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1-On-One | |||||
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Is it possible to be a good writer without being a good reader? No. According to a report of the Independent Book Publishing Association, over five million American adults belong to reading groups. What, do you believe, is the basis for this country's love for literature and books? Not sure, but it’s a wonderful thing. There’s nothing like a good book! Have you ever belonged to a reading group? No, I never have. I belong to a writing group though, and we swap manuscripts so I think that fulfills the same capacity for me. What advice do you have for reading group members when it comes to selecting books for discussion? I think that if I were to join a reading group I would look for one whose choices represent a wide variety of opinions, points of view, writing styles, and themes. What books are you reading now or do you plan to read? I can’t read anything right now because I’m drafting and I’m afraid of voice-creep. But when I’m not writing I read anything and everything, from Hemingway to Twain to Picoult to Atwood to wonderful up-and-coming authors, too many to name. When I’m not writing my own books, I gorge on other people’s. If you were stuck on a deserted island and could only bring one book with you to read, what would it be and why? Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales. There’s just so much meat and variety there. If you could have dinner with three writers (dead or alive) who would they be and why? Joshilyn Jackson, Karen Abbott, and Renee Rosen, because they’re amazing writers and amazing people and I don’t get to see them very often. (They’re part of my writing group so this is probably not the type of answer you were looking for, but hey! It’s the truth!) Have you ever read anything you're too embarrassed to admit (except in this interview)? Tabloid magazines. I buy them in airports so no one I know will catch me doing it. Favorite first line from a book? “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.” Sorry! Just kidding! I mean, it’s a pretty good first line, but everyone picks that. How about Tom Wolfe’s “Hernia, hernia, hernia, hernia, hernia, herni, hernia, hernia, hernia, hernia, hernia, hernia, hernia, HERNia; hernia, HERNia, hernia, hernia, hernia, hernia, HERNia, HERNia, HERNia; hernia, hernia, hernia, hernia, hernia, hernia, hernia, eight is the point, the point is eight; hernia, hernia, HERNia; hernia, hernia, hernia, hernia, all right, hernia, hernia, hernia, hernia, hard eight, hernia, hernia, hernia, HERNia, hernia, hernia, hernia, HERNia, hernia, hernia, hernia, HERNia, hernia, hernia, hernia, hernia” Or Snoopy’s (or Edward George Bulwer-Lytton, if you’re a purist) “It was a dark and stormy night.” Sorry. There are too many gems to choose from. Favorite last line from a book? “And so to bed.” (Samuel Pepys) Book that changed your life? “Water for Elephants,” quite literally.
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