Reviewer Chris Phillips: Chris is a veteran editor for friends
and family as well as most of his employment positions. He often
finds himself reading a book and correcting problems he discovers,
even after their works have been published by well-known
publishers. Chris enjoys writing to authors, when
possible, and discussing problems he has seen in the reading of their
work. And as he states, “there is always the chance for great
intelligent conversation whenever creative minds get together.”
Author: James Mirarchi
ISBN: 978-0-557-08431-9
Click Here To Purchase Dervish
Today, Chris Phillips, one of Bookpleasures' reviewers interviews, James Mirarchi author of Dervish, a collection of poems.According to James Mirarchi's Author's Den site, he states:
“I grew up in Queens, New York. When I was
seven years-old, I discovered my first creative outlet:
writing. Since many of my stories were influenced by movie
imagery, it was inevitable I would pursue film making.
The
book that inspired me to write poetry seriously was Gabriel
Garcia Marquez's densely lush The Autumn of the Patriarch. This
work was an epiphany for me.
Some of my
favorite fiction and poetry authors are Gabriel Garcia Marquez, H.P.
Lovecraft, Ian McEwan, Arthur Rimbaud, Michael McClure, and Charles
Bukowski. In addition to my poetry
collections, Venison and Dervish, I have written
and directed films. My two shorts, Beer and Art and Cave
People, were well-received and played online and at festivals. I
have also penned a feature script - a dark comedy titled Proxy."
Good day James and thank for participating in our interview.
CP – What is your inspiration? It appears to me that you write verse covering a wide and diverse range of topics. Sometimes you seem to be looking in on other people as if through a private window or being that proverbial fly on the wall.
JM – Life and cinema (two opposites) are my main inspirations for my poetry. Sometimes, certain horror films, with their dangerous sexuality and expressionistic mood, will get my creative juices flowing. Other times, a precisely choreographed, color-coded sequence from a movie musical will do it for me. And, still, other times, some emotional introspection will trigger a poem. This latter type of poem will usually be more of a character study than a visual fantasia – and, also, more cathartic.
The basic foundations for many of these works are
universal platitudes, identifiable themes and locations, archetypes,
clichés …. all dressed up in eccentric clothes. Simplicity made
complicated and, sometimes, perverse. Usually,
stream of consciousness images will come to me first (and
god knows where they come from!) before I actually incorporate the
underlying allegory or moral of the poem.
As for me seeming like I’m viewing my diverse subjects through a private window, I guess this objectivity comes from the fact that I’ve lived in San Francisco and New York all my life and have met some very diverse and (not always in a good way) complicated people. Also, being open to the exotic and seeing unusual films and reading unusual books can expand someone’s creative subconscious and make a writer SEEM more emotionally and spiritually well-travelled than he or she actually is.
CP – Some of your work is very gender specific
while other drifts between genders quite easily. How do you achieve
that? Do you place yourself in your character's roles? Do the
characters speak to you of how they wish to be portrayed?
JM – Maybe the reason my poems drift easily between
genders is because I’m in touch with both my masculine and
feminine sides?? Honestly, I don’t know. Or maybe my
adaptability is a reflection of what I observe in certain other
people. Some people are just more chameleonic than others. Also, many
men and women share certain traits and ambiguities. It’s not all
cut-and-dry – you just have to be open to all the nuances. Not
everyone is going to be as unequivocal as Tom Hanks and Jimmy
Stewart. Don’t get me wrong, I like these actors, but not
everyone can be as SEEMINGLY uncomplicated. Another reason for
this adaptability could be that I’m an easily bored
writer whose brain won’t sit still, which also explains my
predilection for constant thematic and visual variety.
Regarding if my characters speak to me on how they wish to be portrayed - I would say no, I don’t hear voices in my head. I also don’t do drugs and I don’t hallucinate.
CP – I believe that I've seen other work by you.
What else do you have published? What are you working on right now?
JM – Back in 2004, I published my first poetry
collection titled Venison. Also, my short films Beer and
Art and Cave People have played online and at some
festivals, including the Athens International Film and Video
Festival and The Angelika’s Newfilmmakers Series. They
are now compiled on one DVD and are available for purchase through
Amazon.com. These shorts are no-budget documentary-like camp in the
vein of early John Waters films.
As far as me currently
working on anything - I’m not. When the inspiration
comes, it comes. If it doesn’t, it doesn’t.
CP – I took the liberty of reading some of your
work to friends of mine. The one that got the strongest reaction was
"Lost." At first I read only the part that begins with "He
is still sweet in bed..." Then I finished the poem and read it
aloud to them in its entirety. This is where I found the ending
stanza and wept. But what I want to know is/are you the character? Is
this someone else that you know this well? What prompted you to put
together this poem?
JM – “Lost” is probably my most purely poignant
work. Where my other poems show sporadic signs of sentimentality
within the “darkness” and “weirdness,” this one seems
to be my most relatable poem – and least carnivalesque.
I
would say there’s some of my former self in this poem but, for the
most part, this piece is a character composite.
“Lost” was
basically inspired by a sentimental novel I read during my high
school years called “A Separate Peace”. The character in my poem
is sort of like that novel’s hero, Finny, but given more dimension,
more of a troubling edge. I did not want to glorify this
character as being completely innocent like Finny, so I
added that he had grown into someone “pretentious”, “a
freeloader”, a “jerk” … all the result of his
“downfall.” I will say that I’m both surprised and very
pleased at the positive response the poem has received.
CP – Finally, I'm looking forward to seeing more of your work. When can we, your fans and readers expect the next book?
JM – I’m not sure when I’ll be putting out another
book – hopefully, by the end of next year. Sometimes, there is a
long creative gestation period and, other times, I can give birth to
a poem very quickly. It all depends - my process is very
unpredictable.
James Mirarchi may be contacted via his page at Author’s Den.
Click Here To Purchase Dervish