Tag Archives: interview

Our new trailer! And an announcement.

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Several authors – including a bunch of Backword Books authors – will be on Book Chatter tomorrow (Friday) night at 9 PM EST to talk about our books, writing, publishing, to answer questions from readers, etc.

You can watch the show live over the internet here: http://www.ustream.tv/channel/bookchatter

Or, too, you can call in to the show’s line if you just want to listen. The phone # to call in is: (914) 803-4571

You are invited – nay, encouraged! – to call in with questions or comments during the hour.

“Better Nashville”: the Interview

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The Frothy Monkey was crowded with coffee drinkers, 90% of them on laptops. (One table had three people sitting at it, all with identical white laptops. I guessed they were taking some kind of computer training  class.)

My particular strain of social anxiety disorder (self-diagnosed) makes walking into crowded rooms a nice test of psychological courage. (I believe this disorder is why–even as far back as middle school–I have never liked cafeterias. Everyone else is sitting down. You’re standing up. People will look at you.)

I’d driven very, very fast to get there on time. I’d meant to leave early, but I had to find a shirt that wasn’t white because this article says white and black are the worst possible colors to wear if you’re going to be on TV. R.J. Keller, whose brother is a reporter and knows things about cameras and interviews and lighting, also told me not to wear black or white. Or red. I don’t have any red, but I do have plenty of black and white. Luckily, I found a green shirt I’d forgotten I owned.

No one says not to wear green.

My almost-lateness was actually caused by a combination of searching for the right shirt and messing with my hair, which had insisted on looking bell-shaped before it was finally restrained by little clip things.

I arrived at the Frothy Monkey ten minutes early, walked in, waited in line, and stood around uncomfortably while waiting for my coffee. Not only was it crowded, but I wasn’t sure if the people I was meeting were already there. I looked around and didn’t see a woman who looked like a TV journalist, didn’t see a guy with a camera, so I assumed they were still on their way.

“Turtle latte!” said the guy behind the counter, and I waved, said, “Here!” (I’d been pretending to read a bulletin board smattered in pictures and news clippings.) Turtle latte: chocolate, caramel, and praline. “Praline?” I’d asked. But it’s really good!

I went outside and sent texts to Ian so I’d look occupied. Ten-thirty came. Ten-thirty-three followed. They’re not coming! I thought. I got the time wrong! Maybe I was supposed to call them to confirm…?

I tried to remember the email sent by Producer Kacy. “Reporter and photographer will arrive at 10:30…Frothy Monkey…here’s a link to the website so you can get directions…”

Nope, nothing about calling anyone to confirm.

(Text, text, text…)

Me (to Ian) @ 10:35 – SITTING OUTSIDE BECAUSE IT’S O CROWDED IN THERE – HOT OUTSIDE! MUGGY! BLECH!

Ian @ 10:35 – THEY THERE YET?

Me @ 10:36 – NO.

Me @ 10:36 – YES! JUST CROSSING STREET NOW. AK!

The reporter I was expecting had called in sick this morning, so instead–happily!–I got to meet Producer Kacy, an incredibly warm and friendly woman who made me feel as comfortable as one can feel if one is inherently uncomfortable being photographed/videotaped.

(Geez…sounds like you’re uncomfortable with all kinds of things, Kristen…

Not really. Just crowded rooms and cameras. Moving on…)

We sat outside because the music inside was too loud, the room too crowded. Outside worked for me. It could have been twenty degrees hotter, and I’d still have wanted to be outside.

I sat in a chair moved from where it had been tucked under a table in the sun to a piece of shade falling from the building next door. I kept my coffee cup at my feet because Stephen, the photographer, said it would be better to have it out of the shot.

(Hm…must find something else to do with my hands…)

I got to wear one of those little wired mics they clip onto your shirt. Mine clipped onto a section near a button hole. Stephen had to mess  with it once because I’d inadvertently moved it. Funny thing, having the hands of someone you don’t know that close to your breasts and not caring, knowing it’s all very professional.

Producer Kacy sat beside the camera, Stephen stood behind the camera, and I tried not to look at the camera. The only other person on the deck was a woman with wavy red hair sitting in the corner at an umbrella-shaded table.

I answered Producer Kacy’s questions, sometimes feeling quite eloquent, other times wondering how in the hell I was going to turn a lost sentence into something coherent. (“What are you even talking about? How’d you get here from there? Circle back! Circle back!”)

I felt the sweat in places sweat grows. I saw Producer Kacy sweating, too–and she’d even taken off her blazer. I tried not to blow my hair out of my face or wipe my cheeks and eyes and forehead.

