Rochester Sun Times News & Publishing Announces Expansion of Original First-Rights Serialized Fiction
ROCHESTER, MINNESOTA — August 15, 2026 — Rochester Sun Times News & Publishing today announced an expansion of its original first-rights serialized-fiction program, following the successful publication run of Lisa Loucks-Christenson’s The Fortunate Princess.
The expansion begins with Wakefield, an original illustrated serial written and illustrated by Lisa Loucks-Christenson. The series will be published exclusively through Rochester Sun Times News & Publishing.
Set in the fictional river town of Wakefield Landing, Minnesota, Wakefield brings together mystery, courtroom drama, local legend, investigative tension, and supernatural undertones. The first episodes introduce a community shaped by its river, its history, and the secrets its residents have tried to bury.
Season One, Episode Two, “Calendar Witness,” introduces Lara Smyth, Sheila Wakeman’s first cousin and closest ally. Lara is an emergency-call professional who understands the importance of listening when people are frightened. When she becomes the caller, however, she must confront what happens when a witness is reduced to a date on a calendar rather than heard as a person recognizing a larger pattern.
Season One, Episode Three, “The Crab Shack Verdict,” shifts the story to the Wakefield Landing Court. In a dispute involving Aurora Sky Bidwell and Franklin Blaine Bidwell, a startling statement interrupts a volatile courtroom battle. The revelation threatens to derail the case, divide the jury, and expose the fragile foundations of Big C.C.’s Crab Shack empire.
“Publishing serialized fiction allows readers to enter a world as it unfolds,” said Lisa Loucks-Christenson, Founder and Publisher of Rochester Sun Times News & Publishing. “Each episode of Wakefield adds another layer of character, history, mystery, and consequence. The stories are fictional, but they are written with respect for the complicated emotional realities that inspire meaningful storytelling.”
The expansion reflects Rochester Sun Times News & Publishing’s continuing editorial commitment to original reporting, documentaries, and first-rights creative works.
Real stories. Documentary truth. Fiction born from worlds too real to ignore.
About Lisa Loucks-Christenson
Lisa Loucks-Christenson is Founder and Publisher of Rochester Sun Times News & Publishing and Founder of Ecompass Communications. An author, illustrator, photographer, investigative storyteller, and Executive Producer, she has worked across publishing, journalism, illustration, photography, radio, documentary development, fulfillment, and communications. Her original creative properties include Don’t Eat Bees!™, Wolves of Whitewater Falls™, The Adventures of Valentine & Allie, The Unfortunate Princess, The Fortunate Princess, and Wakefield.
Media Contact
Lisa Loucks-Christenson
Founder, Publisher & Executive Producer
Rochester Sun Times News & Publishing
Phone: 800-928-2372
Email: Lisa@LisaLC.com
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