Title: Postmodern Deconstruction Madhouse
Author: Peter Quinones
Publisher: iUniverse
ISBN: 9781491791837
Pages: 138
Genre: Fiction
Today we are talking with author Peter Quinones of “Postmodern Deconstruction Madhouse.”
PBR: Why write?
My overall sensibility is much more in synch with films, music, and modern dance but I have no ability in those areas. JMG LeClezio once said “Not sure if writing is a good means of expression.”
PBR: Is there an author that you not only enjoy reading, but look up to?
I think a novel called Logic by Olympia Vernon is astounding. Right now three novels I’m studying carefully are The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie by Muriel Spark, The Good Soldier by Ford Madox Ford, and The Trick of It by Michael Frayn for what they can teach about the formal properties of a novel. I think I learned enormously from Thomas McGuane and Barry Hannah. Eventually I’d like to re-read a few novels by Patrick White. The Eye of the Storm might be the closest thing to perfect in terms of a novel in the English language. But I need to clean my apartment first.
PBR: The title Postmodern Deconstruction Madhouse is a real attention grabber. What made you choose that title?
French Theory dominated literary criticism in the American academy during most of my formative years. Most of it is absolute insanity.
PBR: What led you to writing and publishing this book?
I’d been giving papers on various authors at American Literature Association conferences for a few years and grew bored with that.
PBR: How long did it take to write and publish Postmodern Deconstruction Madhouse?
Years, probably thirty years.
PBR: What was the most difficult aspect to writing Madhouse?
Deciding which anecdotes to put in which story. I wrote the basic stories first, then selected which anecdotes and which vocabulary words I wanted to splash over the top like spaghetti sauce.
PBR: The unique characters in the book are so well portrayed. Are they fashioned after anyone you know in real life?
Yes of course. Anyone who is writing so called “literary fiction” and tells you otherwise is lying to you. I think Thomas Wolfe was the grand pioneer on this area. His disciple Philip Roth is another good example.
PBR: What would you like readers to get from your book?
Everybody reads for different reasons, it’s hard to say.
PBR: What advice can you offer to authors looking to publish their work?
Nobody wants to hear it, but you have to be willing to spend time and money marketing the book. This is just as important as writing it.
PBR: Do you have any projects that you are currently working on?
I’m working on something about a washed up Shakespearean actor who has a mysterious brain injury.
To learn more about “Postmodern Deconstruction Madhouse” please visit: Pacific Book Review
