| The Old Spice guy | <
Little can be said about Stephen Parrish; less should be. He was one of those chaps in the group of "serious writers" into which I stumbled about two years ago. His killer wit and strange attachment to improper spelling make him weirdly endearing.
Parrish's debut novel The Tavernier Stones was released officially on May 1. It's an intellectual's adventure story spanning two continents, Amish and Catholic religions, cartography, gemology and more math than I could ever learn. All without being stuffy or irrelevant.
You can learn important stuff about Stephen at some of his other blog tour stops (see below). For all the non-important stuff, here is my own interview with Mr. Parrish.
Step #1
LIGHTNING ROUND- beer or wine? Wine, red, full of spice.
- Miss Snark or Evil Editor? Miss Snark. I just can't picture Evil Editor in stiletto heels.
- rich or brilliant? Brilliant, no question about it. If I think a girl is pretty, then discover she's an airhead, a strange thing happens to my perception: I no longer think she's pretty.
- clever or sincere? If you let me replace "sincere" with "authentic," then I choose it over clever. Be who you really are and I don't care if my jokes go over your head.
- celebrity crush: Cate Blanchett.
- a phrase you use often: "Don't make me come over there and sit on you."
- favorite movie: The best movie ever made, if movies can be ranked, is "Ben Hur."
Step #2TELL US about any of your weird writing habits or idiosyncracies. (ie, What’s one “thing” you need to write, the thing without which the creative juices would cease to flow?)I have to have a title, even if just a working title, before I can write a single word. And I have to have a name for a character before I can make him do anything. Otherwise it's just a matter of laying down words, any words at all, to seed the composition. And a good way to pick up tomorrow where you leave off today is to quit in mid-sentence.
Step #3TEACH US one or two of your favorite vocabulary words.1.
Boner. Being out of vogue makes it funny. Also, I was formally reprimanded recently for using it in business correspondence, so naturally I employ it every chance I get. Boner, boner, boner.
2.
Brain, used as a verb, i.e., to brain someone, to strike him on the head. Francis Parkman liked this verb when describing one person attacking another from behind: "He brained him unawares." That such expressions have fallen out of vogue is one of the crises the English language faces in modern times.
3.
Metaphysical. Nobody really knows what it means, but it sure sounds heavy.
Step #4BOOK BLANKS
COMING NEXT WEEK:- An Interview with Stephen Parrish
- A Review of Parrish's Debut Novel,
The Tavernier Stones
- A Contest to Win
a New Copy of The Tavernier Stones
IN THE MEANTIME:
(Yes, seriously.)
By: Aerin,
on 5/28/2009
Blog:
In Search of Giants
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I first made acquaintance with Stuart Neville through the blogosphere community that frequents Jason Evans's Clarity of Night flash fiction contests, before he even landed his agent. I've enjoyed being one of the groupies, cheering as Stuart humbly recounted tales about landing Nat Sobel as an agent, finalizing the publishing deals, getting celebrity (and non) feedback for his debut novel The Twelve, and caving to peer pressure to join Facebook.
(Okay, okay, and I admit: I totally have a crush on him. Fear not. My thinking he's a dreamy Irish hunk had no impact on my journalistic integrity - these 7SS being so serious and all.)
Step #1
LIGHTNING ROUND
- stout or lager? Lager - can't stand stout.
- Bransford or Moonrat? Oh, don't make me choose! Um, Moonrat, but only because I've met her in person and she took me to a karaoke party.
- David Lee Roth or Sammy Hagar? Roth, of course.
- coffee or tea? Tea - can't stand coffee.
- celebrity crush: Just one? Any female news reader - Fiona Bruce from the BBC News, for instance. Amanda Palmer of the Dresden Dolls. Jenna Fischer from The Office. Oh, and Cindy Pon, now that she's all famous.
- a phrase you use often: "Sorry I'm so late," usually followed by a poorly thought-out excuse.
- music you write by: All sorts, but recently it's been Mutter, and album by German industrial metal band Rammstein.
