>> JOSEPH OLSHAN'S NOVELS TAKE HIS READERS INTO LIFE'S COMPLEX EMOTIONS WHEN LOVE, LOSS, OR THE MIX OF CULTURES CONFRONTS US WITH NEW WAYS OF BEING AND FEELI >>> JOSEPH OLSHAN GREW UP IN NEW YORK CITY.

HE ATTENDED U.V.M.

FOR A FEW YEARS, FINISHING COLLEGE IN CALIFORNIA.

HIS FIRST NOVEL, "CLARA'S HEART," WON A MAJOR BRITISH WRITERS' COMPETITION AND WENT ON TO BE MADE INTO A MAJOR FEATURE FILM.

HIS EIGHTH NOVEL, "THE CONVERSION," WAS RELEASED EARLIER THIS YEAR TO AN EXPECTANT INTERNATIONAL AUDIENCE.

IN ADDITION TO HIS NOVELS, HE HAS WRITTEN EXTENSIVELY FOR MAJOR PUBLICATIONS, INCLUDING THE "NEW YORK TIMES," "THE WALL STREET JOURNAL," "HARPER'S BAZAAR," AND THE "LONDON TIMES."

FOR MOST OF THE 1990'S, HE WAS A PROFESSOR OF CREATIVE WRITING AT NEW YORK UNIVERSITY.

OLSHAN HAS HAD A PLACE IN VERMONT FOR 18 YEARS AND NOW LIVES IN SOUTH POMFRET.

>> GREAT TO HAVE YOU HERE.

WELCOME.

>> GOOD TO BE HERE.

>> GOING BACK TO "CLARA'S HEART," YOUR FIRST NOVEL, MADE INTO A MOTION PICTURE, HOW DID THAT EARLY SUCCESS IN YOUR CAREER AFFECT IT?

>> I DON'T THINK IAS SO AWARE OF THAT SUCCESS AS YOU SAY IT NOW.

I WAS AWARE THAT THE BOOK DID FAIRLY WELL, BUT, OF COURSE, YOU KNOW, I DON'T THINK IT WAS BREAK-THROUGH SENSATION THAT IT WAS BEING TALKED ABOUT EVERYWHERE.

IT WAS A QUIET SORT OF -- I WASN'T REALLY AWARE OF IT.

I WAS YOUNG, IN MY 20s, AND DIDN'T UNDERSTAND WHAT IT ALL MEANT, WHICH IS PROBABLY A GOOD THING.

IF THAT SUCCESS HAD COME LATER, I MAY HAVE, YOU KNOW, BEEN MORE SORT OF AWARE OF IT.

BUT IT WAS -- I JUST SORT OF KEPT GOING ON WENT ON AND WAS GLAD THAT IT SORT OF LAUNCHED ME.

>> DID YOU ALWAYS THINK YOU WERE GOING TO BE A NOVELIST?

OKAY, THIS IS WHAT I'M GOING TO DO, OR THERE WAS JUST THIS NOVEL PERCOLATING -- >> OH, NO, I ALWAYS KNEW I WAS GOING TO BE A WRITER.

I STARTED OUT WRITING POETRY STUDIED IT AT THE UNIVERSITY OF VERMONT, AND WON A POETRY PRIZE WHEN I WAS A FRESHMAN.

I WAS VERY YOUNG.

I WENT TO COLLEGE A YEAR EARLY.

I STARTED TO WRITE POETRY AND THEN SHORT STORIES AND THEN KNEW I WANTED TO MOVE TO THE LONGER FORM.

THE SHORTER FORM WASN'T -- DIDN'T COME AS EASILY TO ME AS THE LONGER FORM.

>> NOW CLARA OF "CLARA'S HEART" IS A DELIGHTFUL CHARACTER WHO POPS UP AGAIN IN "IN CLARA'S HANDS," WHO IS SHE BASED ON AND DID WHOOPI NAIL HER?

>> WHOOPI I DON'T THINK READ THE BOOK.

>> WOW.

>> SHE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO.

I WOULD BE WRONG ABOUT THIS.

SHE MAY HAVE DIPPED INTO IT.

BUT SHE HAD HEARD THAT THE BOOK HAD A VERY SORT OF -- SORT OF LARGER THAN LIFE CHARACTER, AND SHE WAS AFRAID OF BEING TOO INFLUENCED BY IT.

