Q & A Session with Bonnie Jo Campbell

Dear Mrs. Bonnie Jo Campbell,

Seems kind of formal for an email, but I don't know how else to start. First, let me introduce myself. I'm a mathematics teacher working in our lovely Michigan prison system (have been for approximately 17 years). I'm also a writer with a few publish stories under my belt ... Pebble Lake Review, Glass Fire Magazine, Foliate Oak, and Nano Fiction ... small lit mags, but I'm proud nonetheless.

As a struggling writer, I've come to appreciate the work ethic involved in the whole writing process; It's a tortuous affair (for me anyway), and I can only imagine the time and energy you spent mastering your craft.

I purchased your first short-story collection Women and Other Animals shortly after reading "The Smallest Man in the World" in a Pushcart Anthology. Awesome book! I'm now awaiting the release of your new book American Salvage from Wayne State University Press. I'm wondering whether you included my personal favorite "Candy" which I first read in the now defunct ...sob... Ontario Review --seems like a good fit (if the book title is any indication), or "My Dog Roscoe" from Witness. Both stories had great openers, really strong voices; more so than "Storm Warning" which builds momentum as it goes (read that one too in Orchid); I see you've included that one.

Anyway, I thought I'd congratulate you on your new book. Have a wonderful holiday!

Sincerely,

James R. Tomlinson

P.S. If you do respond, I hope you don't mind our correspondence being used as a blog post (doesn't everyone have a blog these days?). Of course, if you say no, I'll respect your wishes. Thanks again.



Hi James:

Thank you for writing to me. It sounds as though you have amazing experiences to relate in your writing. I'll confess I peeked in on you (via google) and found your story "This One's For the Birds," which is a situation nicely put.

Writing really is hard work, hours and hours, sometimes hundreds of hours of hard work for one story. When I learned that about writing, it came as a great relief. Originally I had thought that writing required brilliance and gigantic talent; when I learned writing was just more hard work (not unlike loading hay in a barn, digging a ditch) I was thrilled. I can do that, I told myself. Thank you for suggesting I've mastered the craft, but you know it's not true, because each new story presents a new torture... I mean, new challenge. Each new story makes me feel as though I'm starting all over again.

Thank you for asking about my new collection. I worked hard on writing the stories, and on shaping it into a collection, and Wayne State was generous in providing me editorial help. In some ways this collection is the male response to Women & Other Animals, and most (though not all) of the stories are dealing with male themes and male protagonists. And so neither of the stories you mention ("Candy" and "My Dog Roscoe") are included in the collection; those will appear in my next collection, Blood Work, which I've just put together in order to send out to contests and publishers.

I too am heartbroken over Ontario Review's disappearance. What a sad business it all is, for Joyce Carol Oates and for all of us, losing Raymond Smith.

Sure you can use my response in your blog. I just hope I didn't make any spelling or grammatical errors! I too become bloggish, with a personal one bone-eye and one in which I'm trying to include stuff about the publishing process screenporchlit.

Thanks again for taking an interest. I will be having a big book release party in Kalamazoo (at a brewery of course), and one in Detroit, through Wayne State Univ. Press. Let me know if you want to come and I can keep you posted as to the dates and times.

Cheers!

Bonnie

p.s. I'm a former math teacher myself, and I've done some volunteer work in my local prison (minimum security) teaching writing, so we have a little bit in common.