Step #2TELL US about any of your weird writing habits or idiosyncracies. (ie, What’s one “thing” you need to write, the thing without which the creative juices would cease to flow?)I need a guitar to hand at all times so I can noodle on it while I think. It's kind of like how people will doodle with a pen and paper.
Step #3TEACH US one or two of your favorite vocabulary words.Pishmire, which is a local expression for someone grumpy or miserable. It's come from an old word for piss ant. That's about as clean a word as I can think of for now...
Step #4BOOK BLANKS- The last book I finished reading was BLOOD'S A ROVER by James Ellroy.
- I gave it 5 stars.
- One word to describe it is surprising.
(in fact, dear readers, you can find Stuart's review of that book here.)Step #5QUESTION: What was the most difficult part of The Twelve’s journey to publication?Being on tenterhooks for what seemed like forever as it was doing the rounds at the UK publishers. You hear of book deals being struck in minutes, but my auction seemed to go on for weeks.
Step #6QUESTION: What has surprised you most about the publishing process itself?How eagle-eyed my editor at Harvill Secker, Briony Everroad, is. Her eye for detail is staggering. And also how generous people in the writing community are, from struggling hopefuls to big-name best selling authors.
Step #7GIVE US THE SCOOP. Tell us something about yourself that’s exclusive to In Search of Giants (ie, has never been publicized in print or podcast interviews.)I, a fully grown man, can't ride a bike. And I don't mean a motorcycle, I mean a bicycle with pedals.
Obviously I was hoping that Stuart's "scoop" was that he was naming a character in his next book after me, but, whatever. Thanks for letting me interview you, Stuart!
I'm delighted to kick off Author Spotlight Week with an author I truly admire. I've read one of her books and currently have three on order from B&N.
Louise Hawes was the person who inspired Authors with Heart. When I started reviewing books, I sent the reviews via email to authors. When I didn't ever receive responses, I quit sending them. Then I posted my review of Black Pearls: A Faerie Strand. A few days letter I received a lovely email from Louise.
This communication not only endeared Louise to me, but gave me the confidence to seek out interviews with other authors. Granted, Cindy Pon and Stuart Neville, whom you'll also meet this week, agreed to do interviews so I would quit stalking them. But others, like Julie Berry and John Marco, are direct results of my newfound faith in Authors with Heart.
While I'm pleased to offer you this interview with Louise, I also encourage you to check out her writing. It's sensorial, intelligent, graceful....much like Louise herself.
Step #1LIGHTNING ROUND
- Mac or PC? PC
- keep or toss? I don't speak toss. I still have clothes I wore in high school!
- aisle or window? Aisle
- LA or New York? Sorry, I'm not a city girl, not any city. I like my air without smog and my mornings filled with bird songs, not honking horns and squeaking brakes.
- pen or pencil? Pencil for free writes, pen for contracts. The first need to flow, the second need to last!
- Bronte sisters or Louisa May Alcott? I read Jane Eyre every year. It's among my all-time faves; I even wrote a novel, Waiting for Christopher, about it!
- cake or ice cream? I thought they were a set :-)
Step #2TELL US about any of your weird writing habits or idiosyncracies. (ie, What’s one “thing” you need to write, the thing without which the creative juices would cease to flow?) I like to work on more than one kind of project at a time. If I'm working on a novel, it's like R and R to take a "break" and develop a picture book. If I'm writing a short story, building a poem is a fun "vacation" and helps tighten my language at the same time. Each piece feeds and is nourished by the others. So if I get stuck on one project, I often find the solution by working on something else.
Step #3TEACH US one or two of your favorite vocabulary words. You're talking to someone who reads the dictionary for fun! I love the history of words as well as the music they make. One of my favorites I've worked it into several books is OTIOSE. It sounds just like what it means -- lazy, slow, useless. It can describe a river, a person, a mood. It comes from the Latin word, otisosus, meaning idle.
Step #4BOOK BLANKS- The last book I finished reading was Specimen Days by Michael Cunningham.
- I gave it unlimited stars.
- One word to describe it is brilliant, brilliant, brilliant, brilliant. (You said one word, right? But you didn't limit how many times I could use it :-)).
Step #5Describe what you’re doing/where you are as you’re taking this interview. What project are you working on while you’re there? I'm a Writer in Residence at an Arts Center in southern North Carolina. It's an elegant, historically preserved mansion with beautiful gardens, lovely writers' quarters named after NC writers (I'm sleeping in the Thomas Wolfe room, which comes complete with ghost :-)), a gorgeous sun porch (with WiFi, of course!), and blissful quiet everywhere. I'm working on a new novel and putting together a lecture for the July residency at the Vermont College MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults program. Can't think of a nicer setting in which to work my buns off!!
Step #6From the beginning of your writing career through now, what are one or two lessons you’ve learned – about the writing/publishing process, marketing, or, you know, just life in general?We're in this together. No one can be objective about her own work; we all need readers (preferably other writers) whose eyes and hearts we trust to give us honest responses to our writing. A good writers' group is priceless!
I've learned over time that some of the roughest patches in my life have made me a better writer. I hope they've made me a better person, too. Hard times have a way of tenderizing us.
Step #7GIVE US THE SCOOP. Tell us something about yourself that’s exclusive to In Search of Giants (ie, has never been publicized in print or podcast interviews.) You mean besides the fact that I'm allergic to chocolate? (Weep for me...) Okay, here's a real scoop: I've just finished a story for a new graphic novel being put together with four other writers. Fallen Angels comes out with DC/Vertigo next year, and includes Holly Black on the writing team and the gifted fantasy illustrator Rebecca Guay, who did the gorgeous illustrations for my last book, Black Pearls, a Faerie Strand. I can't wait for everyone to see this project--it is amazing!!
Thank you so much for letting me interview you, Louise!
He uses the word "Faustian," he lets me ask him dangerous questions, and he watches "Cupid." Meet my buddy Chip Lynch. Admittedly, I have not seen Chip since the mid-90s when I was in college. Still, Chip is one of the only people I've ever met of whom I have no negative memories. I mean, no toilet paper stuck to a shoe, no verbal gaffe I made about his mother or taste in clothing. Plus, he and my friend Laura set me up with a guy whom I'm not ashamed to admit that I dated. Chip is one in a million, and I'm very happy to introduce him to you, and you to him.
Step #1
LIGHTNING ROUND- Mac or PC? PC
- bicycle or motorcycle? Bicycle
- Piven or Cannavale? Piven
- shaken or stirred? Shaken
- Spero or Couric? Spero
- over or under? Ooohhh.... Under
- keep or toss? Keep, but I not-so-secretly wish I was a tosser
Step #2
DESCRIBE a favorite scene or event from your childhood memory.Childhood was full of good memories, but I can only rarely actually recall them. A recurring scene was playing in the back yard of my parents' house and the neighboring few yards. There was a row of forsythia bushes along the back border which are the most iconic things in my childhood memory. In springtime they'd bloom bright yellow which is my favorite color to this day. The overgrowth was just enough that we could get three or four friends huddled in a little section that we'd slowly hallowed out over the years for some relative privacy. This factored heavily into my very first kiss with a girl whose name I ashamedly cannot remember. We dug holes until we reached some buried cables, hid things we didn't want our parents to find (including a playgirl magazine that was back there for at least a week so's everyone had a chance to get disgusted by it), and generally used it as a base of operations for whatever it was we were getting into for the summer.
Step #3
TEACH US one or two of your favorite 4-star vocabulary words.I'm not sure I really have a four star vocabulary! One of my favorite words of late is "cromulent" which suffers mainly from not being a widely accepted word at all, and does not so far as I can tell have a published definition. It was introduced during an episode of "The Simpsons" in the following exchange:
Mrs. Krabappel: I never heard the word embiggen until I moved to Springfield.
Ms. Hoover: I don't know why. It's a perfectly cromulent word.
It's use is generally to imbue some legitimacy to something which otherwise doesn't have any.
I...I... I don't know if I have another. My favorite word is "porridge"... does that count? If anyone doesn't know what it means, we can have a little chat separately.
Step #4
BOOK BLANKS- The last book I finished reading was Eric by Terry Pratchett.
- I gave it 3.5 stars (out of 5).
- One word to describe it is Faustian.
Step #5
QUESTION: What’s the strangest thing about women, in comparison to men?Wow, that's a dangerous question.
Women, as a group, seem to have trouble agreeing on a definition of Feminism (see "Sarah Palin"). Men, as a group, will agree with almost any definition of Feminism, just to avoid having to talk about it.
Step #6
QUESTION: What’s one of your favorite places to travel but you’d never live there?The question seems to be phrased to imply places we've been... I'd love to work on the south pole for a while, but I can't really call it a favorite place to travel, having never done so. In short, tho, the answer is "Anywhere that isn't in the U.S.". I've only been off continent once, through Europe, and I loved every aspect of it, but I just don't think any parts of it could be "home". There's something unique about U.S. Americans. We're kind of strange, actually -- imaginative due mainly to our laziness, I think, which is a combination you just don't find anywhere else. Inside the U.S., I've lived all over the place and the only negative thing I have to say about anywhere is that some of them are too cold for too long. Since I'm currently living in one of those places, I can't say that it's a criteria for never-living-there, which leaves the whole country as my oyster.
Step #7
GIVE US THE SCOOP. Tell us something about yourself that’s exclusive to In Search of Giants (ie, has never been publicized in print or podcast interviews.)Wow, you want a scoop? 'bout me? I might be scoopless... the whole method of communicating with the world has changed so much that I can't think of anything interesting that hasn't been broadcast on my blog or facebook or, well, SOMEwhere.
I can tell you that I've been infested with June Bugs again lately, and I'm terribly squeamish about that. There was one in my piano yesterday and I dang near had to leave the house so I didn't have to hear it buzzing. I'll have to go hunting for it's body a few weeks from now (long enough to make sure it's not going to have some last minute spasm and scare the bejeezus out of me) and find a nice long tacky stick to pull it out with, wherever it lies.
Thanks, Sir Chipley. Now get your ass out here to visit all the little ones!!
I'm taking a break from interviews to write the kazillion book reviews I owe.
For anyone participating in Monthly GRaB,
remember that "hmm sounds interesting" doesn't count as an actual comment. Sorry to be militant about it.
Be sure to come back Thursday for more
7 Step Scoops, and don't forget about
the Star contest. And, coming next week, Author Spotlight week, featuring Louise Hawes, John Marco, Stuart Neville, and Julie Berry!
On December 24, 1997, I made a certain man the Happiest Man Alive by marrying him. Since then, Mr. Aerin and I have lived in three different states, four different cities and five different houses. We've battled floods, hurricanes, family get-togethers, mental illness, physical illness, home remodeling, and raising children. Mr. Aerin is a musician at heart and a therapist by trade. We are very different people - he's not a reader and I couldn't tell you the difference between Rob Thomas and Rob Zombie (okay, yes I could, but still.) He's a feeler and I'm a thinker. He does the laundry and I....don't. He's the last of our household to get strep, and yet he filled out my questionnaire. Give the man a beer already!
LIGHTNING ROUND- celebrity crush: Anne Hathaway
- favorite place to live: San Diego California
- secret ambition: Write a Number One Hit Single
- favorite musician of all time: Harry Connick Jr
- pick-up line used most in the 90s: Didn’t use lines---Would say “Hey/Hi/Hello there”
Step #2
TELL US about any of your weird habits or idiosyncraciesI put papers in piles. Sometimes the piles are organized, sometimes not, but somehow I feel better knowing they are in PILES.
Step #3
TEACH US one or two of your favorite vocabulary words.co-morbid: two diagnoses at once. If you have diabetes and depression these conditions are “co-morbid.”
Dialectical dilemma: Seeing both opposite sides of an argument and finding a way to synthesize them. Black on one side, White on the other side, Gray in the middle.
Step #4
BOOK BLANKS
- The last book I finished reading was The Audacity of Hope by Barack Obama.
- I gave it 4 stars.
- One word to describe it is Motivational.
