A.A. Zavala, 5 Fans, 36 Hubs, Joined 3 months ago
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Lalesu Interviews A.A. Zavala
A worldly hubber discusses the undertones of his witty, multifarious writing
1. Augustine, your father was career military and you spent most of your childhood and teen years moving from one Army base to another. You have several colorful tales here on Hubs about growing up an ‘Army Brat’. Tell us a little about where you’ve lived, some of your favorites and highlights from those places.
I was made in the USA, however my brother was born in Japan, and both of my sisters were born in Germany. There are two places where my memories are the most significant; Ft. Knox Kentucky and Kitzingen West Germany. In Kentucky I met people who were truly nice and sincere. I discovered that southern belles truly exist! My favorite places in Kentucky were Brandenburg and Doe Valley. The reason I remember Kentucky so much is because I got my first kiss there. She was a pretty country girl I was friends with, and she just turned around pulled me close and kissed me. It was exhilarating.
My father’s second tour in Europe landed us in Kitzingen, West Germany. We left Kentucky, and I was in the middle of adolescent angst. Germany is beautiful, and as a young teen I really began to enjoy all it had to offer. I became fully immersed in European culture, drink, and women. I went to high school in Wuerzburg with some of best people in the world. One of my coolest memories was when I heard, and then saw a Lamborghini Countach pass us up on the autobahn. All the public swimming pools were topless or nude, which was a huge culture shock for me. The legal drinking age was 16, so drinking alcohol wasn’t such a big deal. The Germans were friendly and loved to party. It was truly Wunderbar!
2. Although your childhood and adolescence was difficult much of your writing is tempered with humor and wit. Would you mind sharing with Hub readers a bit more on how those formative years shaped the writer we see today?
My upbringing was Spartan at best. My father was a drill sergeant and a Cavalry scout during the cold war. My brother and I were raised to be quiet and disciplined, like show dogs. The only respite we had was when he went to field training for months at a time. It was during these training exercises my brother and I were able to get into all kinds of mischief and adventures. When we had the chance to visit our cousins, we seem to fall from one mishap into another. At times the discipline we received was harsh at best, but it prepared me for the tribulations that would find me later in life.
I was introverted, but found humor in the circumstances of life. I was a wallflower, and like all wallflowers we learn how to watch and be observant. I have a photographic memory, so when I would experience something unique I would catalog it in my head. I would save it for a time when it was ready to be written. Since I was quiet, there was tendency for others to assume I had nothing pertinent to say. To the contrary, I would write down my thoughts, wants, and desires. I knew one day I would gain a voice to say what I truly felt. Eventually I did.
3. Augustine, you’ve posted insightful commentaries on Emily Dickinson and Kate Chopin. Have you always enjoyed classic poetry and literature and what do you attribute this to?
I went to college and majored in psychology, but literature was my true love. Introduction to literature was a requirement for all majors. During this class we were given options for a final paper, and I chose to rewrite Edgar Allen Poe’s “Cask of Amontillado” from Fortunato’s point of view. While I was writing my paper I was enthralled from the details of the original story. I took more literature courses and was introduced to the writings Dickinson and Chopin. I’m especially fond of Dickinson’s poem #712. I was struck by her reverent tone when she spoke about the grim reaper. The poem is very intimate, but it doesn’t portray death in a fatalistic view. Some of her poetry has an undertone of loneliness and longing, always wanting but never having. I think we’ve felt that from time to time, but Emily spoke to the subject so eloquently.
“The Awakening” by Kate Chopin is an intimate story based in New Orleans. When you read the story you’re instantly transported to the city. Her description of the environment is so realistic you can hear, smell, and feel the environment the characters live in. You can feel the emotional turmoil that the characters go through, until one of them takes a swim into eternity.
Classic authors wrote about death, eroticism, and intrigue. They’re more fascinating than the movies and television shows parading around as entertainment today. It’s my hope that I can write a piece that captures my reader’s attention like they did.
4. You lived with a great deal of change and upheaval being from a military family, but has there been one constant or reoccurring theme in your life?
What won’t kill you will make you stronger. There were times when I honestly felt that I wouldn’t make it through the difficulties in my life. I often wondered what my purpose was here in the present. However, when I thought circumstances couldn’t get any worse, something would always happen to change my view on life. Just remember that you are important to somebody, and you have meaning in this life.
5. You write across a fairly broad range of topics; one of those is the music of the 1980s. Tell us how those artists have influenced you and why you choose them as a subject for your writing.
During the 80’s I was just entering adolescence, and my life was going through changes. Times were difficult at home, and I didn’t an outlet for my frustrations. The music scene was burgeoning at the time, with artists taking music into many different directions. We left Ft. Knox and flew to Germany for my father’s next duty station. When I started to go to school I was exposed to the music scene coming from England. I began to listen to “The Cure”, “The Smiths”, “Depeche Mode”, “Iron Maiden”, and other European bands. Some of the music’s lyrics were irreverent, yet they made complete sense to me. One song resonated with me was “The boy with a thorn in his side” from “The Smiths” seem to express exactly what I was feeling for a significant part of my life. There were others that I really liked, but that one song is my all time favorite.
6. I’m sure all of us Hubbers secretly (or blatantly) would love to see our names on the bestseller list, but aside from hoping for a career as a famous writer what would you truly love to be remembered for?
I would like to be remembered for my wit, charm, and handsomeness. I would also like people to read my writing and feel like they’re peering through a window into my life. I hope they find my observations and experiences interesting and funny. And I hope they can find hope and meaning in life like I did.
7. People have many reasons for joining HubPages. Tell us how you discovered the site and what made you decide to post your work here.
I wanted an opportunity to write about anything. I’m interested in many topics, so I was looking for a venue to write about them. Hubpages has been a blessing in disguise; I met some truly awesome authors like you LaLeSu, Wayne Brown, and Ralwus. I was apprehensive about releasing my writing, but when I got words of encouragement from established authors I truly felt at home. I can’t wait to release some more work soon.
8. Let us inside the mind of Augustine Abundio Zavala when he’s writing. For instance, do you prepare yourself to write or does a moment of clarity hit and all else must be set aside for the time being?
I write when I feel compelled to do so. I attempted to sit down and workshop ideas for topics to write in hub pages. But the content I came up with was manufactured and bland. I’m working to be better at this craft; however my best work comes to me naturally. I have a lot of experiences I wish to share, but the time isn’t right yet. When the time comes you’ll see it here, first.
9. Now for a hard question; is your writing perhaps a brilliant and beautiful way of exercising a few demons? Is it a tool for coping with things that cannot otherwise be said aloud?
Writing is therapeutic for me. I do use it to say things I’m unable to articulate or openly express the way I would like. I wouldn’t say that it’s a coping tool for me, but it is a form of disclosure that’s helped me move on with my life. I have a tendency to fixate on certain things or issues, but once I write about it I’m able to move on. One thing I wish to get better at is writing prose. I’m nowhere near the level of you, Laura, or Wayne Brown, and Spolly Joonerist in that respect. As of late my thoughts have a poetic tone to them, and I hope I get my pen to sing as softly as you all do.
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