An Interview with Dan Helpingstine

Married my wife Delia in 1977. My daughter Leah was born in 1996. Have two degrees from Indiana University. Have lived in Northwest Indiana all my life.

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Tell us the story of your book’s title. Was it easy to find, or did it take forever?

I wanted to present my protagonist as vulnerable and idealistic. I wanted him to come across as a person who was struggling through his late teen years but still having great potential.

How did it feel when you first saw your book cover? Or when you first held your book in your hands?

It was an emotional experience for me, because the book took long to write and went through many drafts. In one draft, I deleted the entire second half and wrote what is published today.

Who/what made you want to write? Was there a particular person, or particular writers/works/art forms that influenced you?

I have been writing since early college because I loved to read. A teacher in a freshman writing class encouraged me to develop as a writer. I also learned a great deal from Larry Heineman during a fiction writing class at Columbia College in Chicago. Heineman won the National Book Award for his novel Paco’s Story.

What other professions have you worked in? What’s something about you that your readers wouldn’t know?

I worked as a stringer for two daily newspapers. I also worked part time for a weekly newspaper covering high school sports. For twenty-two years, I worked at an agency that serviced those who were blind or visually impaired. My novel was inspired by real life experiences but is totally fictional.

What was the most rewarding/meaningful part of publishing your book?

The most rewarding part was the belief that my novel can touch readers emotionally.

If your book had a soundtrack, what are some songs that would be on it?

I’m Eighteen by Alice Cooper. Anticipation by Carly Simon.

What is one thing you hope readers take away from reading your book? How do you envision your perfect reader?

I would hope that readers would come to realize that there are many kinds of relationships. My perfect reader would be someone who is reflective and sensitive.

What creative projects are you currently working on?

I have just finished a novel about a twelve-year-old boy who walks into his bedroom to find a red-haired girl his age sitting on his bed. Although she is very humanlike, she is from another planet. Hannah becomes his “partner” and the two grow up together. I am also working on a novel about a congressman who survives a shooting at a town hall. It shows how the attack affects his family and community.

How was working with Atmosphere Press? What would you tell other writers who want to publish?

It was a very enjoyable experience. I was able to improve my novel, and I love the cover. The encouragement I received and still receive from the Atmosphere staff has been great.

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