All Saints' Day
Q & A

(Canadian virtuoso pianist Glenn Gould was known for interviews with himself. One of those interviews can be found on his Brahms collection of ballads and rhapsodies. I'm listening to the CD as I type this document. I find his approach, the artist interviewing self, fascinating and insightful, therefore, I have chosen to interview myself. Patricia Herlevi-Balquin or PHB represents the journalist and Patty-Lynne Herlevi or PLH represents the author of All Saints' Day. Shall we begin?)

Patricia Herlevi-Balquin: What is your fascination with Christian saints? Are you Catholic and why write a metaphysical comedy about these saints?

Patty-Lynne Herlevi: No, I'm not Catholic and in fact, I'm a professed pagan, but I love the saints, especially Saint Clare and Saint Francis (Francesco) of Assisi. When I was a child I was hung up on superheroes. I would watch the cartoons of all these heroes that had special powers or magical abilities and I thought to myself that it would be cool of real humans were magical. Then later in life, while I was attending college, I learned about shamanism and various avatars.

It wasn't until very recently that I discovered famous Christian saints and I was fascinated by the miracles they provoked and the legends that surrounded them. Yet, these were real people that lived real lives. They were the answer to a childhood longing manifested.

PHB: This brings me back to the second part of my question, why write a comedy about saints?

PLH: Well, I had grown bored of the academic or the religious approach to these Christian saints. Although they did have powerful and enlightening personalities, they lacked some human qualities, like a real sense of humor. But, I knew deep down that if you placed the saints in contemporary New York, they would develop a sense of humor or polish the one they already possessed. In no way am I mocking the saints, but I'm taking them out for a joy ride and allowing them to let their hair down or in the case of Jesus, shave his head to achieve a Franciscan look.

PHB: What kind of statement are you trying to make by presenting an African Rasta Jesus Christ? Were you aiming at controversy?

PLH: No. I believe that Jesus Christ was born an African with dark skin and dark features. He does make both social and political statements through his interaction with the other characters, but he's still the Jesus I knew as a child. Not the one that leapt out of the Bible, but a gentle and generous radical man that I knew as a child, before I was indoctrinated by the church or Hollywood movies. He is the controversial figure I still know. I think people miss the point by bleaching Jesus' hair and skin, thus transforming him into a Northern Italian.

Although this is a comic novel, I think Jesus brings in a sense of pathos at times. I did not create the character, but he is someone that was taking up space in my brain and not paying rent. I knew that he would be gentle and loving as well as, a therapist for all the other characters, who definitely needed some assistance. That is with the exception of The Virgin Mary and Mary Magdalene who return as self-possessed healers. They represent the Divine Feminine and even paganism to an extent.

PHB: This is a very strange novel that borders situation comedy. Where did you come up with the various scenarios for the saints? I mean, the scenario involving Saint Theresa of Liseaux and Saint Teresa of Avilà returning as Siamese cats is over-the-top. And then having the men come to the rescue is delightfully funny.

PLH: The novel was written three pages at a time. I brought out my notebook and poised my pen over the page and whatever transpired was written down. I would like to say that the Spirits came up with the ideas and I was merely the transcriber, but of course, there is more to it than that. Someone had to shape the scenarios into an actual book and that was the role I played. But as far as, the characters and the scenarios, that was pure magic. I thoroughly enjoyed the process and was honored that the novel idea came to me. Writing it was a bright spot in my life.

PHB: Do you have a favorite Saint or a favorite role they played in history?

PLH: Yes, Francesco is my favorite saint and the role he played with all of God's creatures is one of my favorite roles someone played in history. This role reminds me so much of Native American elders and earth stewardship. Also the fact, that Francesco really did strip himself naked and walk out into the unknown while leaving everything familiar behind, is too shamanic for me not to take to heart. Yes, he is a Catholic saint, but he is more than that to folks from other religious or spiritual backgrounds. Even Tibetan Buddhists recognize Francesco and Jesus as teachers. Now, that's universal. And if you want to talk superheroes, read up on Tibetan avatars.

TO FIND OUT MORE GO TO: http://www.allsaintsnovel.blogspot.com