Dominic Carrillo was (and as of yet, still is) my favorite Humanities teacher out of every teacher I have had thus far (Sorry Rachel, but I haven't had you as a teacher yet). I respect his knowledge about world history and creative writing as well as the way he teaches and how he made me (and from what I have gathered, most people in his class) important in my own way. Because of my respect for him, it is only natural that I would want to read his book. Being modest, he didn't really "recommend" his own book to me, but I decided I wanted to read it anyways. So, I sent him interview questions about the book shortly after I returned from my trip to UC Berkeley at the start of summer vacation. Here is what he said.
Based off of what you know about my interests, why would you recommend "To Be Frank Diego" for me to read?
Well, you strike me as a thoughtful person-- one who is critical of his surroundings and not quite convinced that San Diego is the best place on earth. The main character, Frank Diego, is in a similar boat, so to speak. He has grown up in sunny San Diego and has been lulled into it's complacent charms, but he has grown tired of it. He wants-- he needs-- something new, and he's making fun of his hometown; being critical of his city's culture. I think you might relate to Frank in this regard, as well as with the identity issues. I think everyone must think about who they are at some point in life, regardless of ethnic background.
When did you start writing this book?
I started writing this book almost 3 years ago. I was sick and bedridden in Guatemala. I couldn't do much more than read or write, and i had been putting off this "Frank Diego" idea for months. I knew what I had wanted to write about, so it just took me being ill and stuck in bed to actually start the long process.
How many drafts did you go through with this book before it was published?
It's hard to say just how many drafts because after about six I stopped counting. Of course, after each draft was finished, I thought I was finished! Done. Then I would let the manuscript sit for weeks or an entire month before I read it again. I didn't need an editor to tell me what I was re-reading was crap. At first it was crap, then it became readable, then each time it was revised, it would become more and more polished until I felt that it was ready and professional enough-- 10 revisions later! Having said that, there were still a few errors, but I suppose that's inevitable when creating a novel that's nearly 50,000 words and only having one hired editor.
Was there ever a time where you were thinking of giving up?
Yes, I thought about giving up after two close friends read one of the early drafts. They said they liked it, but I could read in their eyes that they weren't excited about it; they didn't believe in it. They were just being kind and supportive friends. That's when I knew I had my work cut out for me. And I realized that I had to believe in it wholeheartedly if I was going to continue. I convinced myself that I did , but I was also teaching full time at HTH at that time, so Frank Diego was put on hold for a while. I suppose it could have permanently been put on hold if it weren't for the encouragement of friends and family members, and the editor of the SD Reader who kept publishing excerpts from the novel.
What stopped you from finishing this book earlier? What specifically inspired you to finish it?
What stopped me from finishing this novel in one year (rather than almost three) was time and the fact that I'm slow. I'm slow in general, but it was also my first novel. I hear they come out quicker after you get one under your belt. I'm also a slow writer. I like to take my time with revising and re-writing. I've learned that I absolutely need to let my writing sit for days or weeks before returning to it with fresh eyes. The other thing was TIME. When you have a full time job that includes the responsibility of 60 young students' education, it takes up a lot of time. At the end of the day, there's just not enough time and energy remaining to write a novel.
What inspired me to finish it was myself and my students. I was a teacher admonishing students for not revising well or not finishing their writing assignments! I couldn't be a complete hypocrite and say that to them while I sat on an unfinished novel. I couldn't speak of professionalism and responsibility and not apply that to myself. I also didn't want to be that high school English teacher that always wanted to write a novel-- even had an unfinished manuscript in his desk drawer-- but never finished it. I didn't want to regret something like that. Life is short, and it gets even shorter in your mid 30's. When I considered all of that, I had to finish.
What was going on in your life at the time you were writing this book? Do you think that may have affected your writing?
When I wrote the first draft, I was in Guatemala for five weeks and had just broken up with my girlfriend. 'Or had she broken up with me?' It was a strange but valid question that I wanted to explore. I was hurt emotionally, but hadn't dealt with it at all. That first draft was more like a memoir, but a bitter and sarcastic one. It was my venting exercise. At first I thought it was funny, but when I re-read the story Frank Diego sounded like an insensitive bastard. It wasn't funny. It wasn't even my voice. I must not have been in the best mood. So with each re-write, Frank Diego became his own character who became less and less like me in Guatemala-- although he is still kind of my alter ego. Likewise, Kate became less and less like my ex-girlfriend as I revised and re-wrote. I like basing characters on real people, but I also enjoy fictionalizing them too.
In your disclaimer, you state that the book is fiction. Are there characters of the book that were influenced from real life people?
I answered this question a bit in my previous response, but I will add something here. Yes, I do base characters in my stories on real people. I do this because I enjoy stories and characters that sound authentic -- that sound real; like the truth. Some people read to escape into other worlds that don't really exist. I don't. I read to gain a deeper insight and perspective on ordinary everyday people-- the kind you bump into at school or the grocery store. Then, the fun part is taking those real characters, and playing with the action and their dialogue. That makes them fictional and allows me to be creative with the story and add some humor. I think I base characters on real people because I like books that seem real-- like the author was there, living it-- maybe only observing the experience, but somehow a part of it.
Do you have anything else to add?
Great questions, Kenan. Thank you. If you like my novel, be sure to recommend it on Goodreads, to your friends, and to your new English teacher-- Rachel!!!
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