SO, SHE SORT OF GOT HER OWN, SORT OF STOLED SEVERITY TO THE CHARACTER, WHICH IS NOT WHAT THE CHARACTER IS ALL ABOUT.

SHE DID A GOOD JOB, BUT SHE WAS NOT REALLY THE CHARACTER IN THE NOVEL.

>> MOST OF THE NOVELS ARE BASED ON YOUR LIFE.

>> WE HAD SOMEBODY WHO WAS WITH US, A LADY WHO WAS A HOUSEKEEPER, JAY -- JAMAICAN FOR SEVERAL YEARS AND THE CHARACTER WAS BASED ON HER.

I AM A LINGUIST TYPE OF PERSON, I COULD FOOL HER FRIENDS WHO CALLED OR EVEN HER SOMETIMES, IF I CALLED FROM ONE TELEPHONE LINE TO THE OTHER.

THAT KIND OF SET IN MY HEAD.

AND THE INTERESTING THING IS THAT WHAT HAPPENED WAS WHEN I STARTED TO WRITE THE NOVEL, I FOUND WHEN I WAS WORKING WITH THIS, IT BECAME A POETRY TO ME, MAKE IT MORE LYRICAL IN A WAY THAT I HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO DO WITH ANY OTHER SORT OF LINGUISTIC TECHNIQUE THAT I HAVE TRIED, EVEN USING ITALIAN.

>> RIGHT.

IN YOUR NEWEST BOOK.

>> AND I WOULD SAY PROBABLY ITALIAN IS TO THE NEW NOVEL THAT JAMAICAN -- THAT THAT WAS A MAGICAL THING TO ME, THAT I WAS ABLE TO USE IT AND IT HAD THIS COMPRESSED KIND OF POETRY THAT JUST EXPLODED BASICALLY.

>> WOULD YOU READ US A LITTLE?

YOU DO SUCH A GREAT JOB WITH IT, FROM "CLARA'S HEART," SO WE GET A SENSE OF YOUR FANTASTIC DIALOGUE IN THIS.

>> THIS IS A SCENE THAT COMES AFTER SHE AND THIS BOY THAT SHE IS VERY CLOSE TO HAVE AN ARGUMENT IN WHICH HE CALLS HER A RACIAL SLUR.

SO -- CLARA CROSSED THE ROOM PEERING OUT THE WINDOW INTO THE BLUE OF NIGHT.

SHE COULD SOMEHOW SEE THAT THE EVENING PAPER WAS LYING HALFWAY IN THE ROW -- WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?

DAVID GOT UP OFF THE BED.

I WON'T HAVE TO WORRY MYSELF OVER HIM NO MORE.

HE WAS WRETCHED TO DEAL WITH, NEVER GOT THE MONEY STRAIGHT.

>> SHE TURNED TO THE WINDOW AND CAME CLOSER TO DAVID.

YOU HAVE BEEN USING YOUR COMPRESSES, HAVEN'T YOU, HE ASKED?

SHE NODDED.

HAS IT BEEN YOUR BLOOD PRESSURE OR JUST A HEADACHE.

SHE LOOKED DOWN AT HER BEDROOM SLIPPERS.

THEM UGLY.

A SMILE CURLED HER LIPS.

WHAT ARE YOU THINKING, CLARA, HE ASKED?

>> JUST THAT YOU'RE HERE DESPITE EVERYTHING THAT YOU SAID, MEN THAT CARING GO DEEP.

WHY DO YOU WANT IT GO, HE MOANED?

SUDDENLY SHE CROSSED HER ARM OVER DAVID'S AND THEIR SKIN TOUCHED.

HERS WAS SO DARK AND SMOOTH, AND HIS SO PALE AND SICKLY WITH ITS UGLY NETWORK OF BLUE VEINS.

WE'RE REALLY NOT THE SAME BLOOD, NOT EVEN THE SAME RACE, BUT YOU, DAVID, ARE DIFFERENT.

HER FACE CLOUDED OVER AND SHE WHIRLED AWAY FROM HIM, PRESSING HER FISTS TO HER TEMPLES.

I DON'T KNOW MAN, SO STRANGE.