“You can sit over here if you’d like  some shade,” said the red-headed woman under the umbrella.

“Oh, no…we’re fine,” we said. “Thank you.”

I was fine, anyway. My shade, her shade…all the same. Poor Producer Kacy and Stephen, though, were in the sun.

Stephen asked if I’d like to read a passage from Homefront. (On the drive to the Frothy Monkey, I wondered if they’d want me to read, if I should have picked a passage, but thought, “Nah.”)

I read the same paragraph I’d read a while ago for the WKMS  interview. (It’s the only one I’ve ever practiced, and because I already knew what page it was on, there’d be less waiting for poor, hot Stephen and Producer Kacy while I flipped through pages searching, frantically searching…)

While I read, Stephen carried the camera to where I sat and pointed the lens over my shoulder, circled it around the book, and did what felt like a close-up on  my face. (It’ll be interesting to see  how that part looks, if it makes it into the final cut.)

After the reading, voila! The interview was finished. Producer Kacy and I talked about her recent trip to Europe while Stephen took some shots of the book sitting on a table. Then they took my book away (with my permission, of course) so the reporter who’ll do the story on TV can get acquainted with it.

We said our goodbyes, and–finally able to wipe my forehead–I drove home.

In the car, I went over what I’d said. Tried to imagine being a stranger watching it on TV and listening to what always feels, to me, like a horribly inadequate synopsis of Homefront. (For some reason, “What’s it about?” is the question I have the hardest time answering. Ask me almost anything else, and I’m fine.)

I got home, put down my things, and went to my office. I opened my email and found this–sent to the address I use for my website–waiting in my in-box:

Hi Kristen-

I wanted to shoot you a quick email saying I thought your “Better” interview went swimmingly. Take it from the shade-hogging redhead in the corner, you sold the book (at least to me, and I’m semi-discerning). Pardon my eavesdropping, but at that moment your book was more interesting than mine (I’m a magazine writer toying with a novel).

For what it’s worth, good job. You sold a book today.

Sincerely,

The peanut gallery (AKA Jennifer —- )

Don’t you just love the internet?

_______

The show is scheduled to air on “Better Nashville,” (edited:) Friday, Aug. 14 between 1-2pm on WSMV Channel 4. I’ll post a link when the archived video is available on their website.

Reminder: Homefront Book signing at Clarksville, TN’s Books-a-Million on Aug. 15, 1:30 -3:30pm. 125 S. Hampton Place.

“Better Nashville” interview

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On Monday, I’ll be visiting with a reporter and a photographer from WSMV-TV’s Better Nashville for an interview about Homefront.

I…uh…need a haircut.

And something to wear!

I would go shopping nowrightnow, but I want tacos and need to get the stuff to make tacos so I can come home and make–and then eat–tacos.

Dion'sLuckily, it’s only Wednesday. This means I have plenty o’ time to buy new clothes, and about two seconds after getting the email asking if I could be interviewed on Monday, I called Dion’s South, a hair salon in Franklin, TN. That’s right–salon. Not a hair-cuttery or a barber shop. (I chose them because not only is it a gorgeous, fancy schmancy place, but because they’re gorgeous and fancy schmancy and cuts are only $25 if they’re given by an interning stylist. The Man himself, Richard Dion, costs $70.) I first learned aboutbluegrass boys the place when Ian and I visited Franklin two weeks ago. There was an elegant price list, a handwritten sign, on the sidewalk out front. Imagine…a salon that looks like that, and a cut is only $25? And you know the interning stylist has to be pretty good. I said, “The next time I need a haircut, I’m coming here.” And whaddya know? I truly need one, now.

Incidentally, we’d meant, that day in Franklin, to take a walk around the quiet downtown, look at shops and things. You know…just get out of the house.

Instead, we  happened upon a full-on Bluegrass Competition. Musicians practiced at the edge of the square, food stands sold the best selling steak sandwiches I’ve sniffed since I lived in Germany, and local artisans sold their crafts under tarps.

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Anyway. Back to writerly things…

I’m quite excited about this interview and will absolutely not watch it. I can’t listen to myself on the radio–there’s no way I’ll be able to watch myself on TV. Unless I’ve already had half a bottle of wine. Even then, it’s only a “maybe.” (And one o’clock is a little early to have had half a bottle of wine. However, I do have DVR…)

Happily, the interview, which will only be about a 3-minute segment when it airs, will be recorded and edited. “It’s not live,” Producer Kacy said. (Whew!)

Air date: Aug. 13. The show runs from 1pm – 2pm (CST).

Wish me luck! Oh boy, a TV interview. How fun is this?

