Interview with Catherine Forster about her memoir Chasing Tarzan

Writer Catherine Forster is here today and we’re chatting about her memoir, Chasing Tarzan.

Catherine is doing a virtual book tour with Wow! Women on Writing the Muffin. Tour details are at the bottom of the post.

Bio:
Catherine Forster honed her powers of observation early on, and later applied them to artistic endeavors. Although it didn’t happen overnight, she discovered that seeing and hearing a bit more than the average person can be beneficial. As an artist, her work has exhibited in museums and galleries across the United States and abroad. Her experimental films have won accolades and awards and have screened in more than thirty international film festivals, from Sao Paulo to Berlin, Los Angeles to Rome, London to Romania. Through her work, she explores the dynamics of girlhood, notions of identity, and the role technology plays in our relationship with nature.

In her capacity as an independent curator, she founded LiveBox, an eight-year project that introduced new media arts to communities at a time when few new what media arts was. For the past four years she has been a member of the curatorial team for the Experiments In Cinema Film Festival held annually in Albuquerque, New Mexico. She received a Masters of Fine Arts from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, a Masters of Business from the London Business School, and a fellowship in writing from the Vermont Studio Center. She is also included in the Brooklyn Art Museum’s Elizabeth A. Sackler Center for Feminist Art.

Welcome, Catherine. Please tell us about your current release.
Chasing Tarzan is about the ripple effects of bullying, how it shapes who we become, and impacts our closest relationships. In my early years we moved like gypsies, my father chasing the elusive brass ring in sales. He promised adventure, a new state, a new town, a new school, but I found only chaos and menace. There was no one to protect me from a school bully or my brother’s fists. My parents, teachers, and friends did not intervene. I escaped the only way I knew how, channeling an imaginary companion and protector, Tarzan. Powerfully adept at whisking myself away, I retreated far inward so their taunts could not reach me, not realizing no one else would be able to either.

The book explores the limits of imagination in effecting change. A rich internal world may help dampen the pain, but changes nothing. I woke to this truth and sought action, becoming an exchange student. In New Zealand, seven thousand away from my tormentors and all who knew me, I took on a new persona: the popular girl. But fundamentally, I had not changed. I fooled everyone; except for my Kiwi host “mum,” who saw through my façade and pulled me out from my inner safe-house. Exposed, my sense of self imploded, and I was forced to rethink who I was.

Chasing Tarzan is about bullying, but at its heart, is a story about family and the mother-daughter relationship. In this case two mothers: the woman who realized me, and the one who saved me.
What inspired you to write this book?

The rekindling of my own memories of being bullied and my daughter’s struggle with her tormentors inspired Chasing Tarzan. A family safari trip to Africa brought my own childhood memories to the surface. I imagined Tarzan everywhere: peeking into our tent, riding a bull elephant, running alongside a herd of wildebeest. It was as if he were chasing me––or my memories were. In writing Chasing Tarzan, I upended the paradigm, chasing him, and hunting for the meaning of those hidden memories.

Like many children, I was told that bullying was a fact of life, part of growing up, that one would be stronger for it. It was a different time, but now, in the age of zero-tolerance bullying programs, why was my daughter a target? I promised the day she was born that she would not suffer as I had, but when the time came, I was powerless to stop it. In the beginning, I wrote the book for her, so she would know she was not alone or deserved cruel treatment. My writing group helped me recognize the universal themes of Chasing Tarzan. Through them, I took on the challenge of writing for a broader audience.

 

Excerpt from Chasing Tarzan:
“Next,” Sister said, pointing her pencil at me.

We were stuck in mindless review, Sister hammering fifth-grade math back into our vacant summer heads. I was ready for sixth-grade material, but she wasn’t––not yet. Stepping up to the blackboard, I grabbed a long piece of chalk, turned around, and faced her. She paused before announcing my challenge, and I could tell she was thinking up a hard one.

“Five-hundred-and-forty-six times forty-two.”

I wrote the problem on the board and drew a line under it.

“Hey, Porky.” Hunter hissed, for my ears only. “You’ll never get it.”

Pressing on, I worked the problem in my head: Two times six is twelve, carry the one. I wrote two under the six and put a notch above the four, letting Sister see before I moved on. I stayed put while she moved to the back of the room. Hunter watched her decamp, too.

