Audrey
asked
T. Coraghessan Boyle:
I'm teaching a short fiction workshop soon and will ask participants to read a "A Death in Kitchawank" and "Chicxulub." Different writers find story ideas in different ways--some inspired by a single image or phrase, others by recurring themes or persistent what-if questions. I'm curious: where do your story ideas originate, either generally or in the case of these two pieces? Thx in advance from a longtime fan!
T. Coraghessan Boyle
For me, a story can originate from any source. With "Chicxulub" I'd long been contemplating our place in the universe and how tentative it is; the story of the accident with the daughter came from something I'd read in the newspaper, which makes the cosmic very, very personal. "A Death in Kitchawank" is one of my rare autobiographical pieces, underlined by the fact that I've inserted myself into the narrative. Others in this succession are "Up Against the Wall" and "Greasy Lake," but of course these experiences have been molded into art and so deviate from actual events.
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Max Gordon
asked
T. Coraghessan Boyle:
Sorry, I have no question, only praise. I really enjoyed THTC (as I do all your books)—especially your choice of points of view. You did an admirable job of creating portraits of the troubled pair and the pasts and presents that contributed to their anti-government, anti-authority skew. I can't wait to see what emotional machinations take place in the ecosphere. Oh, so it won;t post without a question mark?
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