Wilderness Spa

More From Jim Halverson

Where do you get inspiration for your stories?

There is a story everywhere you look. Current events, often reports of injustices or conspiracy theories motivate me to explore and perform research to find the truth and help right wrongs. Writing short essays helps organize my thoughts. Many of those essays are reflected in my books.

How does psychological survival conflict with physical survival?

I don’t think psychological survival conflicts with physical survival. I believe they coincide to make people stronger. Physical strength, to some degree, is dependent on psychological well-being. In Wilderness Spa, philosophical discussions helped all the travelers rise to a higher more balanced state of mind. Even with the stress of reconciling their own beliefs they became stronger.

In Wilderness Spa, the wealthy brothers Eric and Connor discuss white privilege during their desperate hunt for food. That does not conform to their attitudes when we first met them. How did that happen?

The two brothers gradually realized that they were not invincible. The group dynamics offered them the opportunity to be a part of something larger than themselves. Other than the group of travelers, they realized all they really had in the world, their wealth was now worthless, was the memory of their parents. When they focused on family values, they found the strength to put their lives in perspective.

Could Wilderness Spa have been written in another venue or stetting?

Yes, easily. It could have taken place on a trip down the Zambezi River or in the Australian outback. For that matter, it could have been set in the inner cities or suburbs of America. Intellectual pursuits for truth and justice surround us every day.

Where is one place in the world you would return?  

“One” makes that a difficult question. I’ll go with Norway, especially the Svalbard Archipelago. Norwegians are warm and friendly, the country is clean, and the landscapes are pristine.