I BELIEVE A FORCE WAS IN THIS WORLD THAT BIND US, A LONG LOVELY MOMENT THAT YOU AND I HAVE, LIKE A WEED COMING FROM THE SEED, AND CURVED SO CLOSER AROUND US AND CONNECT US EVEN CLOSER THAN BLOOD, SHE -- >> BEAUTIFUL.

OF COURSE THE STORY IS IS ABOUT THIS YOUNG BOY DEALING WITH HIS PARENTS IN THE MIDST OF A DIVORCE, AND CLARA'S VERY INTERESTING CHARACTER.

LET'S MOVE ON, MANY OF YOUR ENVELOPES HAVE JOURNALS, MEMOIRES IN THEM THAT PLAY A CRITICAL ROLE.

DO YOU KEEP ONE?

>> NO, I DON'T ACTUALLY.

>> THEY'RE IN A LOT AND THEY CREATE DILEMMAS BECAUSE THERE IS THIS TRUTH OR FICTION OF A PERSONAL STORY, PERSONAL NAR -- NARRATIVE.

HOW DO YOU STAND AROUND THAT TRUTH VERSUS MEMOIRE THAT MIGHT BE SHIFTED A LITTLE BIT?

>> WELL, YOU KNOW, IT SORT OF GOES BACK TO MY THEORY ABOUT WHAT WRITING IS FOR MYSELF.

I CANNOT WRITE A NOVEL UNLESS IT HAS SOME KIND OF OUGHT BIOGRAPHICAL BASE.

HAVING SAID THAT, I DON'T NECESSARILY MEAN THAT IT IS -- MY LIFE IN 2004 THAT I HAVE PUT IN A NOVEL, BUT SOMEHOW IT HAS TO BE BASED ON THINGS THAT I HAVE SEEN, PLACES THAT I HAVE GONE TO, PEOPLE THAT I HAVE KNOWN.

EVEN IF IT IS A COMPOSITE.

AND SO IN THAT WAY, I ALWAYS THINK OF MY WORK AS SORT OF CLOSE TO MY OWN EXPERIENCE.

MANY WRITERS DON'T DO THIS.

THEY DO RESEARCH ON, YOU KNOW, PERIOD OF TIME THEY DIDN'T LIVE IN, AND THEY WRITE ABOUT IT, AND I GUESS IT WORKS FOR THEM.

I FIND MOST NOVELS THAT I READ THAT DOESN'T HAVE SOME REAL FIRM BASE IN THE AUTHOR'S TIME FRAME ALWAYS HAVE ARTIFICIAL FEEL TO ME ONE WAY OR ANOTHER.

THERE ARE SOME PEOPLE WHO ARE AMAZING WHO CAN DO IT.

BUT IN GENERAL, AND THAT IS ONE OF THE REASONS WHY I SHY AWAY FROM IT.

I THINK I'M NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO PULL IT OFF.

I CAN ONLY WRITE WHAT I KNOW ABOUT.

IN THIS MOST RECENT NOVEL, THE BOOK TAKES PLACE IN ITALY, SO MANY THINGS I SAW IN ITALY THAT I PUT INTO THE NOVEL THAT I DON'T THINK I COULD HAVE MADE UP.

>> YEAH.

YOU'RE ALSO A JOURNALIST, SO YOU HAVE THIS -- THESE JOURNALISTIC ASSIGNMENTS VERY BASED IN REALITY, AND YOUR NOVELS, DO THEY GO HAND IN HAND?

IS IT DIFFICULT TO JUMP BACK AND FORTH?

>> I WAS WRITING MY NOVELS BEFORE I DID JOURNALISM.

JOURNALISM I TOOK ON AS A WAY TO SORT OF SUPPORT MYSELF.

USUALLY IF A JOURNALIST IS A JOURNALIST BEFORE HE IS A NOVELIST, IT IS ONE THING.

BUT MY NOVEL WRITING PREFIGURED BY JOURNALISM.

I COULDN'T SAY IT NECESSARILY CHANGED.

ALTHOUGH I DID GET THE TRAINING -- IT IS VERY GOOD TRAINING FOR A NOVELIST.

I DON'T KNOW IF IT AUGMENTS IT IN THAT WAY, BUT I DON'T THINK IT NECESSARILY INFLUENCES IT IN THE WAY YOU WOULD SAY.

MY TECHNIQUE IS MY TECHNIQUE.

IN THE JOURNALISM, IT IS LIKE -- IT IS REALLY FUN.

