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A Friend We Later Regretted
Niels Saunders Author Interview
Mervyn vs. Dennis is one of the funnest books I’ve read this year. Mervyn struggles with keeping his strange and intrusive boss out of his personal life. What was the inspiration for the relationship between Mervyn and Dennis?
Most of us have made a friend that we later regretted. I wanted to take that idea to its furthest extreme. Likewise, unless you’ve never worked or been extremely lucky, you’ve probably had a boss who made your life a living hell. Both of these situations are familiar comedy tropes but I wanted to combine them into something fresh. In both personality and outlook, Mervyn and Dennis couldn’t be more different. Mervyn is liberal and open-minded whereas Dennis is bigoted and mean-spirited. I wanted to explore whether two such disparate men could ever reconcile their differences or if they’d clash until the bitter end. During the writing process, this was something I was careful not to over-plan. I had some ideas of how their relationship would end up but I wanted it to evolve organically just like a real friendship or enmity.
What I liked about this story is that Mervyn is just trying to make it through life like many people. When you were building Mervyn’s character and background what was one thing you hoped came through in the end?
I wanted Mervyn to be likable, despite his flaws. Mervyn is extremely skilled at getting himself into embarrassing situations but I always wanted the reader to be on his side. Although he has moments of irrationality, I was careful to make his actions believable. Whether he makes the right choices is up to the reader but I wanted those choices to make sense, no matter how poor they might be. Mervyn has roots in picaresque fiction, British comic literature and modern sitcoms. He’s slightly too unhinged to be an everyman character but hopefully he’s relatable enough for the reader to become invested in his story. Comic novels, by their nature, tend to have eccentric characters. Sometimes this results in shallow personalities and caricatures but I wanted all the characters in my book to have believability and depth, especially Mervyn himself.
When Mervyn firsts meets Dennis he pretends to be racist so they can connect. Why did you choose that as the catalyst that propels their relationship?
Mervyn pretending to be racist is set up as a joke but nearly every event in the story is caused by that initial lie. Dennis is emboldened by Mervyn’s faux racism, showing how even a careless racist joke can cause a butterfly effect. Likewise, when Mervyn brings a swastika mug to work in an attempt to shock, it inspires Dennis to do something even more extreme. Although the novel is primarily a comedy, I wanted to explore the causes and consequences of prejudice. Alongside this, however, I was careful to avoid having a didactic message. It’s fairly common knowledge that racism sucks. People do need reminding sometimes but they don’t need it spelled out. What interested me most were the roots of Dennis’s hatred and the depths of his denial. In the wake of Brexit in the UK and the shadow of Trump in the US, racism is unfortunately topical right now, and there’s never been a more crucial time, in my life at least, to take a stand against it.
What is the next book that you are working on and when will that be published?
I’m currently rewriting three of my earlier novels. First off, there’s Grand Theft Octo, another comedy. It’s more satirical than Mervyn vs. Dennis, with less overt social commentary. It’s the story of Jonathan Doe, an entrepreneur of businesses the world has never seen including freelance taxidermy and (you better believe it) octopus teasing. Originally a 140,000 word epic, I’m on target to trim it by at least half. Next up, there’s The Papyrus Empire and its sequel The Black King. They’re dark thrillers that kick off a series about a global secret society. I’m hoping to have Grand Theft Octo ready in the next few months with The Papyrus Empire to follow. To keep up to date, please join my mailing list.
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Deep in debt, Mervyn Kirby gets a job he doesn’t want by pretending to be racist. His new boss Dennis Lane thinks he’s found a kindred spirit. When Mervyn confesses he’s not really racist, Dennis thinks it’s just part of the act. Day by day, to Mervyn’s horror, Dennis worms his way into Mervyn’s private life. Despite his fears, Mervyn is torn: his new job pays well but he despises Dennis and everything he stands for. How far will Mervyn go to free himself? How far will Dennis go to become friends? Will they settle their differences or end up killing each other? And why are so many shifty people carrying pineapples around town?
Writing is About Life
My writing is about life for I believe the subject is best served by those who have endured it.
Bully Route Home is a coming of age story that follows Pooch as he learns some of the hard lessons of life. What was your inspiration for the character of Pooch and the journey that he takes?
Pooch is a result of my having lived during the same era and experienced what this fictional character does. I’d be less than honest if I didn’t admit that a portion of the young boy portrayed in Bully Route Home is me in that period of my life. However, both Pooch and his experiences are conglomerates of several different boys and their lives. Bully Route Home is not autobiographical. Several events that I’ve written are ones I’ve either been personally involved in or have been a closely associated witness. Others are based on events retold by others or are pure fiction. All have been modified to story mode… the book is truly a work of fiction. My inspiration for Pooch was to use his character as a vehicle for something else I wished to achieve. I wanted to underline the importance of parenting within our society. Pooch is the product of his parents. We are made by those who spend the most time with us. Pooch’s character reflects that, as does Buddy Mix reflect his father. The message is that fulfilling the parenting role is one of the most important ones we enact in our lives.
The book is beautifully written and addresses a subject that we are too often afraid to address. Why did you want to write about subjects such as racism?
