Help T2B Welcome: Matthew Darringer

24 Feb 2012 3 Comments

by michelelmontgomery in Matthew Darringer Tags: Guest Post, Matthew Darringer

Thank you for taking the time to answer our questions, Matthew.

Can you tell us a little bit about your background?

It’s complicated. I consider myself the middle kid of five, but biologically I have ten siblings between my parents who were indiscriminate breeders. I grew up under extremely impoverished conditions in Bakersfield, California. We are talking welfare Christmas poor. I did well in school because not doing so brought beatings from my grandfather who often raised his five grandchildren because his daughter (my mother) was hooking and or too drugged out. I did extremely well in high school and was able to get much of my college paid for through a combination of a great grade point average, stellar SATs, and essentially being homeless. I always had a roof over my head but I never knew how long I would be sleeping under it. I have completed my bachelor’s degree, and have a master’s in counseling psychology. Currently I am in a PhD program. I am a pull-yourself-up-by-the bootstraps kind of guy. I expect the same in others, which is why people sometimes find me threatening. Life is too short not to be tenacious and fierce in one’s attack of it. I’ve never been afraid to show that I am good at what I do and work harder at it than others. I’ve also never hesitated to confess my sins.

You’re currently writing your first book, can you tell us a little bit about that?

My first book The Union is complete and derives its name from Union Avenue, which was once the grand boulevard in town, but is now prostitute central. It is set in the early eighties and features an ensemble “cast” of six young male hustlers who find themselves stalked by a crooked cop. The town gasps as a string of murders of male prostitutes continues. The story is semi-factual and examines the tight bonds of brotherhood between the six with special emphasis on two who are in love. I have not begun shopping it around due to lack of time (full-time job, accumulating intern hours, and school).

When did you start writing m/m romance? What about this genre interested you the most?

I used to write short gay-themed stories and share with friends, who encouraged me to attack a novel. I began writing in the summer of 2011 and was finished by Christmas. As a bisexual man, I felt I had a compelling voice to lend given that my writing stems both from direct experience, but also from understanding psychological base underneath it.

My attraction to M/M began with the foolish notion that men were telling their stories. It was not until later I discovered the genre is mostly written by women for women. That’s fine, but when the plot must be predictable with a mandatory happily ever after ending, I realized the genre is not inclusive of authors writing gay realism. That is unfortunate. There is nothing wrong with eating cheesy puffs, but sometimes a slice of Brie on a cracker is a welcome indulgence.

I have been judged negatively and outright bashed for “daring” to challenge the status quo of M/M, which speaks volumes about the people responding to me. Challenging the status quo should result in engagement rather than snappy fingered divas doing their thing.

I will write gay realism even if no one will read it. A “noted” author told me I will never “sell” unless I conform to the M/M constraint. I believe that is utter hogwash, but even if it were true, authors should be honest about their work. Too many M/M authors are like long-tailed cats in a room full of rockers, and they have no idea how to handle Eminem’s arrival to start rocking.

Do you write full time?

I do not. In fact, I think even if someone is successful at writing as a profession they need to stop writing and interact in the real world. The psychology of someone whose world of interaction with humans is through a computer screen creates a tunnel vision that distorts reality, or at least it can. There are actually some studies that link the increase in the number of cases of agoraphobic panic disorder to people who spend most of their day alone interacting with the world through the computer screen. Human beings need human interaction, not human interaction through and interface.

Looking back was there something in particular that helped you to decide to become a writer? Did you choose it or did the profession choose you?

I have always been a writer. I used to keep a journal and I mined it heavily for writing The Union. The characters are all based on people I came in contact with and some I knew well. I do not consider myself a professional writer. I have also been reminded by several of the “nice” M/M writers that because I have not been published, I do not belong to their “club” so to speak.

On a typical writing day, how would you spend your time?

I carve out time here and there to write. A writing day is a luxury my life cannot afford. When I write, I may have multiple files open. I may be working on future posts for my blog simultaneously with writing a specific book chapter. Often, my writing time is interrupted by my fiancé and brother with whom I share a house.

Do you write right through or do you revise as you go along?

I definitely revise as I go. I cannot be of those people who brags of writing 5,000 words a day. Quality matters to me and it is illogical to write an entire novel THEN revise it. I do not need to get every chapter perfect before writing the next one, but I do need to work it sufficiently so that the next chapter can build on it. If a chapter is weak and other chapters are built on it, the story will collapse. To me, the NaNoWriMo mentality is exactly how NOT to write something of quality.

When it comes to plotting, do you write freely or plan everything in advance?

