As a twenty-something corporate employee with a doctor-in-training girlfriend, Livingstone Modicai Ackerman—Liv, to his friends—personifies success. Yet all is not as it seems. His job is tedious and soul-gutting, his girlfriend is a vacuous, image-conscious snob, and, meanwhile, his pathologically narcissistic parents are constant irritants. Add to this the febrile political climate dominated by a reactionary group, the Patriot Posse, led by a mendacious radio personality with outlandish hair and catchy campaign slogan to “Make America Great Again,” is a presidential candidate—and he’s winning!
Overwhelmed and struggling to maintain a sense of dignity and worth, Liv quits his job, breaks up with his girlfriend, and leaves for Spain to explore the existential question: Why live?
Told with humorous charm and wit, Why Liv? examines why modern work is so devoid of purpose and why reactionary politics is so alluring in America. Most of all, it humbly attempts to offer a reason to persevere during difficult times.
Interview
What is the hardest part of writing your
books?
Dorothy
Parker, the eminent critic and satirist, once said, “I hate writing, I love
having
written.” I think most writers, myself included, identify with such sentiment,
as the process of putting words
on a blank page can be excruciating. I require
regular breaks while writing, like a football player dashing off to the
sidelines for
“breathers.”
The constant stoppages do not always work; oftentimes, I spend hours gazing in vain at my
computer screen, having conjured only a line or two. Eventually, I clumsily
cobble together a first draft of a book’s chapter or short story full of narrative
flights of fancy and inconsistencies. But the hardest part is behind me. I then revise and
revise, applying one layer on top of another, ironing out wrinkles and adding richness and
depth—the sort of ornamentation that gives a story added punch. A relatively polished
draft takes shape. Further revisions follow once I receive editorial feedback and,
eventually, the particular piece is “done,” or completed to the point where returns on investment
have sufficiently diminished that I turn my attention elsewhere. Then and only then, do I
truly love having written.
What songs are most played on your Ipod?
Usually
something by U2, The Beatles, and Beethoven. An eclectic mix.
Do you have critique partners or beta
readers?
I have two
editors who critique my book, along with the occasional friend who volunteers
for the thankless task of providing feedback.
What book are you reading now?
The Quiet Americans:
Four CIA Spies at the Dawn of the Cold War - A Tragedy in Three Acts by Scott
Anderson about the origins of the CIA, and The
City in History by Lewis Mumford.
How did you start your writing career?
I was a late
bloomer, only becoming serious about writing in my mid-twenties after becoming
very disillusioned with the everyday drudgery of professional life. Over the
ensuing two decades, I’ve honed my skills dramatically, though, when I pick up
a book by one of my literary heroes like Tolstoy or Kafka, I recognize I still
have a long way to go.
Tell us about your next release.
Presently, I am
finishing a novel that touches on some of the same themes as Why Liv?, such as occupational angst and
alienation. Told from the point of a view of a talented artist, the story
covers his search to break into the art market—with little success. The book
asks whether it’s worth trying to pursue a passion given the unlikelihood of
achieving success.
About the Author
Jon Sebastian Shifrin is a writer plying his trade in Washington, DC. His work has appeared in The Baltimore Sun, The Hill, Reunion: The Dallas Review, The Missing Slate, The Indian Review, and Futures Trading. Jon also is the founder of the popular current events website, The Daily Dissident (www.dailydissident.com). His non-literary career in politics has taken him from the White House to Capitol Hill to think tanks in Washington and Europe. To learn more about Why Liv?, visit www.whyliv.com.
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