John Jodzio, "Ham"

It’s December 8. John Jodzio, author of Knockout, isn’t sure how he’s going to explain this to insurance.

How would you describe your story?

JOHN JODZIO: Largely, this story is about a ex-con who is a fixer for two eagles who are constantly ham-bombing a town, but probably also and mostly about the state of the United States.

When did you write it, and how did the writing process compare to your other work?

JJ: Mostly wrote it a couple of years ago, and it was about the same process as every other story I write. Initial excitement, then a slog, then a little short spark and then some more slogging, and then a couple months of abandonment, then a little hope with little more doubt, then a breakthrough that wasn’t really a breakthrough, then some more grinding, then a final push/actual breakthrough.

What kind of research went into this story?

JJ: Watched a lot of eagle cams and think I read a Wikipedia page about eagles at one point.

What, to you, makes the short story a special form? What can it do that other kinds of writing can’t?

JJ: There can be a rhythm and concision that doesn’t usually work with longer form pieces. Also for me, more bang for my buck—there’s a complexity that seems to outperform longer form work with way less of a time commitment.

Where should people go to learn more about you and your work?

JJ: Probably easiest to just google me or go to my woefully unupdated website: www.johnjodziowriter.com.

What’s the best gift you’ve ever been given?

JJ: A lamp that has a base of Adlai Stevenson’s head that does not really look like Adlai Stevenson. 

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