If there is one thing that we of advanced age can contribute to those who must shape today’s society it is to illuminate error’s our civilization has made, to present the story in a manner that is understood, try to see those mistakes aren’t repeated, or at least, minimized as much as possible. I write my books with this foremost in my mind. I see us embarking on policies that will destroy what we were becoming and separate us into enemy camps. Bully Route Home asks, is it more important that we know if a black youth or a white youth caught fish… or simply that the fish were caught… is it more important that the community’s economy is saved or that it is done by someone with the proper color. I would hope that the reader grasps the under lying message. We make progress when we stress those things we have in common and deemphasize those things that make us different. Unfortunately the opposite is happening today.
Thank you for your kind words regarding the prose. I try to be sure that I don’t disappoint a reader when they pick up one of my novels.
I enjoyed Rebecca’s character as well. While we see the negativity of human character through many characters, we also see innocence and purity in Rebecca? What was your inspiration for her character and her struggles?
Rebecca is an embodiment of an ideal, not of an individual person. The ideal is that we must all have the courage and the willingness to sacrifice for those people and principles in which we believe. She is Pooch’s strongest defender! The weight of numbers, the viciousness, the personal grief she experiences doesn’t sway her. The purity and innocence you see in Rebecca is her commitment to her beliefs and the willingness to defend them. She understands that she is an individual, responsible for her thoughts, and that each individual must take a stand to protect them. Rebecca does not look for support from the school authorities, her parents, she takes responsibility for herself. It’s difficult to see Rebecca being bullied, isn’t it?
What is your background and experience in writing and how did it help you write Bully Route Home?
I’ve been writing for twenty plus years and have been blessed with numerous opportunities to travel the world and be involved in extremely diverse professions and activities. The latter provides me with a great inventory of experiences and human profiles to write about and the former provides me with the tools that allow me to express it understandably. I try to observe the rule, “write about what you know,” and I’ll add, “understand.” I purposely avoid writing fantasy, sci-fi, etc. I believe those areas are best served by young, unfettered minds that aren’t constricted by perceived realities. My writing is about life for I believe the subject is best served by those who have endured it.
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The Past’s Portrayal of Today’s Problems. The continuing problem of bullying and the festering divide in race relations tear at our country. Their roots are in out past. Bully Route Home provides a picture of where we’ve been and of a time and place which we strive not to return. “Pooch” Robertson is a 12 year old growing up in the 1940’s rural South. He learns about the realities and the shortcomings of the world he lives in when a bully terrorizes him. Pooch chooses to walk home from school by making a detour through the black quarters to avoid daily beatings. The friendship he forms with a black youth forms a chain of events that threatens to spiral out of control and plunge the community through full-fledged race war.
Bully Route Home
Bully Route Home by DJ Havlin is a coming of age story. It follows Robert William Robertson, aka “Pooch,” as he learns some of the hard lessons of life including racism, standing up for what’s right and learning how to handle different situations. As he does tasks that seem mundane such as taking a catfish off a hook, he is taught valuable life lessons. The story focuses on the effects of racism on a small town in a time where hatred ran rampant. As Pooch tries to avoid a beating from the bully, he inadvertently creates chaos within the town. He finds a new friend in Carver, a black boy from the “quarters”, and in turn Pooch’s father hires Carver’s father as a supervisor much to the dismay of the town. The after effects of Lee’s decision effects not only Lee and the plant but also the children at school. Havlin provides an honest and uncensored look at the negative aspect of the human species.
Pooch is a young man full of innocence and naivety. His opinion of a person doesn’t stop at the color of his skin. This viewpoint within a young child and his father spark a rebellion within the town. While Pooch is learning lessons of life and growing up faster than he should, readers are learning as well. This is a book that will cause readers to think. The book is beautifully written and addresses a subject that too often we are afraid to address. While the novel uses certain language, it is done tastefully and in a manner that portrays the viewpoint and culture of the time being depicted.
The characters are complex and grow with depth as the book progresses. Pooch is an incredibly strong character with strong moral values. He doesn’t intend to spark change when he befriends Carver, it just inevitably happens. Throughout the town struggle we see the harsh reality of hatred. Havlin portrays this marvelously through not only dialogue, but the action of the towns folk. I found myself worrying about the Williams family and hoped to have seen more of Carver throughout the hardships. I enjoyed Rebecca’s character as well. While we seen the negativity of human character through many characters, we also see innocence and purity in Rebecca, even when she wants to fight those who challenge her. Lee Robertson is another strong character supporting his son, and displaying the beliefs and actions he wants him (Pooch) to learn. He risks everything to do the right thing and doesn’t back down in the face of adversity. He wants Pooch to learn to the same values and while he seems a strict parent, he does what he thinks is best for all his children. He reminds me a lot of Atticus Finch, fighting for what is right and enduring the aftermath of his decisions.
Havlin’s descriptions are elegant and on point, he doesn’t spend too much time with fluff. His words are direct and to the point. He knows exactly the right words to say in order to expertly evoke emotions from his readers. I cannot begin to say how times I wanted to cry or gasp out of surprise. There were other times when my heart just sank at the actions of one human towards another. DJ Havlin takes one of the dark shadows on our history and brings it to life, brings it to reality. We all heard the stories in school; DJ Havlin’s novel makes it all too real. He doesn’t shy away from the horrors one group of people caused another. It became a story something different from what I was expecting. This is definitely a book that needs to be read just as much as Mark Twain’s Tom Sawyer or Harper Lee’s To Kill A Mockingbird.
Pages: 356 | ISBN: 1938002512
