Andrew Helms will be reading at Difficult to Name on Saturday, May 12
You go pretty deep on sourcing for your stories about US Soccer. What's the process been like building up sources in that world over the years?
My major story on all of this still hasn't come out yet - so we'll see! - but the biggest lesson I've learned so far is to try to sort out what players are friends with each other, what cliques have formed among the coaching staff, the owners, etc. American soccer ends up being a lot like any other organization. It's very political, a lot of people don't like each other, and you can (carefully) exploit those divisions to your advantage. Also it's good to just bother people until they talk to you.
Any big summer plans?
Too many weddings. But hopefully will also find some time to hike, read, relax, jump in a lake, eat ice cream, get wine drunk, sit on a beach, etc.
What can people expect from your reading?
Not soccer! Maybe fire? I'm thinking about writing about the time my house burned in North Carolina. Or what it's like to move to Brooklyn at 30 and go on bad dates. Or about how I get emails meant for other dudes named Andrew Helms all the time.