Episode 328 – Reflecting on A New Season with Terry Fallis

Mark interviews Terry Fallis about his latest novel, A New Season.

A two-time winner of the Stephen Leacock Medal for Humour, Terry Fallis is the author of nine novels, all of them national bestsellers—including six #1 bestsellers—and all published by McClelland & Stewart/Penguin Random House.

Prior to the interview, Mark shares comments from recent episodes, welcomes new Patron Nikki Guerlain, and a word about this episode’s sponsor.

You can learn more about how you can get your audiobooks distributed to retailers and library systems around the world at starkreflections.ca/Findaway.

In their conversation, Mark and Terry talk about:

Terry’s latest novel, A NEW SEASON, and the unique approach he took to his latest bookRetiring from his day job as a communications/public affairs consultant in March 2022Having wanted to write full time since the release of his first novel fifteen years earlierThe precarious reality of the earnings an author is most likely to make, even if they are a successful author who regularly hits the bestseller lists in CanadaHow the novel was derived from fears (something Terry was inspired by John Irving to consider), and from events that unfolded during the pandemic, and the way Terry had to evolve his writing from the usual “bend” of humor he employed in his previous booksCasting off the shackles/tyranny of humorSome of the “trademark” self-deprecating humor of Terry’s narrators (Jack McMaster in this one, Daniel Addison in his first couple of novels)Not being able to believe that he’s currently 63 and the experience of writing a narrator (Jack) who is closer to Terry’s own ageTerry’s experiences playing ball hockey every week and how ball hockey can be a bit of a time machineWriting the scenes from trying to speech French when in Paris from personal experienceTerry’s friendship with Jim Cuddy (of Blue Rodeo fame) via his weekly ball-hockey and how the musician allowed Terry to write him into his novelThe examination of make friendship which is an important aspect of this novelTerry’s history of being a “closeted” singer-songwriter, which he’s been doing since he was seventeen years oldThe song “More Than The Game” which Terry wrote about the comradery of his ball hockey leagueLaying a few of Terry’s songs into the audiobook produced by Penguin Random HouseThe 42-year-old love song that Terry wrote for his University girlfriend (who he has been married to for 36 wonderful years)The long-time romantic tradition of Terry singing the love song to his wife on Christmas EveTerry’s personal connection to Paris and how it, like ball hockey, is a kind of time machineWriting a scene of the novel at the seat of Hemingway’s favorite table at a Paris cafeHailing from the “why use 6 words when 12 will do” school of writingThe saga of Constance Stanley’s diaries becoming the final piece that Terry needed to complete the storyHow the title A NEW SEASON refers to so many different elements from the novelThe next book that Terry has already started to work on, which has even more intrigue and suspense than two of his previous novelsAdvice Terry would have for writers who have long wanted to do it, but haven’t yet taken that stepAnd more…

After the interview, Mark reflects on the idea of writing books from passion and intense interest. He then shares the name of the Patron winner of Joanna Penn’s Writing the Shadow.

Links of Interest:

Terry’s WebsiteTerry’s SubstackA New Season (PRH Canada)Terry’s previous guest appearances on this podcast:EP 029 – Terry Fallis on Writing with Authenthicity, Humor, and PassionMentions of Terry on previous episodes:EP 189 – From Stage to Page and Back to Stage with Rod CarleyEP 050 – 5 Things Learned in 50 EpisodesEP 020 – Lessons Learned on My Writer JourneyEP 146 – Finding Yourself in Our Song with Meaghan SmithEP 327 – Writing the Shadow with Joanna PennEP 326 – Rebranding and Relaunching with E.L. WilliamsEP 325 – Reflecting Back: 3 Things That Are Wrong With Indie PublishingMark’s YouTube ChannelBuy Mark a CoffeePatreon for Stark ReflectionsBest Book Ever PodcastLovers Moon PodcastThe Relaxed AuthorBuy eBook DirectBuy Audiobook DirectPublishing Pitfalls for AuthorsAn Author’s Guide to Working with Libraries & BookstoresWide for the WinMark’s Canadian Werewolf BooksThis Time Around (Short Story)A Canadian Werewolf in New YorkStowe Away (Novella)Fear and Longing in Los AngelesFright Nights, Big CityLover’s MoonHex and the CityThe Canadian Mounted: A Trivia Guide to Planes, Trains and AutomobilesYippee Ki-Yay Motherf*cker: A Trivia Guide to Die Hard

The introductory, end, and bumper music for this podcast (“Laser Groove”) was composed and produced by Kevin MacLeod of www.incompetech.com and is Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0