An Interview with Douglas Dodd
I’m seventy-five years old and this is my first book. I spent over forty years as a carpenter, then a builder, then a developer, then back to being a carpenter. My only writing was contracts and specifications for my construction business. Very early as a teen, I had a torrid writing relationship with a girl I met on a vacation. I recently spoke with her and she told me she still has those letters. It would be fun to see them now.
I live in Dover, NH, in a converted warehouse with Jessica, my wife of thirteen years. I have three daughters, all in their forties, two of whom live nearby, and three grandsons, two of whom also live nearby. I still will do carpentry projects, but only for our house or for my daughters.
One of my formative jobs as a teen was working for the Appalachian Mountain Club. It instilled in me a love for the mountains and I still hike up in the White Mountains of NH when I can.
Tell us the story of your book’s title. Was it easy to find, or did it take forever?
My original title was You’re the Man of the House Now. This was said to me when I was six after it was confirmed that my father would be paralyzed for the rest of his life. A few people thought it might have wrong connotations. I settled on the current title when I realized that my sisters and I said it quite often when we were young, especially when someone was saying the Lord’s Prayer and we would change the ending quietly amongst ourselves.
How did it feel when you first saw your book cover? Or when you first held your book in your hands?
I had seen the final cover multiple times in emails but it was fun and satisfying to see the first real book that was sent to me.
Who/what made you want to write? Was there a particular person, or particular writers/works/art forms that influenced you?
I was at a New Year’s Eve gathering two and a half years ago, 2023, and someone mentioned that he had written a book and that it was on Amazon. We talked about that and I said that I thought that everybody has a book in them. Later, after we got home, I said to Jessica that I had a book in me and that I was going to write it. I went to Best Buy to upgrade my computer, and handwrote some chapter and vignette ideas and started typing with two fingers. I hit 10,000 words, then 20 and 30, and eventually 80,000 words. And I had a book.
What was the most rewarding/meaningful part of publishing your book?
Seeing reviews. Hearing from friends who really liked it. Hearing from friends who never really knew my whole story. Hearing from my daughters, who were touched by it. Seeing it on various websites.
What is one thing you hope readers take away from reading your book? How do you envision your perfect reader?
That we all have challenges, and you just have to face them, and you need your family and the people you love to help you face those challenges.
Anybody who faces life-altering challenges would be my perfect reader; young or old, male or female.
How was working with Atmosphere Press? What would you tell other writers who want to publish?
It was great from the very beginning (almost a year ago) up to now, during the marketing, printing, and ordering aspects of the production.
Are you a writer, too? Submit your manuscript to Atmosphere Press.
Atmosphere Press is a selective hybrid publisher founded in 2015 on the principles of Honesty, Transparency, Professionalism, Kindness, and Making Your Book Awesome. Our books have won dozens of awards and sold tens of thousands of copies. If you’re interested in learning more, or seeking publication for your own work, please explore the links below.