Step #5
QUESTION: What do you miss most about the 80s?Being a teenager and having fun with friends (also playing guitar/keys in 80s Rock or New Wave bands)
Step #6
QUESTION: What is the very best thing about being married to Aerin, you lucky lucky man?(note from Aerin: normally I don't believe in censoring, but the first part of Mr. Aerin's answer was a little TMI). . .her long blonde hair is SUPER hot, but when it gets down to it---we are really good ‘partners’ She’s got my back---I’ve got hers, we work things out, make major decisions, negotiate parenting etc fairly well. And there is something nice about seeing her smile and holding her close at the end of a long day…
Step #7
GIVE US THE SCOOP. Tell us something about yourself that’s exclusive to In Search of Giants (ie, has never been publicized in print or podcast interviews.)I am giving a presentation as a Public Speaker Educating social workers, law enforcement, nurses, foster parents and others as a part of an “In House Event” at a community college in Saratoga California.
Thanks, honey. Don't forget to take out the trash.
There are not words to describe the special place that Whitney holds in my heart. She was a member of my youth group when I worked in Laguna Beach. There's really only about nine years' difference between us, so she's too old to be like a daughter, too young to be my "buddy," but she balances a lovely spot in between. Whitney challenged me, she trusted me, she opened her inner self - thoughts, emotions, dreams - to me, and I will forever be a better person because of it.
Step #1
LIGHTNING ROUND
- Paris or Bordeaux? Did you know these were my favorite French cities??! I'm gonna have to go with Bordeaux. I didn't have enough time to figure out the big deal about Paris but I'm sure it could happen!
- martini or margarita? Martini!
- Harry Potter or Twilight? Twilight (only because Edward is way hunkier than Harry...)
- ice cream or coffee? Both, but never together!
- surf or ski? I can't say I really do either...
- Shakespeare or Faulkner? I think they are both dated. I'm so not going to fly on your blog about writing, am I? I probably just kissed my fate and will rot in literary hell...
- Bend or Niguel? Bend. Wow, I am so mature for just admitting I relate more to Oregon than California!
Step #2
DESCRIBE a favorite scene or event from your childhood memory.Going to the Dana Point Harbor and getting ice cream. I kid you not, almost all of my favorite childhood memories involve me eating candy or sweets.
Step #3
TEACH US one or two of your favorite 4-star vocabulary words.Like a swear word? It's totally s**t. It gets the point across, it isn't THAT offensive (or at least it shouldn't be...we all do it!), and you still have the freedom to express it creatively!
Step #4BOOK BLANKS- The last book I finished reading was Me Talk Pretty One Day by David Sedaris.
- I gave it 5 gold stars.
- One word to describe it is hysterical.
Step #5
QUESTION: What's the toughest part about being a college student (near college-graduate) these days?Psh, I'm broke, unemployed, without health insurance in less than a few months (around the time I'll conveniently fall deathly ill)...and I have NO idea what I'm doing in life or where I should even begin. Oh yeah, we are in a recession! This makes all of those things I mentioned before a much bigger deal.
Step #6
QUESTION: In your opinion, what's the greatest challenge facing the USA at this time in its history?Not being hated by everyone else in the world, and I don't know about you but I'm a little freaked out about this swine fever... How about I just sum it all up by saying the pitfalls of globalization coming back to bit us in the ass?
Step #7
GIVE US THE SCOOP. Tell us something about yourself that’s exclusive to In Search of Giants (ie, has never been publicized in print or podcast interviews.)I was SUCH a jerk to my little sister growing up. Aerin you said I would regret that and...you were right!
Um, huh, what? I'm still stuck on hearing someone say I was right....Thanks, Whitney, for letting me interview you!
Sometime in the late 90s I dropped out took a break from seminary and went to work at a non-profit law firm that worked against the death penalty (that's the really simplified version.) David Mills was on staff at the same time, working as an investigator of mitigating circumstances in the cases of death row inmates. He'd also gone to Union Seminary in New York, and was dating a woman who became his wife and the mother of his two incredibly beautiful daughters.
The only time we ever double-dated with David and Leila was to go see the movie "Boys Don't Cry" with Hilary Swank. Let me tell you. It's not a movie to see with another couple you're hoping not to have to share therapy time with. And yet, due to the joy that is Facebook, ten years later, David's still acknowledging my presence and kindly agreed to be interviewed.
