New York Times best-seller Garth Stein's The Art of Racing in the Rain has garnered praise for its literary merits and its unique point of view. Enzo, the dog narrator of the novel, struggles to communicate with his family, but his unique perspective brings to life this tail of a semi-pro race car driver.
Savvy Verse & Wit says, "There is a great deal of racing jargon and discussion in the book, but readers will find these serve more to help Enzo explain his feelings about the events of his life and how his family dynamics work. Overall, The Art of Racing in the Rain is a fast-paced, enjoyable read, but be prepared for some tugging of the heart strings."
Garth Stein kindly took time out of his busy schedule to answer some interview questions about his writing and reading habits.
Do you have any obsessions that you would like to share?
Obsessions? Um. I'll keep my obsessions to myself, I think....
Do you have any particular writing habits, like listening to music while writing or having a precise page count to reach by the end of each day or week?
I don't believe in writing habits or rituals. I think they are just built-in excuses to avoid writing: "Oh, I didn't have my special coffee mug so I couldn't write," or "I'm not in my special writing place so I can't write today." You need to be able to write anywhere, anytime, anyhow. No excuses!
Which books have you been reading lately, and are there any you would like to recommend?
I've been reading a lot of books to research my new novel. "
The Meaning of Trees," "
The Wild Trees," "
The Golden Spruce," as well as some books on boat building. It's hard for me to read for pleasure when I'm in the middle of writing. I'm very easily influenced...
Please share some tidbits about your latest writing projects.
I think I just did! (See question #7.) Also, I'm writing a short story for Hugo House, a local literary scene in Seattle, which I will present in February. It's on the theme: Gods & Monsters. It's a pretty cool idea and while I'm working on a short version of it, it may just evolve into something larger!
For a full review of The Art of Racing in the Rain, check out Savvy Verse & Wit, The Literate Housewife Review, Books on the Brain, Booking Mama, and Jen's Book Thoughts. Stay tuned for the second half of this interview on Nov. 24.
Comments
He has really piqued my interest about his new writing project!
It's nice to know that we're all easily influenced. I really enjoyed The Art of Racing in the Rain despite the last chapter. I'll be sure to pick up his next book. Thanks for sharing your interview.
I am always interested in hearing about Garth! I loved his book and was lucky enough to be part of an online book club at Barnes & Noble when it first came out. He joined us for a month and it was even better when his lovely wife joined us too! It was one of the best clubs I've ever been in. I can't wait to read whatever Garth writes next!
I loved his book so it's always refreshing to learn a little bit more about the man behind the book!
Kathy: I agree, that project does sound interesting.
Literate Housewife: I really like this book and look forward to the next.
Wrighty: Wow, that must have been a great experience.
Julie: I'm glad you enjoyed the interview and the book!
The books that he mentioned for his new project are quite interesting. I like what he said about writing anytime, anywhere, etc. I know a lot of folks that have to be in a certain spot for the creative juices to flow and like he said, it's often an excuse to not write.
Ti: I think his latest project sounds fantastic.
I just got this book not too long ago, and I'm looking forward to reading it at some point. Great interview!
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