Our mini-interview with Timothy Boudreau, who saw Hobblebush Books publish his collection, Saturday Night, and Other Short Stories.
EWN: Your short story collection, Saturday Night and other Short Stories, was published in 2017. What story within the collection had the earliest publication history outside of being in the collection, and what was that history?
TB: I believe the earliest published story was “Sausage Man”, published several years ago by The Blue Moon Review. The editor had two suggestions that improved the story considerably. One was to give Oliver, the main character, a more active role at the end. The other was to consider developing romantic feelings between Oliver and one of his antagonists. While I didn’t follow this second suggestion exactly, I did add a layer to Oliver’s back story which helped enrich the piece. At some point the editor also said something to this effect: “You’re almost there, don’t blow it.” Not only did the experience strengthen the story, it provided a great example that even when your piece is accepted, there still may be work to be done.
EWN: How did the publication of this particular collection come about? Were you solicited by the publisher, win a contest, agent submission, etc.?
TB: At a reading for the Plaidswede Press anthology Love Free or Die, in which I had a story, I spoke to Plaidswede’s owner George Geers. George suggested I submit to Hobblebush Books, owned by his friend Sid Hall, because they were looking for collections of literary fiction by New Hampshire-based authors. After submitting a manuscript, I didn’t hear anything for about a year or so—not unusual in my experience—so I followed up with a query. They apologized for the delay and explained that the manuscript was “currently with our editor in Nepal”.
A few months later, in late summer, I received an e-mail indicating that Hobblebush was seriously considering publishing my manuscript. A meeting was scheduled with Sid Hall and Hobblebush President Kirsty Walker at Sid’s home in the Lakes Region. Walking into that meeting with my wife Judy, to see my manuscript, scribbled with notes, scattered around the room, was surreal, in a very good way. At the end of the meeting we essentially had an agreement for publication, which we celebrated at lunch (Sid’s treat). Afterward Judy and I traveled to see a sculpture walk in a nearby town, ending the afternoon with ice cream cones near the waterfront—a magical day.
EWN: Where do short stories fit within your life as an author? Primary form to work with, or something you write when an idea hits, or …?
TB: I attempt an occasional essay or poem, but essentially I’m a fiction writer. I’ve finished a novel and started a second, and write stories on a fairly constant basis.
Oftentimes while I’m focusing on a longer work, something will “spark”, and suddenly I have a new story idea brewing.
One day when leaving work I saw a group of kids playing with jump ropes and hula hoops in an alley behind an apartment building in the fading sun. That image was in the back of my mind for years before it developed into “Trailer Girls”, the first story in the book. “Saturday Night”, which follows a lonely widower on a winter evening in a small town, was an idea that grew out of a trip to a Chinese restaurant to pick up some take-out.
EWN: Where do short stories fit within your life as a reader?
TB: I love the short story form, but overall find I read slightly less fiction than I used to. I often reach for non-fiction and poetry now, maybe simply to get a break from the kind of thing I write myself. Some of my favorite books are story collections though—and some of my favorite authors are what I’d consider primarily short story authors: Flannery O’Connor, John Cheever, William Trevor, Alice Munro. I’ve read several poetry and essay collections recently that in my mind have something in common with good short fiction collections—books by Jorie Graham, Joan Didion, Donika Kelley, Ada Limón.
EWN: How will you be celebrating National Short Story Month this May?
TB: How else? By writing (and reading) some stories!
EWN: Thank you very much for your time!
Timothy Boudreau was born and raised in the White Mountains of northern New Hampshire. His work has appeared or is forthcoming in many journals, including Front Range, Evening Street Press, The Inkwell Journal, Third Wednesday and Pif Magazine; in the anthologies Modern Short Fiction, Love Free or Die and Live Free or Dragons; and on the podcasts Rocky Mountain Revival and No Extra Words. SATURDAY NIGHT, AND OTHER SHORT STORIES (Hobblebush Books, 2017) is his first collection of short fiction. He has worked in the banking industry for many years. He is past president of the Northern Gateway Chamber of Commerce, a member of the Lancaster New Hampshire Rotary Club, and past and current board member of several nonprofit organizations, including the Adaptive Sports Partners of the North Country. He currently lives in Sugar Hill, New Hampshire with his wife Judy.
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