I HAVE DONE A COUPLE OF BOOKS I HAVEN'T MENTIONED TO YOU, BOOKS FOR HIRE, INTERVIEWED SOMEBODY AND WRITTEN THEIR LIFE STORY.

>> GHOST WRITER.

>> AND THAT IN A WAY WAS EXERCISE IN CHARACTER DEVELOP AM.

THAT WAS FUN.

>> A LOT OF PEOPLE SAY HOW GOOD YOU ARE IN GETTING INSIDE PEOPLE'S THOUGHTS, FEELINGS, INSECURITIES.

HAVE YOU ALWAYS HAVE THAT GIFT TO RECOGNIZE EMOTION AND OR -- >> CHARACTERIZATION IS REALLY IMPORTANT TO ME.

IT GOES BACK TO MY PRINCIPLES ABOUT WRITING.

I DON'T BELIEVE A NOVEL IS GOOD UNLESS THE CHARACTERS ARE FULLY FORMED.

THE ONE -- ONE ASKS THE QUESTION, WHAT IS LITERATURE?

WHAT IS LITERARY FICTION?

MY ANSWER TO BE FICTION THAT IS FAIRLY WELL WRITTEN, FULLY FORMED CHARACTERS THAT ALMOST SEEM TO HAVE THEIR OWN MOTIVATION, INTERACT SEAMLESSLY, NOT WITH THE SENSE OF THE AUTHOR PUSHING THEM.

COMMERCIAL FICTION OFTEN HAS GREAT STORY, BUT DOESN'T NECESSARILY HAVE THESE FULLY-FLEDGED CHARACTERS.

CHARACTERIZATION IS REALLY IMPORTANT TO ME.

I SPEND SO MUCH TIME ROUNDING CHARACTERS, AND I KEEP TRYING TO GET DEEPER AND DEEPER INTO THE CHARACTERS, AND MORE AND MORE LAYERS.

EVERY TIME I WRITE A NOVEL, THE CHARACTERS DEEPEN AS I GO ALONG.

SOME BEGIN WITH CHARACTERS AND WORK ON THE STORY, BUT WITH ME IT IS ABOUT DEEPENING THE CHARACTERS AND THEIR RELATIONSHIPS.

>> A NUMBER OF YOUR BOOKS, THE "NIGHTSWIMMER," THE LATEST "THE CONVERSION," CHARACTERIZED AS GAY LITERATURE, IS THAT LABEL OKAY, DISTURBING?

HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT IT?

>> I THINK THE REVIEWS OF "NIGHTSWIMMER" KEPT SAYING IT IS A UNIVERSAL STORY, THE "NEW YORK TIMES" SAID THAT.

WRITERS AT THE TIME WHO SAID IF THIS ACTUALLY WERE A MAIN STREAM STORY BETWEEN A MAN AND WOMAN, IT PROBABLY COULD HAVE BEEN ON THE BEST SELLER LIST.

IN A WAY, EVERYBODY WRITES ABOUT THEIR PARADIGM.

ANY ETHNIC GROUP, ANY GROUP THAT IS NOT MAINSTREAM, BLACK, JEWS, YOU KNOW, ASIANS, YOU WRITE ABOUT YOUR EXPERIENCE, AND THEN IT SORT OF COMES ALIVE AND IT BECOMES UNIVERSAL.

I THINK OF MYSELF MORE AS A WRITER, AND WHAT I WRITE ABOUT IS SECONDARY.

I WRITE ABOUT WHAT I KNOW, IF I AM WRITING ABOUT THE GAY RELATIONSHIPS AND THAT WORLD, IT IS BECAUSE I HAVE KNOWN IT AND I CAN USE IT FOR MY STORIES.

I WANT MY WORK TO BE AUTHENTIC.

>> LITERATURE ABOUT THE LOVE BETWEEN MEN IS SOMEWHAT LIMITED AND IT IS PROBABLY THREATENING TO SOME PEOPLE, DOES THAT MAKE IT ANYMORE CHALLENGING OR MORE IMPORTANT OR IS IT THIS IS MY EXPERIENCE?

>> YOU CAN'T THINK ABOUT THAT WHEN YOU ARE WRITING.

IT IS SO HARD TO GET THINGS RIGHT ANYWAY.

