Comedian, actor, director, illustrator and now writer. Joaquín Reyes has removed the shame of publishing in High (Blackie books), his first fiction novel, which tells the life of a comedian blinded by fame and with which he has fulfilled the dream of approaching one of his great passions, literature, a discipline that he would like to continue exploring.
Avid reader and lover of the classics of Russian literature such as Dostoyevski, the creator of the iconic comedy shows Muchachada nui and La hora chanante, is one of the main exponents of La Mancha humor that has created a trend in recent years.
Where did the idea of publishing a novel come from?
The seed is my reading hobby. The novel is my favorite genre, although I had a certain modesty because I was not sure that I would be able to write something worthwhile.
And how did this account of the exploits of Emilio Escribano come about?
The story was revealed to me as is. Then I had to work on it, but it was very clear to me from the beginning. The character is a comedian from La Mancha and I have nurtured him with many experiences of mine. There were certain things that I wanted to tell about what the life of a comedian is like, the things we live, that is clearly born from my experience.
And who is this comedian, someone you know?
They are a lot of people. It has things of mine and that I have observed in my colleagues. What I wanted to tell through this character was a kind of reflection on fame, on how it changes you and can mislead you. After all, Emilio Escribano was not the most popular in his town and fame gives him the opportunity to make amends and he experiences it as a kind of revenge.
In the book you can clearly see your style, you and your very particular language. Has it been intentional?
The voice is very important, that it is recognizable. The authors that I like the most is where I recognize a voice beyond artifice and form, because if not, I am not too interested. And of course, it is not something intentional, it is that it comes out like this, I wanted to be recognized.
Now that the modesty has been removed, will you continue to write or was this a one-off episode?
I threaten to write more books. I really like it, I would like to write another novel. I already have an idea still very slapped. I write a lot because I write scripts, stories and articles and what I can, but this is done differently.
So you already consider yourself a writer and add “writer” to your multifaceted resume?
Yes, at least I have that vocation. I am lucky because I do many things that I like. In the case of writing, I have learned to write by writing a lot and reading a lot. As a child I did not write particularly well, there are people who have that capacity and that talent.
And what do you think of who could treat you as an intrusion?
I don’t think there is intrusion into literature because if someone starts to write, they are a writer. I wanted to introduce myself and have some credibility. I didn’t want it to be a comedian’s book. I wanted the book to defend itself, beyond the fact that I am known and that makes things easier for me and gives me access to the reader more than to an anonymous author.
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