Interview with James L. Terrian
author of Dance of the Heart
James Therrian (2007)
ISBN 9780615135007
Today, Tyler R. Tichelaar of Reader Views is pleased to be joined by James Therrian, author of “Dance of the Heart.”
James Therrian was born in Michigan and spent most of his early years in the rainy Northwest before following the sun to Maui, Santa Fe, New Mexico, and California. James, an avid writer, has attended workshops with Lew Hunter from the famous 434 screenwriting class at UCLA. James currently lives and writes in San Diego and works with the University of California, San Diego.
Tyler: Thank you James for joining me today. To start, could you briefly tell us what your new novel, “Dance of the Heart” is about?
James: “Dance of the Heart” is a love story and a story about attractions. The main character, Michael, is a successful professional dancer who has a happy and stable life, which suddenly changes after the death of his dance partner Margo. His replacement, Elizabeth, is the complete opposite of Margo, who was a bitter and unpleasant woman. Michael is hypnotized by Elizabeth and falls madly in love with her the moment he sees her. The problem is that Michael is a gay man in a long-term relationship with his lover, David.
Tyler: James, are you a dancer?
James: No, I am not a dancer, but I do enjoy ballet and the performing arts.
Tyler: Where did you get the idea for “Dance of the Heart”?
James: It was an idea that I came up with for a creative writing class that I took years ago. I wanted to show that we are all equal when it comes to the heart; No matter who we are or who we love, we all have similar challenges and choices to make in life.
Tyler: Of course, the book is not just about dancing in its literal sense, but about love and how love can change. I’m especially surprised by the fact that the main character, Michael, is gay and has a lover, David, but then he begins to fall in love with his dance partner, Elizabeth. Do you think it is possible for a person to fall in love with people of both sexes?
James: Yes, I do. Many of us have feelings for people who are inappropriate, whether it is the same sex, someone who is married, or someone we know that the people in our lives would not accept, so we generally keep our feelings hidden. In Michael’s case, the question is not whether he has feelings for Elizabeth, but whether he can change who he is for love.
Tyler: In the novel, Michael not only questions who he loves, but also his own identity and sexual preference. Do you think Michael is really gay or that a person’s sexual preference can change over time?
James: For some people, sexual identity is a choice. For example, some people live their entire lives without being who they are because they are afraid to come forward. Many live double lives, but that’s a completely different conversation. Michael is gay, but attractions can make us question what we want at times.
Tyler: One of the characters, Michael’s mother, Sally, says, “You can’t choose who you fall in love with, but you can choose what you do with him.” Would it be fair to say that that is the subject of the book? Was the exploration of that statement the reason you wrote the book?
James: “Dance of the Heart” explores the theme that sometimes love has surprises for all of us. What we do with them is the choice we have to make. I also wanted to show that when it comes to matters of the heart, we are all the same, no matter who we are or how we choose to define ourselves.
Tyler: How have readers responded to the novel so far and especially its themes of love and sexual identity?
James: I have received very positive comments from the readers I have spoken with. Michael is a gay man; however, “Dance of the Heart” is a story about love and attractions. One reader told me that she thought it would be a good book for her teenage daughter to read in school as part of her diversity studies. I was pleased to hear this because I wrote the story on purpose to appeal to all readers. It is a fun and healthy story and has reminders for everyone of the lessons we have to learn in life.
“Dance of the Heart” twists a familiar genre with the fact that the main character is gay, but believes that he may be in love with a woman. I think many readers can relate to Michael’s plight, as we all do silly things when we fall in love.
Tyler: James, what can we expect next from your pen?
James: My next book, which I’m currently working on, is an instructive book on how to self-publish a book. I have also been working on a book about what Americans will need to do to prosper in the future and leave a livable planet for our children.
Tyler: More and more authors, myself included, are self-publishing these days, yet desktop publishing still retains a certain stigma. How would you respond to criticism of desktop publishing?
James: In my opinion, it’s the well-known boy’s club story. There are thousands of stories that deserve to be published; however, getting a publisher to pick up your book can be challenging given the way traditional publishing works. It is not impossible to find a publisher; however, to most authors it may seem like the proverbial needle in a haystack. After comparing how traditional publishing and desktop publishing worked, I decided to self-publish, as it allowed more control of my work. Through my desktop publishing journey, I actually took the time to learn the skills to do my own typesetting, layout, and cover. My next book will be much easier to publish as I now have software, knowledge and skills to publish on my own. Essentially I have become an editor as well as an author.
There are clear advantages to being in a large publisher, as they have marketing departments, connections and contacts with the industry, but I think the industry is changing and desktop publishing is becoming more prevalent. It is similar to the old Hollywood studio system and the arrival of independent filmmakers and the effects it has had on the movie business. Desktop publishing is very similar to the independent film industry. There are many excellent self-published books and I believe that in the future many authors will choose to self-publish them.
Tyler: Do you think desktop publishing will continue to be the trend and will ultimately dominate the market for books from traditional publishers?
James: I am amazed at how many people have approached me to say that they have a story that they have always wanted to publish. I encourage you to do so, as it can happen if you are committed to doing it. Personally, it has been an extremely satisfying life achievement for me to release “Dance of the Heart” and the fact that it is being well received is even more rewarding.
I see that desktop publishing will continue to gain market share. The biggest challenge for self-published authors is, of course, advocacy. This is the advantage of being with a traditional publisher. They have the resources to spread the word. Most authors are simply writers and have no idea how to promote their book. I recommend finding a professional to help you spread the word, because you might have the best story ever written, but if people don’t know about it, they won’t have a chance to read your work. This is a good investment, as not only could you sell a few books, but you can eventually find a traditional publisher who is interested in picking up your book.
Tyler: You also mentioned that you are writing a non-fiction book on how Americans can prosper and yet leave a habitable planet behind. Could you tell us a bit about your previous writings? Have you written both fiction and nonfiction, and what do you think are the special difficulties or advantages of writing each type of prose?
James: I enjoy all kinds of writing and I’m not afraid to jump into a new genre. I have written fiction and nonfiction, as well as writing about travel while in Hawaii. My first audience was a group of coworkers at a bank that I worked for years ago. Every day, he replaced the receptionist while she went to lunch. During that hour, I wrote installments of a suspense thriller, set on the Oregon coast. I shared my story with the other attendees in the room who were eagerly awaiting my new chapters. Years later, I moved to Hawaii and sent a series of stories from my adventures to my friends on the mainland, which I called “Memos from Maui.” Living in Hawaii is like living in a foreign country and I had fun sharing my observations of life on a tropical island. “Memos from Maui” was well received and I knew then that I was hooked; I had to do something with my writing. Both fiction and nonfiction have their own advantages and challenges, but the nonfiction commentaries I find are easy to write. Fiction requires more thought and imagination, but where you go is entirely up to you. That said, I think a good writer is not afraid to take on a new challenge. I also write poetry that I have also published.
I recently participated in a playwriting workshop, which was a great learning experience. Part of the workshop consisted of writing a 10-minute play to be directed and performed by professionals on stage. I took three chapters of “Dance of the Heart” and got to see a part of my story performed on stage. It was a deep process and I grew as a writer from the experience.
Tyler: Thanks for joining me today, James. Before we go, can you tell our readers where they can find more information on “Dance of the Heart” and where they can buy copies?
James: “Dance of the Heart” can be purchased online by visiting http://www.danceoftheheart.net. It can also be ordered through any bookstore from Borders to your local bookstore. Thanks, Tyler.