Author(s) #5:
Barbara
Liz
Barbara Davilman and Liz Dubelman, editors of “What Was I Thinking? 58 Bad Boyfriend Stories”
1. Tell us about your latest book.
OUR LATEST BOOK IS AN ANTHOLOGY. A GENRE THAT PUBLISHERS GENERALLY SHUN BUT OUR AGENT WAS RELENTLESS. ALTHOUGH WHO COULD RESIST A BOOK BY WOMEN DESCRIBING THAT MOMENT IN A RELATIONSHIP WHEN THEY KNEW IT WAS OVER?
2. How did you get started as a writer?
LIZ: I wrote a short story called CRAZIEST which I made into a VidLit (video literature ) because I wanted to get the story out there and that seemed the best way: http://www.vidlit.com/craziest/
BARBARA: I HAD TO FIND A WAY TO GET ALL THE VOICES OUT OF MY HEAD WITHOUT BEING COMMITTED TO A PSYCHIATRIC INSTITUTE.
3. What does a typical day look like for you?
LIZ: I wake up at 6 to deal with publishers in NYC. I live in LA. I write when I can and do a lot of work gathering inspirational elements for stories or VidLits.
BARBARA: DEPENDS IF I’M WORKING IN TV. IF I’M WORKING ON A SHOW IT’S A BASIC 10 – 7 JOB. IF I’M NOT – I WAKE UP, FEED AND WALK MY DOGS, ANSWER A BUNCH OF EMAILS, DO SOME DOG RESCUE WORK, TAKE THE DOGS FOR A HIKE, TAKE A NAP, FEED THE DOGS, HAVE DINNER, WATCH RERUNS OF LAW & ORDER.
4. Describe your desk/workspace.
LIZ: I have 5 computers and tons of small scraps of paper that contain images and ideas.
BARBARA: I’VE TAKEN OVER THE DINING ROOM SO MY DESK IS ACTUALLY MY DINING TABLE.
5. Favorite books (especially for writers)
LIZ: I love John Fante because he writes the way I feel. The Invention of Hugo Cabret because it uses pictures as an intricate part of the story. I also love Yiddish with Dick and Jane by my co-editor Barbara Davilman (and Ellis Weiner) and all of my husband, Paul Slansky’s books, especially The Clothes Have No Emperor about Ronald Reagan
BARBARA: TOUGH ONE. FICTION AT THIS POINT TENDS TO BE FRIENDS’ BOOKS. MARC ACITO, JENNIFER COLT, PAUL MANDELBAUM, PATTY MARX, SETH GREENLAND… NON FICTION TENDS TO BE ALL POLITICAL OR RELIGIOUS BOOKS.
6. Tell us 3 interesting/crazy things about you
LIZ: 1. I once smoked a joint with John Lennon.
2. My father was killed by a mouse.
3. I helped revive Come to Your Senses Day http://www.c2ysd.com — a much needed holiday celebrated Feb 15 every year.
BARBARA: I’M A GREAT BOWLER. I HATE CHILDREN. I DON’T KNOW HOW TO DRIVE A STICK SHIFT.
7. Favorite quote
LIZ: “Outside of a dog, a book is man’s best friend. Inside of a dog it’s too dark to read.” – Groucho Marx
BARBARA: “IT IS BETTER TO KEEP ONE’S MOUTH SHUT AND BE THOUGHT A FOOL THAN TO OPEN IT AND REMOVE ALL DOUBT.” – ABE LINCOLN.
8. Best and worst part of being a writer
LIZ: The best part is it’s fun to see what my subconscious can do. The worst part is sitting down to face the page.
BARBARA: THE FREEDOM.
9. Advice for other writers
LIZ: The thing about writing is you have to write, at least that’s what I’ve heard.
BARBARA: IF YOU CAN DO ANYTHING ELSE – DO IT.
10. Tell us a story about your writing experience.
LIZ: We got about two-thirds of the stories for our book What Was I Thinking: 58 Bad Boyfriend Stories from craigslist, Facebook, youtube and myspace.
BARBARA: I WAS ONCE IN A MOVIE PITCH AND THE PERSON I WAS PITCHING TO WAS CLEARLY NOT INTERESTED AND THE MORE HE WAS NOT INTERESTED THE MORE I PITCHED. I MUST HAVE PITCHED 34 MOVIE IDEAS. I COULDN’T STOP.
Where can people learn more? Where can they buy the book?
Vidlits for the book can we seen at http://www.vidlit.com
ANY BOOKSTORE.
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