Coming home: Author Eric Prochaska uses Cedar Rapids as backdrop for debut novel

As a child growing up in Cedar Rapids, Eric Prochaska was mostly a homebody, but on the weekends, he spent most of his free time at a local comic shop. He dreamed of being a comic book artist until Mrs. Bach, a teacher at McKinley Middle School, assigned her class to write a short story instead of a report. Bach and another teacher gave him feedback and encouraged him in his writing. When the Cedar Rapids Community School District restructured grade levels, Bach moved to Washington High School and continued to encourage Prochaska in his writing. Prochaska continued to write short stories and that, as they say, is history.

Prochaska has written several short stories that have been published and has published his debut novel, 'Vengeance” this year through Endeavour Press, an independent digital publisher.

'Vengeance” is loosely based on his life growing up in Cedar Rapids. In the novel, the main character, Ethan, loses his brother. More than 20 years ago, Prochaska's brother, Eddie, died. Even though Eddie's death and some of the circumstances inspired the book, Prochaska said, 'I filled in the blanks and created the world of the book by following the adage of writing what you know.”

He said close friends may find similarities between him and Ethan, but he mostly had fun writing some of the side characters and exploring their specific dynamics. Prochaska admits that, surprisingly, writing the book was healing in unexpected ways.

'To have a chance to say goodbye vicariously through Ethan in this novel released something I wasn't even aware I was still carrying,” said Prochaska.

Prochaska said, 'The writing process for this book was different from writing short stories, mostly in the planning process and checking for continuity. I didn't write from beginning to end, so when it came time to write the scenes in between what I had, it was often difficult to dovetail scenes together.”

In all, the writing process took Prochaska 30 months, but that included some time where the story sat idle for a bit. Most of the story was in his mind, but he did make a few trips back to Cedar Rapids to walk and drive around the city to remind himself of the feel and smell of the place. He worried that readers who didn't personally know Cedar Rapids wouldn't get the context of it. He tried to portray it in a way that people familiar with the city would understand as well as those who could relate to it.

Prochaska's goal in writing this book was to 'tell a story that I had been carrying around.”

'‘Vengeance' is more about asking tough questions and facing hard truths ... telling a story that is more real than just exciting.”

Prochaska is currently plotting a sequel to 'Vengeance” because he wants to explore more of the characters. The early success of his novel has surprised Prochaska. The book has reached 'Top 5” in its category on Amazon already in the first month of it being published. He is thrilled.

'I've poured so much time and passion into something to finally see people getting their hands on it and enjoying it,” he said.