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A Whole Harvest of Iowa Authors - Heather Gudenkauf
Heather Gudenkauf’s first book, The Weight of Silence (Mira), is a suspense novel that owns you while you’re reading it
and afterwards. It debuted at #7 on The New York Times bestseller list and climbed to #4. It was nominated for an Edgar Alan Poe
award and has been published in more than 10 countries.
Heather, how did you write the book?
I always thought I’d write a novel. I knew as the mother of three and a teacher that I’d need to make the best use of my time.
I gave myself a year, bought a journal and began writing the day after school was out for the summer. I wrote early in the morning
and late into the night while my children slept and finished the first draft just before school started that fall. I set the
manuscript aside until winter break, then reread it, took a deep breath, and sent off the first 50 pages to a literary agency
representing authors I respected. I tried not to think about my story being read by others to critique or, even worse, not being
read at all. A few weeks into the New Year came the request for the remainder of the manuscript.
You kept writing with no guarantee of reward. How?
I had no idea where this journey was going to take me. I had a story to tell, and there was such satisfaction in getting the words
down on paper, the thought of it actually getting published seemed remote.
Did you envision such success?
No one was more surprised than I was!
What’s the biggest misconception about being a successful author?
People have been surprised I haven't given up my job. I feel so fortunate to be able to do the two things
I enjoy most: writing and teaching.
How has the book changed your life?
It’s brought new friends, from my agent to my editors, to fellow writers and readers. I've had the chance to travel to places
I probably would have never visited, including New York and London. And its publication has shown me the importance of following
your dreams.
What’s your favorite book you didn't write?
I think Willa Cather’s writing is just beautiful. I love the way she describes the setting in a novel and it seems to
become a character within the story. I reread My Ántonia and O Pioneers every year.
What's next?
These Things Hidden [now being released] is about one little boy left at an Iowa Safe Haven site,
the mystery surrounding his birth and the four women who love him.
Advice for writing that first book?
Never give up! Write the best story you can and look for an agent representing authors you enjoy. While waiting
for responses, keep honing your craft. Write every single day.
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These Things Hidden
The Weight of Silence
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