About the Book:
Kidnapping. Robbery. Death Queens. PsychoPumps. Master Plans. Hell Holes. Gods. Dragons.
True Love.
Sandwiches.
Purchase Links:
Author Interview:
1: Tell us a little about yourself and what got you into writing?
I wrote poetry as a kid like a compulsion. As I got older, I wrote ‘solo pieces’ and ‘skits.’ By college, I’d had a comedy revue produced. And (if you’re sensing the trend), my work got more long-form from there. I’ve written many more novels than I’ll admit to. The Storybook Coroner is the first to be published—and just 2 months later, it’s recommended as an “INDIE BOOK WE LOVE” by LoveReading.co.uk.
2: Do you have a favourite time and place where you write?
Nothing’s better than having a whole day with nothing to do but write. When I know I have somewhere to be, I have a hard time starting anything new. (I’ve heard other authors say the same.) So, if I can start in the morning with my coffee, I’m a very happy camper. Otherwise, it will have wait until the day is done, which is nice to look forward to, too.
3: Where do your ideas come from?
Where do any new ideas come from? That’s a deep question you’ve got there… I’m inclined to say ‘from the Universe,’ if that’s not too woo-woo…. (Too Woo-Woo—fake band name?)
4: Do you have a plan in your head of where the story is going before you start writing or do you let it carry you along as you go?
I call what I do ‘bread crumb writing.’ I know what I’m looking for next… but not exactly what it is, or where it will come from. The ‘aha!’ could pop out from anywhere; from a conversation, an old lyric, or the back of a cereal box. You just never know. This makes every moment full of possibilities that could become something truly exciting on the page, at any time! And maybe more importantly, I believe it’s my way of letting a piece be ‘what it is: itself’ and not something I’m forcing it to be. Every great piece has a life of its own, beyond all of its readers and writers… don’t you think?
5: What genre are your books and what drew you to that genre?
To quote Marice Sendak, “I don’t write for children. I write. And somebody says, ‘That’s for children.'”
Parables, riddles, paradoxes, the infinite… these are what fascinate me. I want to see more of them in modern (post-post-modern) literature. And while I think they are rather ‘grown-up’ themes, it’s young readers that never hesitate to accept the challenge, gladly.
I’ve also got a macabre streak—this too, I think of as being mainly for grown-ups. But time and time again, who is it that really wants to get in on the grand guignol action? The fearless YA, that’s who! The YA and the Young At Heart (YAH).
6: What dream cast would you like to see playing the characters in your latest book?
Gosh. The first time I had a work of mine performed, I was given a piece of advice. The director told me, ‘You’ve got to stay away from this process now, because you’ve already done your job, you’ve written the script, and you know exactly how you see it being done. If you don’t let other artists come and interpret you, you will flatten out all of those facets of insights and creativity.’
So, I stayed away. Every now and then the director, or someone in the cast, would ask me a question about the script, just in passing. And when I came to see the opening night, they had created something I had never imagined—something much better than I had imagined on my own! Because everyone had brought something to the table. The show sold-out every performance, and they had to turn people away.
All of which is to say, I’ll leave the casting to the professionals.
7: Do you read much and if so who are your favourite authors?
YES, I do read. There’s a favorite author of mine who’s almost entirely out of print: Don Marquis. You may have heard about or read his Archy and Mehitabel ‘verse libre.’ I’m singling out Don Marquis because, if you haven’t read him, you absolutely should. At one point he was as popular in syndication as Mark Twain—for good reason. Now he’s almost completely out of print. The JOY and the INSIGHT of this man… Every used bookstore I go into, the first thing I do is check for his work.
8: What books are you reading at present?
The History of Early Rome by Livy—this is research for a possible new stage play (TBA)
The Thomas Berryman Number by James Patterson—I’ve never read any of his books, and as the best selling author across genres, I felt like I ought to fix that. This is his first (which he said on ‘Wait, wait don’t tell me,’ was his best).
9: What is your favourite book and why?
All my favorite books strike me as having something very true to say in very odd and fanciful ways!
Master and Margarita by Mikhail Bulgakov (several great translations out there, my favorite is still the “V&P,” Volokhonsky & Pevear)
The Snarkout Boys and the Avocado of Death by Daniel Pinkwater
Discourse on Reason by Rene Descartes
The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis
The Ten Principal Upanishads translated by W.B. Yeats
10: What advice would you give for someone thinking about becoming a writer?
This is advice that was given to me as a 20-year-old experimental performance artist, and I’ve kept it close to my heart ever since: Imagine you’re telling your story in a room filled with people. Most of them aren’t paying attention to what you have to say. But there’s one man in the room—who you can’t see—who is standing behind an old stove, and he’s in love with your story the way you want it to be told. He gets you, completely. He sees You. Don’t write to interest everyone in the room. You’ll never succeed at making something for everyone. Write for the man behind the stove. You’ll attract the kindred spirits (audience members and professionals) who truly want to see what only you can do; people who would be disappointed if you weren’t Original.
11: What are the best Social Media Sites for people to find out about you and your work?
As a newly-published author, I don’t have much online presence, but I’ll be keeping this free site updated—learn more, and get in touch with me here!
Website: www.ajschaar.com
About the Author:
A.J. Schaar: Acclaimed playwright of Rummy Starker Love Fest and KILL SOCRATES, as well as new plays: Three Sisters (adapted from Anton Chekhov), Twelfth Night of The Living Dead, and OGGETTO METALLICO.
The Storybook Coroner is Schaar’s debut novel.
“If you thought doing Disneyland on acid was a trip, you haven’t seen Schaar.” – East Valley Tribune on ‘Rummy Starker Love Fest’ (Best Avant Garde)
“It’s an absolutely beautiful piece. Absolutely gorgeous.” – Don Bluth on ‘Kill Socrates’ (Director of Secret of NIMH, An American Tail, Land Before Time)
Reading Nook 