Editor’s Note: Ara 13 is an award-winning metafiction author of the new book Drawers and Booths. He will be coming to DU Thursday from 7-9 p.m. in Lindsay Auditorium. 13 is brought to DU by Sigma Tau Delta, the International English Honor Society. Drawers and Booths is now available at Amazon.com
Katie Long: What is metafiction?
Ara 13: When an author intentionally blurs the line between the book and the reader. Readers have to draw on their own experiences. With metafiction, the author clarifies their real intent and can insert their own personality.
KL: How are your story ideas generated?
A13: I start with a construct, an assumed concept of man. Then I write a headline that has a theme and conflict. If the headline works then I keep working on the story. In general, research is important because the author is exposing himself to the reader. If you don’t get your facts right, they [audience] will never believe your fiction.
KL: What’s your favorite character or story?
A13: Millardfillmore and Quan are my favorite characters. They are in Fiction [13’s latest book].
KL: What influences your writing?
A13: I began my career as a Combat Correspondent for the United States Marine Corps. The experience helped build the fortitude needed to become a novelist. I have worked as a journalist in the Marine Corps and the Army. I was a broadcaster in Japan. I co-created a literary magazine with a military buddy called Sisyphus on Strike or S.O.S in Atlanta. Also, I worked as a photographer. I learned a lot by working weddings. How to record the true events of the day, what is objective and what is subjective.
KL: Who are your favorite writers?
A13: Graham Green wrote The Heart of the Matter. He describes humanity better than anyone. Part of my enjoyment of reading is being a traveler. Another author I read is Kazuo Ishiguro who wrote The Remains of the Day and the Artists of the Floating World. You do not have to champion all the works of one author but rather works themselves.
KL: How did you transition to writing novels?
A13: I started writing articles as a freelance writer. I did not have a deadline or any other artificial parameters. The pieces fully represented me. I started asking, ‘Do I have anything larger to say?’ I shelved four or five manuscripts before my first novel Drawers and Booth. I revisited the topic for the book, and I still thought the topics were well addressed. I thought I finally have a piece of work I am going to be proud of.
KL: Did experience as a journalist affect your novel writing?
A13: I went into the Marine Corps intentionally as a journalist. Writing for the Marines is a structured environment, and you do not apologize. Also you learn that not everything that comes out of you is gold.
KL: You started the magazine Sisyphus on Strike. Why?
A13: A marine buddy and I started the magazine as an opinion editorial fiction photography magazine. It was an op-ed edgy type magazine.
KL: Why did you legally change your last name to 13?
A13: At first I just thought it would be funny to have my name tape on my uniform say 13. Then it let me gauge people’s sense of humor. It was rebelling, but not just rebelling for rebellings sake. You have to be mindful of what you’re rebelling against. What is the value of a last name? -I do not want people to judge me by my name but who I am. Then, for my driver’s license they could not figure out how to put the number 13 on it so they had to put my last name in Roman numerals. That made it even funnier.
