Meet Jason Fisk. He’s an author. He’s recent book, “Salt Creek Anthology” he describes as “a choose your own adventure book, only for adults. It’s as much about place as it is a group of neighbors.” When asked to select a song representative of the book, he tells me “The Suburbs” by Arcade Fire.
Fisk and I Q&A’d all up in here:
Q: Which section of this book is most autobiographical?
A: Oh, that’s a tough one, I think the early neighbor relationships in the book are most autobiographical.
Q: Which of your characters do you most like? Most dislike?
A: I really dislike Nonnie, she’s so manipulative and controlling. I really like Gary, despite his racism. He definitely has a heart, as misguided as it may be.
Q: When did you know you were a writer?
A: I still don’t really think of myself as a writer. I’m always telling myself, “If you can just get to that next level, than I’ll be a real writer,” but I’m never really satisfied with what I accomplished.
Q: Nonsense. What would you have to write, do you suppose, to feel right about declaring yourself a writer?
A: That’s a tough question for me. Maybe it’s low self-esteem, but it seems like I get these ideas that if I can do this or that, then I’d consider myself a writer, but once I reach those goals (small goals), I feel empty, like I have too keep going. Somewhere, embedded deep in there, is some warped idea of success, and it’s tiered, which keeps me striving for the next level. That’s not really an answer… I don’t know if I’ll ever feel like a writer.
Q: What are your writing rituals?
A: Laptop and something to drink; it can’t be an alcoholic beverage because it’s too distracting. I cannot have music on, but need some background noise, usually the TV on ESPN with the volume low.
Q: Oh, yeah? Who is your team? What do you make of the Theo/Carpenter thing?
A: My team? Alright, I spent my formative years in Minnesota, which has warped my sports sensibilities (according to many a Chicagoan). I love the Twins, but since moving to Chicago, have developed a fondness for the Cubs, which to some is a sellout. I think I’m allowed a NL favorite and an AL favorite, right? That being said, The Theo/Carpenter thing seems like a win/win for the Cubbies. I’m not really sure why the Red Sox agreed to it, but I’m not complaining. Football? Vikings, and could never, ever be a Bears fan. Hockey? Blackhawks: It was all North Stars when I was growing up, and since they left MN, I thumb my nose at them. Basketball? Da’ Bulls
Q: Back to writing. What one book did you read that changed everything?
A: I read “The Violent Bear It Away” by Flannery O’Connor in high school. I had been introduced to her short stories in class, and sought out more of her stuff on my own. The book is dark and twisted, and while the events of the book didn’t match up exactly with what I had been experiencing, they matched up enough to comfort me a great deal. It went beyond comfort, too. It offered me a new way to look at religious zealots, which was something I desperately needed at the time. There has not been a book since that has altered my view of life like that book did; it made me realized that my views were so limited.
Q: What drives you apesh*t to see writers doing?
A: People writing better stories/poems than me.
Q: Fair enough. What was the last thing that you read that made you go, “Damn! I wish I wrote that”…?
A: I always say, “Damn, I wish I wrote that.” The last thing that really blew me away was a short story called, “Dance in America” by Lorrie Moore. There was something magical about that story that I just couldn’t put my finger on, and I love it when that happens.
Q: Before you go– Will you tell me a joke?
A: What do the Los Angeles Angels (of Anaheim) and Winnie the Pooh have in common? They both have Pujols (“pooh-holes”). Too off color? Save me from myself…
Jason Fisk’s “Salt Creek Anthology” is available for download from Chicago Center of Literature and Photography (cclapcenter.com) in Radiohead’s pay-what-you-please model.
-@amyguth
