Ask authors Willy Vlautin and Jonathan Evison what genre their books fit in and they’ll likely answer, “the genre of life.”
The Pacific Northwest-based authors – Vlautin living outside Portland, Oregon, and Evison outside Seattle – don’t dabble in science fiction, horror or fantasy; there’s no bloated tales of adventure or superhuman characters. But there is a load of reality, so much of it that their books at times will smack you in the face with it, bring you down to earth and make you realize the problems of the characters are just like your own; we’ve all got struggles, make difficult choices – sometimes the wrong choices – and we deal with the consequences.
Both Vlautin and Evison have recently released novels: Vlautin’s “The Night Always Comes” and Evison’s “Legends Of The North Cascades,” and they’ll be reading from their latest works and answering questions during a live Zoom event on Tuesday. This event is hosted and sponsored by Maria’s Bookshop.
“The Night Always Comes” tells the story of a young woman playing beat-the-clock in a race to earn enough money so she and her broken family can buy the home they rent in gentrifying and price-gouging Portland; but it’s a story that could be set in any city where the middle class is disappearing, which is everywhere.
“Legends Of The North Cascades” tells two stories of single parenting in the Cascade wilderness, with the stories set 14,000 years apart.
If you go
What: Authors Willy Vlautin and Jonathan Evison book reading, presented by Maria’s Bookshop.
When: 7 p.m. Tuesday.
Where: Online.
More information: For viewing information, visit www.mariasbookshop.com.
Together, both novels deal with real issues, that being the challenges faced by a single parent no matter what time period, and the fact in 2021 most working Americans can’t afford to buy a place to live.
Both books are a look into the human struggle, with the authors creating very real characters with slight flaws and subtle reflections of the author.
“Each character has some piece of yourself in it, and that’s what writing characters is for me, an exercise in empathy,” Evison said. “Jumping through this empathetic window and walking a mile in somebody else’s shoes, that’s what drives me to write, this opportunity to become more of an expansive person through empathy.”
For Vlautin, it’s all about the creation of heroes out of the average person, and a way to champion the underdog while telling a story that’s currently very real to a lot of people.
“I always think that when you’re walking down the street or you’re in the grocery store, that everyone you pass is carrying burdens. And their family is carrying burdens, and everyone limps along and has their own dents and scars. If you take any of those people and say, ‘Hey your rent is going to double in the next five years, and that money you’ve been saving for your house? Well that house is going to double in price,’” Vlautin said. “In their different ways they become ragged little saints that I create to keep my head above water.”
Both Evison and Vlautin remain humble when it comes to chatting up their own product. They are fans of each other’s work, ultimately using book readings as a chance to interview each other while digging into what makes each other tick; it’s like one will be doing the promotional work for the other.
“I don’t like to think about it as promoting the book, you know? I just like the conversation,” Evison said. “We talk about the book, but the shilling out for your book part of it? I don’t know. I guess I’m sort of modest. I like second party advocacy, so there’s a good chance I’ll just be selling Willy’s book, and he’ll be selling mine.”
Bryant Liggett is a freelance writer and KDUR station manager. Reach him at liggett_b@fortlewis.edu.