[Note: I'm not disregarding the reason behind the interview. Tennessee has an enormous military population--whether that means soldier, friend, lover, spouse, or family--and the reason for the interview is because Homefront has been called one of the only works to offer intimate and raw insight into the experience of waiting for a love to make it through a war. People lose the ones they love every day in Iraq and Afghanistan, in one  way or another. And every other day, someone is worried they'll be the one to lose someone they love in Iraq or Afghanistan. I'm excited the book is gaining attention. It's an important story, and more people reading it means more people immersing themselves into the experience, living it through Homefront's main character and the unusual people who surround her.]

PopCultureZoo review and a radio interview

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(Internet radio, that is.)

popculturezoo books review pagePopCultureZoo.com, made up of “a plucky group of writers who earnestly want to help spread proper entertainment news” (read the rest of their appropriately plucky bio here), posted its review of Homefront yesterday.

.

Snippets:

In every aspect, from style to subject matter, this book feels refreshingly honest and new while also feeling strangely familiar. I say that because there are times where you are certain how things are going to play out, but Tsetsi chooses a slightly unexpected direction…

…On a personal note, this is an extremely difficult book to properly review. It is an intimate and personal look into a soul bared raw for us all to see and it’s sometimes difficult to not feel like an unwelcome voyeur, especially when you find yourself quick to want to judge. I don’t think anything I can say will really do the book justice… make this the next book you read.

Read the full review at PopCultureZoo.com.

_____

And at noon (CST) today, I’ll be discussing Homefront with Beth Wilson on her blog talk radio show (archived podcast at “Navy Homefront Talk“).

Wilson is the founder of “Homefront in Focus” and a syndicated columnist who has appeared on Fox News and was recently featured in the Washington Times as the “first spouse embedded on a mission with the armed forces.” She said yesterday that she wants me to discuss – among other characters in Homefront - my favorite character. I’m still not sure who it’s going to be; it’s a tie between two characters, and for two very different reasons. I’ll be interested to know who I pick when the time comes. Coolest thing: she’s using Homefront to introduce her book club. It’s their first official book club selection!

I’m looking forward to the show – I hope you’re able to listen in.

From driving a cab to being on NPR

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cab sideI started writing Homefront in the winter of 2004, just before Christmas. I’d been driving a cab in Tennessee and quit the job so I would have time to write.

While driving, I’d listened to NPR every morning and every evening (it was a 12-hour shift) and had heard countless authors being interviewed. I fantasized about one day being one of those authors. But it wasn’t a realistic fantasy; it’s like dreaming of being on Oprah. You can be pretty sure it’s never going to happen.

I stayed home every day after quitting driving and started writing my first book on a laptop my mom had given me . A few months into it, after finishing 80 single-spaced pages (so, half a book), I deleted the whole thing and started over. From page one. New don't type drunkcharacters, new names, a new story, a new p.o.v.

The rewrites, revisions, loooong query process (which covered me in enough rejections to make for a less romantic version of the rose-petal girl in American Beauty), and ultimate self-publishing decision – which meant formatting, more revising, more formatting, cover design, waiting for ISBN approval, etc. – took until February of 2007.

After that, it was all about marketing. I started small.

Flyers. MySpace. Bugging people for reviews and blurbs. Waiting. Sending letters to local newspapers. If I were going to get Homefront noticed by the “big” people (like NPR), I needed something–reviews, notice, praise–to go along with the book when I sent it out.

I became an obsessive marketer.

Truly obsessive. I was never so sick of a book cover, so sick of a project, so sick of my own name. I’d watch commercials that have J.Lo and Beyonce advertising anything from socks to celery sticks, and I’d think, “How can you not want to shoot yourself in the face?”

(I imagine it’s different if there’s a publicist doing it for you. All you have to do is show up when you’re told, and then leave. The rest–the pushing of your name, your product–is done by someone else.)

Anyway – I’d been doing everything I could possibly think of to get Homefront out there. Had the reviews not been good, I’d probably have given up. If a book simply isn’t being picked up by an agent or publisher, there must be a time the writer comes to terms with the fact that it might be awful and then lets it go. But, reviews indicated Homefront wasn’t awful, and because of that, giving up would have felt like…well…giving up.

Even so, I did eventually sort of give up, because just before moving to Connecticut in late 2007, I’d had enough of the book and enough of myself. I wanted to start a new project, and it’s difficult to write something new when your head is stuffed with an old story (for me, anyway…I tend to be all or nothing, sometimes). I figured the only way to get into the new book was to retire my efforts toward the old.

