Mary Helen Stefaniak

Honey, please, you must stop that

Mary Helen Stefaniak loves to write, and often finds herself laughing while she’s putting words upon the page.

Her readers seem to enjoy it as well. Her first novel, “The Turk and My Mother,” was published in 2004 to favorable reviews. She hopes her second novel, “The Cailiffs of Baghdad, Georgia,” will be published as early as this fall.

While her first book is based somewhat on her father’s family history in Milwaukee, Wis., her mother’s family gets a similar treatment in the forthcoming book.

“It was very gratifying,” Stefaniak said of becoming a published novelist. “Initially, I didn’t have any intention of ever writing a novel.”

She had focused on essays and short stories after graduating from the Iowa Writers’ Workshop in 1984. In addition to her own writing, she has taught creative writing at Creighton University since 1998. Her weekly commute to Omaha, Neb., during the school year has given her lots of time to reflect on her writing and listen to music.

But it’s also taken her far from her husband, John, who makes her laugh the most.

John teaches in the biology department at the University of Iowa and also plays bass in the Mod-est Lads, a ’60s British Invasion-styled band.

“I went out with him on our first date because he made me laugh,” Mary said.

— Jon Klinkowitz

Iowa City Press-Citizen -- March 12, 2009