Page 11 - Reader's House magazine

personal inspirations for his narratives to his reflec- Greek mythology and Santería—what drew tions on spirituality in his work, this conversation you to these spiritual traditions, and how do offers a window into the mind of a writer who is re- they connect to the story? defining the boundaries of historical fiction and queer storytelling. Alan Lessik’s voice, both on and off the After my Cuban-born partner died, I was the only page, is one the literary world is fortunate to have. one that knew all of his stories. He faced seemingly insurmountable odds in his life and survived them What inspired you to weave your family until he took his own life. Without realizing it, my history into Make the Dark Night Shine, and novel answered the question of why did he die. His how did you balance fact with fiction? mother in Cuba taught ancient Greek, Egyptian and My favorite aunt, Nina Friedberg Uchida never Roman history and René was always interested in knew her father. On a visit when she as 91, she told these subjects. As I began to write his odyssey from me that her children had discovered that her father Cuba on a small shrimp boat that almost did not had traveled from Japan to NY where she had been survive the dangerous strait between Cuba and Flor- living with her mother in the 1930s. With a gleam in ida, I looked back at the original Odyssey story for her eyes, she said, “I know her was looking for me.” some of the character names. This led to the Greek For the first time in her life, she believed that her gods and mythology. I was struck by the similarities long-lost father loved her. Instantly, I had a vision of between the Greek and the Afro-Cuban Santería his story and why despite this journey he did not find pantheons. With similar ideas about fate and the his daughter. limited ability of humans to control their own fate, who better to answer the questions of life and death. I had very few facts to go on and like all family After several edits, a new character who became the stories, we are counting on unreliable narrators for narrator entered the book, the Emperor Hadrian, who the details. Ultimately, through my research, the had his own back story of love and grieving with his person she thought was her father likely was not. lover Antinous. But this particular famous Japanese diplomat had his own rumored backstories that gave unexpected As a Queer activist and writer, how do you direction to the novel. So even though, he was not see the role of literature in shaping and Nina’s real father, I adapted what is known of his preserving LGBTQ+ history? historical story to the novel. I spent a significant The musical Hamilton ends with the Finale, time researching the political, economic and social “Who Lives, Who Dies, Who Tells Your Story.” Our milieus of Japan, Constantinople, Paris and London view of history has always been shaped not by the from the early 1900’s to 1941 when the story ends. specific events themselves, but by who records and To imbue a sensory feel of a place, I always travel to who remembers. Queer people are certainly not the Alan Lessik crafts only ones that have been eliminated from history or seen its history distorted by others. In the US extraordinary novels that beautifully blend historical depth, emotional resonance, and unapologetic queer representation with breathtaking storytelling. all of the places that appear in my novels. Walking through an old market, sitting in a café or Zen tem- ple and watching people go by is a key ingredient to my success as a writer. D R A F T Alan Lessik’s The Troubleseeker masterfully intertwines mythology, history, and queer themes in a poignant tale set in Havana. Blending Greek mythology, Cuban Santería, and modern struggles, the novel explores identity, resilience, and love. Both imaginative and Europe, mostly men have structured how we and moving, it’s a vibrant, view (or most often do not view) the achievements and experiences of women, African-Americans, unforgettable story that bridges the immigrants, working class people and other groups. timeless and the contemporary. In the last decades, our understanding of the past has changed as new voices and perspectives have worked to bring these voices back into the historical timeline. Yet despite the control over “history” by aca- demics, fiction has long had the power to illuminate other lives left out of textbooks, the very lives that created history. Novelists and short story writers tell and preserve queer stories with their ability to create vivid and memorable details of lives and the times better than any text book. How has your practice of Zen Buddhism Our stories are important. We know that queer influenced your writing style and the themes people have always existed in all societies. So as I you explore in your novels? write historical novels, I research how queer people For Make the Dark Night Shine, the diplomat that might have lived within the times and places I am we first meet in the book, later becomes a Zen priest writing about. Often, I just find traces pieces of as he heals from his family traumas and begins to information, around which I can build characters and explore his own family history. I studied Japanese storylines. a bit and traveled through Zen sites in Japan and did a retreat in the Zen temple that is described in the novel. My experiences there gave intimate life to how Zen can help one to find awareness and ful- fillment while still experiencing all of the problems of living…sickness, death, loss of meaning, and the search for the self. But the reader does not have to know anything about Zen to appreciate the book. At its heart, like Zen itself, the book is imbued with what we already know and experience. Your novels span different cultures, time periods, and perspectives—how do you approach research to ensure historical and cultural accuracy? As a historical novelist in this sense, I want to make sure that the periods of time that I write about are accurate. So I immerse myself in research to make sure all the details are correct. Several times, I had to rewrite sections and move timelines around so that the dates reflected the actual events. In an early The Troubleseeker incorporates elements of draft, my characters were immersed in the social life of Paris in 1920-22. Josephine Baker, a symbol of the time was one person they met. In the final fact-checking, I discovered that Baker did not arrive in Paris until later. Goodbye Josephine and hello Isadora Duncan, who was there at the right time. I never know in advance where the information I find will take me. A now obscure battle in 1905 in Mukden then part of Manchuria, suddenly popped up in the story of a old man that my main characters meet in Dubrovnik. What advice would you give to other authors who want to write stories that blend personal history, spirituality, and LGBTQ+ themes? My interest is to write queer stories where the characters experience no shame about who they are. They have doubts, they face the problems of every- day life, but none of my characters are ashamed of being queer and live their lives fully, despite facing homophobia. We need queer stories that illuminate our lives, that call attention to the unseen and reflect the full complexity of humanity. Reader’s House II 11