This week, we're talking with Howard Petote about his new book The Sins of Maggie Black.
Tell us something unexpected about yourself!
In 2009, just before Christmas, my pickup got whacked by a runaway dump truck. The Mack rolled into view (surprise) from my left, having passed through the off-ramp’s stop sign—brakeless I was later told—and hit just behind my driver side door.
My truck totaled, I survived just fine. So that was quite unexpected. If there had been a split second delay in my arrival, a hesitation on the gas pedal to look at a bird, cross the local RR tracks, or sneeze, I wouldn’t be here today.
In all seriousness, the unexpected thing about me—if you only know my stories, which can be gritty and serious—is that I love humor, and I love to make people laugh.
How did you get into writing?
Strangely enough, the first short story I wrote, Island of the Sleeping Lambs, was inspired by one of my oil paintings of the same name. The painting is bright and colorful, but the subject matter is very dark.
You’ve got to love contrasts—and mystery. It’s on my website if you want to view it. The story is as yet unpublished. So I got into the craft of fiction by writing short stories, and by studying every book and article I could find on creative writing.
What are you currently working on?
Besides working on publishing tasks for my current novel, The Sins of Maggie Black, I’ve started writing my second novel, as yet untitled.
Where did you get the inspiration for this book?
This originated from an incident occurring ten years prior. My wife and I were touring the Black Hills of South Dakota. We stopped our truck near a young family’s minibus at a city park in Deadwood.
As the children played on swings, I chatted with the parents—assuming they were on a camping trip. But they were actually homeless, perhaps working in the local casino industry, or hoping to. That family became Maggie and her son in my story—also homeless and living out of a van, but dreaming of a better life.
Tell us more about the main character in your new book.
Have you ever opened your front door to a traveling saleswoman? You could be annoyed, suspicious—but rarely enthusiastic. If you lived in Nebraska during the summer of ’93, you may have met Maggie Black. Jumping past appearances—her wrinkled sundress, smeared makeup and sweat only adding a sympathetic allure—you become aware of a vague energy, and soon realize it’s her presence.
She is intense. She may open right into her pitch, shake your hand, or drawing her pull case up, tease you: “They dropped me off here, said you had a room?” If rebuffed she may pout, turning away to gaze down the street, testing your resolve. Once inside, she has you.
Attuned to every nuance of body language, she reacts accordingly—her words and gestures arranged to reach one goal, and that is to score the sale. The dullards who shut her out will miss an exquisite performance, but also something more profound, for she has recently made a vow—a vow to transform herself and her life.
Who is your favorite writer and why?
Peter Matthiessen. His non-fiction work, and one book in particular—The Snow Leopard. I was a young man when I read it, so I had to revisit my cheap, paperback copy. The writing, for one, is transcendent.
Matthiessen weaves past and present, reality and mysticism, joy and pathos—all the while describing a riveting adventure. Within his sentences, I again hear water running under snow, over ledges and through the scree of mountains, the sound hypnotic in the vast, enveloping silence.
What are your top 3 books of all time?
I’ll stick to fiction this time: Zorba the Greek (Nikos Kazantzakis), Of Mice and Men (John Steinbeck), and Ethan Frome (Edith Wharton).
Have you got any writing rituals?
No, except to procrastinate by viewing the latest online news, wondering how a writer can compete with all the weird, harrowing, dangerous, and tragic stuff going on.
How important is marketing and social media for you?
Marketing is critical in the sale of anything. Even if I had the time, social media such as Facebook doesn’t appeal to me. I have a website and blog, the worldwide platform of Amazon, and some book promoters lined up. Other than that, I try to focus on writing.
Do you read your book reviews?
I will when I get them.
What advice would you have for other writers?
I once heard an author belittle young writers who didn’t sacrifice all their spare time to writing. The guy wrote fantasy, but still, this is bad advice. Young people—get out of the house and leave your electronics behind—go experience life. You can write later.
Figure out how to cross a river, catch a bus or hitch a ride, interact with people—listen to their stories, go on treks, travel, volunteer at places that help others, try a new hobby, a new job—don’t worry about failure, failure is okay. Talk to the boy or girl nobody talks to—you will learn something, and they may become a friend. I wish I had done more of these things myself.
What are you reading now?
Research books (sociology) relating to my next novel.
