About Norm
Q:
Who provided early inspiration for your writing?
A:
Initially, I was encouraged by Ernestine Robinson, a wonderful high school english teacher who assured me that poor spelling, poor ‘grammer,’ and a highly experimental approach to writing would not necessarily limit my literary future. She then introduced me to the work of James Joyce. A similar theme was expressed by my creative writing teacher in college. Although she was more than a little shocked by my poetry, she nevertheless assured me that my becoming a writer was not entirely hopeless.
Finally, as a young anthropology graduate student at the University of Pennsylvania, I greatly admired the poignant beauty of Loren Eiseley’s writing. Scientist, humanist, naturalist, and poet, the ability to interweave his academic training in paleontology with personal reflections on ‘the human condition,’ was most inspiring. I especially remember two memorable occasions when we met for lunch at a nearby campus cafeteria. During these discussions, he shared some of his thoughts on science and humanity, ideas which emerged six years later in his highly popular book, The Immense Journey. While our anthropological interests soon diverged, his literary achievements have continued to inspire my own writing to this day.
Q:
How about novelists living today? Do you have any special favorites?
A:
Two are women. Barbara Kingsolver’s novels and short stories have always inspired me, along with her non-fiction commentaries on nature and our relation to it. Her recent book of essays Small Wonder is a special delight. Margaret Attwood is another excellent writer on my list of favorites. I recently reread her novel The Blind Assassin to gain a better understanding of how she handles time frames.
On the male side, Graham Greene, of course, has died; but his writing continues to draw my admiration as if he were still alive. In my view, his book The Human Factor is one of his best. I am also drawn to Don Delillo’s novels. However, one of his recommendations for American writers did surprise me when he wrote several years ago: “There are so many temptations for American writers to become part of the state and part of the structure that now, more than ever, we have to resist. American writers ought to stand and live in the margins, and be more dangerous.” While this advice may raise questions in the mind of some Americans, I support his call to speak out against governmental mystifications in their diverse manifestations. There is much that American writers can do to address problems of race, class, and empire in this country. If such activities place us in a ‘danger zone,’ that is all the more reason to speak out.
Q:
What led you to try your hand at writing an environmental thriller?
A:
I’ve always liked reading thrillers and thought writing one would be equally enjoyable. In the beginning, I also envisioned the project as a possible first step of an exciting new career. What a mistake! I soon learned that the creativity needed to produce a novel is substantially different than writing anthropology. To begin, anthropologists are expected to stick with the ‘facts,’ however culturally diverse they may be. Novelists, on the other hand, seek much of their inspiration from own their creative psyche, rather than explicit events occurring in the real world. Actually, the novel I am writing draws on both dimensions — using actual events in the Arctic as a backdrop to conflicts faced by the novel’s major characters. Still, while these events are used to enhance the story rather than dominate it, I realize that the intertwining of the two dimensions needs more attention. Given that the novel is a work-in-process, I welcome suggestions for improvement from internet readers.
