David Kalish is a novelist, blogger, and playwright with an MFA from Bennington College. His short fiction appears in many literary journals, his nonfiction in The Writer’s Chronicle, and a film of his won honors in festivals in the states and abroad. Before Bennington, he was a journalist at The Associated Press. He lives in upstate New York and is at work on a second novel, Stoner Hero, and a Latin-themed comedic musical, The Gringo Who Stole Christmas.
WOW: David, the main character in your book The Opposite of
Everything is Brooklyn journalist
Daniel Plotnick. I'm curious how you chose the name and the main character's
occupation. Please give us a bit of back story if you would.
David: Before he was Daniel Plotnick, my main character had my name. That’s because my book started as a first-person memoir about my struggles with cancer and divorce. But over years of revision I decided the book worked better as a third-person comedic novel. So I chose a name for the protagonist that sounded Jewish, like mine, and a bit hapless, as I imagine myself. One of my roommates in college had the last name Plotnick, so I stole it. Because the character is based on me, he’s also a journalist – I used to work as a reporter and editor with The Associated Press in the 1990s.
WOW: David, I have a feeling that same thing happens more often than we may realize. I'm sure your roommate is flattered!
I know this book came about after your
own personal battle with cancer and your painful divorce. Did you start
journaling for therapeutic reasons, or what made you decide to put the pen to
paper and when did you decide it was something you wanted to publish?
David: I’ve always written fiction, from the time I
wrote my first poem in kindergarten, but my diagnosis of cancer in 1994 -- and
the collapse of my first marriage it triggered -- gave me lots of material to
mine. So my creative writing began to reflect those experiences. Sure, it was
therapeutic in a sense. I think as a writer I try to make sense of painful
situations by dramatizing them, giving them a narrative arc, a beginning,
middle and end. It’s all about making lemonade from lemons, putting things in
perspective. From the moment I began writing my book more than a decade ago,
I’ve wanted to publish it. With each revision I sent the book out to agents and
small publishers, and with each rejection revised it a little more. It wasn’t
until early this year that it was accepted by a small but traditional
publisher, WiDo. It’s been a long long journey.
WOW: So I guess I'm not being too terribly optimistic thinking my 5 and 6 year old might become writers since they do so well with poems and short stories. I'm sorry it took the collapse of your marriage to bring you back to creative writing, but I'm sure glad you're writing!
David, who has been your biggest supporter
through the publishing process and what are some ways they have supported and
encouraged your journey?
David: I would have to
say my wife and daughter, in part because the characters based on them figure
so prominently in the novel. They’ve been my second readers as I strived to
create credible characters with three-dimensional lives and personalities.
They’ve also been incredibly tolerant of the fact I need oceans of time to
write, because I’m a perfectionist, to a fault.
WOW: This definitely sounds like a family affair and labor of love! So... what's
next for you? You seem like the type of person who is always busy and I have a
feeling your next published works is likely already waiting in the wings - can
you tell us more?
David: I’m revising my
second novel now, and hope to complete it in the spring and send it out once my
first one is published in March. Problem is, I’ve been so busy laying the
groundwork to promote my first novel I have hardly any time to work on my
second. But novel is called Stoner Hero. It’s a satirical comedy
about an underground society that uses time management techniques, team
building and sweat lodge retreats to help stoners lead more productive lives
through weed. I’m also a playwright. I’m
collaborating with Alex Torres, the Latin musician and composer, on a musical
comedy I wrote, called The Gringo Who Stole Christmas.
WOW: David, I'm so glad you're doing so much promotion since that is what brought us together. I cannot wait until your WOW! Blog Tour next spring!
Other than your upcoming blog tour and writing, what sorts of activities do you enjoy? Give us a peek into your
personal life and what makes David Kalish tick.
David: I’m an early
riser, and after a few hours of writing from 5 a.m. to 7 a.m. I drive to a
nearby forest with our two dogs. The three of us roam briskly between the trees
for an hour. It clears my head and I often work out problems in my writing, and
plan my day. I consider a good day when I also get in a walk in the afternoon.