IF YOU LEARN TO KNOW WHAT YOU CAN DO AND ONCE YOU'RE DOING IT YOU SAY TO YOURSELF OKAY, NOW I'M IN THE RIGHT VAIN AND I HAVE TO KEEP GOING.

THAT WOULD ONLY STYMIE -- >> YOUR BOOKS HAVE BEEN TRANSLATED INTO 16 LANGUAGES.

ARE YOUR BOOKS RECEIVED DIFFERENTLY IN OTHER PARTS OF THE WORLD THAN THE UNITED STATES?

>> ENGLAND IT SEEMS THAT MY CAREER IS A LITTLE FARTHER AHEAD FOR SOME REASON.

I DON'T KNOW WHY THAT IS.

MAYBE BECAUSE THE PRIZE I FIRST WON WAS BASED OUT OF THE U.K.

AND THERE HAS BEEN MORE OF A -- PEOPLE PUT MORE ATTENTION TO MY WRITING THERE THAN THEY DO HERE.

IT IS NOT THAT SIGNIFICANTLY DIFFERENT.

CERTAINLY SOME OF THE COUNTRIES, I KNOW THAT THE BOOKS HAVE DONE VERY WELL.

IN A WAY, WHEN -- IF A EUROPEAN READER LOOKS AT AN AMERICAN NOVEL, THERE ARE THINGS THAT THE AMERICAN NOVEL THAT ARE STRIPPED AWAY FOR THEM, SEE IT IN MORE OF ITS PURITY.

BEING AN AMERICAN, READING AN AMERICAN NOVEL, SO MANY THINGS THAT YOU ARE AWARE OF AND ALMOST DISTRACTING IN A SENSE.

SO, I THINK THAT IF AN AMERICAN NOVEL DOES WELL ABROAD, IT IS STRIPPED AWARE OF ITS AMERICANNESS, IT STILL HAS A REAL QUALITY TO IT.

>> BUT THEY DON'T MESS WITH YOUR LANGUAGE.

SOME BOOKS, ENGLAND, THE SAME LANGUAGE, BUT THEY WILL VET IT A LITTLE BIT FOR AN ENGLISH AUDIENCE -- >> USUALLY WHAT HAPPENS BETWEEN HERE AND THE U.K., WHOEVER PUBLISHES THE BOOK FIRST, THEY OFFSET -- IT IS EXACTLY THE SAME EDITION THAT GOES BETWEEN HERE AND THE U.K.

>> I THOUGHT IT WAS INTERESTING IN "NIGHTSWIMMER" YOU USED THE SECOND PERSON NARRATIVE.

RISKY, INTRIGUING CHOICE, WONDERFUL.

PROTAGONIST IS WRITING TO HIS LOVER, WHY DID YOU MAKE THAT CHOICE?

>> IT JUST HAPPENED.

YOU USE EXPERIMENTATION IN THE BEGINNING AND YOU REALIZE THIS IS WORKING WELL.

YOU KNOW, A LOT OF THAT -- ABOUT WRITING A NOVEL IS GETTING THE VOICE RIGHT.

AND PEOPLE TALK ABOUT WRITING DRAFTS AND DRAFTS AND DRAFTS AND HAVING TO THROW IT AWAY BECAUSE THEY COULDN'T GET THE VOICE IN.

ONCE YOU GET THE VOICE, OF WHATEVER POINT OF VIEW THAT YOU ARE WRITING FROM, THAT IS A GREAT LEADER.

AND SO SOMEHOW WHEN I WAS -- WHEN I STARTED WRITING "NIGHTSWIMMER," I GOT THIS IDEA OF ADDRESSING IT TO THIS MAN THAT THE BOOK IS AU -- PART WHICH HE MIGHT KNOW AND PART WHICH HE MIGHT NOT.

IT WAS FILLING IN THE BLANKS IN A WAY.

I HAD TO BE CAREFUL NOT TO OVERUSE THE SECOND PERSON.

>> IT WORKS VERY WELL, FEELS AUTHENTIC.

>> YOUR MOST RECENT NOVEL "THE CONVERSION," MYSTERY, PASSION, OUTSIDER AND THE COMPELLING FOREIGN CULTURE, TRYING TO MAKE SENSE OF THIS OF THE EVENTS INSIDE, INSIDE HIS OWN PERSON AND OUTSIDE.

WHAT WERE YOU AFTER IN THIS NOVEL?

