An Interview with Russell J. Sanders
A life spent in Texas led to a relocation adventure, and native Texas author Russell J. Sanders now resides in Las Vegas, Nevada. He and his husband were compelled to set out for parts unknown, and that led them to Vegas, where they are supremely happy. But they don’t stay put. They’ve traveled the world, journeying to England, France, Italy, Japan, India, Bali, Jakarta, Toronto, Quebec City, Nova Scotia, Vancouver, Alaska, and Hawaii. And his novels are infused with locations as near as Ft. Worth, Chicago, Houston, Las Vegas, and as far away as Halifax. Who knows where he will lead readers next?
But one thing is known: there will be Mexican food. Russell’s on a quest to check out the Mexican cuisine in places both near and far. The not-so-good he has tried was in Wyoming; Jakarta, Indonesia, though, has some pretty decent enchiladas. The quest is to try, not to always be satisfied at what is found. So this Mexican food-loving teacher, actor, director, singer, chef, and author loves adventure. And mostly, Russell’s goal is to tell the world, through his writing, that we are all put on this earth to love one another, no matter our race, religion, or sexual preference.
For more information, visit russelljsanders.weebly.com.
Who/what made you want to write? Was there a particular person, or particular writers/works/art forms that influenced you?
My mother was the best role model—in many ways—that anyone could ever have. The woman read voraciously. She had a book in her purse, a book in the car, a book at her chair, a book in the bathroom, no less, and she could keep all those stories straight. So from the time I could figure out words on a page, I was reading. Yes, I started with typical kids’ novels of my childhood (Trixie Belden was my favorite character), but soon, before junior high, I was reading adult-level fiction. My mother’s philosophy was “if he doesn’t understand, it can’t hurt him; if he does understand, it certainly can’t hurt him.” I took that love of reading and eventually put it to use as a teacher of English literature. When I subscribed to a method of teaching that demanded students write all the time, I wrote alongside them. And I suddenly realized I could create stories. I’m a musical theater freak and a former director/actor/singer, so many of my novels are set in the world of theater, be it high school theater, community theater, or, in the case of my novel Heartthrob, the world of the TV sitcom. And as an out and proud gay man, my books all feature gay characters. I want to show those who need to come out, those who are just coming out, and those who are out—and their loved ones—that being LGBTQ+ is a normal way of living. All those things influence my writing. And, if you’ve read my bio, you know I’m a huge fan of Tex-Mex food, so you can bet someone will have Mexican food at some point in my stories.
Tell us the story of your book’s title. Was it easy to find, or did it take forever?
Sometimes, things just come to me! I was creating the first scene of Bud, and when Shelly met his uncle Sarge for the first time, I envisioned this burly ex-Marine, nervous to meet a nephew who hadn’t even known existed. Somehow, it just seemed right for Sarge to call his new ward Bud. It’s something, I thought, an ex-Marine out of his comfort zone would say, to anyone—not just this new “son” he was accepting to raise. As the story developed, I realized that Bud was the perfect title. After all, Shelly’s journey is a transformation into a ballerina, a Shelley, a fully-blossomed person. Shelly is a bud, waiting to flower. And thus the title is not only Shelly’s nickname, but it is also descriptive of her journey to self-awareness.
What part of publishing your book made it feel real for the first time?
Getting the paperback copy. My publisher, JMS Books, releases ebooks before paperbacks. I had the ebook files, I knew the book was on sale, I knew what the cover looked like, but the thrill of holding the physical, printed book in my hands made it real. Bud had now come to life, ready for all us bibilophiles who prefer print to digital to hold, to smell, to shelve. My house is bursting at the seams with books, probably close to two thousand or more. But even though I have an ebook reader, I can’t bring myself to read the digital copies very often. I like the feeling that I own a book and that I can see it sitting on my shelves. So when I received that paperback, Bud came to life—for real.
What’s one thing you hope sticks with readers after they finish your book?
That we are all waiting to flower, no matter how young or how old. There is always some aspect of our being that benefits from breaking out, from accepting there is still a journey left in us. Far too many of us live our lives afraid. We miss out on so many opportunities for fulfillment because we fear what others think or the impact of our actions. Yes, we should make decisions carefully. But when we hold back out of fear, then we will never be truly happy.
What was the most rewarding/meaningful part of publishing your book?
Bud took four long years to write. It began as a desire to fulfill a mentor’s request. That mentor, my own once-psychotherapist and long-time friend, had suggested I write about transgender issues. I dismissed the idea, thinking that I would never know enough and not be able to get inside the skin of someone transitioning. Then, one day, I was watching The Nutcracker ballet on TV. Since I love dance, an idea popped into my head: what if a young ballet student, a boy, realized he was a girl? Bud was born, and after many stumbles (a dancer never wants to stumble) I was convinced I had a full, rich character, several quirky and real characters to back Bud up, and a plot that fused transgender issues with the world of ballet. When JMS Books accepted the book and agreed to publish, it was such a joy. I had finally found a home for a book I’m convinced can change lives.
What creative projects are you currently working on?
Many, many years ago, I wrote a children’s picture book set during the Great Storm, the 1900 hurricane that hit Galveston, Texas. It almost got published, but when it ultimately was not, I filed it away. But I had done so much research for that book! So after publishing two books in a matter of months—The Secret Life of Remy Walsh and Bud—I decided to dust off the research and use that story as the centerpiece of a novel that would feature one of my favorite questions, the one that propels all my stories, “What if?” In this case, it was “what if a young man, the son of a prominent German immigrant businessman in 1900 Galveston, fell in love with the son of a Black stevedore?” That intrigued me. I dug into the idea more deeply, did tons more research, and I now have a few drafts of a very intriguing story. It’s not ready yet for the world, but it will be soon. And it will be different from anything I’ve ever written before. And that harrowing tale of surviving a hurricane is still the centerpiece!
Are you a writer, too? Submit your manuscript to Atmosphere Press.
Atmosphere Press is a selective hybrid publisher founded in 2015 on the principles of Honesty, Transparency, Professionalism, Kindness, and Making Your Book Awesome. Our books have won dozens of awards and sold tens of thousands of copies. If you’re interested in learning more, or seeking publication for your own work, please explore the links below.
