Author2Author with William Luvaas

·40 min·3 clips

William Luvaas reveals how his 1,200-page debut novel caught an agent's eye in the 60s—a story that couldn't happen today.

Bill Kenower hosts William Luvaas on Author2Author to discuss his writing career and latest story collection. Luvaas recounts starting late, publishing his first novel at 41 after years of unconventional jobs like making hashish pipes and carpentry. He describes writing a 1,200-page novel in his 20s, which an agent liked but asked to cut by half, a task he found daunting at the time. After moving to upstate New York, he wrote 'The Seduction of Natalie Bach', which was rejected by agents but accepted directly by Little Brown from the slush pile. Luvaas talks about the psychological aspects of writing, emphasizing persistence and a personal aesthetic that guides revision. His new collection, 'Three Devils and Other Stories', explores climate change and pandemic themes, with one story inspired by an old neighbor. The conversation delves into point of view techniques, including mixing third-person limited and first-person narration. Luvaas shares experiences teaching writing to diverse groups, from MFA students to psychologically disturbed children, who asked insightful questions. He reflects on how writing has taught him about life's challenges, empathy, and survival, citing Gabriel García Márquez. The episode also touches on marketing challenges in publishing, with agents struggling to categorize his work. Kenower and Luvaas discuss the balance between darkness and hope in literary fiction, and the act of faith required in writing without knowing the ending. Luvaas mentions attending the AWP conference and reconnecting with literary contacts. The interview concludes with his view that writing reinforces life lessons and fosters understanding of different perspectives.

As heard by us

A grounded craft conversation on climate-minded fiction, narrative focus, and the strange routes books take into print.

William LeVasse's The Three Devils gives this Author to Author conversation a steady artistic center: six longer stories shaped by climate anxiety and the near-future strain it may bring to ordinary life.

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Why you'd press play

For a publishing story that might not happen the same way now, press play for craft talk with a climate-fiction edge.

Read the full recommendation in PlayNext →

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