Join Garasamo Maccagnone, author of the expanded and newly illustrated version of his fiction book, For the Love of St. Nick (BookSurge, March 2009), as he virtually tours the blogosphere in November on his second virtual book tour with Pump Up Your Book Promotion!
Garasamo Maccagnone studied creative writing and literature under noted American writers Sam Astrachan and Stuart Dybek at Wayne State University and Western Michigan University. A college baseball player as well, Maccagnone met his wife Vicki as a junior at WMU. The following year, after injuring his throwing arm, Maccagnone left school and his baseball ambitions to marry Vicki. After a two year stint at both W.B. Doner and BBDO advertising agencies, Maccagnone left the industry to apply his knowledge of marketing in a new venture in an up-and-coming industry. Maccagnone created a company called, “Crate and Fly,” and turned it from a store front in 1984 to a world-wide multi-million dollar shipping corporation by 1994.
In the mid 90’s Maccagnone decided to fulfill the promise of his writing career, by first penning the children’s book, The Suburban Dragon and then following up with a collection of short stories and poetry entitled, The Affliction of Dreams. His literary novel, St. John of the Midfield was published in 2007, followed by his For the Love of St. Nick, which was released in 2008. Maccagnone expanded the original version of For the Love of St. Nick and had the book illustrated for a new release in June 2009.
Garasamo “Gary” Maccagnone lives today in Shelby Township, Michigan, with his wife Vicki and three children. You can visit Gary online at www.garasamomaccagnone.com.
Interview:
Could you please tell us a little about your book?
A couple of brothers, struggling in their young lives after the death of their mother, move to northern Michigan after their father is transferred from his military base in San Diego. When the father must leave for an important cold war mission, the boys are left to pray for his return so that they can remain a family. On Christmas Eve, a chance encounter with the traditional Saint Nick reunites them.
Did something specific happen to prompt you to write this book?
It sort of incubated in my mind after having a conversation in a hospital I worked at. I was told a mother lost her life due to placenta previa. The doctor went on to explain what happened in the birth canal and how the surviving child, due to a weakened immune system, would suffer in his young life. Twenty years later I wrote the story.
Who or what is the inspiration behind this book?
I wanted to write something that has a feel for the traditional Christmas, something that opposed the secular – over commercialized Claus that has seized the holiday from us.
Who is your biggest supporter?
I have a family friend, who with her daughter and mother, push my books all over the city, state, and country. They’ve even made their relatives in England and Australia big fans.
Your biggest critic?
My wife doesn’t like anything that I write. However, her sharp-tongued critiques after my first draft are usually “spot on” and allow me to pursue the work in the right direction.
What cause are you most passionate about and why?
I’m always harping about “The exploitation of women”. I’ve said for a long time that you must judge a civil society by the way it treats women, the way it respects their rights, the way it portrays a woman in the best possible light. I, for one, am tired of the constant barrage of sexual images of females marketed in TV, the movies, art, or music. In my mind, we have demeaned them to the lowest denominator, whereby, the only way they can feel good about themselves is through how attractive they are, or by how much sexual pleasure they can bestow upon their male partner. I certainly understand the realities of life and am not prudish in any way. However, the emphasis of a woman’s image needs to be cultivated in a more sophisticated and more responsible way.
In the last year have you learned or improved on any skills?
I study descriptive words more. I also spend more time in the editorial process. I can actually say I double the amount of time in that capacity than I do writing the piece.
Do you have any rituals you follow when finishing a piece of work?
When I believe a piece is finished, I take two months off to let all the additional scenes I forgot come to the forefront of my mind. I then rewrite the piece and submit it.
Who has influenced you throughout your career as a writer?
I always liked F. Scott Fitzgerald. He was sort of my superhero of the literary world. Of course I like Hemingway, Dos Passos, London, and a host of others. I really enjoyed Dan Wakefield and John Kennedy Toole.
What is the most important thing in your life right now?
I’m a soccer coach and a club owner. We have about 60 teams in our soccer club, with an indoor and outdoor facility. I enjoy watching the kids develop their skills from the age of six all the way up through college.
