-- World of Writing Interview --
* Jeff Rasley is a retired lawyer, adjunct professor
at Butler University teaching a class on philanthropy, Himalayan trek leader,
author of 9 books and over 60 magazine/journal articles.www.jeffreyrasley.com He is a board member
of 5 nonprofits and has appeared as an expert guest on over 70 broadcast shows.
His latest book is MONSTERS OF THE MIDWAY 1969; Sex, Drugs, Rock ‘n’ Roll, Viet
Nam, Civil Rights, and Football
Q: Who inspired you to pursue a career in
writing?
My mother was a journalist, columnist, and
city editor of our hometown newspaper, The Goshen News. So, I spent time with
reporters and editors as a child. The reporters and editors were all frustrated
writers – they wanted to write books. In college I wrote bad-adolescent poetry
but was on the editorial board of a literary journal. So, I learned a bit about
good writing and editing. My creative writing professor was Richard Stern, who
was Saul Bellow’s close friend and sometime-personal editor. He encouraged me
as a fiction writer, although he described my college attempt at a memoir as “a
magnificent failure”.
Q: How does writing help you make a difference in the world?
Each book I’ve written either directly addresses or
circles around the theme of, and conflict between independence/freedom vs.
commitment/community. I took for granted the value of community growing up in a
small town. Having since lived in London, Chicago, and Indianapolis, I’ve
experienced modern urban life and how difficult it is to develop and maintain
communities in our transient, alienated, and virtual world. But, we are social
creatures who need communal participation to thrive. But, we also need personal
freedom and independence to develop a strong ego and creative self. I highly
value what I have gained from adventuring out into strange places in the world
and some degree of self-reliance. The tension between independence and
commitment is felt most strongly in love relationships. And, what would we be
without love?
Q: Can you tell us what editors typically look for in a query
letter or project proposal?
My last correspondences with agents and editors seemed to
be as much about “platform” in social media as the quality of writing. Other
than an occasional article, I no longer seek publication by a traditional
publisher. The industry has changed in a way that the advantages of direct
publishing outweigh the advantages of seeking (and possibly finding) a
publisher for a “mid-list author”. If I was famous, the scales would probably
tip the other way, because I could demand an advance that might outweigh what I
enjoy about publishing through the company my wife and I have created. But
control and working at my own pace is more important to me than the potential
benefits of working with a traditional publisher.
www.jeffreyrasley.com |
Q: What do you do when you are not writing?
I serve on the boards of 5 nonprofits; so much of my time
is devoted to philanthropic endeavors. My wife and I travel a fair amount and I
usually organize and lead a trekking or mountaineering expedition in Nepal each
year. I regularly engage in recreational activities which combine physical
fitness with enjoyment of the outdoors, like kayaking, swimming, biking,
rollerblading, etc. I teach a course in the Honors program at Butler University
on philosophy & philanthropy, and lead a weekly discussion class at Indianapolis
Friends Meeting. Not to mention regular dining out with friends, playing in two
volleyball groups, and sharing a glass of wine with Alicia on the river bank
behind our house. Life is good and full, and I do not miss practicing law,
which I did for 30 years.
Q: What gave you the idea (inspiration) for this book?
This
book is a work of truthy fiction or fictional memoir. It’s based on my
experience of playing on a football team, which People Magazine called “the
worst team in college ball”. The narrative is
about the struggle of the star of University of Chicago’s football team to
cope with the cultural revolution on campus, a 2-year losing streak, and a
girlfriend who hates football. All of which I experienced, although I was not
nearly as great an athlete as my fictional stand-in. The protagonist tries
to resolve the universal conflict between independence/personal freedom and
commitment/community. (What is Love?) The cast of characters is inspired
by people I met during the 4 years I lived in Chicago, such as, a gay football
player, mill-worker-Renaissance-scholar, Communists, racists, and Muhammad Ali.
History and historical photos are sprinkled throughout the book.
Q: What were some of the challenges you faced in writing your
non-fiction books?
The fundamental challenge is dealing with the insecurity
of whether I really have something worthy to write and is the message worthy to
be read by others? Then, all the craft issues arise involved with writing,
organizing, structuring, and editing to create a finished work worthy of
publication. For the books I’ve
published through our family publishing company, Midsummer Books, how to create
a cover that represents the theme of the book, how to describe the book, which
genres/subgenres are most appropriate, and which distributors to use. Finally,
how the hell to get anyone to notice it,
Q: What impact do you hope this book will have on
the reader?
I started writing this book, because I wanted to re-live
and enjoy some of the crazy-meaningful experiences I had at the University of
Chicago. Then, I got into historical research about American football and the
University, which I found very interesting. So, I wanted to create a work which
delves into the issue of freedom/commitment on a very personal level, but make
it an enjoyable read by setting it in wacky environment while sharing history I
learned. So, I hope the reader has fun while learning some history and thinking
about the tension in relationships between personal independence and commitment
to others.
It was a pleasure engaging with you again, Lillian.
ReplyDeleteLikewise, Jeff :)
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