I do a light sketch of the story arc and then write freely. I begin with the end in mind, but do not write from a prescriptive outline. I know writers who write that way and it just seems to remove all creativity from what is essentially a creative endeavor.

What kind of research do you do before and during a new book?

The Union was pulled from personal experience, research into the “lords” of Bakersfield, and discussions with my father who has hustled his entire life. I Google images to create a photo album of sorts so that I can see the characters and the details of their lives. I have spoken to people who were around then, I have physically walked where my characters walk.

How much of yourself and the people you know manifest into your characters? How do you approach development of your characters? Where do you draw the line?

I base my characters on amalgams of people I know or have known then add in aspects needed to advance my storyline. I start with my protagonist, define the antagonist next, and then move on to the supporting characters. Of the six characters in The Union, Samuel is an almost biographical portrait of a friend of mine. Thankfully, my Samuel was not the victim of a serial murder.

Once I have my characters, I decide whether they will be “static” or “dynamic,” and then “flat” or “round” in nature. The literary mechanics of characterization cannot be allowed to just happen. I pretty much do not draw the line which is my why writing is not clichéd or predictable. My beta readers read as I wrote and were at a loss to figure out the ending until they read it and they were stunned by twist I put on the happily ever after.

Writers often go on about writer’s block. Do you ever suffer from it, and what measures do you take to get past it?

Writer’s block I honestly believe is laziness or blaming it in the “muses” not speaking. Granted something I’m working on may not flow when I want it to, so I will develop a blog post or pull up a picture from my book’s photo album and free write. Inevitably, as I am working the blog piece the “ah hah!” moment happens that gives me the idea of how to work the chapter. Sometimes there is no such moment, but I know for certain the free writes I do from the photo album often provide text but sometimes the “ah hah!” moment comes after reading the free writes.

When someone reads one of your books for the first time, what do you hope they gain, feel or experience?

I want them to feel the grit. I want them to be shocked and maybe even offended just a little. I mean, who wants to read about male hustlers? Who cares about slime like that? But the beta readers were hooked. Then I plunge them into the realism of the world my characters inhabit, which again shocks and offends, but quickly deepens the readers’ emotional connection. The LAST thing I want is someone walking away saying The Union was a “nice” book, because, like Tina Turner, I don’t do anything nice. I want my readers to wonder what the hell just happened. Could I crank out a nice M/M romance novella ever four weeks? Yes, but I would be lost in a sea of sameness. I would rather stand above like Rick Reed.

How would you describe your sense of humor? Who and what makes you laugh?

I have a wicked, snarky sense of humor that catches people off guard. My brother Kyle and my fiancé Kate make me laugh as well as a few Facebookers. The absurd and people who take themselves too seriously are knee slappers for me.

What is the most frequently asked Matthew question?

That would have to be: “You’re a nice person behind the scenes, so why aren’t you nice to people all the time?” I am an inherently nice person, but because I am dead honest, I tell it like it is because I want to be authentic. There are people who honestly believe being positive for the sake of being positive is healthy when in reality it is the pathway to dysfunction, resentment, and passive-aggressive behavior. With me you always know where you stand. With “nice” people my may wish to check your back for a knife.

What are you working on now?

Because writing is free, I have begun a second book tentatively called Pariah. It is substantially based on my father’s sordid life. For a variety of reasons I have issues with my father who was not in my life until a few months ago by my choice. His story is fascinating, but it will shock and offend with its authenticity, but I believe writers should challenge their readers.

What was the best piece of advice you’ve received with respect to the art of writing? How did you implement it into your work?

Write in present tense! Psychologically, people believe in a past, present, and a future, but when writing the current action as the reader experiences it in past tense, there is no way to go into the distant past in a way that is not inelegant or clumsy. Suspense should never be written in past tense if you really think about it The Union is written in present tense, omniscient point of view and my betas wanted to know how I made the story feel so immediate. Present tense.

What kind of books do you like to read?

That’s a bad question. I really do not like to read for the “joy” of it because it takes away from my writing time. I would rather be the top (i.e. the one doing it) rather than the bottom (i.e. the one getting it done to). Over the past six months I have read a LOT of M/M, but currently it’s 100% psych textbooks and articles.

Aside from writing, what else do you enjoy doing?

I am an avid photographer. I love making amateur book trailers with a buddy of mine. I love muscle cars. I love listening to music from the 60s to the 90s. I am a damn good cook. I make wicked razorblade martinis.

Any special projects coming out soon we should watch for?

Not while I’m in the PhD program.

What future projects do you have in the works?

Aside from getting published, nothing at the moment.

Can you please tell us where we can find you on the Internet?

http://matthewdarringerwrites.blogspot.com/