Sun Journal Brightens My Day

V. Paul Reynolds, writing in the Lewiston Sun Journal today, offers a glowing review of The Poacher's Son. In addition to editing and publishing the Northwoods Sporting Journal, hosting "Maine Outdoors" on WVOM radio, and authoring A Maine Deer Hunter's Logbook: Tips, Tales, and Tactics, Reynolds is a former spokesman for the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries & Wildlife. So his words carry real authority in these parts:

Doiron has done a masterful job developing his main character, Mike Bowditch. The young warden has his flaws like the rest of us. He is too headstrong at times, and his choices aren't always the most mature. But you'll come to like him early on in the book, and the tougher things get for him with his job, his girl, and his mission to prove his father's innocence, the more you will want him to get a break.

This book has a lot more going for it than merely the tension that all good mystery novels generate. And, indeed, it has a lot of tension. Doiron is a "clean writer" who weaves his tale with pace and precision. He also creates a sense of place that is truly Maine, the good, the bad and the ugly — the odd mixture of natural beauty, the rural poverty, and the family dysfunction.

Himself a Registered Maine Guide, Doiron has done his homework when it comes to his fictional portrayal of game warden work. Having worked closely with the Maine Warden Service for three years, I recognized Warden Bowditch's supervisor from real life and some of the other law enforcement characters in his story, despite their fictional names. Doiron uses his knowledge of Game Warden work and Maine outdoor places to give his story a compelling added dimension. These work effectively with the basic plot line to create lots of plausibility.

It's been a surprise to see reviews of The Poacher's Son still appearing six months after the book's publication date—and when a review is as positive as Reynolds's, the surprise is a pleasant one.

Beware of Carp

In the current issue of The New Yorker, Ian Frazier—who can make plastic grocery bags interesting—doesn't have to work so hard to tell the terrifying story of the Asian white carp, two invasive species that have infested the major rivers of the Midwest. The article isn't available online, but it's worth picking up a copy of the magazine for Frazier's article alone. This video gives a sense of the danger these fish (literally) now pose:

Responsible fishermen have tried for years to explain to the general public that invasive species are destroying our ecosystems. It's probably going to take something like a jumping Asian carp killing some kid in a boat to get people's attention.

Mount Desert Islander Interview

When the newspaper business began its precipitous financial decline in the 1990s, anxious publishers forced their editors to make some pretty drastic cuts. One of the first sections to be axed at many publications was the book section. As a result, you don't see many book reviews in papers anymore. You don't see many author profiles, either.

That's why it was such a pleasure for me to be interviewed for the Mount Desert Islander in advance of my reading at the Jesup Memorial Library tomorrow. I had a pleasant telephone conversation with the writer, Melinda Rice, but honestly, you never know how these things are going to end up until you see them in print.

As it turned out, my Islander interview turned out great! Not only did Rice quote me accurately, she tracked down both my agent and my editor — and she got the story of my book's acceptance by St. Martin's absolutely right:

Mr. Doiron’s debut novel, The Poacher’s Son, was snapped up by agent Ann Rittenberg (who has a summer home in Sedgwick) and she sold it with two sequels in a pre-emptive bid to St. Martin’s Press after sending it to editor Charles Spicer.

“I started reading it over the weekend and you get this ‘ding ding ding’ feeling,” said Mr. Spicer. “I knew, ‘Oh boy, I’ve got a live one.’”

Afraid of losing the book to another publishing house, he said he offered “a healthy sum of money” to make a pre-emptive bid. And the deal was done.

In publishing these days, a three-book deal—especially for a first-time author—is unusual. But St. Martin’s took it even further and sent Mr. Doiron on a publicity tour before first book was even published.

“It’s a mark of our commitment to Paul, something we do for very few people,” said Mr. Spicer. “We’re taking this guy seriously. He’s personable, bright and articulate. He knows Maine. He lives there and he loves it.”

I appreciate Charlie's compliments. He's being very kind in his description of me. He's definitely right about how much I love Maine, though.

I also appreciate Melinda Rice's fine work. My wife thinks this profile of me is the best one yet. That's high praise from someone who knows me pretty well. 

Turning Japanese

I received my very first fan letter from Japan the other day, and it absolutely delighted me. My foreign correspondent informed me that the Japanese title of The Poacher's Son might roughly be translated as The Man Who Disappeared in the Forest. That's not too far off actually. 

The Poacher's Sonwich

Jenny Hendrix, who writes for the New Yorker's Book Bench blog, has a very funny post on "literary sandwiches":

Last week, a menu made the rounds in our office from a restaurant specializing in author-themed sandwiches, such as the Hemingway (filet mignon on a toasted bun with steak fries) and the Henry Miller (hot pastrami and melted Swiss, served only after noon). The restaurant in question is, alas, in California, but the menu left our collective stomach rumbling, and we determined to create our own, if slightly more fanciful, list of literary fare. As always, we'd love to hear your suggestions below....

The Miss Lonelyhearts: one slice of plain white bread with heart of palm....

The Nora Roberts: all cheese.

The Dave Eggers: a broken, runny egg on staggeringly thick bread; served with a guide to its enjoyment.

The Thomas Pynchon: no one really knows....

Lady Cheddarley’s Lover: a controversial abundance of melted cheddar and several unprintable ingredients....

The Animal Farm: supposed to include a variety of meats in equal parts; in practice, though, mostly ham.

It got me thinking about the culinary possibilities behind my own novel. After many long hours laboring in the Minotaur Books test kitchen, I emerged with the following recipe:

The Poacher's Sonwich: a grilled deer meat patty on day-old Wonderbread, topped with a poached egg.