Interview with James Porteous
Published 2017-05-08.
What inspires you to get out of bed each day?
Breakfast. And coffee. And my digital version of The Guardian newspaper.
When you're not writing, how do you spend your time?
Observing life. Much of what I write comes from watching people, events and such. I rarely 'take note' of any of these things but they usually take a spot in the back of my brain, waiting for a chance to resurface.
How do you discover the ebooks you read?
I am a sponge when it comes to 'new' things, whether books, film or music. I spend a good deal of time searching for all of these.
Do you remember the first story you ever wrote?
It was a short story that deal with native issues. It was published in a magazine but not until I agree to change it from the original Native first-person perspective.
What is your writing process?
I am engulfed with writing when I am writing. I treat it like a job in that I have a desk and computer and I work just about every day. I always like the Hemingway dictum that you only write when you have time to do so (no five or ten minute jobs) and that you finish for the day knowing where your story is going the next day. That way you almost never face a blank page first-thing in the morning.
Do you remember the first story you ever read, and the impact it had on you?
I came to reading via Hardy Boys books (yes, under the covers with a flashlight) but I really fell in love with The Word when I discovered the rich body of political fiction of the 70s.
How do you approach cover design?
I tend to use my own photos and I have many of them. I can almost always find a photo I like and is suited to the book but the graphic aspect is always more difficult.
What are your five favorite books, and why?
1. Treasure of Sierra Madre - probably the best book about human nature, greed and capitalism every written
2. The Sheltering Sky - classic Bowles
3. The Songlines - opened up an entirely new world of possibilities
4. Catch-22 - Read at a young age and I had very little idea what was happening but it was a wild and fun ride
5. The Captive Mind - another eye-opener, explaining what it is like to live in a repressive world
What do you read for pleasure?
I only read fiction when I am not writing, or thinking about writing, so I do tend to read more non-fiction. But I love everything I read.
What is your e-reading device of choice?
I only use my iPad mini. It if about the size of a real book and fits in my inside jacket pocket.
What book marketing techniques have been most effective for you?
I'm not sure there is an effective marketing technique. It is all hit-or-miss. What works today will flop in a week.
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