A Q&A With Garth Stein, Bestselling Author and Upcoming Island Books Grill Master
On Sunday, July 29th from 4-6pm, the remarkable Seattle7Writers are coming to Island Books! They’re a nonprofit collective of Pacific Northwest authors whose mission is to support literacy and the literary arts in the community. They’ve also done a tremendous job making connections between writers, readers, independent booksellers, and libraries. Bestselling author Garth Stein will be on hand as our grill master with other S7W members serving up drinks and other sides. The first 50 customers to shop in the store that day will receive a Seattle7Writers tote, and you can also enter our raffle for a bag of signed books by the Seattle7. You’ll definitely want to stop by for a hot dog, meet authors, and pick up summer reads.
Along with Garth Stein, there will be a crowd of great authors including Jim Lynch, Bridget Foley, Dori Butler, Robert Dugong, J. Anderson Coates, and Clare Meeker. During the event, 20% of all book sales will benefit Team Read, a nonprofit organization that pairs struggling young readers with trained teen reading coaches for one-on-one tutoring after school and during the summer.
To get everyone fired up for the party, we asked Garth a few questions. Read on for his book recommendations, grilling tips, and a funny story about Tim Egan’s missing car keys.
–Miriam
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Island Books: How did the Seattle7Writers get started and what do you feel has been the biggest impact of the organization?
Garth: It started as seven of us, if you can believe that. It was more of a support group in the beginning—writers getting together to talk about the challenges of being a writer. When The Art of Racing in the Rain took off, I started doing events that benefitted non-profit organizations in communities all over the country. I brought the idea to my writer friends and said, “Let’s marshall our energies for the Greater Good!” And our non-profit was born. Our first few events were pretty modest. Then, in 2011, we staged The Novel: Live!, which was a six day writing marathon with 36 local authors taking 2-hour stints at a computer on a stage at Hugo House in front of a live audience (and also live-streaming on the Internet). We wrote a 60,000 word novel in six days to raise money for literacy. I think that event solidified our mission—to energize and support booksellers, librarians, writers and readers in the Northwest. The book we wrote was eventually published as Hotel Angeline: A Novel in Thirty-six Voices.
Island Books: Name a book that you've repeatedly recommended to your friends. What makes it so special?
Garth: One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest by Ken Kesey is a fantastic book everyone should read, both as a piece of literature and as an example of how a story should be constructed. I’m also a big fan of anything by the Spanish writer, Carlos Ruiz Zafon. I can’t get enough of that magical realism! And Barcelona? Love that city.
Island Books: What book(s) did you especially enjoy reading to your kids? What do your kids like to read these days?
Garth: I see what you’re doing. You said ten questions, but this is two questions in one, so you’re squeezing in extra questions! When they were little, my kids loved the Knuffle Bunny books, though we still argue over the pronunciation of “Knuffle.” (Silent “k” or not?) Right now I’m reading The Wednesday Wars by Gary Schmidt with my youngest son, who is 11 years old, and we’re loving it. Just the right amount of snark and sarcasm.
Island Books: Do you have any fun insider stories about the Seattle7Writers--events gone wrong, mixups, jokes behind closed doors?
Garth: Oh, dear. There’s a reason we keep the doors closed. I think we should leave it at that.
Okay, there was the time Tim Egan gave me a box of his signed books for our Auction Book Bag program and the box sat in my office for a couple of weeks before I unpacked it. When I finally got around to it, I found a set of car keys in the box, underneath the books. I called Tim and said, “Missing a set of Volvo car keys?” He said, “Oh my God, Joni and I have been arguing for two weeks over who lost the car keys.” I said, “More important question: Why are you driving a Volvo? Shouldn't Tim Egan be driving a Maserati?"
Island Books: Ha. I'll go out on a limb and guess you have a thing for cars and dogs. So, part 1: What was your first car and what are you driving now? What's your dream car? And part 2: What can you tell us about the dogs you've had and do you have a family dog now? I have two toy poodles, which I'd argue are the best dogs in the world. What's your favorite breed?
Garth: My first car was a Peugeot 504. My daily driver these days is an Audi S4 Avant. I own my dream car: a 1974 Alfa Romeo GTV 2000. It’s too soon to talk about family dogs. My dog died in January, so thanks for picking at that scab. That makes me feel great. And, no, I do not have a favorite breed, unless—I don’t know—is “rescue” a breed?
Island Books: I’m so sorry about your dog. I’ll be chewing on my own foot over here in the corner and won't even ask about the movie for The Art of Racing in the Rain. Ok, yes I will. Is it finally happening, really, truly? Milo Ventimiglia and Amanda Seyfried? How are you feeling about it these days, when do you think we'll actually see it, and most importantly, will you have a cameo?
Garth: Yes, it is happening. Yes, Milo and Amanda are in it. I’m feeling that, however it turns out, no one is changing the book. I have no idea when it will be out—next spring or summer? And yes, I have a brief cameo. When Milo does a pit stop, look up in the control booth for the race sponsor. That’s me. I look a lot like, well, myself.
Island Books: I’ll keep an eye out for you. So is it true you have a graphic novel in the works? What else are you working on these days?
Garth: Yes, I’m working on a graphic novel with Matthew Southworth. It’s called The Cloven, and it’s about a group of mutant goat people who live on the fringes of society, underneath I-5 in the Jungle. I’m having a lot of fun with it. And I’m finishing up a rewrite of my new novel, A Couple of Old Birds, about two eighty-something year old ladies who become new best friends and get involved in capers around Seattle. You’ll see both of them in 2019. Maybe we can do an event at Island Books!
Island Books: A resounding yes to an event! We’ll hold you to that. So, what's the best question you've ever been asked, either in an interview or at an author event?
Garth: Huh. Since I can’t think of an answer to this question, it must be the best ever asked! Hey, I once got name-checked in a John Lescroart book, and then I was doing an event in Davis, CA and he came to the event and we got to hang out. That’s not a question, but it’s a cool thing that happened at an event.
Island Books: That is definitely cool. On another subject, your passion for cooking might surprise people and I was delighted to find you actually share recipes on your website. Do you have any grilling tips and how high should our hot dog expectations be at the upcoming cookout? Will we one day see a Garth Stein cookbook?
Garth: Have you ever grilled clams? You just put them on the grill and wait for them to pop open. Try it. And no, no cookbook. I love to cook, but I’ve never had any formal training, so it’s not like I really know anything. And besides, since the passing of Anthony Bourdain, I think no more cookbooks should ever be published.
Island Books: I can’t disagree with the Bourdain sentiment. That was such a huge loss and we wrote about it here too. Well, finally, what's your favorite thing about living in Seattle?
Garth: Listen, it’s the middle of July and it’s 65 degrees, sunny and cool. I’ve got one kid sweltering away in Boston, and another is in the Easy Bake Oven otherwise known as L.A., where it’s 103. You tell me: what do I like best about Seattle?
Seriously, though, what I love about Seattle is finding one of those sweet spots. You know. There’s one at the bus turnout at the foot of Madrona. Another is southbound on Rainier just past Jackson. Or there’s one coming around the Michigan S-curves on I-5. When it’s a clear day and there’s not a cloud in the sky, and the Mountain is out and it looks so big and sharp and close that it’s stunning, and you say to yourself: “Oh, yes, yes indeed.”
That’s why I live here.
*Personal photos courtesy of Garth Stein
