Clyde Edgerton is a noted Southern writer, a professor of creative writing, and a musician. He will be in Chattanooga this weekend (April 4-5) as one of the featured authors for the Conference on Southern Literature at the Tivoli. Chattarati will be covering the event, and as a preview we took a moment to sit down with him (in a virtual sense) for a short email interview.
Chattarati: You have discussed in the past how your characters are shaped by your own experiences and the stories you have heard about your Southern ancestors. Where do you draw inspiration for the plots of your novels? CE: Not meaning to be glib, I must say that I draw inspiration for plots from characters. Characters usually come first in my composing process-because I like them more than plots, which seem kind of like "ideas" to me. If I'm lucky, I gain a negotiated deal with a character which says that a) I can tell him or her what to do and b) he or she can tell me what to do. If I'm lucky the second time, then in a year or two I have the rough draft of a novel which has a half-assed plot that may give me a clue about what the story is trying to be about. And then with the help of good editors I continue revising toward the day I finally leave the story alone. Sometimes I can't work out a deal with the characters and the novel never gets off the ground. Chattarati: A deal you struck with your characters in the past cost you a teaching contract when your first novel Raney was published. Do you revise your work any differently now, or do you translate the story as you see it and hope for a positive reception? CE: I don't revise any differently, and have to translate as I see it and hope. Chattarati: Your memoir Solo: My Adventure in the Air was your first non-fiction work after eight novels. Can we expect more non-fiction from you in the future? CE: It's hard to see past the one I'm working on now, so I'd better not venture a guess. Maybe so. Chattarati: It would be a grave mistake if I passed up such a perfect segue. What are you working on these days? CE: I'm working on a novel about seven white boys (in a rock and roll band) who in 1963 try to memorize James Brown's Live at the Apollo album. Chattarati: That knowledge and love of music is one key element that sets you apart from other Southern writers. Your own guitar and vocal performances are reported to be standing room only, and you also have stage experience from participating in readers' theater. What should Chattarati readers expect from your upcoming musical presentation in Chattanooga? CE: Louis Rubin and I will talk some and then knock out a few songs. He'll be talking about Algonquin Books, I think and I'll be reading a scene from The Bible Salesman, my last novel. On the songs, I'll be on guitar and mandolin and he'll be on harmonica and we'll each sing a little bit. We'll go Columbus Georgia Blues, Frankie and Johnnie, Yellow Dog Blues, and a few more. We'll have a good time. Chattarati: That does sound like a good time. You also are scheduled for a panel discussion on Saturday, April 4th on the topic "After the Writing is Done: Publishing, Promoting and Dodging the Critic's Arrow". These three steps in the process can be very taxing on an author. Which one has been the most difficult for you personally? CE: Promoting includes book tours, and each one—I guess I've done ten or so—gets a little more difficult and tiring, though I was able to choose what to do and not do on my last one. But then again, this is the kind of problem that many writers would love to have. So, all and all, I've been very lucky. Chattarati: Thank you for your time, and we look forward to seeing you at the Tivoli this weekend. CE: Thanks for your questions. A schedule of the events this weekend (including when Clyde Edgerton will be performing and speaking) is available from the Southern Literature Conference site.
David Morton on March 31, 2009
I read Walking Across Egypt for a Southern Lit. class, and enjoyed it. Hope to make it out for his reading and/or performance. BTW, what's his music like? Bluegrass, country?
R. Oxy on March 31, 2009
I, too, had wondered what type of musical performance we could expect. My curiosity has been piqued! It will be very interesting to see what he, and the other authors, will surprise us with at the conference. I'm looking forward to it.