MEDIA: Book Recommendation –
Dec. 18, 2020 –
Q: Also, as a first-time novelist what was the biggest writing hurdle you faced?
A: Having a day job makes it difficult to tackle creative projects with any kind of scheduled regularity. Something Drastic was largely the product of weekend and late-night binge-writing. It was often a struggle. But there was always a pay off. And I learned what kind of writer I am. I’ll never get it right the first time. I like to let fly, and then return later to chisel it down.
Q: Manhood and competing visions of it are a dominant idea in your story. Can you say a little more about your exploration of that theme?
A: Big male personalities can often dominate the pages of Something Drastic. But in equal measure, they falter under the strain I put them through. In many ways, it’s the female lead that is the hero of Something Drastic. Without her, my protagonist would still be lost in the deep woods.
Q: A narcissistic shaman with an appetite for LSD, your Wolfgang Yellowbird character is one of a kind. What inspired him?
A: Wolfgang Yellowbird was the easiest character to write. I knew exactly who and what I wanted him to be. He is a man in his element, and his exuberance absorbs the intensity of his surroundings. Put simply, he was inspired by the wilderness that he lives in.
