Interview with Erik Hare, Writer of “Downriver”

Erik has manufactured his living as a chemical engineer, furnishings designer and web entrepreneur, and author this vast working experience and his frequent interest in dabbling in more points makes him believe himself most effective suited to be a author. His new novel “Downriver”, the tale of a transformational journey that follows a big life-shifting party, also demonstrates that he is a gifted trainer of existence lessons.

Tyler: Welcome Erik and thank you for joining me these days. “Downriver” is the story of Popey, a Hopneg, whose property is destroyed by a Human, and who then sets out to discover more about Humans. How did you initial appear up with the principle of the Hopnegs?

Erik: Really, my son George experienced a pretty tiny imaginary close friend named Popey when he was 3. When I talked with him about it, I understood that George was dealing with getting the smallest member of the household. It didn’t just take me extensive to understand that anyone feels smaller and frightened at some position in their life, particularly as youngsters. Obtaining previous that, alternatively than accepting it, is incredibly essential to not only realizing your goals but really turning out to be them.

Tyler: How outdated is George now and what does he imagine about Popey and the fact that he provided you with the inspiration for the character and his world?

Erik: George just turned 7, and frankly he will not like to talk about imaginary buddies significantly.

Tyler:: What variety of reaction to “Downriver” have you been given from other kids?

Erik: They have preferred it, but it is a bit challenging for them. They usually ask me questions! The ones listed here in Saint Paul acknowledged that all the sites it is set in are serious, so if nothing else they have to check with me about them.

Tyler: Would you share with us just one of the insights into human character Popey gains?

Erik: That daily life is almost never an epic struggle involving “fantastic” and “evil”. It is primarily a each day struggle concerning the mundane and the clear–the day-to-day grind of moving as a result of the motions as opposed to having a move back exactly where you can see how definitely beautiful lifetime genuinely is.

Tyler: What have been you attempting to say about human society by viewing individuals as giants from the viewpoint of a compact creature?

Erik: At this position in history, every little thing in the planet is obtainable to all of us. That tends to make us experience tiny and helpless significantly a lot more than it invigorates us. No one particular definitely has regulate about the whirlwind of forces that make our life what they are. We all have to settle for this and somehow find a place for ourselves. Some of the brightest and most imaginative young ones become Goths, which I have small problem with. I supply “Downriver” to them as a brighter, far more hopeful alternate–really don’t worry about “the equipment” for the reason that no a single is aware of what is actually really heading on. Discover a way to do a little something first rate and permit the others wallow in their possess delusion if they have to.

Tyler: Which is a excellent issue, Erik. We all require to take duty for our lives relatively than blaming culture or “the device”. In “Downriver”, the major character, Popey, learns far more about the magic of the environment through practical experience and observation than merely by examining and other traditional instructional approaches. Are you suggesting there are numerous roads to awareness we mostly overlook?

Erik: Surely. If you hold your eyes open up, you can study pretty much nearly anything. It also can consider a good deal of silly queries if you are fearless sufficient to not treatment about what people today assume of them.

Tyler: Your do the job appears to reflect a have to have for individualism and following our very own paths and dreams. How have your personal own activities led you to these beliefs?

Erik: I’ve been lost many moments in my existence. I grew up in Miami, and noticed extra violence fully commited than I really should have as a little one. I’ve been hunting for superior methods ever considering that. By means of these ordeals, I have had the emotion that I see the environment in another way than many individuals. Potentially it is really a protection system, but it really is what I am and I have to make it work by some means.

Tyler: When did you comprehend creating could be a indicates to obtaining and educating people much better strategies?

Erik: Looking at to my children, I started off to understand that so quite a few works of this form are about fantastic triumphing over evil as a result of swordplay, magic, pistols, or some other violent indicates. That is just nonsense to me. Violence won’t resolve nearly anything, even if it is sometimes required to make a point. It truly is always, “The King is useless, extensive live the King” and then anything goes on as in advance of. I recognized that my kids and all the other ones out there will likely under no circumstances see these a circumstance. What will they see? How can they make it operate? What kind of men and women will they definitely be? If I was likely to be a very good father and educate them how to be decent people, I had to remedy some of that myself.

Tyler: I know you have created other tales. Would you explain to us a very little about your previous writings?

Erik: My composing has been mostly specialized and political, developed to persuade persons. So lots of tales in the newspaper leave yet another a lot more appealing tale untold, and I like to adhere to these tales to that subsequent stage. At some place, I recognized that this challenging planet is improved understood via the coronary heart than the brain. I developed a desire to support folks down a route exactly where they can “get it”, and act more purposefully. When I compose fiction, I tend to publish about misfits and individuals at the margins of the world. I’ve used people today with severe social problems and homeless folks as a way to get the environment to open its eyes a bit and actually see what is around them.

Tyler: Do you feel “Downriver” marks a change or changeover in your crafting?

Erik: It is really my initial very long function, so that is critical. I was not absolutely sure that I could continue to keep a little something this extensive and total of strategies about the entire world going. I also taught myself how to keep a constant topic working in this case, I experimented with to produce like h2o, generally relocating and shimmering and transforming. I was delighted with the effect, even if it meant my creating design became a bit unusual, so I will do more of that.

Tyler: Should we search for far more tales of Popey and the Hopnegs, or what other forms of projects are you presently doing the job on?

Erik: I’m operating on much more worthwhile composing these times, but I’d like to create a sequel. It might take its type later this summer months, and my initially blush has it much more radical and edgy. Popey is a chief, but on his terms and for his have factors.

Tyler: We will be looking ahead then to assembly Popey all over again. Erik, thank you yet again for speaking with me nowadays. In closing, would you make sure you permit our audience know in which they can obtain out additional information about your e book and where by to invest in it?

Erik: It is out there on amazon.com and other on the web booksellers. I retain a site at http://www.authorsden.com/erikhare with additional testimonials and other works of mine.