TitleTales

Author Interview: Garth Stein

The Art of Racing in the Rain will be released later this month.

BWI: How is Enzo, our beloved canine narrator, a more suitable narrator than the human characters in the book? What challenges did you face as you were writing from a dog’s point of view?

GS: Obviously, Enzo, as a dog, has certain limitations: he has no opposable thumbs, for instance; he has a long, floppy tongue that can’t be used to form words. But Enzo, as a dog, also has certain advantages: people will say things in front him because it is assumed he doesn’t understand. People will allow him to see some things for the same reason—Enzo is the ultimate fly on the wall. I had a great deal of fun playing with this idea. Of course, it all depends upon the reader accepting the premise that Enzo has an “ almost human” soul.

BWI: There are some very sad moments in the book, as Denny loses his wife and then his daughter. How did those difficult events contribute to Denny’s character development? How did they contribute to Enzo?

GS: A character is tested when he or she is truly pushed to the brink. The way the story is set up, we know that it is not about Denny trying his hardest and then accepting defeat. This is a story that will test Denny’s inner strength. Because of their relationship, it is only appropriate that, at some point, Denny must rely on his greatest ally, Enzo, given the feelings that they have for each other.

BWI: Without giving away too much of the plot, we want to ask about the legal drama that unfolds. Enzo, as a dog, was banned from the courtroom scenes, so any details provided to the reader are the result of Enzo’s sleuthing and imagination. How do you think that Enzo’s exclusion from some situations in Denny’s life contributed to the development of their relationship?

GS: We all have relationships with our friends, family, spouses and so forth, and they are deep and intimate relationships. But at a certain point, we kiss our wives and go to work, or we pat our kids on the head and send them off to school, and we trust that everything that happens in our absence is good. So with Enzo and Denny. Enzo can’t be with Denny always, but his unfailing love, his absolute devotion, his belief that Denny can do no wrong becomes the glue of their relationship, and I think, results in the feeling we are left with at the end at the end of the book that Denny and Enzo and Zoe will always be together on some level.

BWI: Some characters—would-be seductress Annika and Eve’s parents come to mind—are simply detestable at certain points in the course of the novel. Yet we feel sympathy for them because they aren’t just one-dimensional, flat characters. There are also times when Denny, and even Enzo, weren’t on their best behavior. What is the secret to making all the characters so sympathetic and relatable?

GS: Well, that’s the answer. It’s about giving the most despicable character a reasonable justification for his or her actions. And when I say reasonable, I mean on the thinnest of levels. The Twins are acing out of pure self interest, and yet we catch a glimmer of their grief, their frailty, their frustration over their daughter’s fate. That is a human and relatable feeling. Most of us would find ways to deal with these feelings that are not destructive. The Twins, however, become destructive, and while we might not understand their actions, we do understand their motivations.

BWI: Enzo points out that human beings supposedly have a closer biological connection to monkeys, but the emotional connection to dogs is far deeper. What does that say about biological connection and the definition of family?

GS: Now that is a serious question! The answer? I have to leave that up to the reader to decide his or her personal beliefs, and I respect all views on the matter. I do think that the story suggests that the bond between souls may transcend the bond of biology; how that applies to the definition of family, however, is beyond my purview.

BWI: Enzo’s lap around the track at Thunderhill Raceway Park with Denny is definitely one of the most joyous and truthful passages we have ever read. The beauty of life is really captured in that last turn around the track. What was your inspiration for that scene?

GS: When I wrote that scene, I was totally engaged in the writing process. I knew I had to get in Enzo into a race car, and I contrived a bed sheet to hold him to the seat. Then I let Enzo do the writing. You know, having raced cars myself, I will say that, when screaming down a straight and flying through some turns, even the staunchest human being is little more than a happy dog, his head out the window, hoping for the moment to last a little longer.

BWI: Why was racing your sporting analogy of choice? Do you expect that a novel about a race car driver, told from his dog’s viewpoint, will be more appealing to men than women?

GS: Honestly, the idea for this book grew organically from a Mongolian film about reincarnation I saw nearly 15 years ago. I didn’t set out to write about racing or cars; the racing came into it because of my own racing experiences and the great people I met while I was doing it. While men typically are more into cars than women, the response I’ve gotten from women is just as passionate about racing as the response I’ve gotten from men, and I think that’s due to Enzo’s unbridled passion.

BWI: Do you think the book will appeal to young adults? Do you feel there are any concepts or events in the novel that may be too mature for teen readers?

GS: I think it will appeal to young adults because it deals frankly with the realities of life, and it does so from a somewhat unique perspective. I don’t believe there are any events in the book that are beyond maturity for a teen, though I always think it’s important for teen readers to seek guidance in their reading—from parents, teachers, librarians, fellow readers. Conversation is good!

BWI: Can you elaborate on the art of racing in the rain? Is it the ability to anticipate the next move or the ability to trust oneself to make the next move, without anticipation?

GS: Well, yes and yes. It’s also about releasing self-doubt and insecurity. A good rain racer is never reckless, and yet, once he commits to a decision, he follows it to completion because he knows that certain things must play out. If we are acting entirely with our best interests in mind—not the best interests of our ego, but the best interests of our soul—we are acting properly.

I have to refer back to the epigraph: “ With your mind power, your determination, your instinct, and the experience as well, you can fly very high.” That was said by Aryton Senna, who was arguably the best rain racer ever. I think he’s talking about this idea: there is no limit to what we can accomplish if we understand the totality of our selves.

BWI: The mantra that runs throughout the book is that “ the car goes where the eyes go,” meaning that individuals create their own destiny. What are your thoughts on fate and human destiny? Are human beings ever really in control?

GS: I believe that the energy each of us puts out to the world is returned to us. As Enzo says, “ That which is around me does not affect my mood; my mood affects that which I around me.” So, to answer the question: Are human beings ever really in control? On the deepest level, yes we are.

This is where the metaphor of race car driving comes in. We have no one to blame but ourselves for our successes and failures. Luck is simply a dose of manifesting that is so massive, is seems to defy explanation. If you talk to any coach in any sport, he’ll say that the more skilled athlete is always the luckier athlete.

Likewise, misfortune. To say that our misfortune is our own fault may seem harsh, but misfortune is an energetic match for where we are in our lives at that moment. Have you ever noticed that when you have a bad day, one thing happens after another in a string of bad luck? That’s because we are out of sync energetically with the universe. Can we pick ourselves up from tragedy and ascend to the greatest heights imaginable? I like to think so, yes. That’s what makes life so wonderful!

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