EDITOR SPOTLIGHT!
Here at S.A.V.A. Press, we believe that turnabout is fair play. Our Editor-In-Chief, Jesse, likes to put authors on the spot with his probing “Infrequently Asked Questions” segments. And, true to his own convictions, Jesse doesn’t mind being put on the spot in return. As such, we’ve reached out to all of the fantastic authors that we’ve published this quarter and collected a batch of equally probing questions for our humble editor to chew on. We think that this’ll be a great way to end this quarter, and we hope that you’ll agree.
And now, without further ado, S.A.V.A. Press is proud to present: Jesse Rucilez!
Jesse: “Great question, Bill. First of all, yes, it’s a labor of love. I have a passion for literature and reading, so I need to be part of the literary scene, whether it’s as a writer, editor, publisher, or, preferably, all three.
“Now, to answer the main question. There are two quotes that have haunted me throughout my life. The first is: ‘If you don’t do it, then somebody else, probably far less qualified, will,” which is about stepping up and taking responsibility when you see that something needs to change, or when you see a job that needs to be done. The other quote is from musician/director, Rob Zombie, who once said in an interview: ‘White Zombie plays the kind of music I always wanted to listen to. No other band was doing it, so I had to make it myself.’ And though I’m not a huge fan of Mr. Zombie, I understood what he meant. In life, sometimes, you gotta create the things you want.
“Like all writers, I’ve had a lot of negative experiences with the publishing world. So, with a little prodding from my friend and literary brother-in-arms, Mr. John Patrick Robbins, I decided to create the kind of publishing platform that I, as a writer, would like to be part of. At Subject And Verb Agreement Press, our motto is: ‘We like writers!’ And, hopefully, it shows. I want each author published at S.A.V.A. to feel that they were given every consideration, from gentle editing and polishing of their story, to topnotch presentation on our site, to kind and sincere words said about them in their promo videos, to the opportunity to speak to fans through author interviews, to tireless promotion of their sites and other work. I want every author published at S.A.V.A. to come away thinking, Wow, that was the best publishing experience I’ve ever had! Can’t wait to submit to them again!
“And we’ve only just begun. There are changes on the horizon, so stay tuned.”
Bill Baber: “Who are some writers you are drawn to?”
Jesse: “Another great question. When it comes to fiction, I like writers who can make the most mundane parts of life seem profound. That’s an art that a lot of writers—including me—attempt, but few ever really master. In that respect, and in respect to depth of storytelling, you can’t beat The Maestro, Stephen King. No other writer—that I’ve ever read, anyway—creates such unique and realistic characters. I know many people throughout the years have criticized his work by saying that he ‘goes on and on,’ but that’s exactly what I like. I want him to ‘go on and on,’ because that’s how a talented writer creates a world and pulls you in. That’s also why I can’t read teen fiction. It’s like ordering a steak and instead getting a bowl of soup. I need substance in my prose.
“But, overall, my favorite writer is the late, great, Harlan Ellison. His fiction is incredible. It has a manic feel, like he can’t get the story out on the page fast enough. And though I’m not a huge fan of most pulp writing, that’s where Harlan learned his craft. He cranked out stories for all of the genre magazines of his day. Thus, you’ll find that his work runs the gamut from hardboiled crime, to speculative fiction, to literature. He also wrote a lot for television. Wanna talk about eclectic? He’s probably most famous for writing the original screenplay for what many Star Trek afficionados call the best episode of the original series: The City On the Edge of Forever, but he also wrote a couple episodes of ‘The Flying Nun!’
“It’s Harlan’s nonfiction that I love the most, though. The man wasn’t afraid to stand up for what he believed in, and he called out a lot of people on their bullshit. To me, he embodied what it means to be a writer, and he lived quite a life. A college professor once told him that he had no writing talent, so he started sending him copies of his work every time he was published. A TV executive at ABC once plagiarized his idea for a series, so he went on a college lecture tour to raise the money for a lawsuit, endured a years-long court battle, and eventually won. So many writers have been screwed over by monolithic companies, but Harlan actually won. Then he went on ‘The Tomorrow Show’ with Tom Snyder and gloated about his victory. His collection of essays critiquing television, The Glass Teat, and The Other Glass Teat, used to be required reading at some colleges for Sociology and Communications classes. He also marched alongside Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in Selma, Alabama.
“Harlan Ellison wasn’t just a man, wasn’t just a writer…he was a force of nature.
“For all you writers out there, and for anyone who’s interested in learning more about him, I highly recommend the documentary, Dreams With Sharp Teeth.”
Bill Baber: “Musical tastes?”
Jesse: “Another great question. My musical tastes run the gamut from bluegrass, to classical, to heavy metal. But, honestly, the music I like best has an emotional honesty to it, which is why I enjoy the singer-songwriters. And of that group, no one speaks to me quite like The Excitable Boy himself, the late Warren Zevon.
“Zevon, much like Ellison, has a small but hardcore following. His songs have been described as ‘literature set to music,’ and I quite agree. Warren was a very literary guy, and revered many authors. He also befriended authors like Mitch Albom and Carl Hiaasen and cowrote songs with them.
“Unfortunately, Warren’s well-documented issues with drugs and alcohol eclipsed his success as an artist, and the overwhelming popularity of his only real hit song, ‘Werewolves of London,’ has relegated him to virtual anonymity today. But his breakthrough album, Warren Zevon, has some of the most incredible and intricate music I’ve ever heard, and should be ranked as one of the best albums to come out of the 70s. And, yes, that’s right alongside The Eagles’ Hotel California and Fleetwood Mac’s Rumours.
“So, if you’re a writer who’s inspired by music at all, I highly recommend checking out Warren Zevon. And thanks to the magic of Youtube, you can now listen to his music for free. Check out ‘Desperados Under The Eaves,’ ‘The French Inhaler,’ ‘Carmelita,’ ‘Roland The Headless Thompson Gunner,’ ‘Excitable Boy,’ ‘Mohammed’s Radio,’ ‘Looking For the Next Best Thing,’ and ‘Run Straight Down.’ Odds are, at least one of those songs will make you sit up and say, ‘Why the hell have I never heard this before?’”
And with that, let me say thanks to all of the authors who contributed to our 3rd Quarter, thanks to Bill Baber for providing the above questions, and thanks to everyone who’s stopped by Subject And Verb Agreement Press so far. It’s all very much appreciated.
See ya next quarter!
Jesse Rucilez was born in Reno, Nevada. Growing up, Jesse was an avid reader of Sherlock Holmes stories and Marvel Comics. Throughout his life, Jesse has mainly worked in the security industry, both in Seattle, Washington and Reno, Nevada, and taught self-defense for several years before deciding to focus on writing. Inspired by authors such as Harlan Ellison, Stephen King, and Kurt Vonnegut, he prefers to write literary horror and science fiction, exploring what he calls “the dark side of the American Dream.”
Jesse’s work has appeared in print and online in a variety of publications, including Ramingo’s Porch, The Borfski Press, Orcs Unlimited, Empty Sink Publishing, The Rye Whiskey Review, The Abyss E-zine of Horror, The Dope Fiend Daily, Anotherealm, Idiot Free Zone, and Unlikely Stories.
In 2021, Jesse created Subject And Verb Agreement Press (S.A.V.A.) as a platform to showcase great fiction.
All of Jesse's work can be found on Amazon.com @ https://www.amazon.com/Jesse-Lynn-Rucilez/e/B00WDEAWTA/
And on Pinterest @ https://www.pinterest.com/SubjectAndVerbAgreementPress/editor-in-chief-jesse-rucilez/
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