Charles Banks asked Michael Bowe:

First, let me say that I loved The Weight of a Moment, and wouldn’t change a single word. It really made me think. But, I noticed in some of the negative reviews the notion that there is too much going on, too many subplots and minor characters. As the author, I am curious about your perspective?

Michael Bowe When I finished the first draft of The Weight of a Moment, I sought input from readers I know, knowledgable people with experience in publishing. A few suggested eliminating Robbie Reynolds or the diner scenes, and focusing on Tom and Nick. It's important as a writer to write freely and edit aggressively; the first draft was 350 pages, the final book a fraction of that.

While their suggestions were consistent with the modern formula for bestsellers, which says go directly from Point A to Point B and don’t risk losing the reader along the way, that’s not a book I’m interested in writing. In my mind, those books are basically the literary equivalent of chase scenes in movies. I want to write books that are meaningful, that make readers think and reflect, that are more than just a story.

For instance, the Robbie Reynolds’ subplot is a parable. Who would inject a parable into the middle of the story? Maybe, only me. I don’t know. Robbie’s story is poignant and powerful, and, in many ways, a counterbalance to Tom’s and Nick’s stories. Also, the diner scenes are the setting for some very important conversations between Nick and Tom as well as the source of the small town aesthetic. I viewed both those subplots as crucial to the book.

I would guess that a lot of the people who dislike the book, dislike it because it’s different than what they’re used to. They read five books at a time and aren’t interested in one that asks more of them. They are comfortable with the norm.

The storyline in The Weight of a Moment isn’t daunting, but it requires readers to focus, think, and even reflect at times. I think readers who are open to this challenge get a lot from the book, and that is why there are so many wonderful reviews. Reviewers have not simply enjoyed the book, many have been deeply touched by it. That’s the kind of book I want to write!

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