Heather’s Bookshelf: Author Interview with Marc Van Bulck
Book Title: Gray Man: A Story
Released: 5/3/22
Genre: NA Fictional Novella
Interview by Heather L. Barksdale
What inspired you to write “Grey Man: A Story”?
Van Bulck: I grew up in South Carolina. The Gray Man of Pawleys Island has always been one of my favorite local ghost stories of the Low Country. There is a rich history and tradition of folklore in South Carolina, and many, many books have been written about those old tales over the years. However, I’ve always been very curious why more of them haven’t ventured into the genre of literary fiction specifically. Most books about South Carolina ghosts are written as sort of regional interest books, but very few authors have tried to adapt them into novels, novellas or short-form fiction.
I’ve always been a little surprised by that. These tales are so rich, so textured, and so interesting. I’ve always thought they would be perfect for literary adaptation.
I first had the idea for something like this back in 2002. My thought from the very beginning was to set it in the modern day on Pawleys Island rather than making it a period piece set in 1822. I thought making the story very contemporary would set the piece apart and make it unique. So this idea has been gestating in my head for about twenty years.
How did you come up with the names of your main characters?
Van Bulck: Liam was named after a Google search! (Laughs) When I started working on the book, I Googled a list of the most popular baby names in South Carolina that year. Liam (short for William) popped up a little ways down the list, and I thought, “I like that name. It’s unique.”
Aubrey, on the other hand, dated all the way back to when I first tried to write this story in 2002. There was a character named Audrey in that very first draft, and I knew I wanted to bring some version of her back for the book. So I just tweaked her name and modernized it a bit.
Is there anything that you want readers to know about you, your writing process or your book?
Van Bulck: I find writing to be very unpredictable. It’s different every time. This project was so different from just about anything else I have ever done because it was loosely based on an idea I had twenty years ago. I also loved the idea of getting to explore real places in Pawleys Island throughout the story that you could visit in real life.
Some of the ideas that appear in this story were there from the very beginning: a big storm in the third act, the ending, and some of the spookier images in the story. There were moments when I almost felt I was collaborating with my younger self on this project. I don’t think I’ve ever done something like that before.
The Gray Man is a ghost who is often seen walking the coast. As I started to build the characters, I started to imagine Liam as being an “invisible man,” himself, and wondering what that might look like. I liked the idea of some of the characters having subtle similarities with their ghostly counterparts.
If "Gray Man: A Story" was adapted into a movie, who would you like to see cast to play your lead characters?
Van Bulck: Oh, what a fun question! I’m not sure how “Gray Man” would work as a movie to be perfectly honest. It would probably need to be adapted a bit. Some of the moments in the story would definitely be cool to see onscreen. However, a lot of the story is very introspective and focused on characters’ thoughts and feelings. I think if a movie were made about the Gray Man of Pawleys Island (whether it was based on my book or on someone else’s idea) I would love to see it made by local actors, storytellers and artists.
When you encounter writer’s block, what do you do to break yourself out of it?
Van Bulck: I have really bad habits when it comes to writer’s block. If I hit a brick wall, I just put the whole thing aside and don’t look at it again until I’m ready. Most serious writers will tell you that’s the opposite of what you should do. You should try to write every day, regardless of whether it’s any good or not. It’s like exercising a muscle. Unfortunately, just like real exercise, I’m very lazy.
With “Gray Man,” I had the luxury of taking as much time as I wanted since this was being published independently. I could allow for frequent starts and stops to really sit with the story and think long and hard about how I wanted to weave it all together. Of course, you really can’t really do that when you’re working on a deadline. In those cases, I just try to power through it and hope for the best.
Are there any tips that you would like to share with other aspiring authors?
Van Bulck: I once heard someone describe constructive criticism as feeling like you’re hugging a cactus. It can prickle and sting a little bit, but a good writer should get used to hugging the cactus on a fairly regular basis. Leave your ego at the door, and just embrace it. Try to learn from it even if it prickles. That’s how we improve our craft and grow as artists. Honestly, that’s probably true in most fields. Not just writing.
So, find a good editor who isn’t afraid to be honest. Find several! And try to avoid asking your friends. They’re probably just going to tell you how wonderful you are. Which probably feels a lot nicer, but I don’t know how helpful that always is in the long run.
What is your favorite genre, book, and/or author?
Van Bulck: One of my favorite writers is a relatively unknown author named Gordon Atkinson. He’s a former Baptist minister and the author of several books including a novel entitled “Foy: On the Road To Lost.” Gordon’s writing is not always the most flowery, but he’s achingly vulnerable and honest. As a fellow minister, myself, that really resonates with me. It’s refreshing to see other clergy feeling the freedom to write like that. Gordon is also a student of Jungian psychology (which I’ve always found very interesting), and he often incorporates it into his fiction in some mesmerizing ways.
What are you working on next?
Van Bulck: Well, my next writing project is not a work of fiction. I’m co-authoring a curriculum based on the book, “You Are Changing the World (Whether You Like It Or Not)” by David LaMotte. That book will be out in the summer of 2023, and it’s being released by Chalice Press. I’m collaborating with the author to write a study guide that churches and faith communities can use while reading the book. That’s a very different project from “Gray Man” but it’s one that I’m also very proud to be a part of.
I’ve also been asked a few times if there’s going to be a sequel to “Gray Man.” I’m very on the fence about that. The ending leaves a little room for interpretation, and that was intentional. Several readers have written to me saying that they have interpreted the story in very different ways, and I kind of love that. I love the idea that the ending, in particular, leaves a little bit of room for the reader to make their own determinations about the characters.
I’m not sure I really want to take that away. That being said, who knows? It may be meaningful to revisit that world and those characters. Maybe one day.
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