In Which a Librarian asks a Talented Author a Small Number of Questions:
Doug Stanton is a #1 New York Times bestselling (local!) author, lecturer, screenwriter. His books include The Odyssey of Echo Company, In Harm’s Way, and Horse Soldiers. The latter was made into a movie produced by Jerry Bruckheimer titled, 12 Strong. Doug is also a co-founder (husband to Anne Stanton) of the National Writers Series, a year-round book festival featuring great conversations with America’s best storytellers; and Front Street Writers, a free, for-credit writing workshop for public high school students. He is a huge library supporter, avid reader, and the perfect author to bombard with 3 to 5 questions!
Q: If you were a Dewey Number, which one would you be and why?
I’d be in the “lake swimming section”, what number is that? Also, is there a section in library devoted to the history of autumn? I’d be there. I’ve been wondering what year the first autumn happened. Must have been amazing.
**The closest dewey numbers I can come up with for you would be 797.21–open water swimming. But combine that with 153.3–creativity and visualization and I would call that “lake swimming”. For autumn, the scientific number would be 508.2 (seasons) but 394.264 are holidays of September, October and November (all fall months!) with the start of the autumnal equinox celebrating the harvest.
Q: While I do not normally read non-fiction, your books (to me) read like fiction. Have you ever felt the inspiration to write a novel? I am imagining a historical novel.
A: I would like to write a novel… I had never written prose of any kind until, really, my first serious magazine assignment at Hour Detroit magazine, then Smart magazine; then my third assignment— I caught a break— was for Esquire. ALL CREDIT goes to Anne Stanton for showing me the ropes. She’s an amazing reporter. I love working with her. We were in Anchorage for a week of reporting on crime there and I wish we could keep working together. But, novel… My great great great grandfather settled in Benzie county after sailing for 4 years around the world on a whaling ship. Would like to write about him. I talked a magazine into sending me to Cape Horn so I could stand on the island and try to recreate his 19th century journey. Wouldn’t a crime novel set in my hometown be fun? I have a story for every street corner. Bodies are buried everywhere, right?
Q: Now that you have had a taste in film, have you caught the Hollywood bug (ie screenwriting) or is writing (in general) still your passion?
A: Writing for TV or movies is FUN. It’s collaborative. In writers’ rooms, they have good snacks. I got to be on-set for one of the last episodes of Homeland, thanks to my friend Chip Johannessen, who was a producer. I did a lot of Hollywood profiles for Esquire and was always fascinated in asking actors how they did what they do; often, they really don’t know. In between takes, Claire Danes was crocheting and chatting. I love watching people work, the work of making a living and making a life. I worked quite awhile with a group put together by my manager on a show for FOX, and I’m working on a new project; I learned a lot about story, editing. I think there’ll be a balance between group script writing and the solo act of book writing.
Q: What books are on your bedside table or “to read” pile?
A: Too many books. Uta Hagen about acting, Arthur Schlesinger’s books about Roosevelt, Bob Giles’ “When Truth Mattered “ and “The Spy Book: the encyclopedia of espionage” by Norman Polmar and Thomas B. Allen about, yes, spies. I saw the spy book on a bookshelf behind David Ignatius of the Washington post, where he was broadcasting via zoom from his home on a news show. It’s been fascinating to actually see an answer to this question about “what’s on your bedside table” in real-time by being able to look into peoples home offices. I’ve seen “Horse Soldiers” on some of the shelves a couple of times when the topic has turned to national security, which has been fun.
Q: We all know the beauty of this area and can relate as to why we love to live here but if you had to leave and go anywhere in the world of your choosing, where would it be and why?
A: I’d go to Ireland and live on codfish and Guinness and sit indoors reading. Would ride into town on a Triumph motorcycle for the paper. The phone system would be such that you’d have to shout into the receiver to be heard and, therefore, not many calls. At night the local owls would talk from the eaves and the moon would come up over the sea crashing into the cliffs of Moher, and the sea would be happy.
Thank you very much Doug for participating in 3 to 5 Questions for Authors! We can’t wait to see what you are up to next. But we do know we will see you at the library!