CONTRIBUTOR SPOTLIGHT:
INTERVIEW WITH SCOTT BASSIS
Rappahannock Review Fiction Editors: The drag queen persona clearly fits into our issue’s theme of transformation, and in “Lydia Tata” there is also personal growth in the characters. What drew you to write a character who’s transformation was not only external but internal as well?
Scott Bassis: My piece does depict a moment of internal transformation in Louis/Lydia’s life. To me, the most affecting aspect of this story is Louis’ emotional growth. He starts out naïve and insecure. He’s taken advantage of by Brendon, bullied by Rafael/Maria Posa. By the end, he comes to realize his own self-worth.
In the past, I’ve struggled with low self-esteem. Louis gains self-confidence rather quickly. It took me years to learn to stand up for myself and to stop wasting time on undeserving romantic partners. Unfortunately, I fell for more than one “Brendon” in my life. Describing Louis’ transformation was almost a wish fulfillment fantasy. In my early twenties, I could have used a “Lydia Tata” persona to make me realize I was fabulous.
The pandemic created such turmoil. I intentionally wrote a story that would make readers smile, and would make me smile writing it. Depicting Louis’ transformation was not only fun, it reminded me to have faith and perseverance.
RR: When writing “Lydia Tata,” how did you get into the mind of Louis/Lydia?
SB: My husband and I have seen many live drag queen performances. My husband has a habit of sending Facebook friend requests to every drag queen who impresses him. When writing my piece, I had access to the posts of a handful of young, up and coming drag queens. I read their comments. I watched their videos. I observed how they interacted with each other. It was invaluable in helping me understand Louis’ dreams, fears and struggles. I came up with the opening section after a drag queen described being kicked out of his home by his mother as a teenager.
In getting into the mind of Louis, I also drew from my own experiences. As a newly out twenty-one-year-old returning from college, I was seduced by the excitement of the New York gay scene. I had my heart broken by cads like Brendon. I met fascinating personalities like Rafael/Maria Posa, whom I couldn’t decide if I loved, loathed, admired, or pitied. I read my writing from those years to help me remember what my thoughts were like.
RR: We feel very grounded in the current moment by how the pandemic comes into the story. What challenges have you faced during this pandemic in your writing?
SB: My writing is heavily influenced by my surroundings. When I recently visited Texas, I had to write a story set in Texas as soon as I returned. Ever since the pandemic began, I knew it would permeate through my writing. My first pandemic-inspired piece was a poem about the coronavirus, composed while I was ill with the coronavirus. Luckily, my case was mild.
Writing about the pandemic was challenging. I was ultimately dissatisfied with my poem. It struck me as simplistic and preachy. The pandemic brought complex problems with no easy solutions. I could sympathize with the plight of a small business owner losing his or her life’s work. At the same time, my friends had family members who succumbed to the virus.
I felt discouraged from tackling the subject again. Yet, I was moved by the resilience of the drag queens I followed on social media. I realized it would make for a powerful story. Keeping the failure of my poem in mind, I refrained from making personal judgements about the pandemic. Instead, I focused on how people banded together in this time of crisis.
RR: What inspires you to write and how do you keep the creative spark alive when you may feel drained or overwhelmed?
SB: My inspiration can come from anywhere. It might be an unexpected encounter, running into an old flame on the subway. It might be a striking image, a homeless couple cuddling in the park. It might be an event in the news, a celebrity’s mental breakdown. Sometimes, I will envision a single scene. Sometimes, a whole plot will come to me. Wherever I am, I grab my iPhone and record my ideas.
Inspiration has never been my problem. I have more ideas than I could possibly develop. I have a full-time job. I also write slowly. Each short story takes me months to complete. The initial inspiration for “Lydia Tata” came several years ago. I wanted to portray the rivalry between a seasoned drag queen and a young upstart. I was intrigued by how drag queens could fight viciously and still be deeply supportive of each other.
Between writing pieces, I recharge by reading fiction. I can go for months without writing. Instead, I spend my free time sprawled out on the couch with a book. Eventually, I’ll feel a strong compulsion to write again. When I’m in writing mode, I find it extremely distressing if I can’t write every day. If work, or family issues are consuming too much of my time and energy, I’ll call in a sick day or ignore my phone. I’m sure others find me selfish, but I tell myself it’s because they don’t understand this overwhelming need to create.
RR: What kinds of stories do you like to read? Are there any you are currently reading or plan to read in the future?
SB: I often choose a book hoping I can learn something to apply to my own writing. Each time I read Alice McDermott, I’m amazed by the emotions she’s able to convey in such spare prose. When I read Louise Erdrich, I’m struck by the vividness of her characters. I recently finished James McBride’s Deacon King Kong. I was awed by how deftly he balances elements of humor, pathos, crime and social commentary.
While I usually select works from highly regarded authors, I occasionally crave a less demanding read. I enjoy becoming immersed in a mystery. I have a weakness for dystopian science fiction. I’m a huge fan of authors who are able to blend genre and literary fiction, like Kate Atkinson, Tana French, Margaret Atwood and Kazou Ishiguro.
The next book I plan to read is Ishiguro’s Klara and the Sun. Never Let Me Go is one of my all-time favorite novels. I still get emotional recalling certain passages. I’m almost afraid to be that profoundly moved again.
Scott Bassis’ work in Issue 8.3: