“Before you embark on a journey of revenge, dig two graves.” — Confucius

I’ve been doing interviews to promote WHEN I GOT OUT — I have one on Monday, November 4, at 10:30 AM (PT) on CONVERSATIONS LIVE! on blogtalkradio.com with Cyrus Webb — and they are stimulating, nerve-wracking experiences. And they are all different.

Some interviewers want to talk just about the book. Some want to talk about my background and my “writing process.” Some want to talk about prison reform and the research I did that supports the book.

I’ll talk about anything they want. I try to answer every question honestly, with humor and enthusiasm. I want my book to sound interesting and entertaining, so that’s how I try to communicate. I’m still learning how to talk about WHEN I GOT OUT. “It’s about a guy who gets out of prison after forty years and tries to redeem his life.” (The flap copy is good, but long.). I just try to speak spontaneously, from my heart and hope for the best.

When I’m doing a phone interview, I’ll have some information spread out on my desk in front of me — on index cards and single sheets of paper: some essential things I want to say about the book (that even though it’s a “sequel,” it stands alone: no need to have read the first book … how even though Larry is a famous criminal, out of prison after forty years, his story is kind of universal) … some basic “connectors” from my book to possible readers … some facts about ex-convicts in America.

Each interview is different, even if I find myself saying some of the same things. And each goes by in flash, whether it’s ten minutes or an hour. I’ve found that all my interviewers are very nice to me: they want to help me be a good guest, to make their shows enjoyable, and help me sell my book. Otherwise, why would they have me on?

The interviews also force me to “re-live” the writing of the book: what was my motivation to write it? How did I come up with the plot? Did I plan to write another “Larry Ingber” book?

I just write: I don’t really think about my “process.” That’s all after-the-fact and not really relevant to the final product. But on the other hand, I’m curious about what other writers do, so I understand where the question comes from.

But as I think about WHEN I GOT OUT and talk about it, I can’t help thinking of things that I might have changed or added to the book. As Paul Valery wrote, “A work of art is never finished, just abandoned.” And he’s right. I could have tinkered and fine-tuned WHEN I GOT OUT forever, but I had a deadline and a pub date.

And I’m happy with the book as published.

And yet, just the other day, researching something else, I came across this great quotation from Confucius:

“Before you embark on a journey of revenge, dig two graves.”

How I wish I had discovered this quote when I was writing the book!

Would Betsy have said this to Larry? Maybe. It’s certainly like something would say, and she had enough literary background to know it.

Maybe it’s a little too perfect — too “on the nose” — but I might have used it. It certainly applies to Larry and the fateful, dangerous decision he makes. But Betsy gives him something else, even better.

I can’t change things now, but I so personally invested in these characters that I can’t stop thinking about them. I’ve lived with them for so many years that they are still alive to me.

Check out my new interview! On CONVERSATIONS LIVE! on blogtalkradio.com with Cyrus Webb.

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