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Elaine McCluskey is a former news editor and bureau chief of the Canadian Press in Halifax and has also worked as a reporter at CBC-TV and the Halifax Chronicle-Herald. Her debut short story collection, The Watermelon Social, was shortlisted for the Margaret and John Savage First Book Award. Her fiction has been shortlisted for the Journey Prize and published in The Fiddlehead, the Antigonish Review, the Dalhousie Review, the Gaspereau Review, and Room of One’s Own.

Stephen Clare recently spoke with McCluskey about her latest work, Going Fast;  a punchy, uproarious romp of a novel about the larger-than-life Halifax boxing world –where spotty turf is defended with klutzy bravado down to the final, un-predictable ten-count.

SC: What inspired/motivated you to write Going Fast?
EM: Interesting people I had met, individuals who were too compelling to forget.
I grew up around boxing – we had a heavy bag in our basement and smelling salts in the medicine cabinet — and I like the fact that the sport is open-ended. You can be born in Nova Scotia and end up becoming champion of the world. You can dream as big as you want.
SC: Did the book come together quickly or did you really need to work at it?
EM: The book came together fairly rapidly. After it was written, and won a contest (the Bill Percy Award given out by the Writers’ Federation of Nova Scotia), I went back and gave it a rewrite, strengthening the plot and eliminating superfluous elements.
SC: What was the most challenging aspect of writing the story?
EM: Keeping the story moving forward. The characters, the scenes, and the settings came to me quite naturally, but I had to work at keeping the story moving. I had to make sure that there was a point to every scene and every character.
SC: What was the most rewarding part of the experience?
EM: Putting together scenes that clicked; descriptions that worked, dialogue that was special. In this book, for example, there is a minor character named Suey Simms (nickname: The Tumblebug), and every time he speaks, I enjoy myself.
SC: What did you learn during the process?
EM: I learned to trust my instincts; you have to write what you see and what you feel. I also had an excellent editor at Goose Lane – Bethany Gibson – and she reinforced the idea of story and scenes that added up to something.
SC: Did you go through some sort of mourning or grieving process once you were done?
EM: Not really. I had something to say in Going Fast so I was quietly satisfied by the time the book was finished. I wanted to paint a place and a time and I think I did that to the best of my ability. That’s not to say that I haven’t thought about what these characters would be doing today.
SC: What has the response to the work been like so far from the people around you?
EM: I’ve had some great early reaction. People have been touched or amused by scenes I did not expect them to comment on.  The characters are multi-layered, and people have noticed that; they have noticed that the characters unfold as the book progresses. The tone of the book is complex as well; it’s funny in places, sad in others. They have been getting that.
SC: Do these opinions matter to you?
EM: It’s a boost to me if someone has an emotional reaction to something I write.
I had one review for my last book, The Watermelon Social, that I saved because the reviewer understood exactly what I was doing. He said: “She captures the quintessential Canadian ability to mock ourselves and others as a form of social and personal healing.” People who don’t have a sense of humour, or people who take everything too seriously may not get me so readily.
SC: How have you grown as a writer in recent years?
EM: I think I have a better understanding of structure and I trust the choices that I make. Characters that come from unremarkable places can still have great stories to tell.
SC: What makes a good book?
EM: I’m not sure…perhaps the writing. The way a book resonates with readers, reminds them of something they have seen or done, while still being unique and original. Surprises are good, too.
SC: Do you have any advice for other writers?
EM: I can only talk about what works for me. From my experience I would say: Start with the writing, and make sure that every sentence and every paragraph sings. Don’t write anything crummy if you can help it. And don’t take rejection too personally; sometimes the people in charge get it wrong.
SC: What happens now? Are you working on something new?
EM: I have seven new short stories published in Canadian literary journals; they are part of a second collection I hope to finish up soon. subTerrain just published my latest story; it’s about an ill-tempered dwarf named Maurice. I also have most of my next novel, The Houdini, written. It grew from a short story I had published in The Dalhousie Review and I think it is a good read so far. You will find a fair number of fat people in my writing. Society’s obsession with being thin at any cost is ridiculous, and my fat people are often irreverent and disrespectful. I have some bad ass fat people. I have a lot of fun with them. I am also intrigued by liars and people who make too much of small things.

Elaine McCluskey launches Going Fast this Thursday, March 19, at 7pm at The Ultimate Dojo, 475 Windmill Road in Dartmouth. The event is open to the public.

The full interview was broadcast on CKDU in Halifax.  To hear the full program click here for streaming audio or here for .mp3 download.  Please note that the interview does not begin right at the beginning of the segment.