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This interview,
by Carey Parrish, was
Posted on Net Digest Weekly,
December 26th 2009.
Alan
Chin, Soldiering
On
For
the past year or so, I have had the privilege of becoming friends with
novelist Alan Chin. Alan is a man who is very talented and he’s also
extremely adept at sharing the stories he creates in his heart. His use
of language is powerful and the words he writes become more than
sentences on a page. They invite you into his mind, and into the hearts
of the characters he writes about. His debut novel, Island Song,
became an award winning product that continues to resonate with readers.
Alan is now back with a new novel called The Lonely War.
Once again he brings his unique brand of storytelling to the project and
the result is another tale that is impossible to put down. I couldn’t
pass up the chance to visit with Alan again once I read his new book. As
with our last chat, he is traveling in
Asia
but he made the
time to answer my nosy questions without a hint of bother. Alan is
someone I’m glad to have met and he’s a friend who really stands by
you. I am honored to host him again.
CP:
Welcome back, Alan. It’s great to chat with you again.
AC: It’s great to be back. Like
most authors, I enjoy any opportunity to talk about my work.
CP:
Tell me about your new book, The Lonely War.
AC: It’s a story of survival, love, integrity – a
tale of what men in desperate situations will do to protect and
honor the men they love. It takes place in the Pacific theater during
WWII. When the crew of the USS Pilgrim become POWs in Changi, a Japanese
prison camp on
Singapore
Island
, Seaman Andrew Waters is elevated
through adversity to discover his inner resources, allowing him to
sacrifice himself to save the life of his beloved, Lt. Nathan Mitchell.
But of course, sometimes the Gods take notice of a courageous soul, and
turn sacrifice into blessings.
CP:
What was the inspiration for this work?
AC: After completing Island Song, I wanted to write a story that
made a statement about DADT. I
believe the main issue keeping the military from accepting openly gay
servicemen/women is the fear of relationships forming between enlisted
personnel and officers, which would breakdown the chain of command. The
Lonely War tackles that topic head on.
CP:
How is it being received?
AC: It’s only been out a few weeks. I’ve gotten very little
feedback so far and only one review, which was glowing. The feedback
suggests that it is far superior to Island Song in story content,
quality of writing, and character development.
And the people who made those comments loved
Island
Song…
CP:
How does this one differ from your previous novel,
Island
Song?
AC: It’s a far more complex story, both in terms of plot and
characters. There are many more important characters in The Lonely War,
and they have more depth. Island
Song is about finding love, overcoming grief and moving on. The Lonely
War is about being trapped in an intolerable situation, and the only
thing to help you survive is holding onto to the love you feel, not only
for the one you love, but also for your comrades.
CP:
What was your goal when you embarked on this project?
AC: To create a compelling story with unforgettable characters who
make a political statement about DADT. I like to think that I succeeded.
CP:
What does this book symbolize for you?
AC: I know it’s a cliché, but for me, it symbolizes the power
of love – how love can drive you beyond limits to protect who/what you
love. It can also drive you to the brink, perhaps beyond.
CP:
Are you working on a new book now?
AC: I’m working on a screenplay and a novel. Both have the same
storyline, which is expanded from a short story I wrote a few years back
but never published. It’s about a gay Native American who finds a most
interesting way to help an aged rancher die with dignity, and does he
find love along the way? Well, the aged rancher does have a grandson…
CP:
Island
Song remains a popular read. To what do you attribute its longevity?
AC:
Island
Song was slow to take off, mostly
because of my lack of marketing savvy.
But, yes, it is becoming more popular and I’m getting great
feedback from readers. It has really touched a deep cord in some
readers, and I find that very rewarding.
I think it’s simply word-of-mouth that is selling it now.
I was proud to recently find it on two author’s all-time
top-ten lists, both of whom I respect.
CP:
And what’s next for you?
AC: I have one novel
searching for a publisher and another novel waiting for a final polish.
After that, I’ve got a futuristic story that’s knocking around in my
head. I’ve actually written about half of it, and I’m waiting for
the second half to solidify in my gray matter before I tackle writing
it. I’m also having lots
of fun writing screenplays. It’s a different mindset, but it’s fun.
Screenplays make you focus on the action and characters without getting
caught up in the prose.
CP:
Okay…Now some nosy questions for the fans: You’ve been traveling
lately. Where have you been?
AC: I spent three weeks knocking around southern
China
with my husband’s family to visit the
Chin village,
Macau
, and
Hong Kong
. We participated in a huge celebration
in the village where we were the guests of honor. It was an amazing,
unforgettable trip into the farming villages and you can check it out on
our travel blog: http://hermanandalan.blogspot.com/
From
China
, Herman and I parted with his family and
we came to
Thailand
. We spent a week in
Bangkok
and another three weeks in Chang Mai.
We’ll be here through the holidays, then move south to
Phuket
Island
. On
our return home, we plan to spend a few weeks in
Vietnam
and another week in
Hong Kong
.
CP:
When will you be returning to the
US
?
AC: If all goes well, it will be mid-march.
CP:
What have you been doing during your travels?
AC: Trying to juggle writing, book promotion, and sight seeing.
Since we’ve been in Chang Mai, it mostly been writing and book
promotion because we’ve been here so often we’ve seen all the
sights. It’s a great place to relax and write.
CP:
What is your favorite country to visit?
AC: Every country has its own charm, but my favorites are the
countries of
East Africa
. I love being on photographic safari. As far as cities go,
Kyoto
,
Japan
is my favorite.
CP:
Favorite Asian cuisine?
AC: Japanese, although any Asian cuisine is great with me. I do
love rice… And eating an all-Asian diet, I’ve lost 15 lbs since
leaving the states six weeks ago. Five more to go…
CP:
Have you read anything lately you’d like to discuss?
AC: I recently
finished Safe As Houses by Alex Jeffers, which I loved. A gay love and
family story that is superbly written. Jeffers is a favorite of mine.
I can also recommend A Report From Winter by Wayne Courtois. A
very moving memoir about finding strength in his relationship while
losing his mother to cancer. Well written, sad, funny, very moving.
BTW: I recently read a charming first novel by Carey Parrish
called Marengo. It’s about two Americans living in
London
. All the characters are a bit wacky and
lovable. I highly recommend it, but then you know that already.
I’m currently reading Graham Greene’s The Power And The Glory,
which is keeping me up nights. It’s not gay, but a truly engrossing
story of faith that takes place in southern
Mexico
. Phenomenal writing.
I discovered Greene earlier this year and love his voice. He
packs so much story into a few well-chosen words.
Very inspiring.
BTW: I post lots of my book reviews on my blog. Your readers can
browse a dozen reviews of gay books at: http://alanchinwriter.blogspot.com
CP:
As a practicing Buddhist, what can you share about Buddhism that could
help others?
AC: The last thing the Buddha said was: Be a light unto yourself.
He was trying to encourage his disciples to find their own path, to not
take his word for anything, to find truth themselves.
That is all I can pass on. We all have truth in us.
You won’t find it in the Bible or the Koran or some other
“holy” book. Look for it inside yourself and you will find it.
CP:
What are you most proud of these days?
AC: That’s easy.
My relations with my husband. We’ve built something special based on
love. And unless he pulls a Tiger Woods on me, it’s something I think
will last. I’m proud of what we are together.
CP:
Alan, thanks for visiting with me again.
AC: Thank you, Carey. As always, it was a pleasure.
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