Lehi Business
David Rodeback and others to participate in Utah Authors Day
Brynn Carnesecca | Lehi Free Press
Every year, local writers from all over Utah come together to celebrate Utah Authors Day. The celebration, hosted by the League of Utah Writers, brings together the reading and writing community in a fun and interactive way. Over twenty bookstores across the state bring diverse and talented authors to the forefront for this unique event.
One local author, David Rodeback, will be participating at HideAway Books in American Fork. Although he has been a fiction writer for a short time, Rodeback has made a big splash in the writing world. With his two published books and another on the way, he has made a big impact on the local communities and readers.
“I worked my way through college as a speech writer, and I have done a lot of other writing along the way, including blogging. About 11 years ago, I decided to try writing fiction which I had mostly avoided in the past because it is a different sort of writing with a lot of work and lots to learn,” Rodeback said. “But I decided it was time to learn. I have many things to say that are best said through fiction.”
As a part-time author, Rodeback manages to fit in writing time whenever he can find a spare moment. Sometimes this can be a long train ride, a bit of downtime before bed or a few minutes between activities. His style is best described as contemporary realism, pulling inspiration from many elements of his own life.
“One of the stories in my collection, ‘The Dad Who Stayed,’ grew out of a phrase I happened to overhear two different people say into their cell phones on a trip to the gym,” Rodeback remembered. “I love to try and put two fictional people in a room together and see what happens.”
As he has embarked on his writing journey, Rodeback has been overwhelmed by the support he received from the writing community.
“I envisioned writing fiction as sitting alone with my laptop. It turns out that virtually every writer I have ever met wants to help other writers. The established writers help the new ones, so everybody helps everybody in some way or another,” Rodeback expressed. “You’d think that we would be competing for readers’ time and book-buying dollars, but that is not really the feeling. There is a lot of encouragement and we cheer each other on. It turns out to be a community that I didn’t quite realize existed until I got into it.”
Within the community of writers, Rodeback and others repeatedly emphasize the need to connect in person.
“Real is real, and virtual isn’t quite real. The more grounded we are in reality, the better things go in lives and in civilizations. I feel that way about books. I don’t avoid reading online or on a device, but there is something about holding the book in your hands and turning the pages,” Rodeback said. “AI is getting better, but writing isn’t just stringing words together in sentences. There is a soul behind it. Machines don’t have souls. Humans connecting with humans is what writing is all about. “
After his successful Authors Day visit last year, Rodeback decided to return to HideAway Books on American Fork Main Street for Utah Authors Day. HideAway Books is a local bookstore keen on promoting community and fostering a love of reading.
“We are one of about 20 bookstores hosting Utah Authors on Saturday…We love participating. This is our fourth year being one of the host locations. We let the authors set up a table, sell their books, and focus on promoting their books,” said Heidi Rowley, owner of HideAway Books. “We love doing it because we love supporting local authors. I say this a lot, but we feel like there is a ridiculous amount of talent in Utah. When you are a small author, it can be hard to break through that. We love to be a part of anything to help with that.”
HideAway Books will be hosting authors on Saturday, Dec. 7 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. David Rodeback will be visiting from 10 a.m. to noon. Rodeback’s books can be purchased online at Amazon or Barnes & Noble, or a physical copy can be purchased from HideAway Books. For more information on Utah Authors Day or to find a local host bookstore, visit www.leagueofutahwriters.com/utahauthorsday.
