interview with author jd clapp
by David Estringel
Photo of JD Clapp
When the decision was made to interview writers for Blood+Honey, it didn’t take long to yank the name ‘JD Clapp’ out of the dark recesses of my caffeine-pickled mind. We had already been blessed enough to publish a couple of his pieces, “Ma’s Elmo Phone” and “Hurricane Tee Tee,” which to this day still stand out amongst a mass of stellar prose. There are lots of things to admire about JD’s craft, such as his incorporation of local color and humor, but it is its relatability (with its occasional twinges of discomfort) that really hit home, evoking knowing nods and chuckles directed at the often obscured (but hilarious) limbs of our own family trees.
JD’s writing, above all else, is expertly character-driven, offering up prose that is carried by unapologetic realism and smart dialogue. He bucks the clichéd idea that writing should be about ordinary people in extraordinary circumstances, reminding us that life is absurd enough already without all the bells and whistles or strategically planted literary devices. He reminds us that talent is enough.
We’re overjoyed that JD agreed to carve out some time to chat with us for a bit, and here is what he had to say…
The Interview
B+H: So, before we get into your work, I’m curious to know about your writing journey. When did you know you wanted to write and how did you get started?
JDC: I’ve been a reader my entire adult life. And I read everything—fiction, non-fiction, poetry, etc. As a social scientist and academic, I wrote a lot for my career. I’d always wanted to do something more creative, so as I neared retirement, about five years out, I started writing. I’ve been at it seriously two and a half years now. I learned by reading books and working with a couple editors…and of course, writing a lot of drafts of stuff until I built some skills and my voice.
B+H: On any given day, what does your writing process look like? How do you get the words in your head onto the blank page?
JDC: I’m a morning writer. I typically get up early, five am, make coffee and start writing around 5:30. These days, I write between two and three hours a day, five days a week on average. Some of that time is spent taking and reviewing notes on whatever I’m working on. I also jot down story ideas and snippets of dialogue or settings descriptions. I do all my note taking in notebooks and pencil. I have one main notebook, and then one with stories I plan to write, and another with notes on what I’m reading. I occasionally start a story by hand, then move to the computer (Word). I write a couple drafts, edit, then send the story to my copy editor before submitting it.
B+H: I often see the term "grit lit" associated with your name. Would you say this accurately describes your style? If so, to you, what does "grit lit" mean? If not, how would you describe your writing style?
JDC: The term “grit lit” generic seems to most of what I write about and covers noir, neo-noir, some horror, crime, and stories that involve things like addiction, poverty, mental illness, and even things that are no longer mainstream like hunting. I certainly don’t mind the label, but I don’t think it captures everything I write. I’ve done several strange stories, stories with dark humor, and some that would be best classified as literary. I don’t worry about trying to stay “on brand.” I write flash, short-stories, CNF, and poetry. I like pushing myself as writer and believe you can learn from experimenting.
B+H: One thing I have definitely taken away from your work is that you seem to pull from your personal experiences to create your stories. How much of your work comes from your life experiences and how much is purely manufactured?
JDC: I draw heavily on my experiences. I could never have been the writer I am now when I was younger. I’m fortunate to have lived in several places (New York, Nevada, California, Ohio) and have traveled a lot. I’ve experienced poverty and prosperity. My job (I studied addiction in the field) has put me in a lot of sketchy and interesting places, and as trained observer interested in understanding behavior in context, I developed an eye for detail and an ear for dialogue. I also, hunt and fish and have spent a ton of time in rural and far-flung places. And like everyone, I have my own extended family as a cast of characters to draw on. Most of what I write is fiction based on something I’ve experienced or someone I’ve known or know. Unless I’m the MC or narrator, I label it fiction and change enough that nobody would say—"hey that’s me or that’s my story.”
B+H: Blood+Honey has published some amazing work of yours, specifically "Ma's Elmo Phone" and "Hurricane Tee Tee." The humor contained in those pieces is biting and on point. At the same time, the subject matter in your work also tends to lean on the "heavy" side. Is the humor in these pieces more reflective of the absurdity of your experiences or more a way to internally reconcile some of the density of the themes you explore? Or both?
JDC: This is great question! “Ma’s Elmo Phone” directly draws from my own experiences with my mother who has dementia. That story is gallows humor and writing it was a way to laugh at something that is inherently sad to live through. I do find writing pieces like that therapeutic. “Hurricane Tee Tee” is CNF…luckily Tee Tee is doing well enough now that I felt comfortable writing about her. I’m not an absurdist per se, but life is often very absurd and we can laugh or cry or both. Writing poems and stories that fall into this bucket is part of how I now cope with the bullshit of life.
B+H: In regard to the books you have published, which one are you the most proud of and why?
JDC: I like both books I have out for different reasons. A Good Man Goes South (Anxiety Press) has a lot of my earlier stories. I was blown away I was able to make the move from writing scientific papers that could cure insomnia, to producing a set of stories an indy publisher found worthy of putting out there. Poachers and Pills is, I think, a more coherent group of stories with a set of themes that carries through. My forthcoming novel is probably the book I’m most proud of thus far.
B+H: How has your craft evolved over the years? Where do you think it's headed?
JDC: As I noted earlier, I’ve only been at this seriously for a couple years. I’ve grown as writer by experimenting with different types of stories and putting stuff out there in a lot of different journals by answering a wide variety of calls. I am now in phase where I’m slowing down and trying to craft things that are a little more challenging for me. I’m doing the developmental work and research for my second novel now.
B+H: So, time for some shameless self-promotion. What are you working now? Anything about your writing or you that our readers should know?
JDC: Well, I have a novel, Grit Before Grace, coming out in fall 2026 (Cowboy Jamboree Press). I also have a third collection of stories ready to go. I’m still tinkering with that manuscript, but I anticipate that one will come out in early 2027.
B+H: What three pieces of advice would you give up-and-coming writers out there as they navigate their ways through their craft and the dog-eat-dog world of publishing?
JDC: Write and read as much as you can. Develop a practice that works for you and stick with it. Have a thick skin but take editorial advice from editors and writers you respect—you can always make a piece better with input. Finally take chances…don’t be afraid to experiment.
B+H: Last question. What authors/writers have had the most influence on your craft and why? Who are you reading right now?
JDC: Jim Harrison would be my biggest influence. I’ve read damn near everything he’s written. He could do it all. Hemingway’s short stories have been a big influence as well. Finally, Bukowski’s poetry has been an influence on my poetry.
I’m currently reading Ed Abby’s Desert Solitaire (for the second time), and I just finished Dan Russell’s excellent novel, Poor Birds.
Many thanks to JD Clapp for sharing his insights and wisdom with us and our readers. His talent and effortless execution on the page are not only dazzling to the eye and mind but inspirational for anyone grappling with the inclination to put pen to paper. He’s a writer’s writer who offers up gold with a side of envy, eliciting a desire (at least in this writer) to want to be more, and we’re all the better for it.