The spark, the seed of story nestles itself in an author’s head. Thousands of different distractions can drive a thought into a plot, build words into a dialogue. For Dean Mayes, “story began as a mere splinter in [his] mind’s eye - a concept for a kind of what if fable. All that was envisioned then was a scenario - two young men, one noble and proud - the other duplicitous and mean. If something happened, an event that affected them both. One died, the other lived but that was just the beginning. What then?” Building on this idea led Mayes into the world of Hambledown and the dream of redemption that blossoms where nothing should bloom.
The Hambledown Dream [story description]:
Australian Denny Banister had it all; a successful career, a passion for the guitar, and Sonya - the love of his life. Tragically, Denny is struck down with inoperable cancer. Andy DeVries has almost nothing; alienated from his family, moving through a dangerous Chicago underworld dealing in drugs, battling addiction while keeping a wavering hold on the only thing that matters to him: a place at a prestigious conservatory for classical guitar in Chicago. As Andy recovers from a near fatal overdose, he is plagued by dreams - memories of a love he has never felt, and a life he's never lived. Driven by the need for redemption and by the love for a woman he's never met, he begins a quest to find her, knowing her only by the memories of a stranger and the dreams of a place called Hambledown...
Mayes shares why it’s okay to be a close talker if you’re an author, how he crafts story, what he looks for in a must-read and how much of himself he gave to his novel’s inception.
PC: As a child, what did you want to do when you grew up?
DM: The first thing I ever remember wanting to be was a barber just like my father. I used to go to work with him as a kid and sweep the floor of all the hair that he cut. It was a kind of father idolizing thing that I guess goes with the territory as a young boy. But I grew out of it eventually. I certainly don't think I could be a barber now.
PC: When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?
DM: I first realized I wanted to be a writer in about the second grade when my teacher, Mrs. Furnell, introduced me to the idea of creative writing in class. We would do this exercise in creative writing once a week and for the longest time, I sucked badly at it. Then one day, I thought about writing a short piece about what I thought of war and I kinda hit it out of the park. I came up with a really visual piece that described an individual soldiers horror and fear about being in a war zone. Mrs. Furnell was impressed by it enough to give me a purple dragon sticker which blew my mind. Ever since then, I have been a devotee of writing to the point of obsession.
PC: What do you think makes a good story? What elements draw you in as a reader?
DM: A tight, coherent plot and vividly drawn and articulate characters. The two together must feed off one another and drive the story forward. I'm a sucker for characterizations that contribute to plot and I seek out those stories whose characters really engage by their service to the story. That probably sounds a little nebulous but I know what I mean...(???)
PC: Tell me about The Hambledown Dream, how did this story find you?
DM: The Hambledown Dream started life as a simple idea I had about seven years ago, about the notion of a good and kind person with the world at his feet having to face death, cross over and be given a second chance in the body of a bad and mean individual who is destructive and hell bent on ruination. At the time I was working on another, altogether different story - a kind of Star Wars meets Bourne Identity - and I was determined to ignore the idea. Cut forward to 2009 - the sci-fi story had withered and died and this other idea, the Hambledown idea, finally nudged me in its direction. This time, I didn't ignore it.
PC: Are you fearless when you write, or do you ever hold back? Is it possible to give yourself over entirely to the story you are creating?
DM: During the writing of Hambledown, I explored some really dark places - particularly in the beginning, as I was following Andy - and when it came to editing the novel I think I went too far in some of the scenes and I decided to pull back. Am I fearless? I'd say yes - because I do challenge myself as a writer in stepping out of my comfort zone but also in editing the story - searching for that perfect balance point that best serves the story. In terms of giving myself over to a story - absolutely. I immerse myself in the world I'm trying to create fully - although that can get me into trouble a little bit.
PC: Will you talk a little about how much research goes into your novels, how much of your time do you devote to hunting data?
DM: The Hambledown Dream is a very musical story and it required that I explore a great deal of classical guitar - its history and its current trends - and I spent a tonne of time immersing myself in the music of classical guitar, in order to build a selection of pieces that I could feature in the novel. Likewise - with the locations - part of The Hambledown Dream is set in Chicago. As I live in Australia, I have never been to Chicago so I needed to spend a great deal of time researching the City itself and talking to people who live there via the Web. That was a particularly intensive process but one that was very satisfying. Right now, I'm doing a huge amount of research for a second novel and a lot of that research involves real world history. It's an important part of the writing process, even when you are writing fiction.
PC: What do you see as the influences on your writing?
DM: I have been greatly influenced by music in my writing journey. Music that evokes imagery and emotion. This was especially relevant with Hambledownand it is so now with my current work in progress, which features the violin. I'll often sit down with some music and allow myself to drift and then I'll just go to town with a pad and pencil and write down whatever comes to mind. Music has also been helpful to me when I've been caught in a period of writers block.
PC: Is there anything you find particularly challenging in your writing?
DM: I find dialogue to be the most challenging aspect of writing. Constructing conversations that are convincing and organic are a constant challenge for me and I often find myself feeling as though I'm falling short in this regard. I joked to a friend of mine once, that I'm like the Close Talker from Seinfeld. I often study the way people converse and I inadvertently get into people's personal spaces. It's kinda funny and scary at the same time.
PC: How do you develop your plots and characters? Do you use any set formula?
DM: I'm a nurse in my other guise and have practiced mainly in ER and ICU. One of the hallmarks of the assessment process with patients is the primary survey and secondary survey in building up a picture of what I am dealing with. I have adapted a kind of primary and secondary survey process in my writing. I start with a skeleton of plot objectives - start, middle and end. Then I brainstorm (survey) the skeleton in order to build up a more complex picture. As I add character and setting to the mix, I consider how each of these will serve each plot objective and build upon the "body" until the richer story emerges. This whole process continues right throughout the writing process and is constantly evolving as the story does.
PC: How do you craft the voice of your novel? Is there any particular exercise you use to go inside the mind of your characters?
DM: I think the voice of my story telling is very much an extension of my own inner voice and likewise, I find that the characters I create are an extension of myself - the good and bad parts of myself. I don't think I have a formula when it comes to tapping into the voice of a story. Rather, it's more a organic thing that just happens. A lot of the voice comes through setting and mood. For example, I'll look at a building that I want to feature in my writing and I'll think about how that building and its surrounds make me feel. Even something as random as the weather on a particular day will feed into the voice I end up creating for a work.
PC: What advice would you share for aspiring writers? Are there any tools you feel are must-haves for writers?
DM: Buy yourself a really nice quality leather journal. One that has a flap and a wrap around tie that you can secure your notes with. And always - Always - use a pencil when you're making notes. I don't know why it is, but I find doing this helps me to create a lot more freely. Also, if you find you're becoming trapped by writers block - get out and away from your project for a bit and perhaps work on something else. Even if it's just brain storming or writing something like a short story that has nothing to do with your work in progress. Don't allow yourself to sit idle if you can.
PC: If you had to do it all over again, would you change anything in any of your books?
DM: I'm a Virgo - thus I am cursed with a constant desire to be a perfectionist. Having said that I'm totally proud of the work I have thus far created and feel no particular need to go back and change anything...too much.
Visit Dean Mayes at: http://www.deanfromaustralia.com/p/about-me.html
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