Written by James L. Evans, Author & Retired Psychiatrist
Editor’s Note: Recently, Jim Evans did research and lead a stimulating teleconference at our Classic Book Club on Wineburg, Ohio by Sherwood Anderson He also published the 3/302020 Litchatte column, “Sherwood Anderson Faces the Grotesque.” Due to the success of his session, I asked him to write a summary about his prior writing and soon to be published book, Where’s Judy? Here’s what Jim had to share:
The books I have written so far* have been equally divided between what are called these days ‘thrillers’ and general fiction. Murray’s initiation to write about them on Litchatte has prompted me to step back and consider what themes might unite them. I would say that the protagonist in each, whatever the genre, faces a moral dilemma in addition to whatever else he is struggling within his life. A dilemma that stretches and strains the comfort zone of the moral standard he has set for himself. And, they take place in Washington, D.C. or thereabouts. I’ve included a portion of the blurbs on the back of two of the books to give an idea.
Two Book Flap Blurbs from Books by James L. Evans
September, 1987 –When is it permissible for a psychiatrist to breach the patient-doctor confidentiality? Lou Davies, M.D., practicing in downtown Washington, D.C. thought he knew the answer to that question. Until he met Ann Pointer, a woman admitted to his inpatient psychiatric service after a suicide attempt. What she tells him challenges his ethics and his professional role and turns his world upside down.
Walsh – Tom Walsh, a retired Washington, D.C. detective, is enjoying his new career-building docks on a lake in Virginia. Until his past catches up to him in more ways than one. Ramon Cruz, who knows Walsh from his days as a cop, desperately needs Walsh’s help in dealing with a killer on his trail. Struggling with his conscience over whether to help Cruz, Walsh meets Sue Blanchard who awakens Walsh’s dark memories of an even more distant and troubled past.
Where’s Judy?
One of the manuscripts I’m working on now ‘Where’s Judy?’ is about a college professor of American Literature torn between continuing his academic career and dedicating himself to writing full time. A student goes missing and campus gossip links her to the professor. In the course of finding out what happened to her, he delves into ‘The Scarlet Letter’ and Sylvia Plath’s poetry. Apropos to a comment in our recent ‘Winesburg, Ohio’ Classic Book Club meeting about the connection between madness and creativity, I’ve included a brief passage from ‘Where’s Judy?’ The professor, Larry, is married to a psychiatrist, Martha, and Alex Brandermill is the department chair.
“What do you think, Martha, about the idea that genius and madness are closely linked, one spurring on the other and vice versa?” Alex asked in a deferential nod that Larry took to have a mocking quality as if the boys had been talking about guy stuff and wanting to give the girls a chance to make a comment, even if it was not particularly consequential.
“I’ve heard that comment many times in my career,” Martha replied. “Most of the time, it seems to me, that madness gets in the way of artistic achievement. The genius, it seems to me, is in being able to dip into the ability to see things in a unique and creative way without getting lost and unable to extricate oneself. Like being a visitor in a foreign land and being able to learn the language and customs but hanging onto your passport so you can make it home again and bring what you’ve learned with you.”
Larry was bursting with pride. Good old Martha, taking no shit. He sat back and waited for Alex’s response. But Martha wasn’t quite done yet.
“Actually, I’ve learned what I’ve just told you from Larry as I’ve listened to him discuss authors who have had brushes or collisions with psychological problems. And then it depends on what sort of problem you’re dealing with. Depression may prompt soul searching, mania antic rhymes, but it is the author, not the illness that turns it into something noteworthy. In any case,” she said dryly, picking up a spoon, “in my line of work, I don’t see much that could be identified as genius. Most of the folks I run into in my practice are just trying to get through the day, let alone compose a line of verse. Some of them I have come to admire for their bravery and tenacity in hanging on in the face of crushing pressure to succumb to their illness.”
“Bravo, Martha. Good for you,” Alicia, Brandermill’s wife said, being a pro at knowing when to jump in to make someone feel better about their contribution to society and its various components, especially higher education.
“There should be a Congressional Medal of Honor for surviving schizophrenia and not throwing in the towel either to psychosis or suicide is what ….”
“My god, Martha,” Alex boomed, cutting her off, not to be outdone by Alicia’s praise. “You ought to take up literary criticism yourself. We need more people like you in the field, ones who have a point of view and the ability to express it.”
Was this a poke at me? Larry wondered. Or am I just too sensitive?
*Books Written by James L. Evans*
Love, A (written under the pen name of Arthur Bannister)
September, 1987
Walsh
Chestertown
Banner House
What Am I Going To Do With You?
Where’s Judy? (soon to be published)
They are all available on Amazon Books
Readers are welcome to write comments about this column at the bottom of this blog. Also, if you would like to receive automatic postings from Litchatte, please provide your email in the dialogue box under this column (no advertisements).
by 
