About the Author: “When he retired, Dave began his writing career. He published his first novel in 2007, 2050 and since then has written and published 8 novels, 3 short story collections, 5 poetry books, and 5 plays. His latest novel, Each Day is a Life, a novel for our times will be published in the winter of 2023. Dave, in all his writings, whether a novel, poetry, or play, concentrates on difficult situations in life and how people respond to them. His versatility of written expression is utilized in all of his artistic works.”
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Tell us what you’ve been working on since your last novel Lifeline, was published in 2021.
Actually, two novels. One (Each Day is a Life) is to be published by Elderberry Press this winter and another (Sam’s Road) is still being worked on. Both are novels based in Pittsburgh about people rising to try and help folks have a chance of having stable lives in this one-sided society of ours. Both focus on a collaboration of personal resources from those who have succeeded in their lives to help those who have a limited opportunity to succeed.
You dabble in other writing forms, is that correct, including something called ‘Burgh-Ku?
I found Haiku a few years ago and love the fact that life can be documented so well in just three lines. Over my writing years I have written much traditional poetry, but have found in Haiku a way to visualize and express life around me in my version, I call it ‘BurghKu because all my observations, for the most part, take place in the town of my life, Pittsburgh.
Once you’ve decided on a subject, how do you choose what form (poetry, play, or novel) it feels best to write it in?
Great question. To me a novel is a story that needs a thorough description of characters and plot to express the theme the author is attempting to express. A play is usually a moment in the life of one or several people at a turning point in one or all of their lives. A poem, for me, is a moment expressed by the poet that attempts to describe a specific belief or an observation.
Do you ever want to see your plays performed here in Pittsburgh?
Well, I love to write, but I am an awful promoter. Over the years I have written 5 plays about specific situations; two historical and three life situations. Recently one play, “Angel of Mercy” has been exposed to a group at JCC in the South Hills for a possible reading which might lead to an introduction to a local theater group. I believe “Angel of Mercy” is an amazing story of the most effective woman labor organizer of the early 20th Century who was murdered because of her success in helping workers at a strike site near Pittsburgh. Her life and death should be recognized. My small play, “Here’s to Max”, is a salute to the great writers of the 20th Century, Ernest Hemingway, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Thomas Wolfe and their editor, Maxwell Perkins. I would love to see this one expanded a bit and produced.
You often state that your writing is “for our times.” What do you mean by that?
I believe every writer is usually bent on describing their vision and version of the times they live in. This is an extremely difficult time, but all times are such; writers can express the times, by bringing the people of those times into their lines, seeking personal resolution within whatever goes on about them in the world.
Oftentimes your writing involves Pittsburgh, whether it’s the setting for the story, or referenced throughout the piece. What is it about being a Pittsburgher that makes you want to highlight the nuances of our city?
To me, this is a town of American history that is unique. Utilizing the natural resources that brought people of many nationalities and religion, finally those of different races, to a site of natural beauty that is still unique. In Pittsburgh old is accepted and new is exciting; but the most important element of the ‘Burgh, is its humility of greatness. Most of my characters are not show-boats, just solid, consciousness folks who want to live a life of helping those born without the opportunities that they had.
Tell us what your latest novel Each Day is a Life is about.
A book about one man who settles major corporate disputes around the world who, when in his late years and facing a medical demise, incorporates his work of settling disputes with two others into a successful organization. That organization adds some young students and between them all, they find ways to settle local, national, and worldly disputes by simply accepting the fact that giving a little is better than getting nothing. It incorporates working together over using powerful, negative, unethical methods to overpower another. It can be done.
And you recently discovered a piece you wrote during the Covid-19 pandemic. Will that be published too?
So funny, for me, in going through my mirage of Word documents over the past years, to find a novel I never finished, even though there are over 300 pages of the story. Based in Pittsburgh, where else, Sam’s Road, is about an African American veteran who comes out of military service after 20 years to his hometown of Homewood, which is derelict. He works for 40 years to help children and now in his 80s is found by an old friend when he first started who is a successful, retired white business man who joins him. He then hires a woman who’s looking for a way to spend her deceased husband’s money and finds Sam. They create a great program to help young African American kids and their parents, first in their school years and even afterwards to have a chance at success. It’s all because of Sam.
Where can readers find more information about your works?
My website has links to all my books available for sale at https://daveborlandwriter.com and you can also find me on Facebook, at Dave Borland, Pittsburgh Writer.
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