Official Interview: J. M. Unrue

[kandscreeley]

Today's Chat with Sarah features J. M. Unrue author of Love in Words and Music.

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1. What do you do when you aren't writing?

I read. Horror story anthologies are my mind candy. I watch football. I like British police procedurals. I stream a lot of those. I listen to music--all sorts, mainly prog rock from the dark ages. Yeah, I'm old.

2. Who or what has been most influential in your life?

Wow, that's a tough one. My father molded my character. He won the Bronze Star in the Korean War. I have a few heroes. Anwar Sadat is one. Peace above all. Frederick Douglass is another. After King, the important American of color in history. A group of musicians I grew up with.

3. Let's discuss your book Love in Words and Music. How did you come up with the idea?

I had a story idea called Jesus and Buddha in the Garden of Eden. I didn't know what format to use. I decided to write it in dialogue. The response was very positive. I had nine stories and decided to see if I could write them all in dialogue. If I couldn't pull it off to my satisfaction, I wouldn't do it. That's my book God on a Budget. One of the stories features the Love in Words characters. I essentially wrote both books concurrently, though God on a Budget was published first.

4. The story is told entirely in dialogue. Why did you decide to structure the book this way?

From a personal standpoint--partly ego, I admit--I wanted to see if I could pull it off. Setting a scene and mood and nuance is really challenging without narrative. I also wanted it to be easy to follow. I'm really proud of the result. I don't think anyone has said they lost track. Plus, it's a good story. I deliberately wanted to show the realities of relationships but use different mileposts. I also wanted it to be quick and not bogged down. Humor is one of my strengths. I used to write sketch comedy a million years ago.


5. What part of the book was the most difficult to write?

The conflicts. There have to be conflicts. They are a part of life. This relationship was threatened several times, and it was extremely painful to write. I don't like conflict, personally. After some of the scenes, I moped around for a couple of days. I also had to write my way out of it without being trite. No relationship survives without scars.

6. Do you have much in common with the characters?

Yes, of course. Brad has an acerbic sense of humor. Patricia is more overt. Brad works with the public but is essentially an introvert, which is a paradox. I have personal experience with that. They both love very deeply and are easily wounded. Yeah, I have experience with that, too. There are peripheral characters, but the book is essentially conversations between two people. Both are me in various forms.

7. Who do you see as the ideal audience?

People who enjoy love stories, first. People who want something that moves quickly and is entertaining. People who appreciate the effort it took to use this format and have it work.

8. What's next for you? Any books in the works?

Yeah, always. Love in Words is my eighth book so a lot of writing is behind me. I'm working on a novel and have some ideas for another story collection, both using conventional narrative.

I like to end with fun questions.

9. Everyone has eccentricities. Tell us one of yours.

I have a reclining sofa in the basement and that's where I write. I always have coffee when I write. I put a lot of stuff in it--heavy whipping cream and vanilla flavoring. As far as personal eccentricities, most of the music I listen to is at least forty years old. I like obscure humor. I like to see if someone 'gets it'. I have daughters so sometimes I do things slightly sexist (I'm not) just to get a rise out of them. An example--Two cheerleaders were tanning at the beach. One says, "I slept with a Brazilian last night." The other responds, "Wow. My most is three."

10. If you had to never use one appliance in your home, which would it be?

The iron. I press my clothes but don't enjoy it.

11. What one drink would you not want to do without?

Coffee. I'm not a coffee snob. I put so much stuff in it that I use the cheapest I can find. I have two cups in the morning and a cup of decaf after my last meal. Every day. Like clockwork.

12. What do you think is the cutest animal?

Cutest? Yikes. I never use the word cute. Or Sweet. I would have to say the Giant Panda. If you asked what the most beautiful animal to me is, I'd say the snow leopard. It's endangered, too, which is why I sometimes doubt the long-term vision of our species.

[Lakshyaaj J]

Great interview by the author