Jerry Fabyanic is an award-winning author of multiple fiction and nonfiction books. His novels in the Sisyphus Series are theme-focused and character-driven, and the essays in his Food for Thought Series explore a wide range of mind and spirit topics. In addition to his published works, Fabyanic posts a fresh essay monthly on his website. Learn more at https://jerryfabyanic.com/.
SunLit: Tell us this book’s backstory. What inspired you to write it? Where did the story/theme originate?
Jerry Fabyanic: Initially, I considered “Sisyphus Wins,” which I published in 2016, to be a one-and-done novel, but multiple readers encouraged me to continue the story by getting into what came next for Jonathan and Daniel.
I spun my wheels for several years trying to write a worthy, compelling sequel. Then, a trusted friend talked to me about an aspect of my MO. Though meant in context of me personally, her words triggered insight into the story I was attempting—and failing—to tell. I started anew, and six weeks later I had a solid MS of “The Lion’s Den.”
SunLit: Place this excerpt in context. How does it fit into the book as a whole? Why did you select it?
Fabyanic: At age 62, Father Daniel Murphy finds himself at a juncture in life. He’s befuddled, unsure about remaining a Jesuit priest and staying in his decades-long relationship with Jonathan Slovanco. Through his ruminations, he begins to fall into the self-pity victim trap.
His most trusted friend, Vincente, picks up on it and pulls no punches when confronting Daniel about it. Their exchange serves as a reminder about a debilitating aspect of human nature: self-pity. It’s also a model for what a true and honest friend must do at times: Be straightforward and brutally honest with those they love and care for.
SunLit: Tell us about creating this book. What influences and/or experiences informed the project before you sat down to write?
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Fabyanic: The observation my friend made dealt with my lingering resentment toward the Catholic Church for its unrelenting hostility to non-hetero people. That resentment was morphing, she felt, into an unhealthy complex. Her intervention made me realize it was not only detrimental to my psyche, it was also negatively impacting my writing.
I can now say that while the Church’s continuing hard stance on LGBTQ people still rankles, it no longer exercises power over me.
SunLit: What did the process of writing this book add to your knowledge and understanding of your craft and/or the subject matter?
Fabyanic: Writing “The Lion’s Den” helped me put my finger on why I prefer reading literary fiction. Since they’re character driven with all else, from plot to setting, constructed to help the reader grasp the depth of the struggle(s) characters face and the reasons for the actions they take, well-written literary fiction novels provide insights into the causes of the characters’ conflicts, behaviors, and choices. In so doing, they can be studies in analytical psychology in story form.
SunLit: What were the biggest challenges you faced in writing this book?
Fabyanic: Several come to mind: Developing Daniel’s character so he would come across as a strong, honest, and sympathetic character. Providing insight into the complexity of the gay mindset and gay relationships. Moving the story beyond the particulars of Daniel and the other characters to the archetypal level so readers across the philosophical spectrum could find them relatable by identifying with their challenges.
“The Lion’s Den”
Where to find it:
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SunLit present new excerpts from some of the best Colorado authors that not only spin engaging narratives but also illuminate who we are as a community. Read more.
SunLit: What’s the most important thing that readers should take from this book?
Fabyanic: Oh wow! In addition to appreciating the breadth of internal struggles people cope with while projecting a having-it-all-together persona, a big takeaway is realizing that when one reaches their senior years, it’s important to remember that life can still hold promise and that there’s often plenty of time to pursue their happiness.
For some, it might mean giving up and stepping away from all they have known so they can pursue and lead the life they were intended to live. Nonetheless, it is a choice they must make.
SunLit: The subtitle of “The Lion’s Den” is “Book Two in the Sisyphus Series.” Explain why it is a sequel to “Sisyphus Wins” and why you chose to focus on Daniel in the story rather than Jonathan, the primary protagonist in “Sisyphus Wins.”
Fabyanic: Even though “Sisyphus Wins” is a story about Jonathan coming to acceptance of his true nature and resolving the conflicts he has faced along the way, Daniel, as Jonathan’s partner, plays an essential role in helping Jonathan become whole.
When readers gave me feedback about the various characters in “Sisyphus Wins,” to a one they liked and admired Daniel. But I knew Daniel, as a closeted gay priest entwined in a partnership, had his own precarious path to tread. The enormity of the balancing act Daniel must pull off and the high-wire subterfuge he has to engage in struck me as especially risky, something many could identify with in their own life stories.
Further, an underlying theme of both stories is the complexity of gay relationships. I hold they exponentially exceed hetero ones in their challenges for multiple reasons: The ongoing assault by prominent, powerful institutions and members of society on LGBTQ people.
While there isn’t a blueprint or playbook for creating a successful partnership, hetero couples can look to their family and across society for guidance and affirmation. Gay couples, not so much.
Gay couples rarely experienced the training ground for relationship development—dating—their hetero peers openly and regularly navigated.
SunLit: Tell us about your next project.
Fabyanic: My “next project,” a novella I titled “Chacolata,” is now complete and in print. The story is based on an actual experience I had at Chaco Culture National Historic Park, a place I hold sacred. It’s an esoteric tale in which I present an alternative peek into life on this plane and in the afterlife. At the back of the book is a set of discussion/journaling questions that prompt readers to explore concepts raised in the story on their own or, better yet, in a discussion group.
Next up are two books in the pre-planning stage: a memoir structured as a series of vignettes about my life experiences, like being a paperboy and my first fight, and Book Three in the Sisyphus Series.
A few more quick questions
Which do you enjoy more as you work on a book – writing or editing? Writing by far. It’s always an uplifting, personal learning experience. The editing process can be an arduous ordeal, especially when a work is in the pre-publishing stage.
What’s the first piece of writing – at any age – that you remember being proud of? A short story I wrote for my high school’s literary magazine. What I remember most about it was how the teacher sponsor didn’t like it and didn’t want to include it in the booklet but was overruled by my fellow students.
What three writers, from any era, would you invite over for a great discussion about literature and writing? John Steinbeck, Toni Morrison,Henry David Thoreau.
Do you have a favorite quote about writing? “In utter loneliness a writer tries to explain the inexplicable.” – John Steinbeck
What does the current collection of books on your home shelves tell visitors about you? I’m an inveterate consumer of stories, fiction and nonfiction alike, about the human experience. I love delving into the what and why of human behavior. I’m enthralled by the awe of super-human feats whether they end heroically and in an uplifting manner like Hampton Sides’s “Ghost Soldiers,” sadly and poignantly like Toni Morrison’s “Beloved,” or tragically like Mark Lee Gardner’s “The Earth Is All That Lasts.”
Soundtrack or silence? What’s the audio background that helps you write? Silence, even though “The Sounds of Silence” is one of my all-time favorite songs.
What music do you listen to for sheer enjoyment? Classic folk and pop music. Judy Collins, Joni Mitchell, Simon and Garfunkel, Bob Dylan.
What event, and at what age, convinced you that you wanted to be a writer? When I was a mid-60-something after I released “Sisyphus Wins.” The reception it got and the accolades I received told me I had stepped into a whole new universe. Like Joseph Campbell said, once you’ve said yes to the journey, there’s no going back.
Greatest writing fear? Not getting it right.
Greatest writing satisfaction? Getting it right.