UnBiased Book Reviews: Author Interview

Image of Ian Truman

What makes you angry?

Many, many, many things. I do get pissed off a lot but I guess it’s often justified. I get angry at political parties and policies (probably more than I should). Most elected officials really don’t give a fuck about us or what we think. They need us to justify their elected position, but they don’t really listen afterwards. I’m a fan of co-op’s and I feel luck that I get to work for a very successful Co-op. Some of the business practices of certain companies anger me beyond reasonable levels, too. I mean, I’m not short on contradictions myself but there are a handful of things we all could do in our everyday lives, as well as in corporations, that would improve everyone’s quality of life and the economic structures seem to hinder those efforts in every way.

For example, I use to work for this warehouse and basically, we had two containers for garbage and one for recycling. And me and the guys we spent quite a bit of time to make sure everything was separated properly and this one time I happen to be on my break when the garbage truck comes by and he just picks up all three containers. I was like “Why the fuck are we even fucking trying?!?” you know. You can’t let it beat you down, but the game’s rigged if you ask me.

What’s your most embarrassing moment of your life?

Haven’t had one since grade school.

Are you a city slicker or a country lover?

City slicker, but not in a bad way. I’m from the urban working class and I love good food and good coffee but I can definitely work with my hands and that’s something I’m proud of.

I never been on a farm in my life but like most Montrealers (and Canadians) we all like to go up north in a shitty cabin and we get eaten alive by mosquitos so we jump in the cold waters of a lake to escape them. It’s really a lot of fun.

How do you think people perceive writers?

Weird, self-centered, narcissistic, useless, vain maybe, egomaniacal (ok, that’s probably a bit much.)

I don’t know. It’s funny, if you ask anyone what they think about writers in general, I think the answers are mostly negative, but then if they learn you, yourself are a writer, then it’s all: “But pleeeaaase tell my how you do it, where do you get your inspiration from? Ah! Really? How does that work? Wow!, Ok! I have this thing I’ve been working on, not that I’m a writer but could you take a look at it? No?!? Why? -So you are an asshole!”

What’s your next project?

I have two “lead” projects at the moment.

The first one is a bilingual (French-English) movie script about the struggles of the young urban poor set in the graffiti/hip hop world of Montreal.

The second one is a very straightforward noir titled “Grand Trunk and Shearer” which is an intersection in the (former?) working class of Pointe-St-Charles. I’m man, who knows these days with condo towers sprawling up everywhere.

He novel is about a single murder and a family and I can’t tell anything more right now without spoiling it.