Prophet of Central Part

One of the most striking dynamics in The Prophet of Central Park is the one between Caleb, a young man caught in the crosshairs of political attention, and Tawana, a street performer who challenges him to rethink everything he thought he knew about belief. The novel plays out in a version of America that feels just slightly more fractured than the present—though not by much.

Author P C Burhenne writes with insight honed from a life that bridges creative and working-class worlds. His past in publishing, construction, and art dealing adds dimension to a novel that explores how people are shaped—and reshaped—by the environments and ideologies around them.

#TheProphetOfCentralPark #ProgressiveFiction #BooksForDiscussion #FaithAndDoubt #QueerVoices @therealbookgal

4.5 A good novel to read in our current times, intense in action, violence but also emotion. I liked the characters' journey and growth not only in their closer circles and family but as active members of a dysfunctional society. Tawana and Caleb are amazing characters. The author wrote Tawana well.

We can open the book on a random page (more than often) and find a meanful quote.

("What do I believe? What should I believe?" The simple minded voice says: Simple things - Believe in simple things (...) "What does that mean?" (...) Believe in giving a Spam sandwich to a hungry man who stinks.")

https://pcburhenne.com

THE PROPHET OF CENTRAL PARK:

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On writing:

How did you do research for your book?

Some of the news blurb required fact checking and I confirmed geographical details of settings where necessary. Otherwise the novel arose from my concerns about the polarization of our society.

Which was the hardest character to write? The easiest?

Tawana was the most challenging because as an older Caucasian male, I wanted to be careful to write from Caleb’s experience of her rather than to presume to write about her experience. Sidney was the easiest, probably because I could have the most fun with him.

In your book you make a reference to free will; how did you come up with this idea?

I open the book with a quote about the frightening nature of free will, a concept which at its core means we are responsible for the consequences, i.e. the harm caused by our moral decisions. I believe some people claim that a decision or action is “commanded by God” in order to absolve themselves of that responsibility.

Where do you get inspiration for your stories?

For the past several years the political and cultural unrest in America has suggested much of what I write.

There are many books out there about “our time”. What makes yours different?

I hope it is a sense of humility. At the book’s end, Caleb finally understands his own growing contribution to the generational dysfunction of his family and the greater dysfunction in our country.

What advice would you give budding writers?

Talent is not enough to succeed. Submit your work to criticism, even if you don’t accept all of it; learn from the examples of those who have found print; and most importantly, persevere in the face of the inevitable rejections.

Your book is set in Northern Kentucky and Manhattan. Have you ever been there?

I traveled a good bit through Northern Kentucky in my 20s and lived in NYC during my 30’s. I still visit the city often.

If you could put yourself as a character in your book, who would you be?

I would like to be in the audience of one of Tawana’s Park engagements.

Do you have another profession besides writing?

I practice the trade of arbitrage or, more simply, I buy and sell items at auction, mostly art prints but some other collectibles also.

How long have you been writing?

I have been writing for over three decades.

Do you ever get writer’s block? What helps you overcome it?

When I get stuck, I simplify the language and sentence structures that I’m using which forces me to examine an idea or passage in its parts.

What is your next project?

Boy meets girl with what I hope is a startling modern twist.

What genre do you write and why?

For the most part I write literary fiction, probably because of an inflated sense of self.

What is the last great book you’ve read?

Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver

What is a favorite compliment you have received on your writing?

That someone stayed up late because they couldn’t stop reading my book.

How are you similar to or different from your lead character?

I don’t think I have his tolerance for pain.

If your book were made into a movie, who would star in the leading roles?

I don’t think of this book in terms of a movie. I worry what a filmmaker would turn it into.

What were the biggest rewards and challenges with writing your book?

The book was its own reward. I looked forward to getting up each morning because of it. I felt guilty about the hell I put Caleb through.

In one sentence, what was the road to publishing like?

A journey with a lot of roadblocks to a destination that I did not envision at its start.

Which authors inspired you to write?

Cormac McCarthy and Thomas Wolfe, oddly enough.

On rituals:

Do you snack while writing?

No

Where do you write?

Usually in my back room in front of the wood stove, whether it is lit or not.

Do you write every day?

Yes, when a project has a hold of me. Otherwise, intermittently until one does.

What is your writing schedule?

I write first thing in the morning.

Is there a specific ritualistic thing you do during your writing time?

I’m a bit atavistic in that I write with paper and pen and type the results into the computer when I have achieved a block.

Fun stuff:

If you could go back in time, where would you go?

I wouldn’t; I don’t see any golden era that we have lost.

Favorite travel spot?

Kona, Hawaii with accommodations on the Pacific

What’s the funniest thing that ever happened to you? The scariest? The strangest?

Though I can’t remember any of his material, I once had a friend in my 20s who could consistently make me fall down laughing.

The scariest: when I was a child, my father was barely able to avoid a car that was driving the wrong way at us on a highway.

As to the strangest, I can’t pick one as the world is a strange old place in general.

What’s the most courageous thing you’ve ever done?

I chased and tackled an Apple picker–someone who snatches iPhones–near Washington Park in Manhattan.

Any hobbies?

I used to paint and make wood sculptures; the latter activity in slightly altered form found its way into this book.

If there is one thing you want readers to remember about you, what would it be?

That I wrote with the hope that doing so would make the world better than I found it.

What TV series are you currently binge watching?

Elementary

What is your favorite thing to do, whatever the season?

I look forward to exercising: pushups, sit-ups and a little jog.

What is a favorite holiday memory?

My family’s trip to Kona was especially impactful, so much so that I went into mini-mourning the last day at the thought of leaving. The experience inspired one of the short stories I am most proud of.

What is something that made you laugh recently?

A highway billboard for a personal injury lawyer whose tagline was “We win a lot”. They paid someone to come up with that!

What is your go-to breakfast item?

Oatmeal with blueberries, walnuts and bananas.

Tell us about your longest friendship.

My longest friendship is with my wife. Beyond that, I’ll keep our relationship private.

What is the strangest way you've become friends with someone?

I met another buyer at an auction who is in many ways the extreme opposite of me, certainly politically, but somehow we got past that to become close.

Who was your childhood celebrity crush?

Anne Murray