tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22537743.post3780302048419046254..comments2024-02-27T04:35:19.394-08:00Comments on and another thing...: On Journalism, and Interviewing AuthorsJohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08700441634700745541noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22537743.post-19208943519751795732007-07-24T06:45:00.000-07:002007-07-24T06:45:00.000-07:00Oops. I forgot to mention: I was in Galway city y...Oops. I forgot to mention: I was in Galway city yesterday and bought 'The Book Of Lost Things' for a colleague at work. It is his birthday and he hasn't read any of your books yet. He started it last night and only put it down when his wife tore it from his hands and demanded he turn out the light. So, I think you have a new fan on your hands there!! Thanks. Eamon.ACTONhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16699914561219587097noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22537743.post-15273520845748984302007-07-24T06:41:00.000-07:002007-07-24T06:41:00.000-07:00Hi John,I was fortunate to spend a couple of hours...Hi John,<BR/>I was fortunate to spend a couple of hours with you in Galway after the 'Unquiet' signing, and I had a great time. It is only natural after all this travelling and meeting people for you to be getting tired. I don't know how you do it. As for whether or not you consider yourself interesting, I had a great time talking to you about your books, recent films, tv shows, etc (I kind of got lost when it came to sports). I had a great evening, and wish every day could be as good. I know people who only read the newspaper and only ever watch the RTE news, who are amazed when I spend money on cds or dvds, and who can't understand why I would ever read a book. These are the people who are boring and bland. You are a diamond in the rough. Even the amount of enjoyment you bring to your readers is enough to elevate you to a higher plain. Anyway, enough sycophancy. Thanks, Eamon Acton.ACTONhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16699914561219587097noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22537743.post-31404670877119383562007-07-09T08:02:00.000-07:002007-07-09T08:02:00.000-07:00This comment has been removed by the author.TomHhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12805041866275759669noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22537743.post-29364273879189305632007-07-03T07:12:00.000-07:002007-07-03T07:12:00.000-07:00I can't imagine interviewing someone without havin...I can't imagine interviewing someone without having a good working knowledge of that person's work. For one thing, I'd like to enjoy the interview myself whilst doing it, and I don't think I could swing that if I was underprepared. For another, I'd want the interview to achieve something significant, to affect the readers who decided it was worth their time. <BR/><BR/>I'm one of those people who believe that a written work can be interpreted a gazillion different ways, and I'd like to know if my interp was a decent one or if the author had an entirely different vision in mind or. . . .<BR/><BR/>Ah, well.<BR/><BR/>I agree with thomashyland, John--you are so wrong about the whole "I'm not very interesting" thing. I'm not saying you're the most interesting person who ever lived, but I know I'd love to talk to you about how you craft your novels, about your opinions re: some of the issues you raise in those novels, etc. I think it would be a lovely and stimulating several hours.<BR/><BR/>So--yes, you're interesting. Deal with it.maldajunehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01930458953011770611noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22537743.post-47868624652187229822007-07-02T11:37:00.000-07:002007-07-02T11:37:00.000-07:00In 15 years of journalism, I can recall two instan...In 15 years of journalism, I can recall two instances where I interviewed an author without having read the book in question (or any of their previous works), and both times came about when a colleague had to pull out of the interview and I had to step in at the last minute.<BR/><BR/>I came clean from the outset on both occasions, and the writers were very understanding (at least to my face...), but I felt so embarrassed and unprofessional.<BR/><BR/>John is right - professional pride should dictate that you ought to be prepared, but sadly there's far too much shoddy journalism out there today, and that's coming from a humble former 'local' news journalist.John Quirkhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17419164913874944053noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22537743.post-8640221063751981562007-07-02T07:18:00.000-07:002007-07-02T07:18:00.000-07:00“I can't stress this enough: I'm not very interest...“I can't stress this enough: I'm not very interesting.”<BR/><BR/>You’re wrong. <BR/><BR/>You are extremely interesting and a good person. Paris Hilton is not very interesting and maybe not such a good person. And the likes of that contributes much to banality. But you reach out in many ways, while still displaying a sense of likeability and humanity. God gave you talent and you did the rest. <BR/><BR/>Sorry for the ‘Paris Hilton’ comparison. The mind does seem to draw on what’s available.TomHhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12805041866275759669noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22537743.post-50113102131478984892007-06-30T12:17:00.000-07:002007-06-30T12:17:00.000-07:00I have conducted one interview in my life: of John...I have conducted one interview in my life: of John, via email, shortly after The Black Angel came out. I had just read it, as well as two others, and can't imagine what I would have asked had I not been at least that familiar with his work.<BR/><BR/>Some public figures (writers, actors, athletes) get known as "bad interviews." Some of this is likely tedium and irritation at being asked the same questions after twenty or thirty years in the public consciousness. The only way to ensure a good interview is to know enough about the subject to ask something that is rarely asked, or to ask the inevitable questions in a refreshing way. It's a lot of work, which is why I have yet to ask for an opportunity to interview anyone else. I lack the time to do the job justice.<BR/><BR/>I'd love to know where to find the second interview noted in John's post, the good one.Dana Kinghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01350344882342624735noreply@blogger.com