Step #1
LIGHTNING ROUND
- Mac or PC? PC
- Sean Connery or Pierce Brosnan? Connery
- jazz or blues? jazz
- salty or sweet? sweet
- Asheville or Wilmington? Asheville
- nature or nurture? nurture
- baseball or soccer? baseball
Step #2
DESCRIBE a favorite scene or event from your childhood memory.I had to move to Charlotte in the middle of kindergarten. My teacher took me to an ice-cream shop for a banana split to say goodbye.
Step #3
TEACH US one or two of your favorite vocabulary words.nauseous--it does NOT mean "nauseated." When you tell me "I'm nauseous," you're telling me you make me sick. While that may be true, I don't think that's what you want to convey.
Step #4
BOOK BLANKS
- The last book I finished reading was Yogi Berra: Eternal Yankee by Allen Barra.
- I gave it four stars.
- One word to describe it is well-researched.
Step #5
QUESTION: You run the Common Sense Foundation in Durham, NC. Can you explain, in laypeople terms, what that means?I no longer work at the Common Sense Foundation, but it's a rabble-rousing organization that produces talking heads for the media to present the liberal perspective on North Carolina issues.
Step #6
QUESTION: In your opinion, what's the biggest challenge facing the Obama Administration?The economy
Step #7
GIVE US THE SCOOP. Tell us something about yourself that’s exclusive to In Search of Giants (ie, has never been publicized in print or podcast interviews.)I was on
Jeopardy! in 2007 and got my clock cleaned.
Now, of course, I have to go comb the Jeopardy archives. Thanks for coming, David, and hugs to those three gorgeous girls of yours!
If you're a follower of "In Search of Giants," you know that Ello is one of my favoritest people ever in the universe (partly because we received our introduction from one of my other favoritest people, Precie.)
If you're not a follower (um, why aren't you?), then let me introduce you to Ellen Oh, whose agented manuscript about the Seven Kingdoms is currently out for submission. She's also one of the forces behind An Enchanted Inkpot.
Step #1
LIGHTNING ROUND
- Krispy Kreme or Dunkin’ Donuts? Krispy Kremes rule!!!!
- Hunger Games or Graceling? Very tough call, but I'm gonna go with Hunger Game
- Mac or PC? I have a PC but desperately covet a MAC.
- bath or shower? Shower. And since I shower everyday, sometimes twice a day (i'm a bit obsessive), there is no way I'm cleaning a tub that often. blech!
- salty or sweet? Both. Usually together. But if I have to choose one over the other, usually I go sweet.
- Paris or London? I've been to Paris but never to London - so I pick LOndon only because I want to go!
- beer or wine? Beer, unless you have sangria. I love sangria!
Step #2
DESCRIBE a favorite scene or event from your childhood memory.I'm a brain deady Mommy! What memories????
Alright, I remember one. When I was about 13, my parents went to Main for a family trip. Even though we were not well off, my parents felt that since we were in Maine we had to splurge on a nice lobster dinner. So we went to a wonderful seaside restaurant and I remember everyone but me had a lobster, even my 5 year old sister. I was allergic to lobster and shrimp when I was younger so they bought me a nice steak. The weather was beautiful, the place was wonderful and I remember feeling so happy. The next day we went to the each and picked snails, clams and mussels from the receded shoreline and my parents cooked them up right on the beach. It was wonderful. I think its why I always have an affinity to the coast. It brings back great memories.
Step #3
TEACH US one or two of your favorite 4-star vocabulary words.Motherfu... errrr sorry. I like small simple words. But my favorite fancy shmancy word is Tintinnabulation. I first learned it reading Edgar Allen Poe and his poem The Bells. I loved that poem. "And the tintinnabulation of the bells, bells, bells!" Nearly 25 years later and I can still remember that poem!
Step #4BOOK BLANKS- The last book I finished reading was MORIBITO by NAHOKO UEHASHI.
- I gave it 5 stars.
- One word to describe it is MORIBITO. HE HE. NO IT WAS GREAT.
