Over the holiday break, I was very lucky to get my hands on an
advanced copy of Christopher Locke’s debut novel, Persimmon Takes On Humanity. A harrowing tale of a heroic raccoon
who goes on a quest to save animals from human exploitation, Persimmon takes readers on an extremely emotional
ride.
I sat down with the author to ask him a few questions about his
book. During the interview he told me he’s been so inspired by MFA’s work, he’s
donating 10 percent of the proceeds to us! Check out our interview below and get
a copy of Persimmon here. It’s an excellent read!
1. What inspired you to write
Persimmon Takes On Humanity—the first
book in The Enlightenment Adventures?
Writing has been my passion since I was a little kid, so the moment
I went vegan my dream was to create a story that would inspire people to treat
other animals more compassionately. Since the mistreatment of animals can be a
heavy subject, I knew the key to writing an effective story was that it had to
be a thrilling adventure that was a real page-turner. Persimmon Takes On Humanity has all the compelling elements of an
epic tale (excitement, heroic characters fighting against insurmountable odds,
heartbreaking drama, and much more). And as readers are enjoying the
characters’ journey, they’re also being exposed to an important mix of animal
issues.
2. What impact do you hope the book has on readers?
First off, I hope readers are thoroughly entertained. But on a
deeper level, for people that currently eat or wear animals, I hope the book
reawakens their compassion. From a very early age, most people are taught so
many fallacies about what humans’ relationship to other species should be, but
when people read the book they’re going to find themselves rooting for the team
to rescue the critters from the horrid conditions in places like factory farms.
And it’s in that moment that I hope readers have an epiphany: “Wait, these are
the same animals I eat. Once they’ve
had that revelation, I hope they’ll be inspired to make kinder choices in the
future.
As for people that are already animal advocates, they’re going to
love the book because they’ll see themselves in these courageous characters,
and they’ll get a chance to live vicariously through the team as they valiantly
conduct their rescue missions. Of course, the missions are perilous and
unpredictable, so that’s where the nail-biting thrills and drama come into
play.
3. Some of the most vivid and
emotional sections of the book are those that give readers a behind-the-scenes
look at the lives of animals in factory farms, fur farms, and circuses. Why did
you choose to cover these particular animal issues and what research was involved
in writing about them?
I chose to highlight the animals on factory farms, on fur farms,
and in circuses because they’re some of the most egregious environments for
animal abuse. It was imperative that I depicted life for the animals entrenched
in these industries accurately, since this book is in part an educational tool,
so I researched extensively for months. For example, to prepare for the factory
farming section, I watched Mercy For Animals’ groundbreaking undercover
investigations, such as the E6 Cattle Co. and Buckeye Veal Farm videos, which
helped me capture the terror and mental anguish of battered animals yearning
for freedom.
4. You don’t hold back in describing
the brutality animals face at the hands of humans who work in factory farms,
fur farms, and circuses. Why did you think this was important to show?
I wrote the story as an exciting adventure and tried not to make it
too dark, but I also felt I owed it to the animals suffering in these
facilities to truthfully show what they really endure. Life for these animals
is pure agony every day and my heart aches for them. I want my audience to feel
so sickened by the cruelty and moved by the characters fighting for their lives
that readers yell, “We have to get them out of there! That’s when I’ll know I
did my job properly.
5. Persimmon’s team is a
colorful group of characters. Do you have a favorite?
I admire Persimmon’s bravery and leadership skills, but I have a
soft spot for her sweet, loyal opossum best friend, Derpoke. There’s also a
character readers will meet a third of the way through the book who is so
cunning and haunted by his tragic past, his whole storyline was fascinating to
create.
6. What inspired you to go
vegan?
In 2004, I read Fast Food
Nation and the sections describing animal abuse on factory farms shook me
to the core. I have always considered myself a proponent of progressive issues,
so once I learned how much animals suffered before their body parts ended up on
someone’s plate, how could I continue to eat them? Soon after, I learned about
the cruel treatment of animals in other industries and chose to become vegan, which
was easily the most significant and rewarding decision I have ever made.
My great wish is that Persimmon
Takes On Humanity can have the same positive impact that Fast Food Nation had on me, as well as
the same impact that Mercy For Animals’ admirable work has on countless other
people’s (and animals’) lives. Then, not only will I have accomplished my dream
of being a published author, but I’ll also have helped make the world a kinder
place for all the critters out there who deserve so much more than the lives
they’re leading now.