Marc Schuster

M A R C S C H U S T E R

Local author Marc Schuster sat down with us to discuss his upcoming novel The Singular Exploits ofWonder Mom and PartyGirl(PS Books, May 2009). The tale centers on Audrey, a woman who struggles with issues of addiction and romance. The novel offers a darkly comic look at consumerism and the ideal of perfection.

What in ns spi ired you to w writ te e W WM MP PG G?

The novel grew out of a short story I wrote when I was a member of a local writers group. At one meeting, the assignment was to write a short story about an obsession, and I took the liberty of changing “obsession” to “addiction. ” Everyone found the premise of a level-headed mom sliding into an addiction seductive, but the overwhelming consensus was that it needed development. I took it as a sign that what I had on my hands was actually a novel in its earliest stages.

Why choose e d dr rug addicti ion to o exh hi ibit th he e consequences of f t th he e dou ub ble e st tand da ard d soci iety p pu uts s upon Amer rican wom man? ?

I almost see drugs as the ultimate consumer product. The promise of every product that’s marketed to us is that that it will make us feel good. I see a real connection between buyer’s remorse and the crash that follows a cocaine high, for example. So we keep coming back for more. This really says something about how we really intuitively understand that we want the products in our lives to make us feel good. For Audrey, turning to drugs makes about as much sense as turning to some other product might make to someone else. Coke gives her energy, makes her feel sexy, and helps her tackle all of the overwhelming chores she faces on a daily basis. Who wouldn’t want that? And what household product doesn’t ultimately promise that? Of course, the promises of all of these products, like that of cocaine for Audrey, turns out to be empty in the end.

T Th he subj jec ct t m matte er r of W WM MP PG Gis o ob bvio ou usly y dark, an nd d y ye et t there ar re m many moments of l le ev vi ity wi ith a wid de e r ran ng ge e of col lorful l c characters. How w di id y yo ou manage e to o b ba ala an nce th he e t ton ne? ?

Most of my favorite writers strike this balance, so I had many wonderful examples to follow. One of the reasons Kurt Vonnegut is so great is that he simply points out the more ridiculous ironies of life. To some degree, that’s what I was trying to do in WMPG. For example, I think it’s interesting that we’ve evolved in such a way that pretty much anything that makes us feel good will kill us. The other part of the equation is respecting the characters. Audrey is a sharp and witty person with a keen eye for irony. Since the story is told from her point of view, it’s only natural that she’s going to pick up on all of the ridiculous things that happen around her—everything from the bizarre efforts of characters like Captain Panther to keep kids off drugs to her seven year old daughter’s strange fascination with haute couture. It’s tough to have your wits about you in this world and not see that much of what we do is incredibly absurd.

D Do y you have any signings/re eadings planned d? ?

I have a couple lined up at Rosemont College—with their literary magazine and through the Rosemont Writers’ Retreat, where I’ll be teaching this summer. I’ll be at Doylestown Bookshop on May 22. I’m also reading in September at Montgomery County Community College. Anyone who wants me to read or meet with their book club can get in touch through my website—www.marcsch hu ust ter.com