A New Author Interview with Clinton Festa!
For anyone who has read my review for the mythological tale, Ancient Canada, by Clinton Festa, you already know that I feel very strongly about the hard work and research the author went through to create this literary marvel. I have been doubly honored because I recently was able to 'sit and speak' with the author, and received a clear view of who he is and how Ancient Canada came into being. So, without further adieu, please meet Clinton Festa.
_____________
The first question is a ‘must know’ for me. Where did this idea come from?
Ancient Canada began in New York City in the summer of 2006. I had just visited my old college roommate and was walking around, alone, looking for lunch while he was at work. Lebanese food, Korean, Peruvian... I couldn’t believe that I had eaten it all. I thought somebody needed to make up a country, an entire kitchen of cooking for that country, and open up a restaurant with its ‘authentic’ food. The restaurant idea became a mythological creation. Canada fit best for the story, but already had her mythology and folklore. In the end, an alternate Canada fit even better.
The research must have been a lifelong project - from celestial lights to Polaris, Horus…do you love research?
In the days before the internet I would have said, no. Today it can still be tedious, but I enjoyed it for several reasons. You start with a thought or a problem, like: “I’ve got a character who can see the dreams of others while they sleep…so, I better read up on dreams.” Then, first stop, the internet. One link leads to another and before you know it, you’re reading up on Carl Jung, archetypes, symbols in dreams, how those symbols are present in Greek and Roman mythology, etc. You’ve suddenly got more ideas to write about than you know what to do with. The more ideas you have, the more you can dovetail your story. And even if your little sister throws your manuscript into the fireplace, you’ve learned a lot.
There are many points in the story that ‘mirror’ a historical figure of some sort, such as Joan of Arc and her ability as a mere woman to lead an army. Did you base certain parts of the journey on historical figures that are perhaps favorites of yours?
Yes. Brother Lichen is a character based very closely on St. Francis of Assisi, one of my favorite historical figures. Funnily enough, Marigold’s character seems to be based on Oscar Wilde, but that was a complete accident. Polaris…ominous quatrains are based on
Nostradamus, ominous quatrains... There’s a lot of layering, and if anyone out there is reading it thinking there might be more to something, drop me an email at askmarigold@ancientcanada.com. One of the things I wanted to do with the book is create a character you can actually speak to, so don’t be surprised if I respond in character.
You go extremely in-depth on issues of inequality, spirituality, as well as gender-biased situations - did you do research on the political and religious backgrounds during ‘ancient times?’
No. I tried to focus more on modern ones. However, some of our modern issues have been around since ancient times. Like when one narrator states his belief that any spiritual inequality based solely on gender indicates an obvious absence of the divine. If that’s true, he states, we don’t need divine permission to fix it.
There is some beautiful poetry within the text of this novel, did you create each and every poem as well?
Yes, and thank you! One poem, The Good Dingleberry, has a story to it. I had just met my future wife in 2003 and was a little scared at how quickly we fell in love. I wrote The Good Dingleberry, a sonnet, in about fifteen minutes. Then I spent the next three hours agonizing over every word, and probably only changed two or three. I didn’t realize what a ‘dingleberry’ was at the time, but it still worked. She loved the poem. A chapter in the middle of the book is a love story about two creatures that are literally two of a kind, and I thought The Good Dingleberry fit perfectly. With my wife’s blessing, I included it in the novel.
Did you ever consider publishing this book as a continuing set of stories that could perhaps appear in historical magazines or newsletters?
Yes, I thought that might have worked, especially with the rotating narrator structure. I would have wanted to finish the whole thing first, though. I would have been too afraid that something would need a change, then I’d have to go back and alter something that’s already published or, more realistically, find a way to work around it at the expense of the narrative.
There are so many, but one of my favorite quotes appears ‘round the middle when Queen Erika announces: I will be silent when I have nothing left to say. Do you believe authors should feel the same way?
Yes. I’ve never thought of it that way, but now that I do, yes. Otherwise you wind up (forgive me, but) creatively constipated, even rotting on the inside. And we all know how uncomfortable that can be.
