Writing about how Paul Theroux launched his prolific career from Peace Corps, John Coyne describes how an overseas volunteer experience can produce evocative fiction:"How many of us stood in front of similar classrooms and saw those young faces arriving with the dawn? How many of us could have written the same sentiments — though not the same sentences — home? And how many of us wanted to be the writer that he became, the free spirit roaming the world, jotting down notes and writing novels, travel books, short stories and essays?"
John Coyne is a former Peace Corps volunteer, novelist, and editor of the booming web magazine, Peace Corps Writers. He just finished a new novel, The Caddie Who Knew Ben Hogan, and has explored web publishing in his novel blog.
This week, Coyne has been the focus of deceptively simple feature: Five Easy Questions. In the spirit of Jack Nicholson’s mad piano player, I run a weekly set of quality interviews with writing pioneers—delivering some practical, unexpected advice about web publishing.
Jason Boog:
How has your personal Peace Corps experience affected your writing? How has the Peace Corps Writers community and the general PC community helped your writing?
John Coyne:
I had only written a few short stories based on the experience...
I have also written a novel [unpublished] about being a Volunteer in Ethiopia. I have, however, edited a series of books of writings by former Volunteers.
I edited two commercial books of writings by RPCVs, one on travel called: Going Up Country: Travel Essays By Peace Corps Writers; and a collection of short fiction: Living on the Edge: Fiction by Peace Corps Writers.
When I was employed by the Peace Corps in the mid-90s, I edited three paperback books of short essays by PCVs that were used in recruitment.
Many of these essays were first published in our newsletter, Peace Corps Writers.
» Five Easy Questions: John Coyne, Part Four from ThePublishingSpot
"When I caddied for Hogan he gave me one piece of advice about golf ... that I found has helped me in my whole life.Hogan told me that what's important is the next shot, nto the one you have... [Read More]
Tracked on: April 28, 2006 8:48 AM | Permalink to Trackback