Factual places, fictional characters and fond memories collide in former Midlander Katherine Heiny’s newest book, “Early Morning Riser.”
Born and raised in Midland, Heiny has fond memories of her childhood home. She recalled her home being close enough to Carpenter Elementary School that she could walk to school herself. Heiny also was a big reader and looked forward to visits to Grace A. Dow Memorial Library. Although she now resides in Bethesda, Maryland, she would always make time to visit her parents and friends in Midland.
“To visit Midland with small children is a paradise with Dow Gardens, City Forest and the spray parks. It was a fairyland of pleasure to them,” Heiny said.
After graduating from Midland High School in 1985, Heiny received an English degree from the University of Kansas and pursued a master’s degree in poetry and fiction at Columbia University. During her time at Columbia she submitted a short story to The New Yorker magazine, which was published.
“I think that gave me the courage to stick with it,” Heiny said.
Heiny went on to write for other notable publications including The Sunday Times and O Magazine. She explained that when writing nonfiction, there is a certain voice that is expected to be used. With short fiction on the other hand, Heiny was able to work closely with editors to figure out the best way to get the story across. Novels provide a different type of experience altogether.
“While I’m writing it, I have this bulletproof feeling,” Heiny said. “You can find a million reasons not to write – Is it good? Am I making the wrong decisions? That forward momentum is hard to maintain and second guessing yourself is only going to make it worse.”
“Early Morning Riser” is Heiny’s third book, following “Single, Carefree, Mellow” published in 2015 and “Standard Deviation” published in 2017. The novel tells the story of second grade teacher Jane who meets Duncan, the local Casanova. As she navigates her relationship with Duncan, Jane also develops friendships with the other residents of Boyne City and learns how connected his is with the community.
Since Heiny raised her kids in Boyne City and wrote half the book while staying there in the summer, the location was ideal to be a setting for the novel. She could easily picture the main characters driving down the streets and their kids playing on the beaches.
“The characters were so real I almost wondered if I would find them there,” Heiny stated.
Midland also made its way into “Early Morning Riser” in subtle ways. Heiny used her second grade class at Carpenter Elementary School as a reference. She also had one family friend, Gilbert Harter of Midland, be the influence for another musical character, inspired by Harter’s hobbies of singing and playing the ukulele.
The fictional residents of Boyne City play a large part in “Early Morning Riser” and are each dear to Heiny. Originally, she had the character of Duncan starring in an earlier novel she was working on that was set in Boyne City. Although she couldn’t make that novel work, Duncan carried on. She enjoyed writing about one passive aggressive individual as well as an honorable and kind man with an intellectual disability. The most fun parts to write entailed the main character’s second grade students, their insights and shenanigans. One scene that depicts a nightmarish, disaster-prone school trip to a farm involved elements of past field trips Heiny herself experienced.
“It’s about acceptance and how family can be any group of people; you don’t have to be related or live together to have that connection with someone,” Heiny stated.
Heiny hopes that readers are able to relate on a personal level with her books and their characters.
“To make that connection with the reader would be the most amazing thing ever,” Heiny said.
“Early Morning Riser” is available for pre-purchase on Amazon and Barnes & Noble. The book will be released on Tuesday, April 13. For more information about Heiny, visit katherineheiny.com.
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