Book interview - Far From Mars by Sal Nudo

Please tell us a little about the book

“Far From Mars” contains nine creative nonfiction articles about individuals who live and work in Champaign-Urbana, two adjoining towns in east central Illinois. The pieces range from dog walkers who adore their Greyhounds to a cassette collector who hosts a local radio show and plays on-air music via the tapes he buys. The Midwesterners featured in the book are regular people who took chances, followed their passions, and pursued meaningful hobbies.

Where did the inspiration come from for your book?

My work in progress is about my experience in graduate school for journalism, and I wanted to write "Far From Mars" so that others could see some of the literary journalism pieces I've written.

How did you find the experience of writing this book?

I loved it! I got to go back and revisit past stories I wrote, which was fun. I also was pleased to include the pictures I took for these stories in the book. Some of these stories were previously published online, and some were not.

Did you draw any inspiration from any real life people with any of your characters?

It's a nonfiction book about real-life people in the Midwest, so yes.

If you could say anything to readers of this  book then what would it be?

The book's title, Far Away From Mars, is also the partial title of the eighth story. In that piece, "Mars" refers to a Bruno Mars concert I attended the night before writing an article about 217 Float in Champaign. Being "far away from Mars" in that narrative described the feeling I had while soaking and drifting away in a pod filled with saltwater - an ecosystem away from a loud concert.

I gave this book the same title as story number eight because I believe the articles in it are lightyears away from the typical journalism pieces seen online and in newspapers. They offer a break from politics, celebrities, world strife, lawsuits, and a million other news and entertainment items that bombard us daily - stories that come from Mars because they are worlds away from the average person.

These pieces are about people who could be your neighbor or coworker, individuals who engaged in activities that interested them, worked in jobs they cared about, partook in hobbies they were passionate about, and, in one case, pursued an entirely new way of living.

Are there plans for more from these characters, or is it a stand alone piece?

It's a standalone piece.

Where can we purchase your book?

Amazon.

Please tell us where readers can connect with you and find out about any new book releases too.

Please connect with me on Twitter at @NudoSal.