BookWenches

Interviewed by Bobby

I recently had the pleasure of interviewing author John Podgursky. John is the author of the novella The One Percenters, published by Damnation Books.

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Tell me a little bit about the background of The One Percenters. Did anything in particular inspire this story?

I studied Anthropology in college, concentrating on evolution.  I'm always considering what makes humans tick, especially our baser qualities, and what defines sanity and intelligence.  I like to look at people as primal beings, and one day the story just popped.  I don't remember the exact moment it happened.  I probably wasn't sober.

The One Percenters has a wonderfully unreliable narrator. Tell me a little about creating Edward Caine. Did you know exactly where he was going when you started writing The One Percenters, or did he evolve for you as the story unfolded?

I had absolutely no idea when I started out. I knew he'd be conflicted, cynical, passionate, and a love/hate character, but the details were created as I went along to fit the story.  He's part me, part psychotic ax murderer, part naive child.  He means well until he doesn't.  Or the other way around.  He's everything and nothing that I want to be.

Why do you write horror/psychological thrillers as opposed to other forms of fiction?

Fear is the most visceral emotion.  It's the most easily manipulated.  I also happen to like eerie, haunting things in this world (glowing copy machines, dripping faucets at night, children's choirs, misty sunrises, etc.), so dark writing keeps me interested.  I can't write about bunnies unless they're deranged.  I am very limited as to what entertains me, and I don't mean to sound obnoxious by that.  It's just that law, cooking, sci-fi, all these things that people do and study aren't for me, so I'm very limited as to what I can read/write about.  If a book doesn't hook me in the first 3 pages, I'm moving on.  We're lucky to have so many to choose from.

Your bio on the Damnation Books website says that you travelled the US for the past fifteen years. Tell me a little bit about that. Where did you travels take you, and what did you see and learn as a result?

I lived in NC, VA, NY, RI, FL, CO, CA, and OR.  City, mountains, small towns, you name it.   I get bored easily now.  There are so many delicious viewpoints out there.  I want to see all places, meet all people.  I want to travel the world and write.  It's frustrating having such wanderlust and passion for life and being so tied down due to finances.   If I win the lottery, screw cars and boats, just let me see the world!  I think I need to buy a motorcycle and go with one bag... and either see it all or die lonely and penniless trying. 

How long have you been writing, whether just for your own enjoyment or professionally? Will you share a little bit with us about your journey to become a published author?

I placed 5th in a poetry contest in 4th grade.  That's as close as I got to "professional" until I was published in a magazine in July (short story).  Hopefully this is the beginning, not the end.  It's a real buzz.  I'm so new, I'm not ashamed to say I looked myself up on the B&N computer and grinned like this (------------) when I saw my book in their system.

Would you say that any particular author, person, or event inspires you? Why or why not?

Bill Watterson, creator of Calvin and Hobbes.  His fearlessness of being himself and, in my opinion, extreme intelligence concerning the world around us.  The mixture of passion and cynicism he displays through his characters reminds me of myself.  A boatload of King books didn't hurt either.  A lot of lonely nights in new places and too much time on my hands too.

Tell me a little bit about yourself – family, pets, evil day job? What do you do when you’re not trying to scare the crap out of your readers?

Raised snakes growing up.  Will again should I ever settle.  My life is boring, and that needs to change.  Something's got to give... and soon.  For now I read, drink too much,  and study the sky.  Boy, the things we take for granted.  I'm a quasi-editor by day.

Most writers read a lot. What is your preferred reading genre? What authors and titles might I find if I took a look at your library shelves? What about music? Do you prefer rock, jazz, big band music…silence?

Psych thrillers, anthro books, baseball encyclopedias, and coming-of-age novels for my feminine side.  Musically: classic rock to metal/alternative to weepy chick songs.  I can't carry a tune or dance a lick, so I have a lot of respect for entertainers of all (well, most) genres.

So tell me,… when you’re writing, do you require silence to concentrate, or can you tune out the television, stereo, screaming kids, and barking dogs in the background? What is your writing routine?

I like candlelight.  I like to escape reality and ennui.  I can't write in a cafe.  And I like it to be hot an sultry with no A/C.   I'm usually naked or in boxer-briefs, but that's probably T.M.I.

What is your pet peeve? (besides annoying interview questions!)

Poor grammar.  Yeah, I'm one of those people.  And pretense!  Do we REALLY still wear ties and high heels?  Really?

What is your favorite non-writing-related activity?

Anything outside and warm.  Preferably with a quirky woman.  I'm lazy, so keep it simple.  I love to camp, but circumstances often preclude my doing it often.  That needs to change too.

What are you currently working on? Do you tend to work on one project at a time, or are you a “multi-tasker”? What can you readers expect to see from you in the not-too-distant future?

I'm writing short stories.  Novels are hard for me.  I'm very impatient and often I don't finish wha

How do you want to be remembered by future generations? If there were an encyclopedia or a “who’s who” a hundred years from now with an entry titled “John Podgursky,” what would you want it to say?

Unpretentious, compassionate, and (hopefully) ran into some money and used it to travel the world and meet all sorts of crazy people in beautiful places.  "Himself" would do.

Please let us know how we can find out more about you and your writing – websites, blogspots, etc. How can we go about purchasing your work?

Online at Amazon or Barnes and Noble.  If you prefer e-books, my publisher's site is Damnation Books. Lots of good books there! (Thanks, Kim!)

And finally, what have I forgotten to ask? Is there anything else that you would care to share with your readers?

Next time you see somebody who needs help or maybe a kind word, offer your services.  It could be ME that's in trouble.  And I'll do the same.  You never know in what awful place you might find yourself tomorrow.  Peace.