Stephen Eoannou’s “Yesteryear” is a heroic story about the author of The Lone Ranger

In this episode 361, we feature Stephen Eoannou, author of Yesteryear. Ashley Warlick, author of The Arrangement says, “Yesteryear is a magical, magnificent novel strung on the threads of a real man’s quest to fight evil, save the day, and lift the world from the clutches of The Great Depression. There’s no way to read this book and not find yourself moved to tears. I absolutely loved it.”

Show discussion highlights:  

  • What it meant to this writer to go through an MFA program
  • Why Buffalo, New York is an interesting city for novel settings
  • The inspiration for Yesteryear-Frank Striker, the man who, against many odds, came up with the idea for The Lone Ranger and wrote the stories
  • How truth, noir, and magical realism came together
  • How the 1930s was a time people wanted a character who helped others, and righted wrongs
  • A reading from the book that focuses on the radio actor who performed the first episode of The Lone Ranger
  • How Fran Striker inspired the author
  • How writing needs to be approached like a job

Brief author bio:

Stephen G. Eoannou is the author of the novels After Pearl (SFWP 2025), Yesteryear (SFWP 2023), Rook (Unsolicited Press 2022), and the short story collection Muscle Cars (SFWP 2015). He has been awarded an Honor Certificate from The Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, the Best Short Screenplay Award at the 36th Starz Denver Film Festival, and the 2021 Eyelands International Book Award For Historical Fiction. Eoannou holds an MFA from Queens University of Charlotte and an MA from Miami University. He lives and writes in his hometown of Buffalo, New York, the setting and inspiration for much of his work.

Learn more about the author and their books HERE.

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