Interview with Jason Lee Norman

It is always a pleasure to welcome an emerging author to LitStack, but when the author is also one of our own contributors, it’s a very special pleasure indeed.  A rousing LitStack welcome to Jason Lee Norman, author of the recently released story collection AMERICAS.

Jason, as I was reading your work and browsing your website & links, the first thing that struck me (aside from  your being a great writer and your glorious beard, of course) is that you have an extremely funny sense of humor with a killer deadpan delivery.  Some people don’t get that kind of humor – has it ever gotten you into trouble?

You may be surprised to hear that you are the first person ever to tell me that. Nobody would ever give me the satisfaction of telling me that I’m funny so thank you. When I’m talking to people I tend to have a really sarcastic tone to my voice so people never know if I’m being serious about anything or not. Maybe it’s the same with this book. People never know how they’re supposed to be interacting with the stories. I’d have to say that I’m constantly in trouble when I talk. 50% of everything I say would be a reference from The Simpsons if I had my way but that doesn’t work in a job interview.

I understand the beard has definitely gotten you into a bit of trouble. Well, okay, your lack of paperwork got you into trouble, but let’s blame it on the beard. “I Want to Tell You About My Beard” (Pure Slush, June 4, 2011) is a hilarious but also very poignant story of being detained by immigration officials on the way to study writing in England. Did you ever make it to school? Did the Muslim woman and her children ever reach their destination? What happened to the beard?

I Want to Tell You about My Beard is the most true story I ever told. It is 99% true. I did in fact make it to school. After flying home I re-took a photo for my visa and then flew to Ottawa. My dad managed to get me an appointment at the UK Consulate and I went there and practically begged them to go as fast as they could to get me my student visa. The amazing thing about that story is that when I was in Ottawa I ran into another person that I saw in the “airport jail” the day before. We had both made the same crucial mistake that led us to be kicked out of the UK. I suspect that his dreadlocks had the same effect on the immigration officials as my beard did. He made it to school too. We’re still Facebook friends. I only ended up missing a week of school and when I arrived it was my beard and that story of being detained that proved to be a great icebreaker. The last thing I remember about that woman and her children was one of the (guards?) told her that they would soon be moving her and her children to a place with real beds and get something real to eat besides just a cheese sandwich from the machine. I’m pretty sure that the last thing they told her was that they would be sent back to where they came from, just like myself, to try and enter the country again some other time or perhaps a week later just like me. My beard still lives on to this day to fight injustice.

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