With his fourth novel and sixth book, Sleepwalk, Dan Chaon wants to show he can be lighter of heart and not just depressive. Chaon’s work is notably dark (and acclaimed—his books regularly appear on best books lists and have been nominated for many prizes, including the National Book Award). His previous novel, the chilling and bestselling Ill Will, had, he says, “death, and a lot of grief and self-deception, which is why, for Sleepwalk, I wrote about a mercenary who engages in human trafficking!”
With , Chaon says he was inspired by his biological father, whom he met accent with some corn pone added, a weird mix that I’d never heard before. We had a complicated relationship, but he was significant in my life.”
