Yesterday, my wife and I drove south to Canby, Oregon, and I gave a reading from the Prologue of Trout Kill at the high school. It went great, and I really enjoyed the whole experience. I began by talking about my history as a writer, and then talked in general terms about the book. The reading lasted about twenty minutes, and then we spent about forty-five minutes discussing the book. Most of the attendees had already read it, so their questions were insightful and challenging. This is the part I enjoyed the most. One question was about Eddy’s Vietnam experiences. In the story, he narrates two incidents that involve water buffaloes, and my purpose in writing these was to humanize Eddy, in that he was compassionate toward and protective of the buffalo. Perhaps these two war-time incidents will help the reader better understand how Eddy can fall in love with a deer.

Quote of the Day: “A writer is somebody for whom writing is more difficult than it is for other people.” Thomas Mann