He has published numerous popular novels and non-fiction works about military and alternative history, thrillers, and speculative events. His three alternate novels of the Civil War were co-written with politician Newt Gingrich; two also had the participation of writer Albert S. Hanser. He and the other two men have also written three novels about General George Washington during the American Revolutionary War.
In addition to academic writing, Forstchen has written articles, published in such venues as Boys' Life, and novels for both adults and young adults. He has published nearly fifty books.[citation needed] His young adult novel, We Look Like Men of War, is about an African-American regiment that fought in the Civil War at the Battle of the Crater. It is based on material he originally developed for his dissertation.
Since the late 20th century, Forstchen has shifted toward writing historical fiction and alternate history. In non-fiction he has concentrated on history and technological issues.
John Matherson series
Dr. Forstchen's novel, One Second After (2009, Tor/Forge/St. Martin's books) reached the New York Times best seller list; it was on the list for twelve weeks.[5] The sequel, One Year After, was released in 2015. The concluding work of the trilogy, The Final Day, was released on January 4, 2017. All three of the books in what is now called The John Matherson Series achieved NYT best seller status.[5]
Forstchen based his research for One Second After on the 2004 bipartisan Congressional study of the potential threat to the continental United States from an EMP attack: Report of the Commission to Assess the Threat to the United States from Electromagnetic Pulse (EMP) Attack. Drawing on this and other government and private studies, Forstchen explores in his novel what might happen in a "typical" American town in the wake of an attack with electro-magnetic pulse (EMP) weapons.[6] Forstchen has been invited to make presentations regarding the threat of EMP before members of Congress, and at STRATCOM, Sandia Labs, and NASA.[citation needed]
Other works
Forstchen's novel Pillar to the Sky (2014) explores the concept of a Space Elevator. The tower would rise from the equator to geostationary orbit and beyond in order to revolutionize space transportation in the 21st century. Forstchen's thesis is that the building of such a permanent transportation system to high Earth orbit would reignite America's economic and technological prominence in the 21st century. He promoted the idea that such a tower could be used to "hot wire” limitless non-polluting energy from solar panels deployed in space and free peoples on Earth from dependence on greenhouse gas-emitting energy production.
Forstchen has self-published two novellas. Day of Wrath (2014) is about an ISIS-inspired attack on United States public schools.[7]Twin Flame (2017), co-authored with author Nora D'Ecclesis, is a "biographical novella". He explores the history of his relationship with his former wife Robin.[citation needed]
^Ranieri, Lynne. "Local History: A Place for Memories at the Millburn Theater", Millburn-Short Hills, NJ Patch, February 28, 2011. Accessed January 29, 2022. "In his much-acclaimed memoir of growing up in Millburn in the 1950s, renowned author William Forstchen wrote in the Summer 2005 Thistle:"
^Forstchen, William R. Pillar to the Sky, p. 5. Macmillan Publishers, 2014. ISBN9780765334381. Accessed January 29, 2022. "And thus this dedication to Betty Keller, librarian at Hightstown High School, and Russ Beaulieu, history teacher who shaped my life at such a crucial and sensitive time."
