An Interview with James Gilbert
A great many of the stories we write are either history or fiction, and James Gilbert has dedicated himself to both forms of expression. He began as a historian of modern American Culture, at the University of Maryland. During his tenure there, he also lived and taught in nine different countries. He has now become the author of eight novels. His published works include collections of short stories, legal dramas, social satire, and this, the most recent – Murder on the Set, the fourth book in the Amanda Pennyworth Mystery Series, located in the Mexican resort city of Puerto Vallarta.
Tell us the story of your book’s title. Was it easy to find, or did it take forever?
I took the place name in the title from a beach that I visited while on one of several vacation trips to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. I thought this was a perfect place to set a mystery series because it is, first, an exotic environment, and second, a place full of American tourists and ex patriots and, inevitably, full of trouble.
How did it feel when you first saw your book cover? Or when you first held your book in your hands?
I was delighted that the artist visually captured the spirit and mood of the book.
Who/what made you want to write? Was there a particular person, or particular writers/works/art forms that influenced you?
I have always loved writing as much as reading. When I turned to literature, I sent my first stories to a colleague in the English department of the university where I worked. This was a risk because he is a tough-minded critic and plain-spoken in his judgments. But he enthusiastically encouraged me and I have never looked back.
What other professions have you worked in? What’s something about you that your readers wouldn’t know?
Professor of American history at the University of Maryland.
What was the most rewarding/meaningful part of publishing your book?
Holding a newborn book in your hand is an immense pleasure that I’m sure every author experiences. But I have an odd delight in the process of publishing which is editing my work. I love to navigate through what I’ve written, looking to replace something with the perfect word or sentence. And I always deeply appreciate the input and challenges from editors and readers prior to publication.
If your book had a soundtrack, what are some songs that would be on it?
Something Mexican. The sound of Mexico is (aside from the blur of traffic), the staccato of voices and especially, the constant sound of music, sometimes coming from two or three different sources overlapping and competing with each other, none of them distinct, but always vying for attention.
What is one thing you hope readers take away from reading your book? How do you envision your perfect reader?
The perfect reader to me is someone who wants a story well told with a cast of memorable characters. It’s worth the risk and challenge to me to hope that someone like this will read my work.
What creative projects are you currently working on?
I have a number of projects underway, including a new series of short stories as well as two novels which I am currently revising. The first novel is about a student who travels to Berlin, ostensibly to study German for his degree, but becomes entangled in a relationship with a woman with a secret past. The second is set in Chicago in the 1890s.
How was working with Atmosphere Press? What would you tell other writers who want to publish?
Working with Atmosphere has been an enjoyable experience, from submission to editing and to cover design, to the final copyedited version. Nothing but professional!
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