Cold Open Question of the Week: The aliens are attacking, and they're targeting Scranton. What’s the one thing you save for the sake of mankind? It can be a building, a natural resource, a recipe, etc.
This week’s guest, Salvatore Pane, was born and raised in Scranton, Pennsylvania. He is the author of two novels, Last Call in the City of Bridges and The Theory of Almost Everything, and a book of nonfiction, Mega Man 3. His shorter work won the Turow-Kinder Award judged by Stewart O’Nan, was nominated for the Pushcart Prize, and has appeared in Indiana Review, American Short Fiction, Story Magazine, and many other venues. He’s also written video games and graphic novels, and his textbook, Story Mode: Writing Narrative Video Games for Everyone, is forthcoming from Bloomsbury. He holds an MFA in creative writing from the University of Pittsburgh and currently serves as associate professor at the University of St. Thomas. He lives with his wife and Martin Scorsese the Cat in St. Paul, Minnesota. - Autumn House Press
Scranton:
Fellow Bishop O’Hara High School (Dunmore, Pa.) alum, Class of 2003. What did O’Hara mean to you? What stays with you now these 20 years later?
Did you work at K-B Toys in Steamtown Mall? What years?
How often do you come back to Scranton?
“It was a village that knew nothing beyond its own misery…” — Natalia Ginzburg, All Our Yesterdays Is this a direct shot at Scranton?
The Book (Winner of the 2022 Fiction Prize, selected by Venita Blackburn):
Why a collection of short stories and not another novel?
Are some of these stories new/never published before?
Fatherhood? It feels like every story deals with the issue of fatherhood in some way. Was this a conscious or unconscious decision?
Inspirations for the stories? Did some of these come out of semester in Italy teaching?
Traveling to Indiana:
Any fun spots to stop on the way between Indy and Scranton?
Writing Questions:
How do you know when a short story is done?
How many stories do you write, knowing the ending, and how many do you write where you find the ending along the way?
Is plot a dirty four-letter word to you?
Pro Wrestling:
You’re living in St. Paul, which is the heart of AWA territory. Any cool AWA experiences, etc. that you’ve had while living there?
Is The Bloodline story line, have you been following that story?
Tell us about RetroMania Wrestling, the wrestling game you helped write?
Films:
Martin Scorsese: Your favorite film? I just watched Mean Streets.
Have particular films helped you through your life, as it has the narrator in “Do I Amuse You?”
The Knicks:
How do you end up a Knicks fan? Did Mr. Callejas have any influence?
The modern day NBA — Is it as bad as I think it is?
Salvatore Pane
Website: www.salvatore-pane.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/salpane
The Neorealist in Winter: https://www.autumnhouse.org/books/the-neorealist-in-winter/
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