Q&A with After Dinner Conversation author, Patrick Hueller
A bite-sized interview for your Sunday morning.
“Short Stories For Long Discussions…”
Mission Statement: After Dinner Conversation is an independent, nonprofit literary magazine that publishes philosophical short stories to encourage discussions with friends, family, and students.
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Q&A
Are there any ideas or topics that you wish you had the courage to write about?
I'm pretty fearless when it comes to writing about topics. I write to figure out what I think—or, even better, to figure out what a character thinks—and getting into my own or others' psyche doesn't scare me. What does freak me out, at times, is *publishing* what I wrote. Me knowing what I wrote is one thing—but others? There's a story I wrote years ago, for instance, that I'm very proud of but have never shown anyone. Then, the other day, I went to a reading and talk given by the wonderful author Aamina Ahmad. She spoke about the importance of "going there," of writing about things that scare you, and I walked away inspired. I've decided to submit the story and see what happens.
Is your process for writing philosophical fiction different from the way you approach other works?
With the exception of maybe a science fiction story or two, I've never set out to write philosophical fiction. But I do set out to give my characters tough choices or preoccupying problems or gnawing dilemmas. Doing the right or wrong thing--and what that even is--can obviously be dealt with philosophically (by the writer and/or the character and/or the reader).
If you could obtain certain knowledge of one specific thing, what would that be?
I'm already pretty convinced that stories are the best way to move hearts and minds. But I sometimes wish I knew which stories, exactly, it was going to take to steer people away from some path they're currently on that I find horrifying.
Describe your ideal reader.
My twin brother and my wife. They dig my stuff and give me feedback that is both insightful and practical. If every reader could be them, I'd be both a bestseller and a better writer.
Is there an interview question you wish someone would ask you? How would you answer it?
How do you keep hope that you'll find an audience for your work when shows like Freaks and Geeks and Friday Night Lights struggled to find one? I don't have an answer!
I love the idea of instant replay on real life! How would you deploy it?