“Give it up, Retard.” His voice was still a whisper, but it was louder, everyone up front must have heard the offensive word: his favorite term for me.

Two times four is eight, plus one is nine.

“Piggy, I can’t see the blackboard. Your fat ass is in the way.”

It was time to liberate a dependable fantasy, one I could inhabit and do math. I focused on the numbers and the jungle beyond the blackboard. Blades of grass suddenly slashed my arms and legs, but I kept running, hurling through the bush, and resisting the impulse to look back. The barrage behind me was deafening. The ground shook, tripping me up, but I forged on.

Two times five is ten. Four times six is twenty-six, no twenty-four. Carry the two. Place the four under the two. No. Dammit. Four under the four.

“Give it up, Retard!”

He was gaining on me. I could smell him. A sharp object wedged deep in the ball of my foot but, I ignored the pain. Each pounding on the ground forced the offense deeper, but I didn’t let it slow me down. My eyes were locked forward; there was no looking back and falling was not an option.

Four times four is sixteen, carry the one. Oops, sixteen plus two is eighteen. Four times five is twenty, plus one is twenty-one.

“Hurry up, stupid. I’m tired of looking at your fat ass.”

Something was moving in the bush just ahead. A hiss pricked my ears. Standing perfectly still, I eyed the cobra. Its tongue slithering in and out of its mouth, preparing to strike––

“Can anybody see around that ass?”

Trapped between a crazed rhino and a deadly cobra, sure to be poisoned or crushed if I stayed put, I pivoted right. The cobra lurched, fangs inches from my face. The adder’s head launched into the air, thanks to Tarzan’s blade. The snake’s headless body writhed as if trying to escape, only to be trampled by the enraged rhino. It happened so fast, I didn’t feel Tarzan swing me up into the trees. Grinning, he wiped the machete on a leaf, leaving behind a gooey red smudge.

Bring down the two, four plus nine is thirteen, carry the one, eight plus one is nine, one plus one is two …

 

What exciting project are you working on next?
Sorry Cakes for Supper, a work of fiction. The main character, Judyth, is on the cusp of her fiftieth birthday. She is content with the life she has created, where emotions are kept at arm’s length, until her son shows up on her doorstep and deposits his six-year old daughter. The story alternates between Judyth’s week with her granddaughter and flashbacks of Judyth’s childhood, between 1914 and 1920. Her granddaughter has stopped talking for no apparent reason. The child’s distress and ghost-like presence shatter Judyth’s carefully crafted world. The story takes Judyth from a joyful child to a reticent adult, yet it is the course of one week spent with her granddaughter that is most life-changing.

When did you first consider yourself a writer?
Great question. The process was not straightforward. I was a visual artist long before I started writing. The only written work I produced was exhibition proposals and project documentation. Chasing Tarzan was the impetus to write, and it wasn’t a conscious decision, but rather, an unfolding process. Initially, I created a picture journal with captions. At the time, the idea of writing a book would have seemed pure folly, but words came to me, invading my thoughts and drawings. As my daughter was also the target of bullies, I elected to write passages for her. These early writings became a series of short stories; the beginnings of a book and my journey to becoming a writer.

Do you write full-time? If so, what’s your work day like? If not, what do you do other than write and how do you find time to write?
Unless I’m immersed in a writing period, I don’t write full-time. I have to make space for both my art practice and writing projects. When I have an exhibition deadline, I focus on producing work. When I’m buried in a writing project, nothing can pull me away.

My most productive time varies depending on each discipline. I write early, first thing in the morning before the world intrudes. I begin by reading, filling my head with good sentences and vibrant words. So as not to be overly influenced by one writer’s voice, I read at least three books at a time, studying choices the author is making. Next, I read my own work, starting with the previous chapter. And I’m not a coffee-shop writer. I need total silence. I have a favorite room––not my studio, which is for making and reflecting on art––and writing chair. I write from 6AM until noon, have lunch, go for a walk or kayak. It is in nature that I resolve both writing and art problems.

Working in my studio, creating art, is a vastly different process. I start later and can work well into the night. My energy doesn’t wane as it does when I write. I am thoroughly exhausted after a morning’s writing; my head feels as if it’s about to explode. Fortunately, stepping away, even for a short walk, can be restorative. Thoughts about my task don’t cease––they just whirl––but clarity emerges in nature.

