Albatross (2019)

Behind the Novel: 4

This week, let’s take a look back at my seventh novel, Albatross, why I wrote it and where it came from. Albatross is the story of Adam Coryell, who learns at 17 years old that he has a rare gift for the game of golf to go along with his long-standing passion for the written word. He’s only ever wanted to be a novelist following in the footsteps of his favourite writer, John Irving. He works hard at his writing and it’s getting better, but there’s little to suggest that he’ll make it as a writer beyond his commitment and desire. Adam is also a dedicated fountain pen user, perhaps not so surprising for an aspiring writer.

Early on in the story, it’s revealed—to Adam and the rest of the world—that, courtesy of his Phys-Ed teacher and an obscure Swedish kinesiologist’s theory, Adam’s body is perfectly suited for success at golf, even though he has little interest in the sport and has never even held a club, let alone played a round on a golf course. That’s when the story takes off. Adam sacrifices what he loves most in his life—time with his family and his girlfriend, and his writing—to become the best golfer in the world. He also trades his happiness for success. But isn’t success the same as happiness. Um… no.

This is not a story about golf. To me, it’s about the tension that so often exists between success and happiness. That’s the central question to be examined in the novel.

The roots of the story

Having just recently retired after a 34 year career in communications consulting so I can write full-time, I have often seen the success-happiness paradox rear its head. I’ve encountered many people over the years who have been very successful in their careers—promotions, raises, awards, headhunters calling, etc.—yet the happiness they thought success would deliver remains elusive. Turns out that many of them didn’t necessarily love the work at which they excelled. So I wanted to explore that question in a funny novel. I decided to force my narrator, the world’s best golfer, to confront the reality that despite all the fame and riches his special gift conferred, he just wasn’t happy.

So what are the story’s connections to my own life? Well, there are a few that made it much easier to write this novel.

So why golf?

Well, I’ve played golf since I was 12 years old and continue to play, though I doubt my game has improved much in the last 20 years. But I know that sport. I play the game and watch the pros compete on TV. Don’t misunderstand me. I’m not a stellar golfer. I just don't play enough to get better than I already am. But I certainly enjoy the game when it’s not frustrating me to distraction.

Yes, I was that skinny once. I’m about 16 years old here, back when short-shorts, white sweat socks, and visors were the very height of golf fashion.

The highlight of my golf life was the single time I broke 80 back in 2005 on a favourite course in Virginia. I really haven’t come close to breaking 80 since and there’s little evidence to project I’ll ever do it again. At least I kept the battered but duly co-signed scorecard.

The battered scorecard for my one and only 79.

Plus, I wanted the sport featured in the novel to be an individual sport rather than a team game. This gives my narrator, Adam, time to himself to ruminate about his miraculous good fortune and why it isn’t yielding the joy and happiness he seeks.

Fountain pens?

There is a thriving subculture out there of fountain pen enthusiasts who obsess over these expensive, messy, but oh so lovely writing instruments. I’ve been a serious fountain pen fan for about ten years now and have spent time and too much money exploring that esoteric world. So I gave a similar interest to my narrator and a couple other characters in Albatross. Absolutely no research was required for any of the fountain pen references in the novel. In fact, I have—or have had—most of the pens I featured in the story. Fountain pens are not central to the novel, but I like to think they had a little quirkiness to the tale.

My modest fountain collection.

I like fountain pens because it connects me to writers from the past I revere. I know that when I write with a Parker Duofold fountain pen, it feels the same on the page as it did for Sir Arthur Conan Doyle when we wrote the Sherlock Holmes stories with the same model all those years ago. I just really like the feel of a well-tuned nib on nice smooth paper.

Why Lake Temagami?

There are a couple important scenes set on Lake Temagami in norther Ontario. As I think I’ve mentioned in earlier posts (but maybe not), my twin brother Tim and I spent the first 16 summers of our lives on a remote 20-acre island in the southwest arm of Lake Temagami. Our father was camp doctor at Camp White Bear, hence our early start at the camp.

The still nearly untouched beauty of Lake Temagami not far from the island where we spent so many summers at Camp White Bear.

It remains a very special place for us both. So I wrote about the Lake Temagami in Albatross. Again, no research required. (Are you seeing a pattern here in what I choose to write about?)

Shots of Tim and me at 15 when we worked in the kitchen at Camp White Bear during girls camp (that’s another story), and maybe in our late 20s on a return visit to the lake years after the camp closed.

Why Dubai?

Well, if you’ve read my other posts, you’ll know the answer to this question. I wrote a post earlier about my trip to Dubai to participate in the Sharjah International Book Fair. So I learned a bit about Dubai and could write about it with some firsthand knowledge. That’s why a pivotal chapter in Albatross unfolds in Dubai.

Shots you may have seen before of my trip to Dubai.

A little secret about the title

The novel was not originally called, Albatross. In fact, it was a last minute change after the manuscript was fully edited and ready for the page layout stage. I conceived and wrote the novel under a completely different title: If at First You Succeed. You know, a play on the expression, “If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again.” This novel was really about Adam in fact succeeding right out of the gate, and well beyond anyone’s expectations. Hence my original title: If at First You Succeed.

Page one of the manuscript when it was finalized and ready for layout and page proofs. It was weeks later when the title changed to Albatross.

When the editing was complete and we were ready to layout the novel, my editor, the wonderful Bhavna Chauhan, called me to ask if I had any other title options as she wasn’t convinced the original title was working. I understood what she meant and after thinking about it for about 45 minutes, I emailed her the idea of entitling the novel Albatross. After I explained my rationale and she surveyed the rest of the team at Penguin Random House/McClelland & Stewart, she called me back to announce that Albatross was a “go.”

Here’s the epigraph that appears before the novel starts:

I’ve always liked titles that have more than one meaning. Often the reader picks up on these multiple meanings as they read the novel. In this story, despite becoming the best golfer in the world, the game has become the albatross around Adam’s neck as he pines for those things in his life that truly make him happy. This image of the albatross around one’s neck comes to us from Coleridge’s epic poem, The Rime of the Ancient Mariner. As well, albatross is a golf term that is not used often anymore, but means three strokes under par on a hole. So the word also represents Adam’s prowess at the game. I kind of like a one word title for its impact—though it’s the only one-word title you’ll find (so far) on my novels.

When Albatross was released

Albatross was released on August 13, 2019, just seven months before the pandemic hit. What a thrill to see it hit number one on the Canadian fiction bestsellers list in its first week. Thank you dear readers and booksellers.

I also did quite a bit of media including an interview with Ali Hassan for CBC-Radio’s flagship arts program, q.

A post-interview photo with q guest host and funny man, Ali Hassan.

And somehow, Albatross was still hanging in there on the bestsellers list in April of 2020, eight months after launch. It continues to sell well and I’m so thankful it was well-received.

My first French translation

In October 2020, Albatross (or en français, Albatros) was released in French, my first novel to be translated for the Québec market and Francophones across the country. Here’s the somewhat lame video I recorded in my high school French to promote the translation. (Be gentle.)

So that’s a look back at the story behind Albatross, my seventh novel. Who knows what impact the pandemic had on sales. Perhaps we sold more copies of Albatross because of the lockdown, or then again, maybe not. I’m not sure we’ll ever know for certain.

Stay tuned for another post in a week’s time. It’s too early to know what it will be about, but if you subscribe, you’ll find out when it hits your inbox. Again, many thanks.