Collin Kelley: The Prologue To Conquering Venus
Last October I had the pleasure of interviewing author Collin Kelley about his new novel, Conquering Venus - which, by the by, has been nominated ALREADY for a number of prizes. When I posted that interview - which you can find here - I told you all that I would soon be posting a reading by Collin himself of the Prologue to the book, a beautiful passage that sounds so much like poetry it’s easy to see why Collin is an award-winning poet as well as burgeoning novelist.
Well, I failed. Somehow that reading slipped through the cracks, and only last week did I wake up, breathless from the dream that Collin projected into my mind, and realized my omission.
So here I rectify that error.
This is a small podcast of the Prologue to Conquering Venus by Collin Kelley. Thanks for listening. Buy the book.
Conquering Venus Prologue:
Also, be sure and visit Collin’s web site to see the awards the book has been nominated for and to enjoy more of Collins’ writing.
Conquering Venus by Collin Kelley - A Podcast Interview with the Author
Collin Kelley is a critically-acclaimed, award-winning novelist, poet, and playwright from Atlanta. He has three excellent volumes of poetry as well as the novel we’re talking about here under his belt, which to me makes him a formidable force among local poets and writers. He’s been a journalist for over two decades, having worked for various Georgia-based magazines and newspapers. He’s also a consummate blogger, maintaining a longstanding and popular web site at:
http://collinkelley.blogspot.com/
It just so happens as well that Collin Kelley is my friend.
A couple of weeks ago, I sat down with Collin across a table and a microphone and asked him some pointed questions about his new novel, its standing as a work of “Gay Literary Fiction”, his place in today’s fluctuating publishing world, and his opinion of the Star Wars prequels. I decided that our interview would be that much more interesting if you could LISTEN to it. So here it is in a podcast format.
Below, you’ll find a series of questions in a readable format, each followed by an audio track of Collin’s answer. I hope you enjoy it as much as we did, and that you’ll go right out and pick up a copy of Conquering Venus (or click over to Amazon to buy one). It’s both a compelling and enlightening read.
Will: I know you spent time in Europe in 1995, just like the main characters of this novel. So that leads me to think maybe some of this is autobiographical. Is it? How much of it is?
Collin:
Following this question, Collin went on to share a few more words about the inspiration behind Conquering Venus and its eventual genesis:
Collin:
Will: What do you think of the idea that authors tend to inject some of who they are into their characters, or to use episodes from their own lives in their writing?
Collin:
Will: You’ve hinted to an almost mystical tie which binds the main characters of Martin and Irene. To what extent did you want to “lay on” this magical realism? In your mind - regardless of the perception of your readers - is the “magic” genuine? (After his answer, I had to follow on with a question that was dear to my heart - it also helped me sneak in a Star Wars reference. Listen closely!)
Collin:
Will: Your marketing campaign has happened in a “viral” capacity and largely on the Internet - where very little insulates you from anyone out there who might take issue with your very candid approach to gay characters. Has there been any backlash? (The answer is surprising, folks!)
Collin:
Will: How do you feel about the fact that the novel is distinctly labeled as “Gay Literary Fiction”?
Collin:
Will: Do you think sales and reception of the book would have been different had it been published back when you first started trying to do so, back before the setbacks to the gay rights movement brought about by the Bush Administration?
Collin:
Will: So then… is this version very different from before?
Collin:
Will: The publisher for Conquering Venus is Vanilla Heart. Tell us a little about them and your relationship with them.
Collin:
Will: Since the big presses are all looking for the next J.K. Rowling or Dan Brown, how do you see the role of small presses like Vanilla Heart in the future of publishing? How will it effect you and your book? (Somehow our discussion sidetracked to a discussion of electronic tools for media consumption, but I think that’s OK, because that’s part of his answer - the discussions go hand in hand.)
Collin:
Will: And what does that mean for physical bookstores?
Collin:
Will: You just got nominated for yet another Pushcart Prize. Tell us about the Pushcart - and how many times have you been nominated? (He hasn’t won yet - fingers crossed!)
Collin:
Will: So… how’s the new book (the sequel to Conquering Venus) coming?
Collin:
Will: And has Vanilla Heart contracted for it yet?