What are you currently working on?
At this time, I writing a novel entitled, “The Fish and the Fox.”
Do you have any advice for writers or readers?
I advise writers to know their craft before submitting work. I also advise against trying to be a pioneer in the literary world. Focus on writing a story with credible characters that has a beginning, middle, and an end.
Is there an author that inspired you to write?
Stuart Dybek and Sam Astrachan. They were my writing teachers in college.
What are some of your long term goals?
I’m fifty. I don’t have any long-term goals.
What do you feel has been your greatest achievement as an author?
Selling a book to a non-family member.
What do you feel is your biggest strength?
I don’t write anything that is predictable
Biggest weakness?
My wordscape is a little limited. I’m constantly working on expanding it.
What do you feel sets this book apart from others in the same genre?
The location, the feel, the introduction of a more traditional Santa, hopefully makes for an interesting read.
You know the scenario – you’re stuck on an island. What book would you bring with you and why?
The Bible. Combine all the stories about military tactics, conquests, romance, lust, sexual misconduct, faith, perseverance, etc… And you have just about every writing genre covered.
If you could go back and change one day, what would it be?
The day my oldest son was crippled with a debilitating disease. Knowing he suffers is mentally taxing and causes fits of anxiety within me.
Are you a different person now than you were 5 years ago? In what way/s?
I’m more sedate and less confrontational.
What is the most important lesson you have learned from life so far?
Feel privileged that you were created and feel privileged in your work and your leisure.
What is your favorite past-time?
Golfing.
Is there anything else you would like to share with us?
Thanks for taking the time to interview me. This was fun.
Two California boys, coping with the loss of their mother, find themselves uprooted when their father, a Navy Commander, is transferred to a base in Northern Michigan. With the youngest boy continuously sick, the family must survive military life and the northern elements as they dwell in their little hunter’s cabin on Lake Huron. When the boys’ father must leave prior to Christmas to fulfill his secret mission for the United States Military, the boys are surprised by a chance encounter that saves a life, and reunites a family.
Typically, when Johnny wasn’t feeling well, I tried to lift his spirits by telling him stories about mom and dad. The commander, vigilant in his hope to preserve mother’s memory, told many of the tales to me. In our old home, I sat on his lap on many nights while he showed old photographs of their courtship days or read me letters mother had written when the two were briefly apart.
Johnny’s favorite story was about the little game mom and the commander played on me on Saturday mornings – the mornings I knew cartoons were on. Since the television sat up high on top of a dresser, they were the only two who could turn it on. To wake them, I stood at the end of their bed and tickled their feet with a wild turkey feather. When I tickled the commander’s big ugly calloused foot my mother laughed. When I tickled my mother’s smooth petite foot the commander laughed. Every time I told Johnny that story he smiled, even if he had a high temperature.
Before falling asleep, Johnny often asked me about our mother. One time, using my nickname, he said, “Tiger, tell me how purdy mommy was.”
Our favorite photograph of mother was placed on the fireplace mantel. We called it the “Big Rock Picture” since she was standing on a giant rock while taking a break from a hiking expedition in New England. From my viewpoint, Mother was looking directly into my soul. The autumn wind played with her long blonde hair and she was smiling, smiling like she was so sure of herself, so confident, so healthy and vibrant. It was a smile I kissed a thousand times during the tender moments of my dreams.
“See Johnny, see how pretty she was?” Johnny took the picture from me and kissed and held it to his chest.
“Mommy will protect me tonight,” he said to me. Then he added, “Love you Tiger.”
“I love you more ya big dope,” I retorted back.
“You think mommy got on that big rock with a hoptacopter?”
By the time I got around to explaining how mother ended up on the giant rock, Johnny was fast asleep.
Read the Reviews!
“The power of love and wonder of miracles are front and center in this delightful and heartwarming tale.” - Cafe of Dreams
“This is good ‘read aloud’ family time reading. The message of a child’s faith makes this a story that crosses denominational, ethnic, and cultural walls. This is must family reading for the Christmas season.” – Richard Blake’
