Welcome to BookView Interview, a conversation series where BookView talks to authors.
Recently, we talked to Ron Kemper about his writing and his recently published novel, A Coincidental Life, a thought-provoking, poignant read. (Read the review here).
Born in Brooklyn, Ron Kemper has lived in Berkeley, California, for 45 years. He received a BA degree from Brandeis University and a Masters Degree in English Literature from San Francisco State University. He served a four-year term on the Berkeley Board of Education. In his final year he was Board president. He then served 19 years on the Board of the Berkeley Public Education Foundation. He had a 42-year career in healthcare administration as a writer/editor, director of marketing, community relations and business development at Kaiser and at Mills Peninsula Medical Center in Burlingame, California. He was a lobbyist in Sacramento for the Kaiser Permanente Medical Care Program. Ron published his first novel, Sink or Swim, Brooklyn, in 2020. A Coincidental Life is his second novel.
What inspired you to write A Coincidental Life?
I awoke one late night and vividly recalled bumping into a high school friend from Brooklyn at a bus stop in San Francisco many many years after we last met. That triggered more memories which formed the basis of my novel. It also allowed me to continue on with the next phase in Stevie Alpert’s life, the protagonist of my first book Sink or Swim, Brooklyn.
What was the hardest thing about writing A Coincidental Life? What about the most gratifying thing?
Reconstructing the ambience and events of the 1960s and 1970s in San Francisco and New York City was challenging. It was a multi-pronged effort of me remembering, doing research and tapping the memories of old friends.
I’ve been delighted to hear from several long lost friends and acquaintances. A few pointed out minor mistakes in my narrative that they had lived through. That, in turn, led to us to share more memories. It was a humbling, helpful and ultimately bonding experience.
Have any of your readers’ responses to the book surprised you?
In general I’ve received positive responses to my book. I was worried that the book’s unorthodox style – short chapters, the interjection of my opinions about America’s healthcare and education systems, the inclusion of two poems – would be off-putting. Readers have said that they prefer the short chapters and that the sidebars enhance their reading experience. It seems that what we’ve all become accustomed to in this social media/Facebook age is a shorter attention span.
Who are your favorite authors? Any particular favorite books?
Having completed a Masters thesis on Shakespeare and Melville, you know how I feel about them. My reading tastes are eclectic. When I was younger I enjoyed reading Kurt Vonnegut, Joseph Heller, Steinbeck and Tom Wolfe. After my wife died, I read books and articles about grief, Joan Didion’s The Year of Magical Thinking, Atul Gawande’s Being Mortal, etc. Lately I’ve enjoyed reading Michael Pollan’s and Robert Reich’s books and many books related to significant historical figures and events, e.g. Ron Chernow’s Hamilton, Winston Churchill’s voluminous works on World War II, Bird and Sherwin’s J. Robert Oppenheimer.
What did you learn from publishing your first novel, Sink or Swim, Brooklyn, that you carried with you into the process of writing and publishing A Coincidental Life?
I wanted to continue writing about Stevie Alpert, my alter ego and a better version of myself. I started writing my first novel when I was still working. I wrote sporadically and continued doing so even after I retired. That inconsistency played havoc with the narrative’s continuity. It took an inordinately long time to make the narrative cohesive. Consequently when I started writing A Coincidental Life I began with an outline and wrote more consistently with more discipline. Therefore, this book went quicker, smoother and I was more satisfied with the end results. As one reviewer put it the book was “Like a trip down a wild river (that) holds twists and turns, treacherous rapids and beautiful peaceful moments.” At other times “it’s more like a trip on a Magical Mystery Tour bus.”
Knowing what you know now, if you could give your younger writing self a piece of advice, what would it be?
If only I knew then what I know now. Do it while you’re young. Develop the discipline to sit down and write consistently at least 2 to 3 hours daily. Be your harshest critic. A few good words are much better than many unnecessary ones. Try to minimize the many other activities and distractions in your life. When you’re young your mind, mental agility, retention capacity and stamina are at their peak. As you age, those faculties diminish as does your ability to concentrate, remember and write coherently.
What’s next for you as a writer?
It’s too early to tell. The book was released a little over a month ago and I’m barely into the marketing of it. Although my publisher Atmosphere Press has been and will continue to be extraordinarily helpful. There’s a lot of work an unknown writer needs to do to get his or her book visible to the public. By the way, it’s better to start publishing if you are famous, infamous or wealthy.
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BookView Review 