Interview with Emmy Award-winning Documentary Producer/Director William Petrick
Dorothy Thompson
December 04, 2008
William Petrick is an Emmy Award-winning documentary producer/director who has created programs for National Geographic, Discovery, MTV, Court TV and many other cable and broadcast networks. He is currently a senior producer with Bill Moyers Journal on PBS.
He is also the author of the contemporary fiction, The Five Lost Days, released in November from Pearhouse Press.
We interviewed William to find out more about his exciting new book.
Thank you for this interview, Bill. Can you tell us briefly what your latest book, THE FIVE LOST DAYS is all about?
Itīs about how what we see and recognize in the world around us is almost entirely dependent on what we believe.The story follows a documentary crew as they travel into the remote Maya Mountains of Belize and Guatemala in the late 1980s when the civil war was at itsī peak. It was a time when the native Mayans suffered a near genocide. The filmmakers are hoping to capture rare footage of the last surviving curandero, a Mayan healer and bush doctor who uses the plants and barks of the rain forest as medicine. The curandero is helped by an American couple, two ex-urbanites who run a research camp for an international pharmaceutical firm. Along the way, the film crew stumbles into Guatemalan soldiers who have crossed the Belize border in search of a fugitive. In the end, they find themselves a bigger story than they could ever have imagined.
Can you tell us what (or who) was the inspiration behind your book?
Two things. One is the jungle. Iīve traveled through a number of them for my day job (Iīm a documentary producer) and the phrase "jungle fever" is real and literal. There is no place like it for sensory awareness. Second was my interest in medicinal plants and in the work I do as a documentary producer. When I go to remote locations (or even urban ones), Iīve always felt almost like I was leading an army platoon. You drop in and fly out after you have the story—too often leaving a mess behind you.
Is this your first published book and if so, can you tell us your experiences in finding a publisher for it?
Getting a publisher was a long, weary slog. In the end, despite having an agent, it was Pearhouse Press who found me through a short story in a small literary magazine.
How has Pearhouse Press been to work with?
Outstanding. Iīve compared notes with other writers and they say I am lucky. I had a great editor whose input literally changed the last third of the book—for the better. The publisher has been supportive beyond belief. It helps that they are small and just getting started.
Do you have an agent?
Not anymore.
Can you tell us how long it took you to write your book and also how long it took from the time Pearhouse Press sent the contract and the time it was released?
Iīm embarrassed to say how long it took to write this book. I wasnīt working every day but it took almost 8 years! The next one wonīt. I hope. I think this one taught me how to write a novel.
From contract to release took a little more than a year.
Do you have any words of inspiration from other writers who would like to be wearing your shoes?
Donīt be discouraged if your book isnīt snapped up by the major publishers. You can find a home with small, independent publishers who arenīt necessarily trying to profit from you. They just believe in writing.
Whatīs next for you?
Iīm well into a new novel tentatively called "Conduct Unbecoming". Itīs about a soldier of conscience during the invasion of Haiti back in 1992, during what was called "Operation Restore Democracy". There are adventure elements to it but the novel really looks at what it means to do the right thing---if the world doesnīt agree.
You can visit William on the web at www.thefivelostdays.com.
He is also the author of the contemporary fiction, The Five Lost Days, released in November from Pearhouse Press.
We interviewed William to find out more about his exciting new book.
Thank you for this interview, Bill. Can you tell us briefly what your latest book, THE FIVE LOST DAYS is all about?
Itīs about how what we see and recognize in the world around us is almost entirely dependent on what we believe.The story follows a documentary crew as they travel into the remote Maya Mountains of Belize and Guatemala in the late 1980s when the civil war was at itsī peak. It was a time when the native Mayans suffered a near genocide. The filmmakers are hoping to capture rare footage of the last surviving curandero, a Mayan healer and bush doctor who uses the plants and barks of the rain forest as medicine. The curandero is helped by an American couple, two ex-urbanites who run a research camp for an international pharmaceutical firm. Along the way, the film crew stumbles into Guatemalan soldiers who have crossed the Belize border in search of a fugitive. In the end, they find themselves a bigger story than they could ever have imagined.
Can you tell us what (or who) was the inspiration behind your book?
Two things. One is the jungle. Iīve traveled through a number of them for my day job (Iīm a documentary producer) and the phrase "jungle fever" is real and literal. There is no place like it for sensory awareness. Second was my interest in medicinal plants and in the work I do as a documentary producer. When I go to remote locations (or even urban ones), Iīve always felt almost like I was leading an army platoon. You drop in and fly out after you have the story—too often leaving a mess behind you.
Is this your first published book and if so, can you tell us your experiences in finding a publisher for it?
Getting a publisher was a long, weary slog. In the end, despite having an agent, it was Pearhouse Press who found me through a short story in a small literary magazine.
How has Pearhouse Press been to work with?
Outstanding. Iīve compared notes with other writers and they say I am lucky. I had a great editor whose input literally changed the last third of the book—for the better. The publisher has been supportive beyond belief. It helps that they are small and just getting started.
Do you have an agent?
Not anymore.
Can you tell us how long it took you to write your book and also how long it took from the time Pearhouse Press sent the contract and the time it was released?
Iīm embarrassed to say how long it took to write this book. I wasnīt working every day but it took almost 8 years! The next one wonīt. I hope. I think this one taught me how to write a novel.
From contract to release took a little more than a year.
Do you have any words of inspiration from other writers who would like to be wearing your shoes?
Donīt be discouraged if your book isnīt snapped up by the major publishers. You can find a home with small, independent publishers who arenīt necessarily trying to profit from you. They just believe in writing.
Whatīs next for you?
Iīm well into a new novel tentatively called "Conduct Unbecoming". Itīs about a soldier of conscience during the invasion of Haiti back in 1992, during what was called "Operation Restore Democracy". There are adventure elements to it but the novel really looks at what it means to do the right thing---if the world doesnīt agree.
You can visit William on the web at www.thefivelostdays.com.
Print
Email
