Review Fix chats with “Basket Case†author Felipe Cabrera to find out what inspired the novella and more.
Review Fix: How was this book born?
Felipe Cabrera: Five years ago I started writing while listening to a Strokes’ demo on repeat while sitting on my parents’ deck.
Review Fix: What has the writing process been like?
Cabrera: The writing process has been fun. I genuinely enjoy writing fiction and I write for pleasure as well as a need to say something.
Review Fix: What makes this book special?
Cabrera: There are books that take you on a ride and while short in length, I believe this novella grabs you by the hand and guides you through a world–whether it’s Manhattan night life or the Ivy League or an individual perspective on mental illness. I read to get my hair blown back. And I think I’ve succeeded in editing this story down to something that a stranger would enjoy.
Review Fix: What other books influenced this one the most?
Cabrera: Probably Infinite Jest by David Foster Wallace. This book is not similar in content, nor in style, but I read him a lot when I was younger. A Visit From the Goon Squad by Jennifer Egan was also a major touchstone.
Review Fix: Any fun stories or wild moments during the writing process?
Cabrera: The book partly stems from a need to say something about what it feels like to have bipolar I disorder. The writing process itself was fun, but nothing wild happened, just keys clacking on a key board. The wildest part was writing about traumatic events and fictionalizing raw events to say something more about illness, the media, and the present moment.
Review Fix: What were the major lessons learned?
Cabrera: The biggest lesson I learned is that you can’t substitute for quality. I had a long watered-down version of this book I was going to put out, but my wife gave me some sage advice about leaving a good first impression with fiction readers and I am glad now that I followed it rather than bending to the need to put out a crappy long version.
Review Fix: The marketplace is crowded. How do you think you stand out?
Cabrera: I love literature. I truly do. During college I used to put off homework to read classic novels in the main library. I have worked as a bookseller and an assistant editor. I have reviewed books and interviewed authors, sometimes for free. I think the biggest thing to keep in your mind–and I say this as an overly ambitious person–is yes, you may be able to write well and tell a story but no one owes you a book deal or their readership. And the market can only support so much. So I decided that at this point I am just doing the best I can with what I have to tell a story about mental illness that I think people will not only relate to but find something worth saving. I am pleased with the number of people I have been able to reach so far.
Review Fix: How have your previous experiences in the industry helped this book?
Cabrera: Probably mostly in the little things in terms of marketing and social media. But I say that as someone who has terrible social media game. So maybe I didn’t learn enough.
Review Fix: How do you want this book to ultimately be remembered?
Cabrera: An enlightening little distraction as we ease out of the Pandemic.
Review Fix: What’s next?
Cabrera: Outside of my day job and bike rides and watching soccer and reading about art history, I am not sure. I need to find a topic that grips my attention long enough to wrestle out a novel, I suppose.
Review Fix: Anything else you’d like to add?
Cabrera: Thank you for your time. The book will be available for free on Amazon Kindle from Monday, June 14 through Friday, June 18. I also have a short story out–El Golpe–a historical fiction about a Cuban dictator who ruled before Castro, which is currently available on Kindle, as well.
Link to Amazon Kindle store: https://www.amazon.com/Basket-Case-Felipe-Cabrera-ebook/dp/B095NZX1S9/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=basket+case+felipe+cabrera&qid=1623626203&sprefix=basket+case+fel&sr=8-1
Instagram/Twitter: @FelipeGoesWest
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