Step #5QUESTION: How does your “previous life” in law within the non-profit sector influence the themes you include in your writing?Ok so the one thing you learn as a lawyer is to write in excruciating detail and overexplain yourself in an attempt to never leave any uncertainty. This same process is unfortunately in my creative writing. So I have a tendency to overexplain. First I tell you what's going to happen, then I tell you it happened and then I recap what happened. It sucks. It takes me several revisions and skilled beta readers who are good at smacking me upside my head to catch this ugly little habit.
One good thing about my legal training is that it gives me an analytical mind so that I really look at scenes or storylines from many different angles. I'm always looking for loopholes, problems, issues, solutions, etc. I outline to death and map out everything searching out the weaknesses. It makes for a thoroughly researched story.
Step #6QUESTION: What makes you proud of yourself?My children and my husband. My family and friends. My agent. But I don't want to say I'm proud. Rather, I'm so very grateful. Every day I count my blessings and give thanks because I have been blessed and I'm so thankful for all I have.
Step #7GIVE US THE SCOOP. Tell us something about yourself that’s exclusive to "In Search of Giants" (ie, has never been publicized in print or podcast interviews. I have a deathly fear of..... curtains! That sounds weird right? But I used to have this reoccuring nightmare where I was in an empty room facing a dark open window framed with white billowy curtains blowing in a soft wind. There was nothing else. No monsters. No people. No sound even. Just the curtains blowing in the wind, but it left me with such a feeling of utter terror that I have never completely gotten over it. In fact just typing this out gave me horrible goosebumps. I know this says something freaky psychological about me but I have never analyzed it. I just avoid draperies and tend to stick to venetian blinds now!
Ello, you are awesome. Thanks for letting me interview you!
Every weekday in May I will feature a
new interviewfrom a Very Interesting Person.
At the end of the month I will choose someone
to win any book they want ($25 limit).
Here's how to play:
1. Find the glitter star
hidden in random interviews.
2. Keep a list of the names of the interviewees
in whose interviews you find the star.
3. At the end of the month you'll email me the lists,
and I will choose someone at random.
Additional prizes as I deem necessary.
Hurrah! I knew there had just been a mix-up. Dorothy, the wunder-brain in charge of Pump Up Your Book Promotion Tours, mislaid the email that Karen had sent back with her interview responses. And I'm so very glad she did. Of all the interviews I've been collecting, Karen's "scoop" is by far the funniest I've heard.
Okay, back to the book business.
I was interested in doing the tour with Karen because 1) I think she looks like Celine Dion's
way prettier sister and 2) I knew
Shelly liked her as an author. (Lo and behold, Shelly's got
her review of The Lost Hours up today over at Write for a Reader.) And I really enjoyed
The Lost Hours, which to me combined the earthiness of Billie Letts' characters and the gracefulness of Audrey Nifenegger's story development.
The Lost Hours is well-written (of course it is, it's Karen's
tenth book!), with characters who are at once new and familiar, and a plot that keeps you turning pages.
So, let's get on with the
first ever
7 Step Scoop Interview!
Step #1
LIGHTNING ROUND- Mac or PC? Both! My desktop is a PC and my new laptop is a MacBook Air. Stevie: Nicks or Wonder? Both! (can you tell I'm a Gemini??)
- keep or toss? Toss. Although I used to be a keeper.
- London or Paris? London. (I lived there for 7 years)
- salty or sweet? Sweet--hands down!
- bath or shower? Shower
- floral or fruity? Floral
Step #2
DESCRIBE a favorite scene or event from your memories of childhood.Lying in bed at my grandmother's house and listening to the tree frogs outside, and the sound of my mom, her four sisters and my grandmother talking in the kitchen. I lived all over the world growing up, but I never looked forward to anything more than the summer visits to my grandmother in Indianola, Mississippi.
Step #3
TEACH US one or two of your favorite 4-star vocabulary words. Ubiquitous: Everywhere, always present. As in "The working writer can be identified by her ubiquitous laptop."
Inevitable: Foreseeable or expected (I learned this word from reading Victoria Holt gothic novels as a teenager). "Lack of sleep in an inevitable occurrence when an author is up against her deadline."
