work is available in good ‘ol fashioned paper copies, ebook or audiobook  formats.  If you like, for a fee (and expenses) he’ll follow you around and read one of his books to you personally.

A midwestern guy from Chicago, William earned philosophy and religion degrees from Indiana University along with minors in cognitive science, sociology, theater and film.  With his highly practical degrees in hand, William went into the workforce, writing at night and after work.  After a varied career at the University of Chicago, William moved with his wife and animal children to the Northwest in October of 2012.

Over his prolific 20+ year career, William Hrdina has written novels, screenplays, radio dramas, audiobooks and short stories in the genres of Fiction, Sci-Fi, Fantasy, Young Adult, Satire, Humor, Religion, Adventure, Suspense, Horror,  Murder Mystery and even a Western(ish).  His short audio stories have been played on NPR stations around the country.  Occasionally, he can be found hocking his books on Phish lot and at music festivals along with his trusty hotdog cart.

He continues to write every day.

Books By William Hrdina (published and unpublished)

  1. Rain (2002)
  2. Portal (2003) (First published 2011)
  3. The Visitors (2003)
  4. Ialtaboath (2004 & 2013) (Audible) (Kindle)
  5. Clearing at the End of the Path (2004-2005) (First published 2011)
  6. Agharta (2005-2006 & 2013) (Audible) (Kindle)
  7. Bang (2007) (First published 2011)
  8. Exodus Enisode (2006-2007) (First published 2011)
  9. The Diary of Bobby Stoner (2008 & 2012) (Audible) (Kindle)
  10. We Can See Through the Machines (2008-2009) (First published 2011)
  11. Kenny G Must Die!! A Satire About Music… And Zombies (2009) (Audible) (Kindle) Audible Re-recorded and re-released in 2022
  12. Once a Dream Did Weave (2010) (Audible) (Kindle)
  13. Gamehenge (2010) (Don’t have the rights to publish)
  14. Landscape from a Dream (Sequel to Once a Dream Did Weave) (2011)
  15. Dhalgo (2012) (Audible) (Kindle)
  16. An American Buddha (2013) (Kindle) (First published June, 2018) (Bonnie Honeycutt- Editor)
  17. Conspiracy!  The Movie, The Novel (2013) (Audible) (Kindle) (Nancy Cassidy-Editor)
  18. Cargo (2014)
  19. Necropants Save the World — Kenny G Must Die!! Book 2 (2014) Published June, 2019 (Bonnie Honeycutt, Editor) Audible Published (2022)
  20. Augmented Reality (2015)
  21. The Gospels of Nikola Tesla (2015) (Published 2017)
  22. Plane (2015) (Published 2017) (Bonnie Honeycutt- Editor)
  23. The Universe Hates Us!! — Kenny G Must Die!! Book 3 (2015)
  24. The Box (2015)
  25. Life of Crime (2016)
  26. Rock of Aiden (2016)
  27. Masquerade (2016)
  28. The Devil and Bubba-John (2018) Name changed to The Devil and Daniel DeVay (Published Audible, Kindle, Amazon 2022)
  29. Arcadia, Michigan (2018) Published March, 2023
  30. Overwatch (2018) Published, April, 2024
  31. The Martyrs of CHANGE (2020) Published: Feb. 2023
  32. Enemy Mind (2020)
  33. Tour Rat- A Medieval(ish) Tale (2022) Published: April 2024
  34. Murakami Bingo (2022) Published: May, 2024
  35. After Life (2023)
  36. Step Count (2023)
  37. Teleportation for $500 or Less (2023)

Completed Novels

Short Stories

Novel Word Count

Last Updated: November, 2023