What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?
I suppose it is where I work. The room needs to be comfortable, no clutter, and quiet; not a sound from another room or outside can intrude. I write sitting in a comfy chair with a lap-desk and computer on my lap. Interruptions, a knock on the door, can totally disrupt my flow.

In the beginning, I tried to write in my studio. I love my studio, but there was too much going on. Mostly by accident, I found a quiet space in the corner of a guest room.

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
A doctor. As a young girl, I was interested in science as well as art. In my family, a career in the sciences was considered legitimate. Art was a hobby. My first degree was in microbiology, my first job was as a medical technologist. The interesting thing, is that I used a lens back then (a microscope) and still do. Today the lens is a camera. As part of my art practice, I make experimental films, and use photographs to compose paintings and installations.

During those early days, I used a microscope to uncover what lay beneath the surface. This remains true for me, in both my writing and art practice, as I explore the underlying perplexities of a given theme.

Anything additional you want to share with the readers?
I wrote this book to reach out to young people who are struggling with bullying and women who are rethinking their own childhood. Many readers have shared their personal reactions to Chasing Tarzan, how the book resonates with them. They recognize the bully, when they might have been the bully, and those times when they were a witness but did nothing. Several have been so moved that they purchased the book for their local schools and school counselors.

I wish I had a magic wand to end this pervasive menace. I don’t have the answer. The one act that can make a difference is advocacy. Be a champion. On a bad day, a kind word can make all the difference in a child’s life.

Links:
Website | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter

 

 

Blog Tour Calendar

October 24th @ The Muffin
Join us as we celebrate the launch of Chasing Tarzan by Catherine Forster. We’ll be interviewing the author, sharing information about the book, and hosting a giveaway. https://muffin.wow-womenonwriting.com/

October 25th @ Pages and Paws
Join the Pages and Paws blog and read the review of Chasing Tarzan by Catherine Forster. https://pagesandpaws.com/

October 25th HERE!

October 26th @ Author Anthony Avina’s Blog
Visit Anthony’s page and read his review of Chasing Tarzan by Catherine Forster. https://www.authoranthonyavinablog.com/

October 27th @ Chapter Break
Join Julie as she shares a guest post by Catherine Forster about the role of imagination when children suffer torment.
https://chapterbreak.net/

October 30th @ Rockin Book Reviews
Join Lu Ann as she reviews Chasing Tarzan by Catherine Forster. https://rockinbookreviews.com/

November 2nd @ The Mommies Review
Join Glenda as she reviews Chasing Tarzan by Catherine Forster and hosts a giveaway on her blog. https://themommiesreviews.com/

November 3rd @ Sioux’s Page
Visit Sioux’s blog as she reads and reviews Chasing Tarzan by Catherine Forster. http://siouxspage.blogspot.com/

November 4th @ The Faerie Review
Join Lily as she reviews Chasing Tarzan by Catherine Forster. https://www.thefaeriereview.com/

November 5th @ Jill Sheets Blog
Jill interviews Catherine Forster about her memoir Chasing Tarzan. http://jillsheets.blogspot.com/

November 7th @ Clueless Gent
Join Michael as he reviews Chasing Tarzan by Catherine Forster. https://www.cluelessgent.com/

November 10th @ Word Magic
Come by Fiona’s blog and read a guest post about the mother-daughter relationship in all its complexities. http://fionaingramauthor.blogspot.com/

November 12th @ Just Katherine
Jamie shares her thoughts about Chasing Tarzan by Catherine Forster.
https://justkatherineblog.wordpress.com/

November 13th @ Writer Advice
Catherine Forster shares a guest post about how her idea for her memoir came to be and how she turned it into a novel. https://writeradvice.com/

November 15th @ Choices
Madeline shares a guest post by Catherine Forster about the long-term effects of bullying. http://madelinesharples.com/

November 17th @ All the Ups and Downs
Join Heather as she features a guest post by Catherine Forster about the role of adults and how they can be the potential savior for the wounded child. https://alltheupsandowns.blogspot.com/

November 19th @ Boots, Shoes and Fashion
Join Linda as she interviews author Catherine Forster about her book Chasing Tarzan. https://bootsshoesandfashion.com/

November 19th @ Life According to Jamie
Jamie shares her thoughts about Chasing Tarzan by Catherine Forster. https://lifeaccordingtojamie.com/