Q&A with Alex Woodard

 

Photo by Sandy Carter

 

Alex Woodard is the author of the novel Ordinary Soil, now available in a new audiobook format. His other books include the new novel Analog Sun. He is also a songwriter, and he lives in California.

 

Q: What inspired you to create Ordinary Soil? 

 

A: The pandemic was the “when.” A medic was the “who.” And his mission was the “what.”

 

I met triple board certified MD Zach Bush on an island in Fiji right as the COVID-19 pandemic was sweeping the world. He was the island medic, and gave the few people stranded there a primer on the coronavirus.

 

The conversation shifted to Zach’s mission of finding root cause solutions for human and ecological health, and one of the keys to that mission was the importance of the soil microbiome as it relates to health, disease, and food systems.

 

Not incredibly sexy, I know, but it was fascinating, especially Zach’s storytelling version of the impact of chemical and mechanical farming on planetary and human health. Once I got home, I set out to fictionalize the history and science behind our modern-day agricultural systems, and bring to life the plight of the farmer from the 1800s up to modern day.

 

Q: What do you see as the relationship between your books and your music?

 

A: They’re married. Sometimes they fight, sometimes they play well together, but they always need each other, and create something more special together than when they’re apart.

Q: Did you know how the novel would end before you started writing it, or did you make many changes along the way?

 

A: In this case, I knew. Part of the joy of writing for me is actually the not knowing. I love to see where the narrative takes me. But in this case, I knew how I wanted to bookend the book, so I had to find that joy in the subplots and how the narrative would unfold to that ending.

Q: The producer and director Randy Zisk said of the book, “An epic, beautiful, and compelling story, rich in plot and characters, with a powerful message that needs to be heard by all of us.” What do you think of that description, and what do you hope readers take away from the story?

 

A: Well, I was really grateful that Randy, who is a master storyteller in such a far-reaching medium, had that reaction…such kind words, and I was both humbled and appreciative that he shared them.

 

My hope was to create a generational story that was sort of in the Yellowstone vein, without all the sex and trees, and I think that’s what Randy means.

 

It’s an epic tale with a message, and as far as that takeaway for readers, I’d say two things, really: one, the simple truth that you get out what you put in, be that the soil, or your mind, or your relationship, or whatever you’re feeding.

 

The second takeaway, hopefully, is that all those things are inextricably connected, and as both individuals and collectively, we need to take hard look at our decisions.

Q: What are you working on now?

 

A: The sequel to Ordinary Soil just came out, called Analog Sun. I’m working on the third book in the trilogy right now. I actually didn’t know I was working on a trilogy, but that’s what seems to be happening.

Q: Anything else we should know?

 

A: Well, I’m trying to practice what I preach in Ordinary Soil. We have a small ranch near the coast with some land, and this year I tried to grow one of the supporting characters: the “three sisters.” Indigenous people would plant corn, beans, and squash in a way that each crop all played off each other as they grew. It was a colossal failure. There’s always next year...

 

--Interview with Deborah Kalb