Dreams of Arcadia – Author Interview

Interview with Brian Porter

Has Texas influenced your writing in any way?

Texas has such wonderful diversity in terms of demographics, culture, and geography, so it provides fertile ground for a writer. My family came to Texas in the mid-1800s, my father’s side from the Old South, and my mother’s from Germany, so I have deep roots in the state. Given my family background, I wanted the novel to embrace some of the state’s rural traditions that have shaped my life.

Who are some of the authors you feel were influential in your work?

I’ve been influenced by many authors. I can trace my first inclination to write to reading James Michener’s novel called The Novel, a compelling journey into the world of books. Just a few of the many other writers I’ve enjoyed reading include Annie Proulx, Richard Russo, Barbara Kingsolver, Cormac McCarthy, Khaled Hosseini, Ann Patchett, Toni Morrison, and Peter Matthiessen. My favorite books tend to be plot-driven family stories with beautiful use of language, an element of mystery, and a rural or small-town setting.

Do you have any writing pet peeves?

I’m a huge fan of the Oxford comma and punctuation marks in general, the one exception being the semi-colon! As just demonstrated, I’m okay with the occasional overuse of the exclamation point.

What do your plans for future projects include?

I will probably not attempt a Dreams of Arcadia sequel, as I’m not confident I could pull it off. Instead, I’m planning something completely different, a historical novel set in the Texas Hill Country during the Civil War. I’m fascinated by that time period and place, in part due to my family ties to the area. Given the demands of my day job and how slowly I write, I just hope I can finish it.

What question do you wish someone would ask about your book, but nobody yet has?

A question that has not yet been asked is “How many of Nate’s experiences actually happened to you?” The answer is quite a few of them. For example, there is an episode toward the end of the book involving a calf and a stock pond. That happened to me on a weekend call with my wife Karen by my side. In hindsight, the calf was probably a much better swimmer than I realized at the time. My experiences were embellished to various degrees for the novel, and some of Nate’s experiences are entirely fictional.

What one or two pieces of advice would you offer any not-yet-published authors?

This is common advice, but writers need to be patient and not seek publication before the manuscript is truly ready. I made this mistake more than once. Multiple people need to read the manuscript and give feedback (another thing I failed to do), and professional editing help is great, if feasible. Also, the first few pages need to really stand out and capture the reader’s attention. In retrospect, I probably should have started my novel with Nate in some precarious situation to make the opening more exciting.