THERE IS SO MANY DIFFERENT WEAVES OF STORY AND EMOTION HERE.

WHAT WERE SOME OF THE THINGS YOU WERE TRYING IT ACHIEVE?

>> I WANTED TO WRITE ABOUT MY EUROPEAN EXPERIENCE.

GOING BACK TO THE LANGUAGE THING, I'M GOOD WITH LANGUAGES AND I KNOW A FEW -- I KNOW SPANISH, FRENCH, ITALIAN PRETTY WELL, AND SPANISH FAIRLY WELL.

>> A TRANSLATOR.

>> A TRANSLATOR.

WHEN I GO TO THESE COUNTRIES, I DISAPPEAR BECAUSE I CAN COMMUNICATE AND I HAVE THIS EXPERIENCE THAT PEOPLE WHO DON'T SPEAK THE LANGUAGE DON'T HAVE.

ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I FIRMLY BELIEVE IS THAT YOU REALLY CAN'T WRITE ABOUT A CULTURE UNLESS YOU SPEAK THEIR LANGUAGE.

AND THIS GOES AGAINST THE GRAIN OF CERTAINLY A LOT OF AMERICAN WRITERS WHO THINK THAT THEY CAN SPEND THREE WEEKS IN A COUNTRY AND WRITE A BOOK THAT TAKES PLACE THERE AND EVEN GIVE YOU SUGGESTIONS ABOUT WHERE YOU SHOULD GO AND GET, YOU KNOW, FOOD AND WALKS AND ALL OF THAT, AND I -- SO, I WANTED TO WRITE ABOUT MY EUROPEAN EXPERIENCE, I FELT THE ONLY WAY THAT I COULD DO IT IS WRITE ABOUT A VILLA THAT I SPENT A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF TIME, A LOT OF HISTORY, FASCINATING, LIVING, WORKING PLACE.

OUTSIDE OF THE FAMILY WHO LIVED THERE, I SPENT THE MOST TIME THERE OF ANYBODY.

AND SO THAT IS -- IT IS LIKE A CHARACTER.

BUT I TRY TO STICK CLOSELY TO THE VILLA.

I DO DESCRIBE BITS OF ITALY AND PARIS.

IN A WAY, PART OF THAT IS BECAUSE I THINK TO MYSELF, A WRITER FROM TUSCANY, ITALIAN WRITER IS GOING TO BE ABLE TO WRITE TUSCANY BETTER THAN JOSEPH OLSHAN IS, BUT -- JOSEPH OLSHAN SPENT A LOT OF TIME IN THE -- I WENT TO MY OWN LITTLE COUNTRY WITHIN ITALY AND WROTE ABOUT IT.

AND JUST THAT -- THAT WAS THE SPRINGBOARD FOR MY BEING ABLE TO WRITE ABOUT MY EUROPEAN EXPERIENCE.

I PUT A -- THE AMERICAN SPIN, LOVE STORY, INTRIGUE.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

>> MYSTERY, ALL OF THAT.

>> AND THERE MUST BE A DOZEN CONVERSIONS.

WAS THERE AN INTRIGUE WITH CONVERSION OR YOU JUST STARTED WITH THAT AND YOU KEPT FINDING DIFFERENT MANIFESTATIONS?

>> I FOUND DIFFERENT MANIFESTATIONS OF IT AS I WENT ALONG.

I HAVE TO CONFESS A FRIEND OF MINE IN NEW YORK, TALKING ONE TIME, A GREAT TITLE FOR A NOVEL BE THE "THE CONVERSION," I SAID THAT IS FANTASTIC.

HE SAID YOU CAN HAVE IT.

I WENT FROM THERE.

THIS IS ONE OF THE FIRST TIMES THAT I BEGAN WITH A TITLE, AND CREATED A NOVEL, AS OPPOSED TO FINDING THE TITLE AS YOU ARE WRITING THE NOVEL.

WHICH IN A WAY IS ALMOST MORE FUN BECAUSE AS YOU ARE WRITING A BOOK, YOU REALIZE WHAT THE THEMES ARE, AND YOU SEE WHAT CAN THE TITLE OF THIS NOVEL BE AND YOU FIND THE TITLE.

THIS ONE IT BEGAN.

IT WAS A LITTLE DIFFERENT PROCESS.

I WASN'T LOOKING FOR A TITLE.

