Steven Mayfield, author of Treasure of the Blue Whale (out April 1 with Regal House Publishing) very kindly agreed to a Q&A, in which I asked him some questions about the book, his writing process and more besides. Thanks to Bryn Kristi at MindBuck Media for arranging it! Click below to read more about Steven and see how he answered my questions. Steven Mayfield is a past recipient of the Mari Sandoz Prize for fiction and the author of Howling at the Moon, a Best Books of 2010 selection by USA Book News. He lives in Portland , Oregon with his wife and three spoiled mutts. What was it about the era of the Depression that made you want to set the novel during that time? Initially, I wanted to have a time period that was unencumbered by social media and the rapid-fire transmission of information. I don’t harbor illusions about the “simple yesteryear.” Life’s complications merely assume the forms of the world presented. However, the idea that a village like Tesoro might be sheltered from some of those complications seemed more likely when newspapers, radio, and word-of-mouth were the primary purveyors of information. In addition, the impact of instant wealth during the Great Depression connected me to the plague of income inequality in today’s world. It evoked feelings that I could use. The buying frenzy that grips the people of Tesoro results in some memorable, frequently hilarious purchases. Which of these did you most enjoy writing about? Milton’s Garwood’s monkey still cracks me up. There was perverse pleasure in writing about Wally Buford as he’s drawn from some bloviating nincompoops that I’ve known. What’s the most frivolous purchase you’ve made yourself, and if you were to come into a large sum of money like the townsfolk do, is there something you would treat yourself to? Tough question. I don’t tend to make frivolous purchases or regret the ones others might consider frivolous. I’m good at denial, I guess. I was in Italy last summer and bought a jacket that was more expensive than it was worth. It was both a frivolous and impulsive purchase, but my wife likes it and I love her, so there you are—that’s your denial in action. What would I do if I came into a lot of money? I’ve been lucky in life and I have less years in front of me than behind; hence, I’d want to put it to some use that would serve the greater good. Me and Mr. Deeds, right? You set the scene so wonderfully in the novel that at times I could almost feel the sand under my feet and the sun on my face. If Treasure of the Blue Whale were to be made into a movie, who would you want to direct, and who would star in it? I have become more and more impressed over the years with casting directors who seem to find just the right people for a film. That said, I like the work of Michael Hoffman and his casting choices. I’ve become a huge fan of Greta Gerwig. I think Nicole Kidman or my wife could play Mrs. C. Herbert Judson and Brian Cox would make a good Dinkle. The rest I’d leave to those who actually know what they’re doing. The plot, setting and characters are all very closely woven together- the nature of the bounty Connor discovers dictating a coastal setting, with the size of the town meaning the characters all know each other’s business. I was wondering if the setting or the characters came to you first, or were they fairly simultaneous? The basic plot and setting were first and I had Connor, the narrator, in my mind from the beginning. The rest were, as I believe Vonnegut once described, happy serendipities. Do you have a favorite character in the book? If so, what is it about them that you particularly enjoyed? I don’t know that there’s a single favorite, although I love Miss Lizzie Fryberg and Fiona Littleleaf because they are both based on personality traits of my wife. They’re smart, fearless, and kind. The comic characters—Milton Garwood and Coach Wally Buford—are fun to write, but I wouldn’t want to spend much time with them in real life. From having the initial idea, how long did it take you to write Treasure of the Blue Whale? The original draft took seven weeks. That’s fast for me. I then spent almost two years working with my agent (Jody Rein) on revisions. She used to be an editor at Random House and really pushed me in a good way. What did you find most challenging about writing the novel? Initially, it was in development of Dinkle’s scam. Later on, it was the usual stuff—characters and situations that needed to be fleshed out. Writing a book is like playing a piano piece. If the pianist is not particularly good (like me), a note is occasionally missed—not misplayed but simply not played at all. The pianist, however, may not appreciate the mistake because he/she knows where all the notes are and hears the missed one in his/her head. However, the listener hears what is actually played and knows that something is missing. A book is like that. When you’ve been over and over it many times, some parts that are missing are not apparent to the writer, because he/she knows about the feelings and motivations of the characters, whereas the reader needs to be shown such things. That’s where a good editor is invaluable. I had two: Jody and my editor at Regal House, Jaynie Royal. Connor’s discovery of the ambergris and the attention it receives are recounted some eighty years after that summer. Was there any particular reason why you chose to make the gap this length? I wanted the wisdom and experience of the man, recalling the innocence of the child. It allowed me to make some observations that a kid wouldn’t make. The time span allowed me to offer some views about differences between the Tesoro of 1934 and the contemporary world. What was the last book you read? Are you reading anything at the moment? Major Pettigrew’s Last Stand by Helen Simonson. I’m currently reading Spectrum, a sci-fi book by Martin Ott. Which other authors do you most admire? Muriel Spark, Sinclair Lewis, John Steinbeck, John Cheever, Kurt Vonnegut, John Irving, T.R. Pearson, O. Henry, Mark Twain, Charles Dickens, Mark Helprin, Anthony Doerr What do you like to do outside of writing? I used to participate in a lot of sports, but a bad back has limited me in recent years. We have three dogs who take up a lot of our time (Yes, we’re those people!) I love to go out to dinner with my wife, movies on TCM, any kind of party, kids and grandkids, and friends with whom it is never necessary to avoid religion and politics. Do you have a particular routine when you write? A lot of writers I’ve seen interviewed like to be in a certain place whilst listening to particular music, for example. I have an office at home and compose on the keyboard. I always start by revising what I wrote the previous day, followed by new stuff. I listen to a lot of music from the 40s and 50s when I write, but I’m most productive with Miles Davis in the background. Sketches of Spain is my favorite. It’s sensual and evocative and really creates a mood for me. Thank you for taking the time to answer my questions! Thanks for your interest. It’s much appreciated. So there we go! I also like to write when listening to music, although mine tends to evoke more of a frantic kind of a feeling which probably isn't all that helpful! I also had a look at Spectrum, the book Steven said he was currently reading, and that's now on my Goodreads TBR. Don't be surprised if a review pops up on here for that too. As I said in my review of Treasure of the Blue Whale, it's a charming read, that you would do well to pick up for yourself when it comes out on April 1. Happy reading all!
Currently reading: Mona Lisa Overdrive, William Gibson Currently listening: Beyond the Reach of Flame, Micawber
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