What project are you working on now?
The Fables of Ancient Canada, which I’m currently posting free on my website, www.ancientcanada.com. They’re about a page long each, and new ones are added regularly, about once or twice a week. After all, what good ancient world doesn’t have its fables to share? We have to be fair. Some people just don’t have time to read very much, or their ‘to-read’ list is a mile long. The fable format solves this. But, if I left the world of Ancient Canada, my dream project is The Trans-Saharan Railway. Cairo to Dakar. 1920’s, French and British imperialists, Bedouin, Algerians, a kingdom in the sand, a desperate love story, and maybe a talking robotic camel. Or…maybe just regular camels. I haven’t worked out all the details. Anybody reading this, feel free to steal this idea.
Is there a specific genre (or, genres) that you like to read above all others?
Epics and comedies.
And we always end with a few questions that our readers get a kick out of - it’s a bit of an ‘Ode to James Lipton’:
What is your favorite book?
Reluctant Saint: The Life of Francis of Assisi, by Donald Spoto (Viking Press). You could be any faith, or none at all, and be inspired by that man. I certainly was.
What is your favorite word?
Lately it’s ancientcanada.com. Okay, okay, sorry. Hmm... I’ve got a lot of fond memories from hearing people say ‘Found it!’
What is your least favorite word?
This is the easy one; the last one was the hard one. If I had to pick one word, and only one word, that I would call my single least favorite, they would be: moniker, coiffure, tome, whilst, thrice, shan’t, youngling, cusp, and persons (instead of ‘people‘). It made me cringe just to write those.
What author do you love to read?
Tolstoy.
What profession other than your own would you like to attempt?
Cartoonist for a daily comic strip. Thankfully I had a chance to be a cartoonist/writer for my college humor magazine.
What profession would you not like to attempt?
Politics. There’s too much politics in it.
What is your favorite thing about writing?
The six or seven times you finish writing the same novel. You get to enjoy the sense of accomplishment over and over and over again.
_____________
As you can see, readers, this is a man who not only has the writing talent in spades, but his wit and wisdom make it impossible to not want to know more about him! Go read Ancient Canada now and you will NOT be disappointed!
Happy Holidays!
Until Next Time,
Amy
_____________
The first question is a ‘must know’ for me. Where did this idea come from?
Ancient Canada began in New York City in the summer of 2006. I had just visited my old college roommate and was walking around, alone, looking for lunch while he was at work. Lebanese food, Korean, Peruvian... I couldn’t believe that I had eaten it all. I thought somebody needed to make up a country, an entire kitchen of cooking for that country, and open up a restaurant with its ‘authentic’ food. The restaurant idea became a mythological creation. Canada fit best for the story, but already had her mythology and folklore. In the end, an alternate Canada fit even better.
The research must have been a lifelong project - from celestial lights to Polaris, Horus…do you love research?
In the days before the internet I would have said, no. Today it can still be tedious, but I enjoyed it for several reasons. You start with a thought or a problem, like: “I’ve got a character who can see the dreams of others while they sleep…so, I better read up on dreams.” Then, first stop, the internet. One link leads to another and before you know it, you’re reading up on Carl Jung, archetypes, symbols in dreams, how those symbols are present in Greek and Roman mythology, etc. You’ve suddenly got more ideas to write about than you know what to do with. The more ideas you have, the more you can dovetail your story. And even if your little sister throws your manuscript into the fireplace, you’ve learned a lot.
There are many points in the story that ‘mirror’ a historical figure of some sort, such as Joan of Arc and her ability as a mere woman to lead an army. Did you base certain parts of the journey on historical figures that are perhaps favorites of yours?
Yes. Brother Lichen is a character based very closely on St. Francis of Assisi, one of my favorite historical figures. Funnily enough, Marigold’s character seems to be based on Oscar Wilde, but that was a complete accident. Polaris…ominous quatrains are based on
Nostradamus, ominous quatrains... There’s a lot of layering, and if anyone out there is reading it thinking there might be more to something, drop me an email at askmarigold@ancientcanada.com. One of the things I wanted to do with the book is create a character you can actually speak to, so don’t be surprised if I respond in character.
