Island Song

Island Song began as a short story assignment I did for a fiction class at college, way back in 1995. At the time, both my relationship and my career were quite stressful, and I dreamed of escaping to a shack on a deserted beach where I could devote all my time to writing, which is essentially what the main character in Island Song does. I didn't give the story much thought until several year later, after I had retired from the business world and had spent two years traveling the globe. Then I read Gao Xingjian's Soul Mountain, and was amazed at how Xingjian seamlessly wove Zen philosophy into his story. Being a student of Zen, I told myself, that's what I want to do, write original and far-reaching stories that mingle fact, fiction, philosophy, and poetry into the lives of compelling gay characters. I also wanted to write stories about gay people who are culturally and personally aware, proud, and empowered. Once I had decided that that was my new life's goal, Island Song popped into my mind and I saw how to remake the story. 

So what is Island Song about? Is there a message?

Island Song is a story that encompasses several relevant gay issues: recovering from the lost of a longtime partner, searching for love in middle-age, gay bashing, and alternative families where gays raise children. It presents gay characters who are strong, forceful, and real. 

On its most basic level, it is a love story where the lovers must triumph over age and culture differences, and then ultimately overcome the horrors of a brutal gay-bashing. On a deeper level, it contrasts Western and Eastern attitudes. Where Garrett (Western) determines his happiness and pain from the world around him (what he possess or does not possess), and when faced with evil, battles hatred and violence by attacking with same kind of hate and violence. By battling evil with violence instead of love, he himself becomes the image of the thing he hates. He loses his humanity in the very act of vindicating it, and in so doing, causes more suffering.

Songoree, a native Hawaiian (Eastern) derives his happiness and pain from experiencing his inner purity, which shows itself in his willingness to help others. When faced with any situation, Songoree responds with compassion. He knows that empathy, love, forgiveness are the only weapons to battle the evil that the universe presents us: the way to overcome violence is not to become more powerful, but to become more human.

If there is an overall message, I suppose it is that love does indeed have the ability to overcome all obstacles, but here is a hard lesson to learn: it is easier to wage war than to conquer in oneself the tendency to be partial, vindictive, and unjust. It is easier to demolish one's enemy than to pit oneself against him in a spiritual combat which will disclose one's weaknesses and provincialities. I believe it is a lesson that is pertinent and has much value in the world today. 

How long did it take to write Island Song?

It took me a year to write the first draft. That was the easy part. I spent two more years ( two complete rewrites) before it blossomed into something worthy of publishing. For me, writing is mostly rewriting. The fun part, of course, is that creative process of drafting the story, inventing compelling characters and an original storyline. But then comes the work, actually crafting the writing. Over the year's I've come to love that process as much as any other aspect of storytelling..

What was the most challenging part about writing the novel?

The most challenging part for me was the length of time during the rewrites. Three years of working on the same story, becoming intimate with each character and rereading the same story fifteen or twenty times, gets very tedious. I have to really believe in a story, really love the characters, to devote so much time and effort to it. Fortunately, over the years I've learned to be more careful and methodical while writing the first draft, so that the rewrite process is not as tedious. 

Which of the Character do you most relate to?

I wish I could say the Grandfather. He's the person that I strive to be, a being who is totally in the now, realizing the universe around him and knowing exactly how he merges with it. I must admit, however, that I am more like Garrett, the writer who is self possessed, searching for what he doesn't have while longing for past comforts, and running away when his troubles seem insurmountable. I know that doesn't present a pleasant picture of me, however, there is also much about Garrett that is positive. And the funny thing is, all of these character sprung from my imagination, so they all have attributes of me in them. 

How did you balance writing this book with work, family, etc...?

 I didn't turn serious about my writing until after I retired from the business world, so I had plenty of time to devote to writing without it interfering with other activities. As for the impact on family, Herman Chin -- my partner of over twelve years -- has been great about giving me the space to devote to my craft. He has also been my copy-editor and toughest critic, which has been a tremendous help. The ideas, the storyline, and the characters are all mine, but I would have to say that the book has been a joint effort.

What are you working on now?

Since completing Island Song, I have written two other gay novels -- a WWII men- in-uniform story that deals with the subject of gays in the military, and a gays- in-professional-sports story about a gay coach and a straight teenager trying to make it on the straight dominated professional tennis tour. I  am currently polishing both these novels while working on a fourth story about alternative families.