a chat with author Mark Sarvas, en route to RiverRun Bookstore

For almost five years now, author Mark Sarvas has been keeping tabs on all things literary on his blog, “The Elegant Variation.” In that time, he has managed to garner praise from such sources as The Guardian, National Public Radio and Los Angeles Times Magazine. The blog has also earned Sarvas some … well, since this is the Year of the Superhero, let’s just call them nemeses (Steve Almond, we’re talking about you).
 
Sarvas, who lives in California, has spent some of his time writing for movies and television. He just released his first novel, “Harry, Revised,” the tale of Harry Rent, a man in search of change. Harry has just lost his wife, who died while undergoing an unnecessary surgical procedure. Not having been an ideal husband, Harry feels her death was his fault. Determined to turn his life around, he sets out to gain redemption by helping others.

The Wire recently contacted Sarvas through e-mail during his national tour in support of the novel, which will bring him to RiverRun Bookstore on Thursday, May 22. The author shared some thoughts on career choices, writing and Indiana Jones.

Have you always been interested in writing?
No, I originally wanted to be a rock star.  (I played for a while in a Beatles cover band.) But I came to see that my ambitions outstripped my ability, which was right around when I fell into journalism, which led to screenwriting, which led to fiction. A weirdly backward sort of journey.

Did you begin TEV (“The Elegant Variation”) for your own entertainment, or did you have grand plans from the start?
Totally for my own enjoyment. It never occurred to me that anyone would care about what I had to say. (I still sort of feel the same way.)  And I was caught a bit off guard when it started taking off, attracting press notice and nemeses along the way.
 
Do you think it’s harder putting yourself out there as an author, being a book critic yourself?
 As a book critic, no, not so much. That part of the literary ecology—reviewers writing and being reviewed—has been pretty constant. But being a blogger is a different question, and there’s no doubt that my blog’s profile has brought out (and will probably continue to bring out) folks eager to settle a score or make a name for themselves.

How did you come up with the idea for “Harry?”
I learned from a friend that a mutual friend had died during plastic surgery. I remember feeling stricken, thinking that this woman was attractive, intelligent, successful, had absolutely no business whatsoever being under the knife. And I found myself thinking, “What can her husband possibly feel like right now?” Because I imagined it all had to be his fault, somehow. And thus Harry was born.

How do you feel about how the book is being received? Have you had any moments where you thought, “I wish I could go back and tweak this bit?”
Oh, I’ve felt that every minute since I’ve handed it in. I don’t think that ever changes—it’s too easy to open up to a page and groan, thinking “HOW could I have let that slip by?” But you need to let it go, otherwise you’ll only ever be working on a single book. I think the reactions I’ve been seeing around the Web and in print have been, in the main, just wonderful. Sure, there are a few people determined to attack me personally rather than to engage with my book, but I think those reviews stand out for what they are.

Are you, like Harry, a fan of “The Count of Monte Cristo?”
Love, love, love it. It’s a major part of my personal canon, and I am already looking forward to the next time I can sit down and re-read it. 

Do you believe people are capable of change?
I do. It’s hard, it requires constant effort, but it’s possible. It has to be—otherwise, how could we get up in the mornings, knowing everything would be exactly the same as yesterday?

I read on TEV that you’ve started another book. Can you tell us a little bit about it?
Not much—I can say, unlike Harry, there’s no humor in it. It’s a very dark and, I think, very sad book—a first-person tale about fathers, sons, grandfathers and family histories. 

Any summer films you’re looking forward to?
Indy. It’s all about Indy. I’m actually planning to sneak away for the late show after my Portsmouth reading. I remember sitting in the Meadows Theater in New York on the opening night of “Temple of Doom,” and being so blown away I sat there in my seat and watched it a second time, straight through. (The first and only time I’ve done that.) That’s when I decided to come to L.A. and write movies, so I have been waiting for this one for years.

Mark Sarvas will be at RiverRun Bookstore at 21 Congress St. in Portsmouth on Thursday, May 22, to read from “Harry, Revised.” For more  information, call 603-431-2100 or visit www.riverrunbookstore.com.