I WAS LOOKING TO ENRICH AND SORT OF FLESH OUT THIS IDEA OF "THE CONVERSION," BUT NOT NECESSARILY FIND WHAT MY WORK IS GOING TO BE CALLED.

>> RIGHT, SO MANY.

WE HAVE A LOT OF MYSTERIES UNSOLVED IN THE "THE CONVERSION" AND IN YOUR OTHER BOOKS, AND IT DRIVES SOME READERS PROBABLY A LITTLE NUTS TO LIKE TO TIE UP LOOSE ENDS.

IS THAT A PHILOSOPHICAL OR AN ARTISTIC CHOICE?

>> WHAT ABOUT THE NOT TYING UP A LOT OF MYSTERIES THAT ARE LEFT IN YOUR BOOK?

>> I LIKE TO THINK THAT I HAVE A CERTAIN -- I ANSWER SOME QUESTIONS.

I DON'T ANSWER ALL OF THE QUESTIONS BECAUSE I THINK LIFE IS LIKE THAT.

THINGS AREN'T NEATLY TIED UP COMPLETELY.

BUT I THINK I GIVE A SENSE IN THE NOVELS WHERE THE CHARACTERS ARE GOING.

THE ROAD MAY NOT BE SMOOTH, BUT THEY'RE HEADED IN A CERTAIN DIRECTION, AND CERTAINLY WITH THE PROTAGONIST IN "THE CONVERSION," HE HAS BEEN DUPED, DECEIVED, BETRAYED IN LOVE, AND HE REALIZES THAT HE HAS TO PULL HIMSELF BACK A BIT AND GET ON WITH HIS WORK AND NOT BE SO EXPECTANT OF ROMANCE AND RELATIONSHIP.

IT WILL COME TO HIM.

>> LOST FOR A WHILE IN THE BOOK.

>> I THINK HE FINDS AT LEAST PART OF HIMSELF AT THE END OF THE BOOK.

THAT IS FOR ME THE CONCLUSION, THE RESOLUTION, I MEAN, ANYTHING NEATER I GUESS I DON'T -- LIFE ISN'T LIKE THAT.

>> YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE LIVED IN VERMONT ON AND OFF, A FEW YEARS SINCE YOU SPENT YEARS AT UVM, A FEW OF YOUR NOVELS TAKE PLACE, HAVE A SENSE OF VERMONT.

NOT MUCH HAS BEEN DONE -- TAKE PLACE IN NEW YORK, CALIFORNIA, ITALY, DOES VERMONT INFLUENCE YOU IN YOUR WORK AT ALL?

>> OH, ABSOLUTELY.

FIRST OF ALL, THE LIFE-STYLE HERE IS A GREAT INFLUENCE.

I MAY HAVE SAID THIS BEFORE, BUT I REALLY FEEL IN A CERTAIN WAY THAT I'M LIVING IN THE 19th CENTURY WHEN LIFE HAS SLOWED DOWN IN VERMONT.

IF YOU LIVE IN A SMALL TOWN AND YOU GET TO KNOW THE PEOPLE AND YOU HEAR STORIES AND I SAID TO SOMEONE YESTERDAY.

I DON'T WANT TO TALK ABOUT WRITING.

I WANT GOSSIP.

THEY SAID I DON'T GOSSIP.

YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND, I DON'T MEAN MALICIOUS GOSSIP, I MEAN WHO IS PAINTING THEIR HOUSE?

WHY A PERSON GOT LOCKED OUT OF THEIR HOUSE.

THE FIRE DEPARTMENT HAD TO BE CALLED TO GET A CAT OUT OF THE TREE, ANYTHING LIKE THAT THAT IS SMALL THAT HAS RESONANCE.

BECAUSE IN A CITY, A CAT STUCK IN A TREE WOULDN'T HAVE RESONANCE.

IN A TOWN IN VERMONT IT WOULD AS IT WOULD HAVE MAYBE 100 YEARS AGO.

THESE LITTLE EVENTS WHICH HAVE RESONANCE AND REPERCUSSIONS ARE THINGS THAT I AM KEEPING MY EARS AND EYES OPEN FOR.

ALONG THE WAY THINGS HAPPEN WHICH ARE ALMOST MORE INTERESTING THAN THE EVENTS THEMSELVES.