I guess I’m always writing, except when I’m cooking dinner, paying the bills,
taking out the garbage, and spending downtime with my wife and daughter.
Interview by Crystal J. Casavant-Otto
The Opposite of Everything
When Brooklyn journalist Daniel Plotnick learns he has cancer, his fortunes
fall faster than you can say “Ten Plagues of Egypt.” His wife can’t cope, his
marriage ends in a showdown with police, and his father accidentally pushes
him off the George Washington Bridge.
Daniel miraculously survives his terrifying plunge, and comes up with a zany
plan to turn his life around: by doing the opposite of everything he did before.
Inspired by his own brush with cancer and divorce, novelist David Kalish
makes comedy out of his painful past to create a startling and surprisingly
philosophical story.
Paperback: 250Pages
Publisher: WiDo
Publishing
ISBN-10: 1937178439
CONNECT WITH DAVID:
Web site: www.davidkalishwriter.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dekalish
Twitter: https://twitter.com/dekalish
Amazon: http://amzn.to/IEvXtn
David plans on touring in April 2014. To view all our touring authors, check out our Events Calendar. Keep up with blog stops and giveaways in real time by following us on Twitter @WOWBlogTour.
Get Involved!If you have a website or blog and would like to host David or one of our touring authors or schedule a tour of your own, please email us at blogtour@wow-womenonwriting.com.
Get Involved!If you have a website or blog and would like to host David or one of our touring authors or schedule a tour of your own, please email us at blogtour@wow-womenonwriting.com.
Crystal is a church musician, business owner, active journaler, writer and blogger as well as a dairy farmer. She lives in Reedsville, Wisconsin with her husband, three young children (Carmen 6, Andre 5, Breccan 11 weeks), three dogs, two rabbits, four little piggies, and over 200 Holsteins. You can find Crystal blogging and reviewing books and all sorts of other stuff at: http://bringonlemons.blogspot.com/
8 comments:
Sounds like a great read. I like that he has taken a comedic approach to what can be a very heavy subject.
Bette,
David has a great enthusiasm for life! I too am drawn to his approach to dealing with life's hurdles. This book can't come out quick enough; I'm soooo excited!!
David,
Thank you so much for taking time with me!
Hugs to you both!
-Crystal
I'm wondering, as I wonder with anyone who writes true stories or takes true stories and turns them into fiction, if you had to worry about the people in your novel figuring out whom they were or ask them to sign a waiver or post a disclaimer in the front of the book (Like they do on Law and Order). I haven't had the joy of reading it yet, so maybe everyone is in a flattering light, but I actually heard an author talk about having to have her dad sign a release for a personal essay she wrote. Did you worry about this? Thoughts on this? :) Thanks! Margo
Hi Margo,
Thanks for your question, which is a good one. Since my work is fiction, thankfully I don't need to worry about releases. As I say in my acknowledgment, any resemblances between real-life people and characters in the novel are coincidental to my goals as a novelist to create a fully realized book with interesting characters and a narrative arc. Having said that, however, my book is inspired by my own life and I did have an unnerving conversation with a family relative (who shall remain nameless) who saw a synopsis of the book (not the book itself) that he interpreted as disparaging to him. I reassured him it was fiction. That's all I can do, right?
Hi Bette,
Yes, comedy was my way out of writing about painful experiences in my life in a way that I could handle, as both a novelist and a cancer survivor. I'd love to keep you updated about events related to the book. If you don't mind a few clicks, go to my Web site www.davidkalishwriter.com and sign up on my guest list.
Dave
Hi David and Crystal. Thanks for the wonderful interview. I love that you took something negative and made it a positive. Congratulations on you novel and I wish you many downloads.
Hi Sherry! Yes, for better or worse, my life supplied me lots of material for dark comedy. Made lemons out of lemonade, I suppose. Or is it the other way around? Thanks so much for your good wishes!
Thanks for the answer, David. It seems like the nameless relative might have some issues he needs to settle? :) Looking forward to your book coming out. Love WiDo publishing--I have read some great books from them thanks to WOW!
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