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\nRichard Fellinger attended a \u201cBooks and Beer\u201d event at a brewpub with copies of his first novel, \u201cMade to Break Your Heart,\u201d in 2018. Fellinger\u2019s third book, \u201cAn American Girl,\u201d recently won an award.<\/p>\n
When Richard Fellinger was in fifth grade at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic school in Altoona, his teacher told him he had an \u201captitude for writing.\u201d <\/p>\n
Since then, Fellinger has gone on to become an award-winning author, journalist and English college professor.<\/p>\n
In November, Fellinger received an email informing him that he won the inaugural Thomas E. Kennedy novel award for his third book titled \u201cAn American Girl,\u201d which was released during the first week of July. <\/p>\n
The book takes place in Cumberland, a fictional small town outside of Harrisburg, which was intentional, according to Fellinger. <\/p>\n
Most of Fellinger\u2019s stories take place in small towns nestled in Pennsylvania, saying that steel and railroad towns are often overlooked. <\/p>\n
\u201cJust like Billy Joel who wrote about Allentown, I want to write about Altoona and Johnstown,\u201d Fellinger said. <\/p>\n
Born and bred in Pa.<\/p>\n
Born in Mercy hospital, where a Graystone apartment complex now stands in Altoona, Fellinger believes his parents did a good job at giving him and his two siblings a \u201chappy, healthy home.\u201d <\/p>\n
His father, Richard F. Fellinger, was a sign painter in Altoona before he died in 2014. Since his father was constantly creating signs, Fellinger said that he, too, has a need to create.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhether it be an op-ed or a sign, I feel like I inherited a need to create a little something everyday,\u201d Fellinger said. \u201cIt\u2019s a passion.\u201d <\/p>\n
When Fellinger attended Roosevelt high school in Altoona, he was a \u201csolid, good runner\u201d on the school\u2019s cross country team, according to Lee Baranick, a retired English teacher and cross country coach at Keith high school.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe was very intelligent, and he did very well in school,\u201d Baranick said, \u201cNone of (his success) is a surprise to me.\u201d<\/p>\n
After graduating from high school, Fellinger attended the University of Pittsburgh to get a degree in Liberal Studies. <\/p>\n
Little did he know that he would befriend a famous writer and English professor at the University of Pittsburgh, Chuck Kinder. <\/p>\n
Known as an American novelist, Kinder was also the inspiration for Micheal Chabon\u2019s book \u201cWonder Boys,\u201d which was later made into the 2000s movie starring Micheal Douglas and Tobey Maguire. Kinder passed away in 2019. <\/p>\n
Leaving Pitt with a bachelor\u2019s degree, Fellinger began his career in journalism working for multiple newspapers in the Philadelphia area.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe was hired pretty early on at large newspapers, and that was my clue that he was on his way up,\u201d Baranick said. <\/p>\n
In 2004, however, Kinder wrote a note to Fellinger encouraging him to continue creating stories. Shortly following that, Fellinger attended Wilkes University to pursue a master of fine arts degree in creative writing. <\/p>\n
Fellinger gave Kinder an acknowledgment in his first short story collection, \u201cThey Hover Over Us,\u201d saying, \u201che is a good dude.\u201d <\/p>\n
While writing short stories and novels, Fellinger worked as an English professor from 2009 at Elizabethtown College until his department downsized in 2025. Recently, he began a job in Communications at the State House of Representatives in Harrisburg.<\/p>\n
Fellinger currently lives in Harrisburg with his wife, Wendy Fellinger, and their son, Casey. <\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m living proof it\u2019s never too late to start over,\u201d Fellinger said. <\/p>\n
Thinking outside the box<\/p>\n
Fellinger begins his writing process with some coffee and soft music, preferably some \u201cold Springsteen.\u201d <\/p>\n
\u201cI try to write everyday,\u201d Fellinger said. <\/p>\n
After publishing \u201cThey Hover Over Us\u201d in 2013, Fellinger began to turn his attention to novel writing, which led to the creation of \u201cMade to Break Your Heart\u201d (2017), \u201cSummer of \u201985\u201d (2021), and most recently, \u201cAn American Girl\u201d (2025). <\/p>\n
\u201cAn American Girl\u201d follows Emma, a single mom who is tasked by her son\u2019s school board with selecting diverse books to include in the library. Shortly after, however, these selections are banned by the school, causing Emma and her newfound community friends to fight back.<\/p>\n