IF YOU ARE CAREFUL AND YOU LISTEN, A CAT GETTING STUCK IN A TREE CAN BECOME SOMETHING EPIC.

>> YOU MENTION 19th CENTURY NOVELS AND HOW YOU LOVE THEM IN DIFFERENT BOOKS.

IT SEEMS THAT THERE IS AN INTRIGUE.

ARE THOSE YOUR FAVORITE NOVELS?

THERE IS JUST A LOT FROM THAT TIME THAT YOU TAKE AND PUT IN YOURS, OR WHAT -- >> THEY HAVE GREAT NARRATIVES AND GREAT CHARACTERS.

I GO BACK TO THOSE BOOKS TO NURTURE MYSELF.

IN THE 20th CENTURY, LITERARY FICTION, IT IS NOT AS LONG AS IT IS IN THE 19th CENTURY.

>> ARE YOU MIXING THOSE TWO THINGS, MODERNIST APPROACH -- >> I -- >> TELL US ABOUT YOUR NEW WORK.

IT TAKES PLACE IN VERMONT.

I'M INTRIGUED.

>> WHEN I WAS -- WHEN I STARTED LIVING HERE ON A MORE PERMANENT BASIS IN THE LATE 80s, EARLY 90s, SEVEN WOMEN WERE MURDERED DOWN IN THE UPPER VALLEY, WHICH IS LIKE THE HANOVER, DARTMOUTH AREA OF VERMONT, NEW HAMPSHIRE, THAT AREA.

SEVEN WOMEN WERE MURDERED OVER A FEW YEAR PERIOD AND THEY NEVER FOUND THE KILLER.

AND EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE YOU WILL READ SOMETHING IN THE VALLEY NEWS ABOUT OH, THEY THINK THAT SOMEONE IN FLORIDA WHO MIGHT BE BE THE KILLER, BUT THEY HAVEN'T FOUND THIS GUY.

AND THE WHOLE COMMUNITY WAS TRAUMATIZED, AND I CAME AT THE SORT OF TAIL END OF THESE MURDERS BEFORE THEY STOPPED, AND A VERY GOOD FRIEND OF MINE FOUND ONE OF THE BODIES.

HE TOLD ME THE STORY OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN, AND I KNEW I ALWAYS WANTED TO WRITE A NOVEL ABOUT IT.

>> YOU'RE RIGHT.

YOU HAVE NEVER REALLY WRITTEN ABOUT MURDER.

WE BARELY HAVE ENOUGH TIME, IF YOU WANT TO READ THIS ONE PARAGRAPH THAT OF COURSE MIGHT CHANGE OVER TIME, BUT I FOUND IT VERY STUNNING.

>> OKAY.

IT IS THE SET-UP AND I WILL READ THIS PARAGRAPH.

THE NIGHT ANGELA PARKER WAS STABBED AND DUMPED UNCEREMONIOUSLY IN THE APPLE ORCHARD WE HAD A SNOWSTORM WITH BLIZZARD CONDITIONS.

THE NEXT MORNING, THE SAME MAN WHO CLEARED MY ROAD FOUND A VIRGIN SNOW REST AREA LOT EXCEPT FOR A 12-YEAR-OLD BMW.

HE PLOWED NEATLY UNTIL HE REACHED HER CAR.

HE IS USED TO FINDING BROKEN DOWN VEHICLES IN PARKING LOTS, STEERING COLUMNS THAT HAVE SUDDENLY SNAPPED LIKE BRITTLE NECKS.

HE PLOWED AROUND HER CAR WITHOUT REALIZING THAT THE DOORS WERE AJAR, A PAIR OF SKI PANTS WITH A WALLET INSIDE THEM ON THE PASSENGER SIDE, AND BEADS OF FROZEN BLOOD SPRAYED ON THE SEATS.

I IMAGINE HE FELT GENEROUS TOWARDS THIS ABANDONED CAR, BECAUSE WITH HIS BIG YELLOW PLOWING PLAYED, HE SCULPTED AROUND IT THE SHAPE OF A HEART.

>> JOSEPH OLSHAN, THANK YOU SO MUCH.

A NOVELIST, NEW NOVEL COMING OUT.

YOU CAN FIND MORE ABOUT HIS WORK AT HIS WEB SITE OR AT vpt.org.

I'M FRAN STODDARD.

THANKS FOR JOINING US.

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