We’re tickled to be joined by the incomparable Jason Heroux for this Power Q&A to talk a little about the impulse to get surreal and his latest book, a collection of short stories, Survivors of the Hive (Radiant Press, 2023).
Q: Surrealism. It’s a part of so much of your work—not just your notably and wonderfully surreal short story collection, Survivors of the Hive (Radiant Press, 2023). Is surrealism a conscious choice for you? And if so, why? Or is it more of an intrinsic gravitational pull—a way you make sense of things perhaps unconsciously? Or a bit of both or something else entirely?
A: When I sit down to write a poem or piece of fiction, I don’t purposely start from a surreal perspective. I begin with an image, or a scene, or a bit of dialogue, and see where it leads. I find things eventually take a surreal turn, simply because surrealism gives me the most freedom to go where I please. The text becomes an exciting open road, destination unknown. At the same, I feel “reality” is more surreal than we give it credit for. Very little “makes sense.” Or at least that’s been my experience so far. For example, one divided by one somehow still equals one. And all rainwater on earth is now no longer safe to drink. We’re not living in a dream, but it can feel that way. Why not write about how strange and unreal the whole thing feels?
Suvivors of the Hive (stories) by Jason Heroux. Available anywhere books are sold, including from Radiant Press.
More about Survivors of the Hive:
Loss. Grief. Centipedes. Silence. The word “no.” The word “yes.” A high school poetry contest that may or may not be linked to the end of the world. The characters in this collection are under attack. A grief-baffled son hopes to save an innocent insect from a toxic genocide, a daughter struggles to accept loss while visiting a community overwhelmed by denial, a sorrow-stricken father recalls his bizarre final conversation with his only child; the individuals in these stories discover how difficult it can be to let go of what’s gone in order to live with what’s left.
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More about Jason:
Jason Heroux is the author of four books of poetry: Memoirs of an Alias (2004); Emergency Hallelujah (2008); Natural Capital (2012) and Hard Work Cheering Up Sad Machines (2016). He is also the author of three novels: Good Evening, Central Laundromat (2010), We Wish You a Happy Killday (2014), and Amusement Park of Constant Sorrow (2018). Jason holds a BA degree from Queen’s University, and was a finalist for the 2018 ReLit Novel Award. He was the Poet Laureate for the City of Kingston from 2019 to 2022. He lives with his wife Soheir, and their three cats, Akira, Pablo, and Neruda in Kingston, Ontario.