Step #4
BOOK BLANK- The last book I finished reading was The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett.
- I gave it 5 stars.
- One word to describe it is illuminating.
Step #5
QUESTION: I'll admit, I haven't read any of your other novels. But the style of "The Lost Hours" reminds me of a meeting between Billie Letts and Audrey Niffenegger. What authors do you think have most influenced your writing style overall?Diana Gabaldon, Anne Rivers Siddons, Jodi Picoult--and probably a host of others that I can't think of right now!
Step #6
QUESTION: Piper, Annabelle, Odella, Earlene. Lots of strong, definitive names. How do you choose (or discover) the names of your characters? I think it's the hardest part of the novel! I roll a bunch around in my head for a while, and usually even start writing a character using a different name at the beginning of the book. I find that I have to 'know' the characters to properly name them.
Step #7
GIVE US THE SCOOP. Tell us something about yourself that's exclusive to In Search of Giants (ie, has never been publicized in print or podcast interviews.)I've done so much blogging for my virtual tour that I think I've shared all the big stuff. So, here's a gem: when I was in 10th grade I went on a school trip to Egypt. While in a bazaar near Luxor, my chaperone was approached by a man who offered him 200 camels in exchange for me. My husband would like to find that man and see if he's still interested...
Huge and many thanks to Karen for her time!
To celebrate this, my first-ever author interview, I ran to Borders and bought a copy of
The Lost Hours to send to one of you!
DEADLINE SUNDAY NIGHT MAY 10.
Here's how to enter:
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If the picture of Charles Gramlich frightens you as much as it frightened me when I first encountered him over at Clarity of Night...don't worry. I don't know him well enough to say he's really a teddy bear instead of a badass, but I can say he's a hell of a writer, has a dry sense of humor, and is a warm and congenial Facebook/blogging buddy.Abruptly transported from Earth to Talera, Ruenn Maclang must slash his way through a world of alien warriors and deadly beasts, where every move can result in death. To stay alive and find his missing brother, Ruenn must quickly learn the discipline of sword and spear, and experience the bitter stench of battle. And he must uncover the many hidden secrets of Talera, a weird and wonderful world very different from our own.
Hale and well met, Charles. Another fine interview.
A spark plug collection? That's cool, Charles! LOL!
Richard, thankee.
Natasha, I know. but that's the one I miss. sigh!
Spark plugs? That's awesome! :)
And I'm right with you on the quiet thing.
I learned even more about someone I admire, read daily, and (happily) consider a blog-buddy. Good interview!
Aloha from Waikiki :)
Comfort Spiral
Terrific, offbeat interview questions--and answers!
Charles is one of those rare people who is equally talented, smart, cool and kind. He is also a little strange, but in a totally good way.
thx for another peek into the old bean, charles...
only spark plug i was really interested in [other than in the cars i drove] was with the junior chamber of commerce, one of their membership categories
I'm all blushing and stuff. I'm glad everyone is enjoying.
Great interview. I didn't know spark plugs were collectable!
Great interview. A very interesting read. I've seen Charles around while lurking about - and I'll admit it, I was a little afraid of the profile pictures.
It's nice to hear it was unfounded.
Christine, probably not for anyone but me.
John, all appearance and no bite, I'm afraid.
Fun interview. The spark plug collection sounds more interesting than a stamp collection.
He just SO rocks...Not that I'm biased or anything. :)
I really like "mistral," too. Hadn't heard of "harmattan," though.
Great interview, Charles and Aerin!
Thanks, Aerin, for this interesting interview with Charles.
That's a bummer about the loss of the spark plug collection. I'd never heard of anyone collecting those, but since I started watching American Pickers, I now know that people collect just about anything ~ and don't want to part with most of it.
Really good interview, Aerin. So much fun to read. :)
Charles, you always have something interesting and new to share.
Thanks everyone. I appreciate your visiting.
And I thought my sticker collection was cool...! Another great 7ss!
I so bad want to hang out with and buy a beer for Charles. I feel certain our paths will cross one of these days.