Stephen
Stephen asked James Halat:

I'm reading The Story of Teddy and Eddie and am continually struck by its being in present tense, a form that I'm not at all used to. In the beginning it was somewhat off-putting and I can pretty much ignore it now but I'm wondering why you did choose that tense?

James Halat Hi Stephen,

Like my first two novels, I stay with a first person present tense narrative style, this time with a minor adjustment, that brings the voice I find works best for my stories. If I re-write in "normal" past tense, I personally find the voice weakens. If you look at the reviews of my books on Amazon, some readers feel the voice adds a detachment that matches the narrator's condition, while others find it more personal and brings the reader closer to the narrator. I like that the style works for both cases. I hope this answers your question.

James

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