Schism by Gregory Eaves
SCHISM is an atmospheric journey back in time to the year 1970, when drugs and anti-war protests dominated the headlines.
This psychological suspense mystery follows the life of a middle-aged college professor, Jackson Boone, as he tries to unravel the truth about his girlfriend. He is in danger of losing his job, and perhaps his life, when he takes on a violent radical group in the process. Haunted by a past mistake, Boone tries to do the right thing in a world of increasingly ambiguous moral shadings.
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Excerpt:
Yellowwood State Forest lay nestled in the rolling hills of Brown County ten miles east of Bloomington, and Boone arrived there after a tedious drive in which Wham-o talked incessantly about a term paper she had written on the relationship between civil disobedience and Christianity. She had been able to integrate her own offbeat ideas into the paper, and was very excited that she could do this and get away with it. Boone didn’t like the religious angle; it wasn’t something Susan would have come up with. As they approached the entrance, Wham-osmoothed on suntan lotion, then stuck her head out the window and howled, startling Boone.
“Hey, Wham-o, pull in next to our van! Over there!” A tall, lanky kid pointed toward a grass parking lot with woods behind it and Lake Yellowwood lapping its shore just twenty yards away.
Boone pulled his Mustang into the grass next to a beat-up Chevy van. The smell of incense drifted over his way, along with the haunting strain of a psychedelic band in the distance, with its strange vibrato guitar notes grating a bit on his nerves. Boone looked over at Wham-o and managed a weak smile.
“We’re here.”
“This is going to be fun, Jack.” She touched his arm. “It’s a whole new world when you’re around these people. You’ll see.” Wham-o enthusiastically stretched her arm out and traced an imaginary horizon. “It’s a new vision of how life is supposed to be lived, man; it’s tribal, it’s alive, it’s aware. We’re reclaiming our spiritual heritage.”
Boone wasn’t so sure of that. It was a good little speech she gave, he thought, but it wasn’t how all the SDS’ers felt. He wanted to focus on the political radicalism of these people, not their hippie lifestyles. He hoped he could separate the two.
Author Interview
Where does your inspiration come from?
It depends on what kind of story I’m writing. A short story could be about anything. If I’m open to my subconscious mind, it will let me know when an experience I have would make a good story. The experience could be of anything – a book, an article, a conversation, a phrase on a cereal box. I write the ideas down and do a little brainstorming to decide whether my sub is correct. I use a similar method with novels, except that there has to be an extra element there – the subject of the novel, or the setting, or a character, has to be something I’m really interested in, and can stay interested in for a long time, because the long gestation period of the novel requires that.
Otherwise, I would give up on it before I finished. That isn’t so true for the short story.
Would you ever want to change genre’s and if so what would you like to experiment with?
I have no desire to change from the mystery/suspense/thriller genre that I write in, as far as fiction goes. However, I don’t believe in making the lines of distinction between genres too inflexible. I believe in cross-fertilization.
A mystery could be set within any of the other genres, so I might be open to writing a mystery/horror/supernatural novel, or a historical mystery/ supernatural novel, etc. I would also like to try my hand at writing a non-fiction book sometime.
Are your characters/ideas drawn from people that you know personally in any way?
No, not really. I haven’t found that necessary so far, but that could always change.
Where would you like to be in 10 years with life or career?
I would love to be writing full-time, with a few best-sellers under my belt.
What book or books are you reading now?
The fiction book I’m reading now is one by Alan Furst, Spies of the Balkans. I’ve always liked his writing, and the good thing with him is, he has written a lot of books! So there are still quite a few of his I have not read. I’m also reading a number of non-fiction books. The House that Trane Built, about Impulse Records, and, Policing Shanghai, a book that I’m reading as research for my next novel, which will be set in China. Along with others too numerous to mention. I’m usually reading 8 or 10 books at any given time.
What do you do with your free-time when you are not writing or brain-storming?
I play my guitar, for one thing. I play an acoustic, a Martin, and use a finger picking style that requires a lot of practice to maintain the ability to do it. With the little free time I have, I mostly just practice old songs and don’t learn new ones. Oh well, there’s only 24 hours in a day. I also research genealogy, collect mid-century-modern furniture and paintings, and collect vinyl records and vintage stereos.
What is your fondest memory from childhood that left an impact on your life?
That’s a tough one. I had great parents who were able to provide me with a happy childhood. I can’t think of any one thing that impacted me. Their openness and gentle love certainly helped mold my personality in a general way. They always supported my interest in books, and took me to a public library when I was very young, which I have fond memories of. The library had creaky wooden floors, and smelled musty. That love of books that I had when I was young had a lot to do with my decision to start writing.
Gregory Eaves was born October 18, 1950, in Indianapolis, Indiana. He attended Speedway High School and Indiana University. In his twenties, he traveled extensively throughout the United States, with an eight year stay in San Diego, California, where he studied and practiced meditation.
Gregory moved to Florida and completed a master’s degree in Library and Information Science from the University of South Florida. Library school rekindled his interest in reading, which had been his favorite activity as a child growing up. Mysteries had been his first love, and he devoured his first mystery books with singular passion and zeal. Nothing else seemed to hit the sweet spot like reading The Hardy Boys, Sherlock Holmes, and Poirot. He later enjoyed authors like Raymond Chandler, John D. McDonald, Graham Greene, Patricia Highsmith, and others.
SCHISM is Gregory’s first novel. His prior experience with writing included poetry and short stories. One of his short-shorts won runner-up in a contest in Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine.
He now lives on the east coast of Florida, and when he isn’t writing, he enjoys playing guitar and collecting vintage stereo gear and vinyl records. He is a member of American Mensa.
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Thanks for hosting!
I would also like to thank the host for having me here. I will check back regularly to respond to questions or comments.
I haven’t ready many books set in the 70’s I think that sounds like a good period! Looking forward to the book.
Yes, the setting and time period were very important to me in the writing of this novel. There haven’t been many accurate fictional descriptions of that era, which is partly what motivated me to write it. The portrayal of psychedelic drug use has usually been silly or sensationalistic.
I always like to know what writers do in their free time when they are not writing! Thanks
I enjoy sharing my interests with other people. Thanks for tuning into this blog post.