Heather’s Bookshelf: Author Interview with Alton Spencer
Book Title: The Relaxists
Released: 08/20/22
Genre: Philosophical Novel
Interview by Heather L. Barksdale
What inspired you to write “The Relaxists”?
Spencer: I’ve always loved to write, although prior to working on The Relaxists almost all of my writing had been poetry, lyrics, as well as academic writing, and a few creative essays. For quite a long time before I actually started writing the Relaxists I had envisioned myself writing a book, or books, at some point. Iwas draw n to the idea. I’d say that there were several key impulses, or inner yearnings, that inspired me to write The Relaxists. A lot of it was my fascination with social/religious/cultural movements that change or alter the course of history and me fantasizing that I could be a part of such a movement. Related to this fascination was a natural born philosophical and mystical bent, a staunch idealism and faith in humanity, an interest in ideas around enlightenment and human evolution, and a deep admiration for creative/artistic expression. I realized that even if it wasn’t part of my destiny to be an active participant in some type of historical or paradigm changing movement, the next best thing would be to write about one. Writing The Relaxists was a vehicle for me to express my vision for humanity, expound upon ideas about human nature and human potential, and promote idealism, peace, and creativity--all within the context of describing the “spiritual” awaking of individual characters and the transformation of the world around them. There is a saying “be the change you want to see.” It could be said that writing The Relaxists was an exercise in writing about the change I want to see. In addition, it provided me with an opportunity to flesh a personal cosmology, if you will, and to incorporate some personal experiences into a larger “metaphysical” framework that I am presenting with the book.
How did you come up with the names of your main characters?
Spencer: The names of the characters came to me spontaneously. I didn’t spend time trying to develop names that had particular meaning or were clever in some way. A couple of the names did relate to experiences I’ve had or individuals I’ve known. All of the first names of my characters came out of thin air. A couple of the last names, and the name “Seven,” were drawn from personal experiences. I will note that the lead character’s name is Edward Slowbe, and his last name has the phrase “be slow” in it, which was quite a pleasant and appropriate coincidence relative to the story.
Is there anything that you want readers to know about you, your writing process or your book?
Spencer: I’m a poet, songwriter, and writer based in Portland, Oregon. I have a bachelor’s degree in history, and a master’s degree in social work, both from Portland State University. I’m an outdoor enthusiast and love to go on hikes around the Pacific Northwest and take trips to the Oregon coast.
The Relaxists is a philosophical novel, or, novel of ideas; that is the genre that it is written in. This means that there is more of an emphasis on a set of ideas, or a philosophical framework, rather than on character development or plot; although The Relaxists does contain character development and plot, as well as many other traditional aspects of dramatic fiction. The book also contains a lot of historical references (to individuals and events) and scientific references.
I found that the most important parts of the process for me were motivation and patience. I realized early on that it was likely that the book would take me a long time to write, which it did. Allowing myself to be comfortable with this and be patient with the process was crucial for me. As long as I was highly motivated to get to the finish line, I would be able to allow natural rhythms to move my writing. In other words, I walked a fine line of keeping the needle moving, while at the same time going with the flow. I was never going to write every day, although there were periods where I did. There were also long stretches when I didn’t write at all, but even during these times the book was with me, I was thinking about it, and material was incubating. I did find outlining to be a helpful tool; i.e. setting goal posts for what I wanted to achieve for each chapter, or where I needed to get to with the chapter. That being said, there is certainly truth to the experience that many writers have of feeling like the book is writing itself. This is almost a mystical experience, and certainly adds mystery and wonder to the process. Extensive rewriting was also a key part of the process for me. In addition, following my intuition about where and what time of day to write was very important. There were periods when I could only get writing done while working on a laptop at a coffee shop. At other times, I needed to be in complete isolation at home. Sometimes I would get up and start writing first thing in the morning (generally on the weekends), although most of the writing occurred in the evening.
If "The Relaxists" was adapted into a movie, who would you like to see cast to play your lead characters?
Spencer: I think it would be difficult to adapt The Relaxists into a screenplay, because of the genre it is written in. There is a fair amount of meditative reflection, abstract concepts, and internal monologue/experience that is described in the book. That being said, I would love to work with someone on reimagining the book as an animated film, in which case there would be voice actors for the characters, and possibly for
a narrator. There aren’t any actors who come to mind whose voices I would want for these parts.
When you encounter writer’s block, what do you do to break yourself out of it?
Spencer: As I mentioned, there were long periods of time when I did not put any words to paper on the book, but
I generally didn’t ever feel the sensation or frustration of writer’s block. When I wasn’t writing, I felt that material was incubating. The book was always with me, every day, on one level or another. There were a couple occasions when I was really trying to get something written and nothing would come out. In those instances, I would focus on taking notes or outlining. Also, there were times when I would sit for hours at a cafe, for example, and only get a couple sentences written. I never had a problem with that, and generally speaking, I was always comfortable with material coming out slowly.
Are there any tips that you would like to share with other aspiring authors?
Spencer: I think it can be helpful to read some books on writing fiction or writing novels. There are a lot of good books on this topic. Also, taking time to do outlining before you start writing can help move the process. Lastly, be patient. Patience really makes everything more easygoing with the entire process.
What is your favorite genre, book, and/or author?
Spencer: I have not read a lot of fiction in my life. The majority of my reading has been non-fiction, in particular, history. I’ve read a fair amount of philosophical and religious texts. Perhaps my favorite book is Walden by Henry David Thoreau. Some fiction books that left a significant impression on me were To Kill a Mockingbird, The Old Man and the Sea, and The Great Gatsby.
What are you working on next?
Spencer: I’m not currently working on anything literary at the moment, but would like to start working on another book sometime in 2026 or 2027.
Learn More About the Author and The Relaxists:
Facebook.com: AltonSpencerAuthor
Instagram: @therelaxists
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