I like editing but often, I might come back to a work I loved and decide it’s garbage and then return again and love it. Refining it is like sculpting in a sense and discovering deep levels of the story without (hopefully) making it become contrived.
Charles Souby – 25 May 2020
The Back Flap
In A View from the Borderline: A Collection of Stories, acclaimed author Charles Souby affirms his “powerful, empathetic study of place and character” (Kirkus Reviews), gift for dark humor, and insight into troubled and twisted human minds. Set in Hollywood, Chicago, and nameless Midwestern small towns between the 1970s and the present, the 20 stories introduce an eclectic cast of characters who range from quirky to deranged.
About the book
What is the book about?
It is a collection of short stories, some dark, satirical, others quirky.
When did you start writing the book?
I’ve been putting this collection together since approximately 2012 with two stories dating back to about 2003.
How long did it take you to write it?
See above. The revision process took about a year and was followed up with work by a professional editor whom I admire.
Where did you get the idea from?
They are mostly free-write style fiction with a couple of semi-autobiographical moments here and there. I am inspired by the writings of Raymond Carver, Kirk Vonnegut and Denis Johnson to name a few authors.
Were there any parts of the book where you struggled?
Getting stories out on paper is often difficult for me; almost like purging but the refining and editing process, though long and detailed, was enjoyable for me.
What came easily?
Hard to say. Again, I like editing but often, I might come back to a work I loved and decide it’s garbage and then return again and love it. Refining it is like sculpting in a sense and discovering deep levels of the story without (hopefully) making it become contrived.
Are your characters entirely fictitious or have you borrowed from real world people you know?
Both. Most come to me in freewrite and I develop them instinctually. I’m sure there’s probably a lot of me in the characters as well but it’s nothing to brag about.
Do you have a target reader?
Commercial fiction readers, short story lovers, people who like to read on the fly but don’t have a lot of time. Readers looking for humor and accessible absurdist fiction.
About Writing
Do you have a writing process? If so can you please describe it?
My process is nothing I’d care to advertise (particularly not to beginners.) I sit down every morning (I like a public place like a café with minor distraction) and go to it. If it’s long fiction, I review the previous chapter before I start to keep the rhythm and voice and reacquaint myself with the circumstances. I actually do the same with short stories I haven’t finished. When I’m editing I go right to it but usually go to earlier revised chapters/stories/poems that have had a chance to percolate. I rarely work on the same section two days in a row unless I’m instructed to by an editor or think of something in the middle of the night that I’m afraid I’ll forget.
Do you outline? If so, do you do so extensively or just chapter headings and a couple of sentences?
I rarely outline except with the screenplays I’ve worked on which require a treatment. I work by the process of discovery and typically find my ending somewhere within the story. I didn’t know what my third novel was about until I presented a screenplay treatment to a teacher who crossed out a line of dialogue where I wrote “my mother.” In red ink he wrote “NO! ‘MY FATHER!’”
Do you edit as you go or wait until you’ve finished?
I edit as I go even though most of my favorite authors discourage that.
Did you hire a professional editor?
Yes, when I can afford it. Only my most recent one (for this collection and my third novel) gave me the full attention I needed.
Do you listen to music while you write? If yes, what gets the fingers tapping?
I listen to random coffee house music which can be anything from traditional jazz and folk blues to alternative rock. I actually am most happy when it’s music that I’m not particularly familiar with so that I don’t get pulled away. However, the lyrics in a song (or a song itself) have synched up with my writing and ended up in my stories as has dialogue from a table next to me.
About Publishing
Did you submit your work to Agents?
Yes, but I’m not a good self-promoter. It’s actually frustrating. I rarely get interest in even receiving a sample of my work. When I went to a recent writers conference I got several raves from editors or agents who were not taking on new work but had registered too late to meet with anyone looking for new talent. I actually only solicited a small number of agents for A View From the Borderline because I knew short stories were not in big demand in the industry right now.
What made you decide to go Indie, whether self-publishing or with an indie publisher? Was it a particular event or a gradual process?
I was at a Writers Digest conference in New York two years in a row and they hammered home the freedom an author has when independently publishing and promoting their book. I was captivated by that and the realization that mainstream publishers use arbitrary rationale for seeking new authors and it is generally chasing trends rather than objectively reviewing the quality and readability of the literature.
Did you get your book cover professionally done or did you do it yourself?
Professional but my current cover is the first where I really felt a strong collaboration with the illustrator. I hope to use her a lot.
Do you have a marketing plan for the book or are you just winging it?
I have a publicist and am trying to become more educated on the idiosyncrasies of self-publishing and self-marketing. I have tried professional marketing companies but didn’t feel I was really getting my money’s worth.
Any advice that you would like to give to other newbies considering becoming Indie authors?
Write and write and read and read. Don’t be like me, read up on what the successful indy authors are doing to promote their work.
About You
Where did you grow up?
Highland Park, Illinois on the North Shore of Chicago
Where do you live now?
On the island of Kauai
What would you like readers to know about you?
I’m a big fan of San Francisco (narrative) style improvisational theater. I have graduated from BATS Improv in SF, and The Upright Citizens’ Brigade in LA and performed with BATS Sunday Players and my own troupes. I was a street musician (5-string banjo and guitar) in San Francisco for several years (inspiring my gritty novel, “A Shot of Malaria”.) I have hitchhiked to the Yukon Territory twice and have presently been traveling to Africa, India and the Middle East. I love the Pacific islands.
What are you working on now?
I am presently working on short stories, poetry and have begun a sci-fi novel that I may or may not continue to the end.
End of Interview:
For more from Mr Souby visit his website, follow him on Twitter, and like his page on Facebook.
Get your copy of A View from the Borderline from Amazon US or Amazon UK.