J. John Portera
Major Works
- Conspirators
of Revenge (2006)
- Tribute
to a Champion: A fight for life (1981)
- Grinning
& Grinding: A Collection of America's Dental Humor
(1995)
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J. John
Portera: A Biography
 J. John
Portera, a Mississippi writer born in West Point, MS, has written his
first major novel called Conspirators of Revenge.
Portera graduated from the University of Mississippi with a B. A.
degree and accepted a graduate fellowship in English. He had hopes of
becoming a writer, but strong family pressure to enter a medical field
made him change his mind. Deciding on a career in dentistry, he earned
a D.M.D. degree at the University of Louisville. He then practiced
Cosmetic Reconstructive Dentistry for twenty-nine years, teaching
dentistry from 1976 to 1984 at the University of Mississippi Medical
Center in Jackson where he was the 1984 Teacher of the Year. Portera
has now retired to write. He has three daughters, Katie, Carrie, and
Anni and has returned to West Point to live.
Conspirators of Revenge
is a murder mystery thriller set from 1979
to 1980. The story is set in numerous cities but primarily takes place
in Memphis, Oxford, Jackson, Philadelphia. Portera worked literally
twelve hours a day for ten months to complete his novel. His other
works include Tribute to a Champion: A fight for life
and Grinning & Grinding: A Collection of America's
Dental Humor. Both books were written as Joseph J.
Portera. He is currently at work on another murder mystery thriller.
 In addition to writing,
Portera carves exotic hardwood and now does bronze sculptures. He has
done life-size busts of native Americans such as Sitting Bull. He has
other interests as well. He makes jewelry, enjoys astronomy, studies
military history and Native American cultures. He also enjoys traveling
throughtout the Southwestern United States and riding his motorcycle.
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An
Interview with J. John Portera (February, 2006)
When and where were you
born?
West Point, Mississippi<
Who
were your parents?
The late JOHN PAUL PORTERA and ROSE MARASCALCO PORTERA
Do
you have brothers and/or sisters?
One deceased brother, Coach Charles A. Portera (Tribute To
A Champion was written about him--my first published
work); no other siblings.
What
do you remember about growing up in Mississippi?
Mississippi is unique in so many ways, yet it is quite difficult to
specifically recall any uniqueness I might have felt as a
youngster.....it was all I knew. In retrospect, and as an adult, I
think the entire state perhaps possesses an intangible idyllic and
romantic aura about it. Perhaps this is "why" so many artists and
writers have their roots in Mississippi.
To
whom were you married?
Suzanne Haley--divorced--three daughters by that marriage.
Where
did you go to high school, and when did you graduate?
West Point High School, 1960.
What
kind of student were you?
Quite intelligent and creative but did not apply myself. I made A's and
B's without much studying--a C here and there. I became a "professional
student".....honed my mental skills like an athlete does his or her
body.....after going to Ole Miss and, particularly, after entering
professional school at the University of Louisville in 1965.
When
did you become interested in writing?
I was in "pre-med/pre-dental" at Ole Miss, but after taking a course in
Shakespeare, it changed my entire thinking on what I "wanted' to do;
however, even though I accepted a graduate fellowship in the English
Department at the Univ of Mississippi, some family members convinced me
that I should give up the idea of becoming a writer--for obvious future
financial earnings potential--and, as a result, I accepted the position
at the University of Louisville and took leave of my dream to become a
writer for many years.
Who
are your favorite authors?
Henry James, Steinbeck, Faulkner, Hemingway, Ruark, Updike, and almost
all the American and English Classic Novelists.
Who
else might have influenced your writing?
No author in particular--I have developed my own "delivery system" and
consider it unique unto my mental processes during the creative writing
experience.
Where
do you get the inspiration for your books?
Perhaps from a brief conversation with someone--some excerpt from a
true event--astute observation of individuals--but, mostly, from the
creative cavern of my own imagination.
Why
did you change your name for your latest book?
I did not. My full name is Joseph John Portera. I used "Joseph" or
"Joseph J." until my father died and, in honor of his first name--as
well as the first name of a deceased only son of mine--"John Scott", I
decided to use "J. John.' It is just a thing of honoring the dead and
using my real name in a different way.
Are
your books based on real life events and people you know or have met?
Tribute To A Champion and
Grinning and Grinding--YES. Conspirators of
Revenge is primarily fiction; however, the places are
real and, to some degree, the character "Frankie Laursen," did and does
exist. Moreover, I patterned all the characters after individuals I
have known and/or observed--at one time or other-- over my entire
lifetime. I cannot say, in complete candor, that "all" the events
actually took place.....as described in the novel.
 Are any of
your books autobiographical in some way?
Yes, my first.....Journey into
Darkness.. ....it was too autobiographical to
attempt publication after I carefully weighed the pro and cons upon
completing it in the early eighties. Perhaps I will publish it at a
later date? Right now, I'm focused on writing novels that read like
FACT.
How
has living in Mississippi affected your writing?
I believe that every place has a certain "heartbeat" to it, something
palpable but unexplainable. Mississippi has the heartbeat of a number
of great writers resonating through the core of my being. I actually
believe that I imbibe some of that into my mind, heart, and
spirit--then, in some special way through my writing and sculpting,
give it back to those around me in a vicarious way.
Are
you working on a new book? If so, what will it be its title?
I cannot share the title at this time, but I can tell you that it is an
intense piece of work involving a serial killer who takes the lives of
seven women over a 12 year span of time. It is not set in Mississippi
but rather in a new locale in the USA. "Matteo", my narrator in
Conspirators of Revenge, will again be the narrator in this novel. This
is simply because he is a "forensic psychologist" and perfect for
identifying the mental illnesses or emotional aberrations that my
novels will present.
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All photos by Nancy N. Jacobs
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