THE PROTAGONIST: SLUMP-SHOULDERED GLOOM

The leading man or woman is the character whose story lies at the novel's core. Ideally, that character should be someone whom the reader can relate to or is cheering to success. I mean, really, who wants to read about losers?

So why did I pick a milksop to write about in How Did I Get Here?

The most interesting event in Andrey's lackluster childhood was a year-long bout with anxiety-induced hiccups. His spiritless teenage years weren’t any better; his notable exploit was hooking up with a neighbor girl in the church bell tower.

What does an author do when faced with a main character who is a cynical, horny, insipid recluse? I was confronted with a protagonist whose childhood resulted in an adult who didn’t engage people (including readers!)

My response was to write the story from a present-tense, first-person point of view, enabling the reader to understand what was going on inside Andrey’s head, which was much more interesting than what his outward persona portrayed. In entering Andrey's thoughts (and enjoying hefty doses of his wry sense of humor), my goal was to keep you, the reader, entertained in the midst of a gruesome war.