Brogan Discusses ‘A Sprinkling of Stardust Over the Outhouse’ Thursday

CONCORD, NH — A writer from Concord with a knack for intertwining both his own life in the city and other places, too, is out with a new book a follow-up, of sorts, to his first.

“A Sprinkling of Stardust Over the Outhouse: Musings, Memories, Madness and Pillow Talk!” is Paul Brogan’s third book and he will be discussing it and signing copies at Gibson’s Bookstore on Thursday. The event starts at 6:30 p.m.

Patch asked Brogan 5 Questions about the new book and how it came to be. Here are his answers.

Congratulations on finishing your third book, “A Sprinkling of Stardust Over the Outhouse.” How difficult (or easy?) was this one to produce compared to your two previous books?

In many ways, this was easier since the pandemic made me less likely to have anything to distract me from sitting down at the computer. Monday through Friday, I worked from 9 until noon and from 1 until 4. It didn't vary for about 8 1/2 months.

You note in the book that some of it features stuff that ended up on the cutting room floor of your first book, “Was That a Name I Dropped?” And yet, that one was what, 700-plus pages? And a mad rush to get it done, too. Can you highlight one or two things you would like readers to take from this offering that they won’t get from the others?

I learned a lot of lessons from that first book, editing being one of them. I think the past 11 years and the hundreds of Patch blogs have helped me to say more in less space. I also have a better sense of what makes for a good story for the reader. More than 60 percent of this new book is fresh and untold and whatever is rehashed, is given a better take, partially because the writer was then in his later 50s and those 11 years have given me less patience for going on and on, sometimes needlessly.

The book’s title (and subtitle, too, “Musings, Memories, Madness and Pillow Talk”) have a mix of connotations one can conjure up even without a vivid imagination. Was there a reason for that? It is very Hollywoodesque and New Hampshire, too?

Someone who just read the book wrote to me and said, "Paul, you could subtitle this, 'From the streets of Concord, New Hampshire to the bedrooms of Beverly Hills!'" I share just about everything, including periods of abject stupidity. I'll let the reader discover the rest.

Like your previous books, life in Concord plays a significant role, both good and bad. In fact, you delve into a lot of unpleasantries and difficulties with family, mental health, losing friends to the AIDS crisis, and other personal and professional issues. Was it liberating or painful to share so much?

It is always a good and purging experience, to be honest. I'm at an age where I don't care if everyone likes me, nor do I feel the need to be a "people pleaser" to the extent that I put myself second or third. However, growing up in Concord provides a person with so many amazing outlets, or at least it did when I was growing up in the 1950s and 1960s. I hope that comes across. This community has always inspired me while at the same time, forgiving me for my trespasses, so to speak. I cannot change the missteps but I no longer dwell on them except in the way that others can learn from those mistakes.

You have lived a pretty amazing life — writer, performer, traveler, a service member in the Navy, author, husband, award-winner, etc. What is next?

I am deep into my first mystery entitled, "The Park." A body is found floating in White's Park Pond (and yes it is White's Park because it's set in 1962 during the Peanut Carnival). It's fictional but some of the characters are real including Chief Walter Carlson who attempts to solve what becomes a series of murders in the park. He is joined by Betty Abbott who was our director of Recreation and Parks for more than a quarter of a century. I am hoping it will be riveting.

Also Read

• Q&A with Local Author Paul Brogan: A quick piece about Paul's first book 11 years and two days ago.
• Brogan Talks Concord Theatre And City's Love Affair With Movies
• Concord Authors Hold 'Conversations' About Books, Writing Wednesday

For more information about the event, visit this link on Patch.

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