You go extremely in-depth on issues of inequality, spirituality, as well as gender-biased situations - did you do research on the political and religious backgrounds during ‘ancient times?’
No. I tried to focus more on modern ones. However, some of our modern issues have been around since ancient times. Like when one narrator states his belief that any spiritual inequality based solely on gender indicates an obvious absence of the divine. If that’s true, he states, we don’t need divine permission to fix it.
There is some beautiful poetry within the text of this novel, did you create each and every poem as well?
Yes, and thank you! One poem, The Good Dingleberry, has a story to it. I had just met my future wife in 2003 and was a little scared at how quickly we fell in love. I wrote The Good Dingleberry, a sonnet, in about fifteen minutes. Then I spent the next three hours agonizing over every word, and probably only changed two or three. I didn’t realize what a ‘dingleberry’ was at the time, but it still worked. She loved the poem. A chapter in the middle of the book is a love story about two creatures that are literally two of a kind, and I thought The Good Dingleberry fit perfectly. With my wife’s blessing, I included it in the novel.
Did you ever consider publishing this book as a continuing set of stories that could perhaps appear in historical magazines or newsletters?
Yes, I thought that might have worked, especially with the rotating narrator structure. I would have wanted to finish the whole thing first, though. I would have been too afraid that something would need a change, then I’d have to go back and alter something that’s already published or, more realistically, find a way to work around it at the expense of the narrative.
There are so many, but one of my favorite quotes appears ‘round the middle when Queen Erika announces: I will be silent when I have nothing left to say. Do you believe authors should feel the same way?
Yes. I’ve never thought of it that way, but now that I do, yes. Otherwise you wind up (forgive me, but) creatively constipated, even rotting on the inside. And we all know how uncomfortable that can be.
What project are you working on now?
The Fables of Ancient Canada, which I’m currently posting free on my website, www.ancientcanada.com. They’re about a page long each, and new ones are added regularly, about once or twice a week. After all, what good ancient world doesn’t have its fables to share? We have to be fair. Some people just don’t have time to read very much, or their ‘to-read’ list is a mile long. The fable format solves this. But, if I left the world of Ancient Canada, my dream project is The Trans-Saharan Railway. Cairo to Dakar. 1920’s, French and British imperialists, Bedouin, Algerians, a kingdom in the sand, a desperate love story, and maybe a talking robotic camel. Or…maybe just regular camels. I haven’t worked out all the details. Anybody reading this, feel free to steal this idea.
Is there a specific genre (or, genres) that you like to read above all others?
Epics and comedies.
And we always end with a few questions that our readers get a kick out of - it’s a bit of an ‘Ode to James Lipton’:
What is your favorite book?
Reluctant Saint: The Life of Francis of Assisi, by Donald Spoto (Viking Press). You could be any faith, or none at all, and be inspired by that man. I certainly was.
What is your favorite word?
Lately it’s ancientcanada.com. Okay, okay, sorry. Hmm... I’ve got a lot of fond memories from hearing people say ‘Found it!’
What is your least favorite word?
This is the easy one; the last one was the hard one. If I had to pick one word, and only one word, that I would call my single least favorite, they would be: moniker, coiffure, tome, whilst, thrice, shan’t, youngling, cusp, and persons (instead of ‘people‘). It made me cringe just to write those.
What author do you love to read?
Tolstoy.
What profession other than your own would you like to attempt?
Cartoonist for a daily comic strip. Thankfully I had a chance to be a cartoonist/writer for my college humor magazine.
What profession would you not like to attempt?
Politics. There’s too much politics in it.
What is your favorite thing about writing?
The six or seven times you finish writing the same novel. You get to enjoy the sense of accomplishment over and over and over again.
_____________
As you can see, readers, this is a man who not only has the writing talent in spades, but his wit and wisdom make it impossible to not want to know more about him! Go read Ancient Canada now and you will NOT be disappointed!
Happy Holidays!
Until Next Time,
Amy
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