Q&A with Erika Krouse

 

Photo by David Manak

 

 

Erika Krouse is the author of the new story collection Save Me, Stranger. Her other books include Tell Me Everything. She teaches at Lilghthouse Writers Workshop, and she lives in Colorado.

 

Q: Over how long a period did you write the stories in Save Me, Stranger?

 

A: I began writing these stories in 2013, so it's been a while!

 

I thought Save Me, Stranger was essentially complete when I began writing my memoir, Tell Me Everything: The Story of a Private Investigation. But by the time I came back to the collection to publish it, the world had changed so much that I had to scrap over 1/3 of the stories and write new ones.

 

After the Trump election, the pandemic, and the Dobbs decision, many of the earlier stories no longer felt relevant or interesting. I had also improved as a writer in that time, so I knew I could do a better job now. I'm glad I had that extra time to make the book better.

 

Q: The writer Louise Erdrich said of the collection, “Save Me, Stranger is a book of parables—supernal and sinister. Disturbing but comforting. Read these stories with a buddy, because someone will have to scrape you off the floor.” What do you think of that description?

 

A: I'm utterly gobsmacked that she read my book—and liked it! Louise Erdrich is one of my literary heroes. When I was beginning to try to write fiction, I read Love Medicine...and realized that I wasn't good enough, so I shuffled off to graduate school.

 

Q: How did you decide on the order in which the stories would appear?

 

A: My editor really helped me with that part. Some of the stories are lighter and easier to read, and some are more challenging in terms of subject matter. I wanted readers to gradually acclimate to the book like the proverbial boiled frog, so they wouldn't flee the tougher stories.

 

But what's funny is that readers often skip around short story collections anyway, so the order might be moot!

 

Q: How was the book's title chosen, and what does it signify for you?

 

A: All of the stories revolve around some form of rescue, involving a stranger. Sometimes the protagonist is the rescuer, sometimes they need rescue, most often both. I'm interested in the question, can we save each other? And should we? What do we owe each other? How do these hinge moments connect us? 

 

Q: What are you working on now?

 

A: I'm researching a murder mystery set in the 1920s, which is intimidating because I've never written historical fiction before, nor a traditional murder mystery. I have no idea why I have to make writing 10 times harder than it already is. I'm pretty excited about this novel, though. I will conquer it!

 

Q: Anything else we should know?

 

A: Thank you, Deborah! Great questions!

 

--Interview with Deborah Kalb. Here's a previous Q&A with Erika Krouse.