Tomorrow Pamplona Blog Tour 2011: Gig 5
Posted 19th June 2011
Category: Interviews Genres: N/A
1 Comment
When Meike of Peirene Press sent an email to the reviewers of Tomorrow Pamplona, asking if we had any questions about the novel that could be used for a blog tour, I jumped at the chance. As you may have gathered from my review of the book, I found Robert a very interesting character for everything he keeps hidden. Naturally my question to the author, Jan Van Mersbergen, addressed this.
I asked who Robert is, and what was in the author’s mind when he wrote him. The following is Van Mersbergen’s response.
“Robert is an interesting character, and now (in 2011) more interesting than in 2005 and 2006, when I wrote the book. At that time I was mostly interested in Danny, the boxer. I was a middleweight back than. Now I am almost a heavyweight, when I don’t look out I will definitely be a heavyweight in a year or so. And with two kids growing up, I’m more a family man myself now. So 5 years ago I was Danny, now I am Robert. Without working in insurance. The feeling of being in a family is great but also can be a bit overwhelming. Robert wants to escape, Pamplona is his goal. My new novel (will be published this November in Holland) is about a man who drowns in his family. The care for his children and wife is simply too much. That book is about a Robert, in a way… The Robert in Pamplona is the man he is, and because I wrote the novel from the perspective of Danny, Robert is a character I gave less information. I hope he is interesting enough. I guess your question proves that.”
I love the extra information and background that Van Mersbergen has shared. Thanks to Meike and Jan for the opportunity to find out more about a book a very much enjoyed.
1 Comment
Comments closed
June 19, 2011, 5:47 pm
Good question & like the way its answer places a spotlight on Robert as the family man & with it Jan’s changing perspective on which character be identifies with.
Charlie: Yes, I found that aspect very interesting, how Jan relates to them both. Knowing that he is familiar with boxing also explained a lot!