Dancing With The Stars finale
Missing in America Memorial
Madison Commencement
Book Nook provides readers with insights into the world of books. Vick Mickunas takes you into the center of the publishing world with the latest book buzz, book reviews, and exclusive chats with authors..Home > Blogs > Book Nook > Archives > 2009 > May > 27 > Entry
I thought I had heard everything…
Over the last 15 years I have interviewed a lot of authors. Stuff happens. Some authors are in foul moods. Signals get crossed. Appointments are missed.
I do a lot of phone interviews these days. Some are for the Dayton Daily News. Others are taped for radio broadcast. I have done several recently and some things happened that were rather unusual.
Last week I interviewed a well known novelist. I interviewed him a few years ago. He wasn’t very friendly. I decided to risk another one.
I called him at his hotel. He was on book tour in Iowa. The desk clerk said that he was on his telephone and I got bumped into voicemail. I left a message. I called back. Still busy. I called his cell phone and it went into voicemail.
These things happen. Authors forget the time. Interviews can run long. I assumed he was being interviewed. But after 20 minutes and my 8th attempt I asked the desk clerk to send someone up to his room and ask him to get off the phone.
The next time I called he answered. He was not pleased. He was angry. He was rude. I did the interview anyway. I got lots of terse answers. He was really acting like a complete jerk. Oh well.
When I got back to my office I had a number of voicemails from this author. Apparently his line was busy because he kept calling my office demanding to know why I wasn’t calling him. His final message was laced with profanity that cannot be repeated in a family book blog.
A jerk.
Then today I did a couple of interviews with some authors whom I respect very much. The first author was on book tour in Seattle. We had a lovely chat.
The second interview was with an author out in the Boston area. I wasn’t taping it for the radio so the sound quality wasn’t that crucial. I could barely make out what he was saying to me. He explained that he was on his cell phone headset while driving his truck. Thus, the poor sound. He told me that he has three kids at home so when he wants some peace and quiet for an interview he heads out in his truck. That is his sanctuary. We had a wonderful conversation.
And so it goes. 99% of the authors I interview are friendly. Then there are the jerks. While the sound quality can be excellent or mediocre the quality of the conversation is almost always superb. I love talking to writers about their craft.
Even the jerks. They always come through loud and clear.
Vick Mickunas
Permalink | Comments (3) | Post your comment | Categories: confessions of a galley slave
Comments
By Barbara Delaney
May 29, 2009 12:42 PM | Link to this
Maybe he’ll receive the ultimate punishment and have his book reviewed by Harriet Klausner. After she gets all of the details wrong, or maybe even reviews the wrong book as she frequently does, you can have the last laugh.By edo
May 28, 2009 3:55 PM | Link to this
so tell us the good guys/gals… we always hear about the jerks… you’d think even a jerk would be nice when you are promoting their book, unless of course you start telling them what they got wrong about Des Moines…By alaskanriley
May 27, 2009 9:14 PM | Link to this
Sounds like this blog sometimes. You hit a sore spot and all of a sudden it’s not a very nice environment, and there is nothing about the original subject matter - what you have read and how you feel about it.