Welcome to BookView Interview, a conversation series where BookView talks to authors.
Recently, we interviewed Sebastian about his writing and his latest novel, Trippy Hippy, an intriguing and engaging tale of self-discovery, kinship, and romance (Read the review here.)
SEBASTIAN had his fifteen minutes of fame in the early nineteen-seventies when he programmed a midnight film series, The Nocturnal Dream Shows, at the Pagoda Palace Theater in North Beach, a district in San Francisco. From that series emerged the flamboyant and outrageous group of drag performers, the Cockettes, who were the rage of the city for several years. While promoting and managing the Cockettes, he also promoted Sylvester, the blues and disco singing sensation, and introduced to West Coast audiences Divine, the star of John Waters films and Baltimore fame. While working with the Cockettes, Sebastian wrote, produced, and directed Tricia’s Wedding, the Cockettes’ satirical version of Patrica Nixon’s wedding to Ed Cox with an all-out, knockdown, drugged-out, LSD-induced conclusion, which became a cult classic. Trippy Hippy is Sebastian’s third novel.
How did you develop the eclectic cast of characters that fill out the story of Trippy Hippy?
The characters sprang from my imagination as I wrote. I had only the vaguest outline in mind when I began. The actions sprang from the personalities of the characters as they interacted with each other.
Do you have a favorite character?
My favorite character was Eddy. I think I was a little bit in love with him myself. Although he’s not based on anyone I ever knew I think he was combination of characteristics from all the boys I ever loved.
What kind of research did you have to do to set a convincing scene of the hippy culture described in Trippy Hippy? Did you write from personal experiences, reference other people’s accounts, read specific literature, something else?
I didn’t have to do much research at all, since I lived in San Francisco during the time period the story takes place. I referred to a map of California to pinpoint places specific settings like San Jose, Stinson Beach, Mount Tam and Madonna Mountain. For the Mexico portion of the story I googled the town of Hautla and discovered it was more famous than I thought. I had gone there in 1966; so I had no problem conveying the physical characteristics of the village, but the character Maria was based on an actual person who had performed the rituals described in the story.
Trippy Hippy is your third novel. What did you learn from the process of publishing your first two novels that helped you write this one?
I learned to find a publisher that is willing to work with an author from editing, through layout, cover and promotion. I was lucky to have found Atmosphere Press, and I regard it as a partner in the process.
You have worked in multiple art forms, including but not limited to writing. What has been your favorite art medium to work in, and why?
I’ve worked in theater and there’s nothing quite as thrilling as being on stage. Filmmaking is a collaborative process, and I love it, but it is too expensive. I don’t care for trying to raise money, pitching a project or casting and directing. What I love is writing, and I had to learn that the hard way.
Have you learned anything from filmmaking that you carry into your writing?
This is a hard one. I think I have, but it’s hard to be specific. You can see a scene in your head and recreate it with a camera, but putting it into words takes time to develop the skill. Along with that you have to learn to construct a story that will take your reader on a journey with you.
What’s next for you?
Which brings me to my next project. I’m writing a story about a trip with a middle-aged man and his teen-age boyfriend through Mexico in an old Ford with a hole in the radiator. It’s called A Hundred Years of Cilantro, and I hope readers will find it as hilarious as I do…..now.
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BookView Review 