Discover How Family History And Cultural Heritage Inspire The Bestselling Author’s Storytelling Journey
Elizabeth Gonzalez James discusses her novel “The Bullet Swallower,” exploring themes of family legacy, historical accuracy, and magical realism, while sharing insights into her creative process and character development.
Elizabeth Gonzalez James is a remarkable storyteller whose works have captivated readers with their depth and imagination. As a screenwriter and bestselling author, she has made a significant impact with her novels “Mona at Sea” and “The Bullet Swallower,” as well as her chapbook “Five Conversations About Peter Sellers.” Her writing is celebrated for its ability to weave complex narratives that explore themes of identity, history, and the human condition. Elizabeth’s unique voice and perspective have earned her a dedicated following, and her contributions to the literary world are both profound and inspiring. Her teaching roles at esteemed institutions like Grub Street and Pioneer Valley Writers Workshop further highlight her commitment to nurturing the next generation of writers. Originally from South Texas, Elizabeth now resides in Massachusetts, where she continues to craft stories that resonate with readers across the globe.
In this interview, Elizabeth delves into the inspiration behind “The Bullet Swallower,” a novel deeply rooted in her family history and cultural heritage. She shares the challenges and triumphs of developing complex characters like Antonio and Jaime Sonoro, and discusses the intricate balance between historical accuracy and fictional storytelling. Elizabeth also offers insights into her writing process, the incorporation of magical realism, and the powerful themes of intergenerational trauma and the legacies of racism and colonialism. Her thoughtful reflections provide a fascinating glimpse into the mind of a writer who is not only passionate about her craft but also dedicated to exploring the broader narratives that shape our world.
What inspired you to write “The Bullet Swallower,” and how did your own family history influence the story?
The Bullet Swallower was inspired by an old family legend about my great-grandfather, Antonio Gonzalez. He was a bandido who was chased down by the Texas Rangers, shot in the face, and left for dead. But he lived, and afterwards people started calling him El Tragabalas, or, The Bullet Swallower. This was the seed. And from there, the story grew into a larger tale about what future generations owe for the crimes of their ancestors, and whether we can be better than the people who came before us. I added in the fictitious character of Antonio’s grandson, Jaime, who is grappling with the knowledge that his ancestors were a bunch of monsters, as well as another character named Remedio, who exists in both timelines and is sort of a supernatural soul collector.
“I wanted to tell a story that was bigger than just an adventure and revenge story about the Texas Rangers.” –Elizabeth Gonzalez James
How did you approach the development of Antonio and Jaime Sonoro, and what challenges did you face in portraying their complex journeys?
Antonio was inspired by my grandfather, and Jaime was inspired by a cousin of mine, Lalo “El Piporro” Gonzalez, who was a movie star in the 1950s and 60s. But they’re entirely fictional characters. As I was writing the novel I realized I wanted to tell a story that was bigger than just an adventure and revenge story about the Texas Rangers. I wanted to talk about historical events that shaped what the Texas/Mexico border is today, why white Americans are often so hostile to Mexicans and immigrants, and how the US got to where we are today in terms of political rhetoric around the border. Antonio and Jaime’s characters grew out of a desire to make the story bigger and more meaningful, and their arcs responded in kind. It was very difficult to do this, as I had to write two different timelines – 1895 and 1964 – and decide when and how they would converge. I had to make each man’s conflicts different, yet still make them related to one another, so that the story would feel cohesive. It was incredibly challenging and took me years to work out.
“It took me three years just to get a rough draft of this novel.” –Elizabeth Gonzalez James
The book tackles themes like intergenerational trauma and the legacies of racism and colonialism. What message do you hope readers take away from these themes?
I hope that readers will see many parallels between Antonio’s story in 1895 and today. I hope that they will learn more about the Texas/Mexico border and what a complicated, fluid, and magical place it is. And I hope they will come away with a hopeful feeling, as I intended the ending of the novel to be hopeful, despite all the tragic things that happen. I ask the question, Can we be better than our ancestors? And I hope the answer is yes.
How did you incorporate elements of magical realism into the narrative, and what role do they play in the overall story?
I grew up on the Texas/Mexico border, and stories about ghosts and demons and witches and whatnot were just a part of the culture. I wanted to write this novel in a magical realist mode because I wanted to honor and celebrate that culture, and because I wanted the space to talk about legacies of intergeneral trauma in a more cosmic and theological sense. The novel is set in a very Catholic part of the world, and it’s a very Catholic novel. People believe quite literally in miracles, blessings, holy visions, guardian angels, and the devil waiting to drag you down into Hell. These all play a part in the novel, as well as other magical elements that sort of metaphorize some of the events in the story. I love reading magical realism, so I really wanted my story to sit alongside the novels of Rulfo and Marquez and Allende and others whose work I love.
How did you balance historical accuracy with fictional storytelling, especially in depicting the late 19th and mid-20th centuries in Mexico and Texas?
I did A TON of research for this novel, reading something like 50-60 books in the process. And as I read each book I took notes on things I might like to include in my story, Spanish slang for instance, or things a Ranger might have carried with him on the trail. I also took note of historical figures I’d like to include in the novel. One of the Texas Rangers, a man called Casoose, was an actual Texas Ranger with a love of torturing bandidos. But most of the book is fiction, so I would use historical precedent as a jumping off point and then add details and flights of fancy as I desired. I write fiction because I like to make things up, so that’s what I did.
Can you share some insights into your writing process for this novel? Were there any particular challenges or surprises you encountered along the way?
It took me three years just to get a rough draft of this novel. And for the first five years of writing, Jaime took up half the book, with the total page count coming in at 520. When I signed with my agent, he and I worked on the novel for most of 2021, sending it back and forth, and at the end of the year he said that he thought I should cut Jaime out of the novel entirely. I was really upset, but I agreed with him that it was the right call. I cut him, and we sold the book to my publisher with only Antonio’s story in it. But when I started working with my editor, he said it felt like something was missing from the book. So I got to put a little of Jaime back in, with him occupying now about 10% of the book, compared with Antonio’s 90%. It was excruciating to make that call, but I just wasn’t able to make the two storylines match up. So one had to go. But the silver lining of this story is that I’m turning one little fragment of those cut pages into a standalone novel. So hopefully that will be hitting bookstores in the not too distant future.
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