Author Don LePan Says an "Ethical Impairment" Inspired His Novel

Don LePan during his reading at KGB Bar in the East Village.

Photo by: Brooke Niemeyer

By: BROOKE NIEMEYER

Author Don LePan, reading excerpts from his latest fiction work at KGB Bar in the East Village over the weekend, said the inspiration from his tome came from a passion to stop factory farming.

"It was an ethical impairment, really," LePan told NiteSide. 

"I'd been really upset about factory farming and I thought surely I can write something to make some kind of contribution to the effort to stop factory farming. The moment I had that thought, within 30 seconds, the story line for it came together in my mind."

LePan read from his book "Animals" Sunday night at the venerated watering hole, which hosts Sunday Night Fiction where emerging writers come to reveal their work. Though the scribe said he felt reaction to the book has been positive, he hopes to reach more people. 

"I only feel it would be a success if the numbers (of people reached) were far, far larger," LePan said. "'Black Beauty' had a huge impact on the treatment of horses in the Western world and it would be great to have an impact like that."

While he does feel passionate about the issues he addresses in this book, LePan is shifting gears for his next novel, entitled "1940."

"It is a romance novel based on my parents situation," LePan said. "Its' a very different sort of novel."

This story ran on NBCNewYork.com's NiteSide.