Interview: Stephanie Johnson talks about Obligate Carnivore

Award-winning novelist, short story writer and poet Stephanie Johnson’s career spans three decades. Her diverse work is marked by its mixture of irony, intelligence and compassion. In the 2019 Queen’s Birthday Honours, Stephanie was appointed a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to literature. She is the recipient of the prestigious Prime Minister’s Literary Award for Fiction (2022) and was recently made a Fellow of the Academy of New Zealand Literature. Stephanie talks to NZ Booklovers.

Tell us a little about Obligate Carnivore.

Obligate Carnivore is a collection of stories, written over a twenty-year period. The title story is about a cat called Gareth Morgan, who has his teeth removed in an attempt to stop him killing native birds. It’s one of the more light-hearted stories, though with a good dash of dark humour. The stories are a mix of humorous and not so humorous, contemporary and historical. 

What inspired you to write this book?

Each story has its own inspiration, sometimes from things friends have told me, sometimes from news stories, sometimes from my own experience, or the deep recesses of my brain. Induction is autobiographical, from a visit from an ex-boyfriend when I was pregnant with my son. Election Night stems from a period during which I hosted foreign students. Golden Apple, as must be obvious, was inspired by the Oscar Pistorius story. I am disabled myself, born with deformed feet and lower legs, so I feel kindred to him. Not that I’ve ever murdered anybody. I provide this information only to prevent a reoccurrence of personal attack, which I experienced when the story was discussed on a radio programme and the speaker mused that I had no right to write the story. Well, I do. And even if I were not disabled, I would have the perfect right. I reject that way of thinking, absolutely.

What research was involved?

Very little. I already knew about the existence of sensitivity readers, for example, and couldn’t resist writing that story. My son Stan Woodhouse, who is a scientist and a musician, told me about obligate carnivores. The behaviour of genes in Paternity was something I observed in an Australian couple on the brink of divorce for the same reason. One of the few advantages of getting older is that you know a lot of stuff, or at least, more than you used to.

What was your routine or process when writing this book?

I write stories as they occur to me, not in a job lot. These were written in interludes while I was writing novels. Usually a story is written in a fevered rush, in a day or two.

What did you enjoy the most about writing this collection of short stories?

Laughing. Also a bit of utu.

Do you have a favourite story? If so, which one is it, and why is it your favourite?

Not really, though I am fond of the title story. The cat is a very bad boy with great survival instincts, which are unfortunately fairly destructive.

What did you do to celebrate finishing this book?

Nothing. Sad, eh? But when Quentin Wilson accepted the book I rushed out and bought a bottle of champagne, which I drank with my husband and daughter. Thanks, Quentin!

What is the favourite book you have read so far this year and why?

Dominic Hoey’s 1985. It is tough but warm, honest, wise and in parts very funny. It’s a fantastic evocation of Grey Lynn in the 1980’s, with great characters and story.

What’s next on the agenda for you?

Trying to stay alive and functioning as a writer in an increasingly difficult environment. I have long been published in New Zealand by Penguin Random House but they are publishing less and less local books. Some of the other big trade publishers have closed their fiction lists altogether. Independent publishers are valuable beyond gold but many of them are struggling to stay afloat. It’s pretty grim out there, as Booklovers will know. It can only get better!

Quentin Wilson Publishing