Fellinger said this is his first novel with a female protagonist, saying that he hopes he was able to \u201cwrite Emma well.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI thought I would like to tell a human story about someone who feels impacted by (the book ban) and dealing with enough crap already, so I let my imagination go, and I created Emma,\u201d Fellinger said. <\/p>\n
Serving House Books publisher William K Lawrence commented on Emma\u2019s struggle as a single mother, especially while raising her half Pakistani son who faces discrimination. <\/p>\n
\u201cThe plot of \u2018An American Girl\u2019 stood out as a book that really speaks to us right now about important issues,\u201d Lawrence said. \u201cFellinger takes these characters with unfortunate and all too common circumstances and drops them into the middle of an escalating national crisis.\u201d <\/p>\n
Throughout America, book banning continues to be a controversial topic, but Fellinger is not afraid to stir the pot. <\/p>\n
\u201cI am drawn to and not afraid to write about social issues,\u201d Fellinger said. \u201cI think writers should have courage, and I think great writers would agree with me.\u201d <\/p>\n
Fellinger mainly takes inspiration from American short story writer Raymond Carver, who was close friends with Kinder, but he also relied on writers T.C. Boyle and Kent Haruf while creating \u201cAn American Girl.\u201d <\/p>\n
Focusing on Haruf\u2019s writing style specifically, Fellinger said that he took Haruf\u2019s \u201cability to write well about multiple characters within a town.\u201d <\/p>\n
\u201cAn American Girl\u201d includes multiple perspectives from selected characters, which is why Fellinger decided to set the story in third-person point-of-view. He noted that this is also his first published work written in third person, saying it had its \u201cextra challenges.\u201d <\/p>\n
\u201cI thought it was important to dip into the characters\u2019 heads and write from their perspectives,\u201d said Fellinger. \u201cIt touches on the issue, and that these issues impact many people.\u201d<\/p>\n
Although Fellinger experimented with different topics and writing styles in \u201cAn American Girl,\u201d he said he is most proud of writing it, along with his prior book, \u201cSummer of \u201985.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s when my work really started to mature and I started to understand what it took to write a good book,\u201d Fellinger said. <\/p>\n
One step at a time<\/p>\n
Fellinger believes that \u201cgood fiction writers write what they know but let their imagination run with it.\u201d <\/p>\n
This piece of advice has served him well \u2014 he has been nominated and won multiple awards for his works centered around small town life in Pennsylvania, the Thomas E. Kennedy award being his most recent achievement. <\/p>\n
According to Lawrence, the book that wins this award is not chosen lightly. The Serving House Books publishing company selects a committee of \u201ctough judges\u201d made up from past award winners and previously published authors. <\/p>\n
\u201cWhen they delivered their unanimous decision to me, I was thrilled because I knew the book was a smash,\u201d Lawrence said. <\/p>\n
Although winning this award is significant, Baranick believes that Fellinger\u2019s writing career is just beginning. <\/p>\n
\u201cHe has proven that there is a lot to be said about small-town America,\u201d Baranick said. <\/p>\n
Lawrence added onto the importance of small-town stories, saying that Emma\u2019s \u201cfictional story tells a real story of real people out there. That\u2019s an important reminder we all need.\u201d <\/p>\n
Fellinger plans to continue writing about small town America, especially since his next novel will take place in his hometown. <\/p>\n
\u201cRight now, it\u2019s just a germ of an idea and it will take several years to come to fruition, but I would like to write it one day,\u201d Fellinger said. <\/p>\n
Despite having a successful writing career, Fellinger understands the difficulty of making it in the publishing business, and he thinks it is important for writers to understand the challenges. <\/p>\n
\u201cPeople don\u2019t read like they used to,\u201d Fellinger noted. \u201cIt\u2019s hard to sell books, but I don\u2019t care. I\u2019m writing anyway.\u201d <\/p>\n
After winning the Thomas E. Kennedy novel award, Fellinger said that this recognition \u201chelps me feel like my work matters.\u201d <\/p>\n
\u201cEverytime my son won a baseball championship, I would say, \u2018this is something they could never take away from you,\u2019 and this is something they can never take away from me.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mirror Staff Writer Colette Costlow is at 814-946-7414.<\/p>\n
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