Setting it aside felt great, even if I hadn’t managed to get the book the kind of attention, or serious consideration, I’d been hoping for. It was like taking off pajamas I’d been wearing for a month. Combined with moving to New England–which I’d been wanting to do since 1996–giving up on Homefront made me feel like I really was starting fresh. Finally.

But not for long.

When I got to Connecticut, I didn’t find a job right away, so there was little to do during the day. I thought, if I just write one more query…maybe it would be like those stories you hear: “I was this close to giving up, I sent out a last-ditch query letter, and BAM! It was picked up by the agent, then by Little, Brown, and now I’m a multi-millionaire best seller!”

I sent out the query. It was rejected.

Okay. Fine.

I wrote internet radio shows and got myself a few interviews. (I’ll show you, rejectors!)

After about two weeks, I found a job at a newspaper, my first reporting job. Which meant I had a lot to learn and a lot to focus on that wasn’t Homefront.

While listening to NPR in Conn. the way I did every day on my way home from work in Tenn., I “met” Faith Middleton. (I always had NPR on, not only because I liked the station, but because even if I were in the mood for music, the stations there didn’t offer much. And my 1992 tape player was eating my 1996 tapes.)

“Hm,” I thought. “A local NPR broadcast. Local. Local local.”

I’d already sent a copy of the book to NPR’s Morning Edition (and even more “yeah, right” shows – hey, ya gotta try) and had heard nothing, but not hearing back had become so ordinary that I didn’t (and don’t) even flinch at being ignored anymore.

I sent an email to Faith Middleton, told her about the book and about why I thought it was important, and she wrote back the same day to say she’d like to have me on.

Faith Middleton. Of the Faith Middleton Show. On NPR.

This was NPR.

And, all right, so the station was not NPR (national) but WNPR (local), but WNPR is heard in three states. And it only took a little reading up on Faith Middleton to know I should be incredibly, incredibly honored – and feel extremely fortunate – for her to have said ‘yes’ to me.

Her bio as posted on the Connecticut Public Broadcasting website:

Faith Middleton has twice received the “Pulitzer” of broadcast journalism, The Peabody Award.  Middleton also is a recipient of the Ohio State Award. In May of 2008, Faith received the Mark Twain Award from the Connecticut Press Association and Humanitarian Award from The Children’s Community Programs of Connecticut.

Joining the ranks of Helen Keller, Richard Rodgers, Arthur Miller, and Dr. Henry Lee, Faith was recently the recipient of the Distinguished Public Service Award of The Connecticut Bar Association. Now in her 29th year as the host and executive producer of The Faith Middleton Show, Faith is heard in prime-time six days a week in Connecticut, Rhode Island and New York on WNPR, as well as on the Internet at wnpr.org.

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I drove to New Haven a few weeks later and saw the inside of the WNPR studio.

To listen to the show (and the interview), click here. (Her whole show is good. If you’re interested in her interview with me, it’s about 2/3 of the way through the podcast.)

The point of this long entry, I suppose, is to illustrate what can happen when you not only believe in what you’ve written (and receive the reviews and the feedback you need to assure you the work is truly good, and not just something you and your friends like), but also how achievable at least the small dreams are when you are willing to be indefatigably, sickeningly, uncomfortably, and brazenly persistent.

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Inside the studio.

Essential Writers interview, plus the edited-out bit.

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(Cross-posted at Backword Books)

essential writersUK-based Essential Writers editor Judy Darley interviewed me recently about writing, Homefront, and – inadvertently – Backword Books. Have I mentioned that while I hate, hate, hate being in front of people and talking about anything remotely “me,” I looooove answering interview questions via email? And what an absolute honor to be sought out by Essential Writers.

Some of my responses were truncated (which means I actually end up sounding more professional and “writerly-writer” than I think I am), and one of the cutting-room answers involved my feelings after being nominated for a Pushcart Prize. Undoubtedly, it was cut for length, because I can be overly “blahblahblah, blah blah BLAH blah…and thennnn…”, but I’d like to include that part here, because it’s amazing how easily others can taint something that would otherwise be “I’m-getting-so-wasted-tonight!” exciting:

How did it feel to discover …you were nominated for a  Pushcart Prize?

Being nominated for a Pushcart Prize was exciting, too, but strangely less so [than winning the Storyglossia Fiction Prize]. I think because I was part of an online writers workshop, at the time, and there was a lot of talk about how anyone can nominate anyone for a Pushcart Prize. Your mother can nominate you. So, while I was truly very excited to have been nominated by an editor, and while I still – three years later – appreciate it and love to simply have the knowledge that my writing was nominated for such a coveted prize, the pooh-poohing of it by other writers squelched my enthusiasm, a little. Winning – now, that would have been something.

