Lobster Wars by Mark E. Greene
“Up and down the Maine coast, there’s a tough breed of men who make their living from the sea. They battle the wind and the weather and the tides, and sometimes, each other … Welcome to Tranquility. Welcome to Lobster Wars.”
Words spoken by the voiceover at the beginning of an episode of a reality TV show which is at the core of author Mark E. Greene’s clever satirical look not only at the absurdity of the reality TV business but the foibles of our society in general. Lobster Wars (Koehler Books) tells the story of what happened when a reality TV show comes to the small fishing village of Tranquility, Maine.
Check out our interview with the author himself as he gives us a look at what it took to bring the world of Lobster Wars to life.
Q: Why did you write this book?
A: I read an article about the impact of producing the reality TV show, Deadliest Catch, on the town of Dutch Harbor, Alaska. Many of the town’s inhabitants benefit greatly from the arrival of the TV production crews and the money that flows through the town, but many do not, and they resent the production. I thought exploring this dynamic in a satirical fashion would make for interesting reading.
Q: What kind of statement are you making about the place of reality TV shows in our society?
A: Reality TV thrives on conflict and mayhem. Successful reality TV shows tend to focus on our worst traits — anger, greed, selfishness. The popularity of these shows is a sad reflection of society’s demand for entertainment that glorifies our most negative attributes.
Q: Why lobsters and why Maine? How did you come to that?
A: My research revealed that lobster fishing in Maine is essentially a closed fraternity which is unofficially governed by long term inhabitants. Regardless of the laws, it is the locals who determine who is allowed to fish. This created a baseline of conflict that could serve as an underpinning, or foundation, to the story.
Q: The book is a confluence of the blue-collar locals (the lobster fishermen) and the rich and powerful. Tell us how that clash sets the tone for the book.
A: The age-old conflict between the “haves” and the “have nots” serves as a parallel plot line that readers would instantly understand and to which they can relate.
Q: The protagonist, Connor Nichols, seems a sort of bridge between the blue-collar and the wealthy worlds. Tell us about his character and how he was developed.
A: Connor is the black sheep of his high-achieving family. This puts him at odds with his family, represented by Brooke, his mother. Plus, it adds additional pressure when he tries to infiltrate the closed society of lobstermen which plays out in the TV show and perversely serves to help make him one of its stars.
Q: What part of the book was the most fun to write?
A: The bad guys. Always the bad guys. Evan Pratt was pure heaven to write.
Q: What do you hope readers take away from the book?
A: That pursing fame and fortune for their own sake is a fool’s errand.
Q: What is your next project?
A: My next novel is called, The One Percent Club. It is a satirical story about Kenneth Walt, a high-flying ad exec only one step away from the ultimate prize — CEO of Hundley & Stewart, the world’s largest Ad Agency. The problem is that Walt forgot about the corporate political battle that grinds on all day, every day. The result, he gets fired with no warning. None. Taking an early train home, Gault discovers his wife having an affair with her female Pilates instructor. Insult to injury. With a quickly vanishing bank account and a wife struggling with her sexual identity, the story follows Walt as he works to rebuild his shattered life.
Mark E. Greene is an award-winning author with an offbeat sense of humor and a sharp eye for the absurd. A speeding lobster boat plowing through a flotilla of helpless sea kayakers sparked his interest in the rough-and-tumble world of Maine lobstermen and became the driving concept for Lobster Wars. His first novel, Cutthroat, grew out of a sense of impending doom when he was convinced that a Montana fishing guide was going to kill him. Mark has also written travel articles and equipment reviews for Outdoor Sports Magazine. When Mark is not writing, he and his family are pursuing all manner of self-propelled outdoor sports, providing content for his podcast: “Mark in the Wild.” Visit www.markegreeneauthor.com.
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