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Foster Trecost is the author of last quarter's Feature Story, "A Quiet Evening." Jennifer Dawson, Editor-in-Chief of Flash Me Magazine, interviewed him for the April 2008 Issue.
Foster, tell us a little about yourself.
I’m from New Orleans, but moved away pre-K (before Katrina). It’s a great place to have roots and though I don’t think I’ll ever live there again, I’m happy to call it my hometown. Now I live in Philly, where we just bought a house, my first. I haven’t been very good at staying in one place, but I’m sure home ownership will ground me for a while. I’ve a wife and a daughter.
The bio we published of you says you “began writing beneath a Tuscan olive grove.” Do you mind telling us a little more about that?
Ahh yes, Tuscany… I worked as a corporate tax manager but it didn’t quite fit so I quit and went to Italy. I was supposed to come back after six weeks and re-start my life, but instead stayed for nearly two years. It was a beautiful time, a beautiful place, and I miss it every day. I worked in a café and life was good and simple. Next to my house was an olive grove and I would go there with my laptop to write and think. It was quite a sight for the village folk, who were all very self-sufficient octogenarians. I miss them, too.
Do you consider writing your career or a hobby?
Since I’m back in corporate tax (similar to the job I once fled), I guess that’s my career (for now). But I don’t feel right in relegating writing to hobby status.
Your story, “A Quiet Evening,” was chosen as our Feature Story last quarter. It is a cute, imaginative story about moving to a new city. What, if anything, inspired the story?
It was first inspired by a song - The Only Living Boy in New York, Simon & Garfunkel. But as with most of my stories, there’s a lot of me in there – me and people I know. I mean, the story’s fiction, but the characters are based on me and people I know. Some writers are so good, so creative, they can invent everything. I’m not yet there.
Would you consider yourself a "flash fiction" writer?
Most definitely. I write longer stories, too, but love flash. It’s perfect for publishing on the web and enjoyable to write. Lately, it’s all I’ve written.
We’re thrilled to have published your story, and I know of at least one reader who enjoyed it enough to suggest it as required reading if you want to see flash done right. I couldn’t agree more. Where did you hear about Flash Me Magazine and why did you choose to send “A Quiet Evening” our way?
I network with a lot of writers and we share places to submit. But FMM has also come up in my own searches. I liked the site and the direction it’s going. Other writers had positive things to say about it, so I sent you my latest - I couldn’t be more thrilled you decided to publish it.
What author(s) have inspired you, if any?
There’s an Italian author, Elio Vittorini – I’m not sure if it’s inspiration or envy that come from his writings – he’s easily my favorite. Russian writers, Turgenev especially, have also shown me a style I really like.
That covers my questions on your writing. On a more personal note, mind telling us a little about your family?
My favorite topic: after I moved to Italy, I enrolled in a language course. On the first day of class I argued with my teacher about something trivial - now, I’m married to her. We have a daughter who was born in Siena, so she didn’t have to go through all the red tape I’m going through for Italian citizenship. It’s just the three of us and we’re very happy.
Your bio also says that you live in Philadelphia, where you continue to write, “among other things.” Can you elaborate?
I guess the “other things” would include that corporate tax stuff I can’t seem to get away from, but also spending quality time with my family and people we like. Philly is full of fun things to do and we fit in as many as possible.
Now, to change the subject dramatically, I always like to ask the same three questions. Sometimes the answers delve a little deeper into an author’s world, but most times it’s just fun to know the answers.
Do you have a favorite holiday?
Holidays have been resurrected by my daughter. She gets so excited, which gets me excited. I feel like I’m growing up all over again.
And do you have a favorite vacation spot?
This is easy – I’d go back to Italy every year. It’s my wife who says, “Foster, I’m from Italy. I don’t want to spend every vacation there.” I can’t really hold that against her…
Finally, if you could live anywhere in the world, where would you choose?
I bet you can guess…
I suppose I can. Thank you so much for your time. It's been a pleasure and we hope to see more of your work in the near future!
The pleasure was mine. Thank you.
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