Interview with Richard L. Evans, author of "Life of the Eagle."
Welcome to Reader Views, Richard.
Irene: Your book “Life of the Eagle” is considered to be mystical and magical, drawing the reader into a life of man who cannot die, but must watch generation after generation pass away before his eyes. Please tell us about the struggles your character has as he watches things happen that he as no control over.
Richard: The main character (he is never named in the book) first discovers he has a “gift” of healing while still a child. But each time he heals someone of a dire illness, they die soon after under horrific circumstances. Is he not supposed to use such a wonderful gift? Growing to manhood, he finds that he remains youthful and strong while other men his age don’t—he has stopped aging. Why? Later he comes to believe God is keeping him alive for a reason. But what reason? Is he to accomplish some task, some miracle that God has in mind? And if he does do what God intends, will God then give him his greatest wish—his death? There is a terrible downside to immortality. He also carries a mark, a scar made the first time he murdered another man. Is it the mark of Cain? God marked Cain so that no man would kill him, so he would live on—and on.
Irene: Although considered fiction, how much truth is there to this story?
Richard: The truth in the story is the history the reader sees through the eyes of the main character. All of the history is accurate within that framework. And there is a lot of history. My research required me to investigate all of the following: what a boy would learn about seamanship in colonial days; about the Middle Passage slave trade including life on a slave ship; the military campaigns of General Washington during the American Revolution; frontier life in the Eastern forests including the language and customs of the Shawnee people; the life and explorations of Western mountain men in the fur trade; San Francisco and the gold rush days; how to captain a clipper ship sailing from San Franciso and going around Cape Horn to the East Coast; the Civil War battles at New Bern, NC and at Antietam; medical school practices in the 1870s; early Marine Corps aviators in World War I; World War II and Korea (the Chosen Reservoir); Viet Nam and the Hue massacre (that so few Americans ever heard about); and many Biblical passages (Life of the Eagle is a spiritual journey as well as a great historical adventure).
Irene: You have written two other books, however, “Life of the Eagle” appears to be very different from your previous writings. Explain to us what inspired you to write this book.
Richard: “Life of the Eagle” wasn’t supposed to be a book. I had never written a book before and had no intention of ever writing one. It was supposed to be a feature article about modern American attitudes toward death and dying. But it morphed into a book about life and living. After it was clear it was to be a book I just relaxed and enjoyed it.
Irene: Your main character is a metaphor for each one of us. Please tell our readers how they would be able to relate to this character.
Richard: I have never studied writing. But I have a friend, a professor of creative writing, who told me after I wrote the book that he always has his students name their characters because it helps readers identify with them. Well, I guess I blew that. But we are all mortal. We don’t like to think about it but we know it. So you might think we can’t understand this guy who is not mortal, but we do. We identify with his greatest wish, to have what we have: the surety of a finite lifespan. If you think death is terrible, don’t even think about immortality.
Irene: Often writers put some of their own personality into one of the characters in a fictional story that they write. Is there any part of you that has been written into “Life of the Eagle”? If so, what areas of your own experience or thoughts did you bring into the story?
Richard: My main character is not a bad person. He does some very bad things in his life but only rarely are they done out of shear malice. Does that sound like anyone you know? It does to me.
Irene: You made a comment that you “don’t want to life forever.” Many people wouldn’t understand that statement, some actually do want to life forever. Would you give us more insight into your thoughts?
Richard: Ok, let’s say medical immortality is now possible, which may actually be true —if not so at this moment it will certainly be with us in less than ten years—I’ve done the research—believe it. So, you take a little pill and presto! you’ve got it. No more wrinkles, no more age spots, osteoporosis, rotten teeth, eyesight, hearing or breath. You can remember things, too. But now you’re a pariah. You’re not like anyone else and that makes you seem dangerous. You’ll have to watch everyone you love die away. All of your old friends will go, too. And then you’re new friends will follow them. You’d have to learn not to love, it would be too painful. Suppose, however, that you’re not alone, that there are others who have also chosen to take the “pill.” How will you order your new society? What about children? I believe there could be no family units as we currently think of them—not unless you want to starve for eternity. And what will you do with all this new, long life? Whatever it is, you’ll have to be careful—break your back and you’ll spend eternity in a wheelchair or worse. I leave you with this quote from Susan Ertz which I use as the forward for my book: “Millions yearn for immortality who don’t know what to do with themselves on a rainy Sunday afternoon.”
Irene: There is an underlying message in every story. What is the message that you want readers to come away with while reading this book?
Richard: God is with us. God acts through us. There really are angels in this world.
Irene: Thank you very much Richard. Is there anything else you would like your readers to know about you or your book?
Richard: No, I can’t think of anything else. If anyone wants more information about me or my books they can go to my website at www.ncauthor.com. And thank you for your thoughtful questions.
