Interview with David Santiago, author of “Of Dubious Origin”
David Santiago is an author of several novels, including his recent Of Dubious Origin, exploring multicultural heritage through the character Israel Cruz. His other works include Beware the Bantam Fighter and the just-released The Ingredients That Make Us. In addition to his books, he is also a technologist and has had a number of short pieces published in San Antonio Review, Bewildering Stories, Fiction on the Web, and more.
First off, since the focus of your book, Of Dubious Origin, is personal discovery, what is the impact you hope your book will have and what do you hope readers will get out of it?
I hope readers will first and foremost enjoy the story. The novel is about a quest for personal identity and belonging, and how that search can be entangled in a desire to be loved.
Is there anything about this book that you think is especially relevant to right now?
Yes, I think the novel feels especially timely because we’re living through a moment where questions of identity, belonging, and categorization are constantly being debated in public life. One thing the book explores is the tension between how society labels people and how people actually experience themselves internally, which is often far more fluid, layered, and contradictory.
On the publisher’s site, Of Dubious Origin has the tagline “A young man struggles with his multicultural identity in this comic novel.” Clearly the themes of culture are important in your work. How would you define the word “culture”? What is the role of place in culture and in the book?
I view culture as the knowledge, beliefs, and practices of a group of people, typically grounded in a specific geography. Israel is of mixed heritage, much of it assimilated into broader American culture, and therefore less anchored and stable. He's American, but also Puerto Rican and Jewish, and this creates a source of tension.
In this book, the character’s perception of himself seems to be deeply affected by his culture. How would you describe that connection between culture and identity?
Israel is operating at the margins of different identities. People are constantly asking him where he’s from, so it’s not something he can avoid. That pressure forces him to confront questions of identity that might otherwise remain unresolved.
This book is described as comic or satire. How did you decide on that genre for this topic and story?
I find humor to be especially engaging as a social commentary. Plus, it's fun.
There’s that old quote “Write what you know.” How have your own experiences played into this novel?
This novel does have some strong autobiographical elements. While the story is fictional, the emotional core and questions around identity and belonging are ones that I have grappled with.
Your bio lists you as not only a writer, but also a “technologist.” Has this part of your life impacted any of your writing or perspectives on writing?
To a degree, but indirectly. Technology is more structured and process-oriented, while fiction allows for an exploration of ambiguity.
Your website lists that you have an upcoming project coming this year. Is there anything you can tell us about that book and your plans for it?
I just had a children's book published, entitled: The Ingredients That Make Us / Los Ingredientes Que Nos Hacen. The illustrator, Anne Vega, did a wonderful job. The book similarly explores themes of identity and belonging.
Interview conducted by Johnna Ryan
