Kisstopher loves Chad’s books, we talk about them, and we talk about gatekeeping in literature.

Transcript

K: So, lately I’ve been thinking about gatekeeping. But specifically gatekeeping in literature. Like, poetry and books and… what else? Like, blogs… what else is literature?

C: Blogs aren’t literature.

K: Blogs aren’t literature? 

C: I mean, they can be, but most of them…

K: You don’t think your blog is literature?

C: I don’t, no.

K: Your blog that drops every Wednesday. And everyone should read it. Your blog about writing. You don’t think that that’s literature? So, it’s like… short stories, poetry, novels, novellas.

C: Talking about them, but I don’t drop a novel every Wednesday.

K: No, you don’t (laughs) drop a novel every Wednesday. That would be amazing if you did. That would be kinda scary.

C: Yeah.

K: Like, does anybody drop a novel a week?

C: Yes.

K: Like, factory people or like…?

C: No.

K: Like, romance?

C: Yes.

K: So, I could write a straight up porn novel once a week.

C: I know you can.

K: I write some good porn. (laughs) But it’s not for public consumption. I write good porn for us to enjoy.

C: Yes. In words, not just with your life.

K: (laughs) Oh my gosh. That was so smarmy, cheesy, and fabulous. That was like the best thing ever. Thank you, I so needed that laugh.

C: Well, I edited a lot of romance, so I know how these things go.

K: Yeah, you do. You know how to get the getting. (laughs)

C: Mhmm. How to adjust the steam level appropriately.

K: Yes. So, I think what’s, what’s got me thinking about gatekeeping in literature has kind of been your process. And you’ve written five novels, and they’re all fabulous and amazing and very different. So, I kind of want to talk about them from my perspective so you don’t sound like some pompous ass on a podcast pontificating on how amazing they are.

C: I will do my best to sound like a pompous ass without your help.

K: (laughs) No, I said I’m going to do it so you don’t sound like a pompous ass. 

C: Oh, okay.

K: So, okay, the first novel, I forget what the first novel was even called. What was it called? Did you name it?

C: I hadn’t decided on a name.

K: Okay, did you name it and I just don’t know it? Don’t make me look like a bad wife, like did you name it?

C: No, I had a name, but I don’t remember what it was.

K: Okay, thank you, just come clean, man. Just come clean. The family has sort of forgotten that one.

C: I had a working title, but it was not important.

K: Yeah. So I felt like the first book was really good, but it was so based… I wasn’t raised Mormon, although I did go through the conversion process but didn’t get baptized or anything, didn’t actually convert because they wanted me to promise to quit smoking, and I was like “mmm, sorry, can’t give up my tobacco to get baptized” so they wouldn’t baptize me. Like, can’t we just quit for like a day and get baptized? No. I’m not going to get baptized under false pretenses. Knowing I was planning to smoke. Unlike my father who got baptized and smoked a cigarette right afterwards.

C: Well, and Mormons don’t believe it’s a sin to smoke or drink unless you’re Mormon. So they were asking you to like… be committing more sin. Because smoking wasn’t a sin for you because you weren’t Mormon, but if you became Mormon, then that would be a sin.

K: That’s what I thought because I turned up to one of my coaching, mentor, whatever sessions drunk. (laughs) Because my dad made me, and he beat the crap out of me after that, so I didn’t intend to turn up drunk, I just went to the park to hang out with some friends.