The reality of being human may seem like a benign prompt, but novelist and professor Joshua Mohr uses it to bring his newest novel to life.
Mohr joined seniors Chris Maggio and Zach Westhoven as part of the Capital University English Department’s Student-Faculty Reading Series. Maggio and Westhoven both read some of their work while Mohr read from his newest novel Damascus.
With humor and wit, Westhoven began the event reading from 7 Months in Paradise, Why I Don’t Do Coffee, and Bye, Bye, Bessie.
As for an overall goal when writing, he focuses on the readers. “I want to get people to feel what I’m feeling,” Westhoven said.
Chris Maggio started his readings with a poem and ended with Exclamatory Statements, which won him first place in River Styx’s Fourth Annual Schlafly Beer Micro-Brew Micro-Fiction Contest.
For Maggio, writing is relieving. “When I’m writing, it’s the one time I’m not worrying,” Maggio said.
Having two novels previously published with Two Dollar Press of Clintonville, Ohio, Some Things That Mean the World To Me and Termite Parade, Mohr is not new to writing powerful novels. Damascus is a dark journey through the complicated lives of ordinary people in the Mission District of San Francisco.
Decomp Magazine reviews Damascus saying, “Mohr presents poignancies so sharp the cuts won’t heal.” Readers are sent on an emotional journey that will make them laugh hysterically, uncomfortably, and sometimes, just to avoid tears. Mohr read three excerpts from the novel, each from the perspectives of different characters.
There is Shambles, the patron saint of hand jobs, who is wrenched out of her complacent life of pessimism after meeting No Eyebrows, a man wanting to die anonymously of his cancer. Mix them with Owen, the proprietor of the bar Damascus (the novel’s namesake) who tries to hide his unfortunate resemblance to Adolf Hitler with a Santa Clause costume. Throw in Revv, a man so consumed with himself that he may let his “boey constrictor” die to save himself $900.
In terms of advice for aspiring writers, the “most important a thing a writer needs is work ethic,” said Mohr. “The only thing you can’t teach is imagination.” Talent may be there, but without development, it isn’t enough. He also notes the importance of not being too serious.
“The most accomplished writers I know are relaxed writers, “said Mohr.
