Interview with the author
Jesse Mattson '05: Into the Den
How does it feel to be a published author?
It feels surreal. I had an unbelievable opportunity...It feels really good. I've had one book signing so far at a local movie theater in Essex, Vermont. I grew up here, so a lot of people in the community came out. I have another book signing coming up at the local Barnes and Noble.
What sort of feedback have you received so far from your novel?
Most feedback is good. People seem to really enjoy it. Some people have told me that they could really identify with certain characters or events in the book. As a writer, I love these types of comments because it feels like people are really interacting with the book.
How long did it take you to write the book? One article you are featured in describes you as a recovering alcoholic; did you begin writing before or after your recovery process?
I started writing about a year before I got sober, mainly just through journaling thoughts and ideas. In August of 2007 I was in a serious car accident. I was driving drunk, drove my car into the woods and the car flipped…I wasn't wearing a seatbelt, and was able to walk away. I realized at that moment that that's it; I've got to do something. I clearly had to make a change. I took a year off from school to focus on sobriety. As part of that process, I started to write. I didn't necessarily think I was writing a book. I started to write a story about someone like me combining my own personal experiences and those of other people I knew. Writing the story helped with the recovery process. It took me two and a half months to write the first draft.
Now that you are older, was it difficult to recall/recapture the feelings and thoughts of a 19 year old main character on paper?
I'm generally not as mature as most 24 year olds I guess. You could say I have 'moments ' of childish behavior. When I was writing, I would sort of write from more of a general age bracket, say 18-25 years. I think that if I wrote this book at 30 it would be a lot different. Good writers can project any character at any age, I can't really do that!
How much of Sam Conway's character is personally based?
The standard things about the main character were true to me – what I looked like, where I was form, those sorts of things. The things that represented his "true" character, the emotional things, were all true as well. The events that take place in the book are scattered, some are personally based, some did not even happen at all. I know that writing something related to real life comes with a risk. You have to choose your words carefully. It took me hours to write the scenes that portrayed real places and things that I care about.
You write explicitly about some of the schools you attended. How do you imagine that Bridgton faculty might respond after reading the book?
To be honest, I thought the faculty would be upset. Not because of what was said in the book, but because they might think the school was portrayed in a negative light. For me, Bridgton was an opportunity to meet people, people that I should have paid more attention to looking back. My descriptions of the schools I attended reflected the fact that the main character just wasn't getting it. It wasn't the school; it was the character and his real lack of understanding.
What do you think current BA students might gain from reading Into the Den?
What I hope they would gain is a sense that the year is in your hands. People can tell you what to do, but if you don't take advantage of these opportunities you are only hurting yourself. There is an expression out there, "You can't change them, unless you're one of them." I hope that the message of taking advantage of your time at Bridgton might be very different coming from someone who has experienced Bridgton. I hope I can reach a kid who doesn't want to hear this, but might hear it differently coming from one of their own. If I had a time machine, I'd go back and redo my time at Bridgton. I wish I had taken more advantage of the things teachers were trying to give me. Bridgton did a very, very good thing for me, and really had an effect on me.
Was it difficult to write an ending for the book?
It's funny you asked that. I sat for weeks, the book was done and I still didn't have an ending. It was very, very difficult for me to end it. The real life ending wasn't climatic, my "ah-ha" moment came years later.
Have any of your BA classmates read the book? What did they think?
A lot of kids in my class have read it. They actually thought it was funny, they enjoyed it.
Do you want to write another novel? Would you feature Sam Conway in another book?
I am actually working on a sequel to the book, having Sam Conway as my main character. A lot of people I've talked to wanted more, and wanted the story to continue.
Do you still play sports?
This year I'm not, but may get back into it next year.
What sort of work do you want to do after you graduate?
I'm study communications in school, and am thinking about work in radio or television or that sort of thing. I would like to be a writer if I could make a living out of it.
What were you best/worst memories of BA?
Best memory…there were so many good ones. Probably the omelets and hash browns in the morning. Worst memory was definitely walking up that hill in the winter.
In what ways do you think a year at Bridgton Academy helped you?
It's the people that make Bridgton what it is. The people helped me, even those I thought I didn't like. In life, personal relationships reign king. The people at Bridgton, they were all trying to help and reach out to me. The extra year is just great in terms of maturing as a human being. It's great that there is a place you can go for an extra year where the people really want to help you.
If you had one piece of advice for current BA students, what would it be?
Take full advantage of that year.