📚 A Bookish Chat with 'Reflections of an Anxious African American Dad' Author Eric L Heard #Interview

Eric L. Heard currently lives in Bowling Green, Kentucky with his wife, Sonya, of 17 years and his son, McKinley. Eric is a graduate of Florida State University with a BS in Engineering. He also has a Master’s Business Administration from Indiana University and Master’s of Manufacturing Operations from Kettering University. He is an Army Brat who has lived in the Southeast United States, Germany, and Japan.

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Welcome to The Writer's Life!  How did you come up with the idea to write your book?

Reflections of An Anxious African American Dad is my first book and I came up with the idea of writing my book after having a life changing incident with my son. I discuss that incident in the book because it was such a powerful moment for me that really got me thinking about doing something different, in terms of my thinking and interacting with my son. The ability to write a book was initially an attempt to communicate with my son in a way that I was not able to express verbally in the past. As I was writing the book, there was the thought that there must be other dads out there dealing with some of the same issues and maybe I could help them as they are trying to figure everything out for their family.

How would you describe your book’s ideal reader?

My ideal reader is someone who is open minded and enjoy about hearing other experiences. I wanted to write a book that when someone read it, they could take something positive from it, and inspire them to try something new outside of their comfort zone.

What part of the book was the most fun to write?

The funniest part of the book was talking fondly about my family. I had a chance to write those experiences with those family members that have passed on and would never have the chance to meet my son. It was bittersweet in writing about it but I found myself smiling and thinking about those moments that still give me joy to this day.



What’s one fact about your book that would surprise people?

The one fact about the book that would surprise people is that it is written by someone who does not consider themselves a writer. The peoole that knew me were very shocked that I wrote a book since I was such a private and serious person. I never really shared my intent to write a book and when I told people that I was writing a book, there was raised eyebrows and gasps.

What advice would you give to a writer working on their first book?

My advice that I would give a writer is to be true to yourself and write in a way that you will be proud of when you get published. I have found that a book is subjected to feedback from a lot of places, and the writer has to be strong in their belief of the book. If you are not supportive of your book, it can be a painful process which can discourage you from writing.



Finally, what message are you trying to get across with your book?

The message that I will give to the reader is to be open to the reading and understanding of the experiences of others. We all have a lot to learn from each other and reading is great avenue for us to communicate with each other and to come closer as a community.

Thank you again for this interview!  Do you have any final words?

I want to thank The Writer’s Life for giving me the opportunity to perform this interview. I want to thank those readers who have taken the time to read my book and possibly give me a review.

 




Title: REFLECTIONS OF AN AFRICAN AMERICAN DAD
Author: Eric L. Heard
Publisher: IUniverse
Pages: 93
Genre: Memoir

BOOK BLURB:

The purpose of this book is an awkward discussion of Eric Heard’s life to his son. He talks about his life in a candid way that tries to explain his anxiety as an African American dad. It is an open and honest account of his life through the life of a child that has been through a lot in his life. It is a reflection on his life that has been shaped by his childhood experiences.

PRAISE

“The book shines in its portrayal of systemic issues through the eyes of a child caught up in centuries of racism while living in an era of unprecedented change. It shows how, for instance, marginalized people don’t suddenly stand as equals to the rest of society after changes in legislation. Segregation was still the norm in the community Heard grew up in and many doors remained closed to African Americans” – Tomah, OnlineBookClub.org

“Eric L. Heard’s REFLECTIONS OF AN ANXIOUS AFRICAN AMERICAN DAD has a touching premise and strong central idea,…….”~PF Matthews for IndieReader   

“Reflections of an Anxious African American Dad by Eric Heard is a heartfelt, vulnerable, and uplifting memoir.” – Sheena Monin, Luminosity Media Group

ORDER YOUR COPY

Amazon → https://amzn.to/34UpjeF






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