Collin:
Conquering Venus is available NOW from Vanilla Heart publishing. The book’s available at most online stores that sell books, as well as in finer bookstores across the country. Check out Collin’s web site for more details. Also be sure and check back later this week, when I present a reading of Conquering Venus by the author himself!
Collin Kelley’s Conquering Venus
I finally did it. Two weeks ago, Collin Kelley sent me (and I’m sure a lot of other folks) a copy of the preview chapters for his new novel, Conquering Venus. From the time I got it, this particular post was formulating in my mind. But I didn’t want to write anything until I’d sat down with peace and quiet and actually managed to READ Collin’s chapters.
No need to list the excuses as to why it took two weeks to get to it – it just did. But I finally read them, and now I feel like it’s time to tell you about them and about Collin. Get ready, Collin, my man – here’s what I think about you in more or less a nutshell.
Available this summer from Vanilla Heart Publishing
Regarding the book itself: given the 22 pages that I read and what I gathered from the plot summary and cover blurb, my first impression was that, given the choices I have for reading, I simply wouldn’t choose this. That was, however, my FIRST impression, based on the fact that the subject matter just didn’t appeal to me.
But then I thought – wait a second: if I’d simply had a sample chapter and some liner notes of Ian McEwan’s Atonement, would I have read it? Probably not. But its nomination for the Booker Prize a few years back made me give it a whirl, and I now think Atonement is one of the best books published so far this century.
And there are many books like that – books that did not immediately appeal to me because of their subject matter, but which I read anyway for whatever reason. Books that subsequently impressed me, or even blew me away: Kazuo Ishiguro’s The Remains of the Day, Arundhati Roy’s The God of Small Things, Gore Vidal’s Myra Breckinridge, Kay Gibbons’s Ellen Foster. More.
So it’s not fair to judge Collin’s work on his subject matter, and therefore I won’t. I also can’t reasonably say anything about how the plot and characters develop – a lot actually happened in 22 pages, but it could go anywhere from there. There’s a terrorist bombing somewhere in the book, so THAT’S certainly interesting….
What I can say is that Collin is foremost a poet, and he makes that evident in the language of his novel. I read the Prologue several times out loud, just so I could hear the way the language flowed and the way the images emerged from the words he chose. I’ve always been impressed by the way Collin can convey images and meaning without resorting to hyperbole. His metaphors and contrasts, his meter and design, have always been exquisite and original, yet relatively simple. That translates well to a modern novel, and it bodes well for Conquering Venus.
About Collin himself, I have this to say:
Given the fact that I’ve been moving around in the Atlanta literary scene for almost 10 years, I’ve encountered a lot of talented writers, and I count Collin among them. There is a LOT of talent, recognized and unrecognized, floating around this city, which I personally don’t think attends to its literary culture as well as it should. Collin’s talent, though undeniable and plentiful, isn’t what draws me to him time and again.
What most impresses me about Collin Kelley is his tenacity and his generosity.
Tenacity:
As a writer, I have gone through periods of feverish prolific-ness, and I’ve gone through periods of utter lethargy. Now while I’m sure Collin gets burned out sometimes, and probably has lazy days just like most of us, I cannot believe that Collin has ever really STOPPED or SLOWED down. So many times, if I’ve gone to a literary event or meeting, Collin’s there. Or he’s been there. Or he’s coming. He’s like Jim Henson with the Muppets – he has a hand in everything. Also, the man’s published several volumes of poetry, won several awards, and traveled the country on countless literary errands. Now, there’s this novel to contend with, and trust me when I say that finishing a novel and getting it published is no mean feat.
I think you’d be hard pressed to find a writer in Atlanta who works harder than Collin Kelley.
Generosity:
And not just on his own career. I’ve encountered a lot of literary types who act as if the cult of “literari” is a closed circle. I’ve probably seemed like a snob to some people who tried to approach ME, and I’m sort of an everyman type – I ought to be approachable, right?
Collin shames all of us literary snobs.
He will talk to you. He will make time for you. And sometimes, if you’re lucky, he’ll stick his neck out for you. Granted, he’s probably too busy to outright guide your career, but you ought to be doing that yourself, by God.
But if you need a hand or an ear, Collin’s there. He’s been there for me before, and I’m grateful for it.
Collin Kelley’s first novel, Conquering Venus, hits shelves this summer. For updates and information, visit Collin’s web site.