Jen Doser
You may not recognize his name, but if you encountered the Solidarity Sing Along that began at the state Capitol during the Wisconsin Act 10 protests in 2011, you might have heard R. Chris Reeder’s rich baritone. “I wanted to find a way to peacefully participate, and I came across 10 people singing in a circle,” says Reeder from his home in Fitchburg, nearly eight years later. “I knew how to do that, because I could project my voice.”
The former Shakespearean actor spent years focusing on the importance of dramatic structure, powerful dialogue and leaving a memorable impression — all of which made him a natural not only for the Solidarity Sing Along but also for writing young adult fantasy books.
Reeder’s charming debut novel, The Changeling’s Daughter, is an engaging twist on the traditional hero’s journey story that adults will enjoy, too. Rather than have 14-year-old Brynn McAwber be a wizard or possess some other enviable characteristic, the author went in the opposite direction.
“What if a kid woke up and found out something terrible about herself?” asks Reeder, a 47-year-old stay-at-home dad to a 4-year-old daughter and a 7-year-old son. “Coming from a Shakespearean background really influenced me, because Shakespeare put his comedy right next to tragedy. Comedy doesn’t t ake away from drama; it heightens drama.”
Reeder began working on The Changeling’s Daughter — which boasts no shortage of comedy or drama — in September 2016, furiously writing after his kids went to bed. Six months later, he submitted the manuscript to agents and independent publishers. “In retrospect, I’m amazed I did it that fast,” he says.
Black Rose Writing, a small Texas company with several fantasy and YA titles in its catalog, published The Changeling’s Daughter, and the book has received praise from the likes of Midwest Book Review, which called Reeder “an author with a genuine flair for originality, deftly crafted characters, and narrative-driven storytelling.”
Reeder received his theater degree from Whitman College in Walla Walla, Washington, and co-founded the Cincinnati Shakespeare Festival. He and his wife, Lisa, have lived in the Madison area since 2005.
Now that Reeder has one novel under his belt, he may revisit a previous story he began writing years ago, and he also has ideas for a possible sequel to The Changeling’s Daughter.
Regardless of what comes next, he isn’t losing sight of his main responsibility: “Right now, stay-at-home dad is the best job I could have.”
