Interview With Author Fedor Alphenaar
Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I write short poetic stories for adults who want to slow down. My focus is on calming literary fiction that helps readers unwind at the end of the day. Fiction not meant to excite but to create a sense of exhale and stillness.
So far I have published twelve books. The Keeper’s Last Watch is the first released title in the Before Your Dream series, which includes fifty-one stories written to date. Not all are published yet but they form a cohesive library of gentle literary fiction meant for quiet moments and restful evenings.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest story is The Keeper’s Last Watch. It was inspired by the image of an elderly lighthouse keeper on the final night of his lifelong ritual. I imagined someone who has never sought attention but has quietly carried out their work with care and dignity. That became the emotional core of the story. I wanted to create something without tension or twist. Just presence, memory, and soft light.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I write in near silence or with slow instrumental music in the background. Pacing is essential to me. I read every paragraph aloud to hear whether it slows the breath and calms the mind. These are stories designed to be read slowly so I test them that way.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
Wendell Berry for reverence. Mary Oliver for stillness. Marilynne Robinson for language that invites reflection. I am also drawn to books with quiet atmosphere like The Remains of the Day or Gilead where the real story is not what happens but how it feels to stay with it.
What are you working on now?
I am continuing to expand the Before Your Dream series. Upcoming titles include stories set in forgotten chapels, moonlit gardens, forest observatories, and timeless coastal towns. Each story explores ordinary moments with extraordinary quiet.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I focus on connection over conversion. YouTube Shorts, poetic Facebook posts, and thoughtful features help bring the right kind of reader to my stories. I am not interested in volume. I want resonance.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
Write for the readers who already live inside your story. Do not chase trends. Write what you would still love even if only five people read it.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Do not write to be remembered. Write to make someone feel less alone for a single moment.
What are you reading now?
I always have a few slow books in rotation. Currently I am rereading A Sand County Almanac and exploring some Japanese haibun and reflective travel writing.
What’s next for you as a writer?
The full release of the Before Your Dream library. I want each book to be part of a long gentle shelf. A place for readers to return to whenever they need stillness.
If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
A Year in Provence by Peter Mayle
The Gift by Lewis Hyde
A Timbered Choir by Wendell Berry
Pilgrim at Tinker Creek by Annie Dillard
Author Websites and Profiles
Fedor Alphenaar Amazon Profile
Fedor Alphenaar’s Social Media Links
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