“It’s an honor just to be nominated,” they say. And truly, often it is. Really. But when you learn you can even nominate yourself and then claim to have been nominated, you have to wonder how many people are going to roll their eyes at your “Nominated for a Pushcart Prize” and think, “Everyone gets nominated for that.”

When I worked at the Journal Inquirer, I received a little index card in my mailbox that said I’d been nominated for some award in journalism. (I forget what it was.) I thought, “Wow! And I just started!” I then found out everyone in my newsroom, and in newsrooms across the country, were nominated for it. Editors nominate their reporters in a sort of raffle. All nominees are invited to attend a dinner or other journalist-y event where the winners will receive their awards. Most reporters can be pretty sure they’re not going to win (especially when, like me, they hadn’t had more than a six-month career in the field, hadn’t exposed anything particularly noteworthy, and hadn’t – frankly – earned it).

So, naturally, I went from being “Ohmygod!” excited to “Ohhh. Mmm-kay.” (Much like the day Oprah called me.)

That’s why I said what I said about winning the Pushcart. Because not everyone wins the Pushcart. Hell, hardly anyone wins the Pushcart.

I want one, fer sure.

The rest of the Essential Writers interview can be found here. Thanks, Judy, for the interview! I’m excited and honored to have been included.

Army Wife Talk Radio (Book Club) Reminder

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Army Wife Network chose Homefront as their June book club selection, and Sarah Ikena, who hosts the book club, has invited me to call in today (June 8 ) to discuss Homefront on their web-based radio show in a segment that runs from 2126-2136 (EST).

Link: blog talk radio.

(I’m still thinking about how to answer the question, “Do you think that there are characteristics that make a good Army wife?”

The idea of a writer’s blog.

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I never really liked it. I don’t particularly enjoy reading about writing on a writer’s personal blog, and I don’t know that others would enjoy reading my writing thoughts on my own personal blog.

But as a writer/author, should I not have a writer’s blog?

I have no idea, really. Does anyone read them? Who cares what a writer says about writing, really?

But the answer to that is a part-two question: Who cares what a writer says about writing on her/his personal blog? Personal blogs are, as I see it, expected to be personal. But a writer’s blog is specifically aimed at writing.

And so, this: What does one write about on one’s writer’s blog? Writer’s block (assuming there is such a thing)? Narrative and – better -  dialogue (my favorite thing ever to write)? Readings, book signings, appearances, and interviews (that would actually make sense…)?

Well, maybe yes. Or, just yes.

This blog, this “writer’s blog,” will be used for updates, all things writing, and other such writerly things.

(This comes at a time when I’ve just rid myself of a number of busy-work projects to allow myself more time to concentrate on The Year of Dan Palace. I’m officially halfway through the first draft and intend to focus on it the way a person is supposed to focus on a book s/he’s writing, but after reading my agent’s blog about blogging, I thought I should blog about writing. If she thinks I’m moving too slowly, I think I’ll just link her to this entry. And then to her own entry. And then say, “It’s your fault.”)

Because this is now an official blog on writing, I suppose I’ll post the first announcement/update that has to do with books, writing, interviews, etc.

(What follows has been copied from my personal blog, so if you’ve seen it before, that’s why.)

WKMS program director Mark Welch will be interviewing me this week about Homefront.

The segment is scheduled to air Friday, June 5. (That date is tentative – will update with concrete date and time when I have it.)

The idea of an interview used to make me feel nauseous. I would get shaky, pace, and would have to find a place to hide so no one could hear me while I was answering questions over the phone. Once, when Ian and I lived in CT, I ran out of the apartment and downstairs to one of the many entrance doors (big building; used to be a factory) and stood outside on the stoop to talk.


Now I’m just excited. (At least, I think that’s all I am. He’s recording the interview before it airs, and it’s quite possible I’ll get nervous the morning of.)

Quick update on June happenings:

June 5 (tentative), Homefront interview on WKMS FM (93.1) with Mark Welch

June 8, Homefront interview on Army Wife Talk Radio 9:26-9:36pm est (that’s when the segment usually runs, I was told.)

June 13, Davis-Kidd Booksellers book signing (Nashville, 2pm)

Later in June: Destin, baby! Crab Shack, AJ’s, Angler’s, beach, tiki bars, scooters, and sun. (Four year anniversary already. Marital anniversary, anyway. Ian and I have a few different dates we remember, but I guess the day we had that very, very small ceremony on a deserted part of Destin beach was an okay enough day & is well worth celebrating.)