James Lee Burke at January

Anthony Rainone, one of my colleagues at January Magazine, prepared this thoughtful, in-depth interview with one of crime fiction’s current masters, James Lee Burke. They discuss his career, the tremendous ups and downs, his pride at daughter Alafair’s success in the genre, and his struggle to place short stories:

What projects are you working on now?

I just wrote three short stories and I’ve started another Dave Robicheaux novel. I’d like to get a collection of stories together, and I’d like to get the Robicheaux book moving along after this tour. I try to keep my goals short, in terms of time projections. I work every day and it takes me a year [to complete a book]. Years ago, I’d finish a book and see it drop into a bottomless well, when I’d start submitting it. Fortunately, most of what I write [nowadays] gets published, though it’s hard to sell a short story. There aren’t many places to sell them anymore.

Do you find it refreshing to write short fiction, to take a break from your novels?

Yeah, I love writing short stories. I just wrote — I think the best story I’ve ever written. It’s titled “Why Bugsy Siegel Was a Friend of Mine.” It’s a great story. It’s under submission to The Atlantic, or The New Yorker. It’s a tough go. There’re so many people who write very good short stories in the business. There are only three or four [mainstream] magazines [that still publish short fiction], and then they publish one [piece] an issue.

Although I do differ in my opinion about the plight of the short story, Burke does have a good point, especially if there’s any money to be made at all. Still, I know I’d love to see a collection of stories from him at some point in the future, and I doubt I’m the only one who thinks this.