Gary Batson Interview

Todays interview is with Gary Batson author of the book "All Six Senses" and also the editor. I had the ditinct pleasure of reviewing this book and also interviewing Mr. Batson. Please enjoy getting to know him a bit better.

Tell us all a bit about Gary Batson.

Gary Batson was born in the Bedford Stuyvesant section of Brooklyn, New York in the late 50s, at the height of the civil rights movement and when heroin was king. These were turbulent times.  I was able to do a balancing act of the street and school and school finally won out as I saw many of my friend fall to the ills of the street. I believe writing was my savior. I could always count on it when all else failed. I wanted to be a novelist but stumbled into a playwrighting workshop after college and been writing in the medium for a while.

How much of your story is somewhat based on reality?

Most of my stories are based on reality, but a Bedford Stuyvesant Sunrise is semi autobiographical.

Is there a message in your story that you want readers to grasp?

The common theme in my stories is that love will save us all.

It was very difficult to edit stories and I probably wouldnt take on an editing  project again. If there are any mistakes left over you are the one everyone comes to, which is understandable.

Any current projects?

I am presently working on two plays, one called ILL Winds, about a boxer who has a disabled child and his fight for their survival. It actually began as a short story which is part of All Six Senses. CODES is the story of a short out where one of the stray bullets killed an innocent child and the politics surrounding this incident. I’m also hoping to either team up with a screenwriter or take a screenwriting course. If you know of someone please let me know.

Besides your own story, which one was your favorite in the book?
I believe you’re talking about the book I edited, my favorite was by a former student called Veronica Andrews. My favorite story in All Six Senses is a toss up between Ill Winds and An Imperfect Love.

What do you hope your readers will walk away with?
I hope the readers will agree that I am a decent writer who understand the human emotion.

You also edited this collection of stories, was it harder to edit your
own story or that of the other authors?

It was very difficult to edit stories and I probably wouldnt take on an editing  project again. If there are any mistakes left over you are the one everyone comes to, which is understandable.

 

Thank you so much Mr. Baston, for taking the time to do this interview and allowing me to read your wonderful story! Please see book reviews for what I thought of Mr. Baston's book.