Jeremy Shipp - Dealing with the Devil

The Vacation by Jeremy C. Shipp is available from Raw Dog Screaming Press.

It’s time for blueblood Bernard Johnson to leave his boring life behind and go on The Vacation, a yearlong corporate-sponsored odyssey. But instead of seeing the world Bernard is captured by terrorists, becomes a key figure in secret drug wars, and, worse, doesn’t once miss his secure American Dream.

Jeremy says, "I suppose I'd describe Vacation as "A journey into civilization's festering wound--metaphorically speaking."

"This is an intriguing, challenging, literate, provocative novel I'm not sure I understand and suspect I'm not meant to… I recommend it to those who find reality boring; it may make them see it in new ways."
—Piers Anthony, author of the Xanth series

To see if you'd enjoy Jeremy's writing, check out his short story Camp in Chizine.

Find out more about Jeremy on his website Haunted House Dressing and on his MySpace site.

I was thinking of interviewing Jeremy Shipp about his book "Vacation." I read some of the reviews and decided I really couldn't think of the right questions to ask. The only person (or should I say 'entity'?) qualified to interview Jeremy is The Devil. Herewith is the interview. Please pardon the fire and brimstone emanating from your computer screen.

Devil: First of all, let's get this out of the way. Do you dislike to avoid abstaining from not eating babies?

Jeremy C. Shipp: What?

D: Just answer the question!

JCS: No.

D: Ah, you do eat babies then.

JCS: No, I meant that I won't answer such a confusing question.

D: So you're not as smart as you claim to be.

JCS: I'm not claiming anything.

D: You wrote a novel. Isn't that another way of saying, "Look at me. I'm smarter than everyone else. I belong on a pedestal so that I can throw tangerines at people's kidneys."

JCS: Are you evil or just stupid?

D: Moving on. Let's talk about your novel.

JCS: Finally.

D: What inspired you to write a story that's pure evil?

JCS: I wouldn't say it's evil.

D: Aha, but didn't you say in a prior interview, and I quote, "I'm Jeremy. I like writing evil stories. Anyone who reads my book loves the Devil and wants to marry him?"

JCS: I never said that.

D: Your word against mine. Anyway, if your book isn't evil, then why do you kill every single character?

JCS: You haven't even read it, have you?

D: I can read it in your eyes.

JCS: That's it. We're done.

D: No, wait! I'm sorry. Sometimes I get a little overexcited. It's a condition. If you say your book isn't pure evil, then it isn't pure evil. I'm sure it's filled with baby puppies dancing on giant sunflowers.

JCS: Don't get me wrong. Bad things sometimes happen in the book, because bad things sometimes happen in life. People don't always act respectfully towards one another. The book, I'd say, has a good heart. It wants the world to be a better place.

D: I understand. You're saying that you're some sort of savior who can save mankind from all its suffering.

JCS: Just…forget it. This interview's over.

D: Fine. But before we can publish this interview, I'll need you to sign right here.

JCS: There…wait a second. What was all that fine print?

D: Nothing.