James Frey and a blogger encounter
Tonight I went to see James Frey, the author of A Million Little Pieces and My Friend Leonard, at the Union Square Barnes & Noble. I met Jules there (my first blogger encounter :) Jules is small and twinkly-eyed and looks a bit like Julianne Moore. She was kind enough to save me a seat, which was very necessary because the place was packed! I've never seen anything like it. I guess that's what Oprah will do for you.
James seems very down-to-earth and likable. 100% pretension-free. He was wearing jeans and a thick, maybe flannel button-down shirt. Also sneakers. The questions were pretty personal: one woman asked plaintively, "Do you believe in God?" and one boy said, "Could you tell us a bit about Lily from A Million Little Pieces? That was pretty sad." I wonder how often he gets questions about that. They must be painful to answer. He just said that he still loves her and misses her. At the beginning of the talk, he said, "Before these things, I always get pretty @#&!% nervous. I used to come to these things and there would be, like, 4 people. So thank you all for coming."
There was the usual question, "What advice would you give to aspiring writers?" and he said, "If my dumb ass can do it, anyone can." After the laughter subsided, he said, "I was never considered talented. I just bust my ass. I work harder than any writer I know, although I don't mean to demean other writers. Inspiration is for amateurs. I get up every morning and work my %#@(% off."
Someone asked him about his favorite authors. Disappointingly, he likes Hemingway. I think Hemingway is ok but wildly overrated. Seriously, if you read some of the dialogue in A Farewell to Arms, it's the most stilted stuff ever, and an editor would hack it to pieces today. I guess it's a guy thing. He writes about guns and war and masculinity and maybe men like that. I don't know. He also likes F. Scott Fitzgerald, which I respect much more.
Other than the Hemingway disappointment, he seemed like a very cool guy. I raised my hand to ask if he was going to write another nonfiction account of his life. He seemed to point to me, but I paused because I wasn't sure if he was pointing to someone else in front of me, and then the other person asked. Oh well, I lost my chance. In some weird twist of fate, the other person asked the same question. He said he's going to write a novel this time. He said, "People were like, 'Can he do it again?' So I did it again. Now they're like, 'Can he write about anything but himself?'" So he's not going to write about himself anymore ;)
Before meeting Jules, I bought a fluffy light purple turtleneck at the Gap. So soft :)
James seems very down-to-earth and likable. 100% pretension-free. He was wearing jeans and a thick, maybe flannel button-down shirt. Also sneakers. The questions were pretty personal: one woman asked plaintively, "Do you believe in God?" and one boy said, "Could you tell us a bit about Lily from A Million Little Pieces? That was pretty sad." I wonder how often he gets questions about that. They must be painful to answer. He just said that he still loves her and misses her. At the beginning of the talk, he said, "Before these things, I always get pretty @#&!% nervous. I used to come to these things and there would be, like, 4 people. So thank you all for coming."
There was the usual question, "What advice would you give to aspiring writers?" and he said, "If my dumb ass can do it, anyone can." After the laughter subsided, he said, "I was never considered talented. I just bust my ass. I work harder than any writer I know, although I don't mean to demean other writers. Inspiration is for amateurs. I get up every morning and work my %#@(% off."
Someone asked him about his favorite authors. Disappointingly, he likes Hemingway. I think Hemingway is ok but wildly overrated. Seriously, if you read some of the dialogue in A Farewell to Arms, it's the most stilted stuff ever, and an editor would hack it to pieces today. I guess it's a guy thing. He writes about guns and war and masculinity and maybe men like that. I don't know. He also likes F. Scott Fitzgerald, which I respect much more.
Other than the Hemingway disappointment, he seemed like a very cool guy. I raised my hand to ask if he was going to write another nonfiction account of his life. He seemed to point to me, but I paused because I wasn't sure if he was pointing to someone else in front of me, and then the other person asked. Oh well, I lost my chance. In some weird twist of fate, the other person asked the same question. He said he's going to write a novel this time. He said, "People were like, 'Can he do it again?' So I did it again. Now they're like, 'Can he write about anything but himself?'" So he's not going to write about himself anymore ;)
Before meeting Jules, I bought a fluffy light purple turtleneck at the Gap. So soft :)
Comments
How awesome that you got to see James Frey! Does his speech or physical appearance reveal much about his past drug abuse? As I read the book I wondered what long-term effects it all had on his mind & body...
He actually looks kind of like a teddy bear...a little extra weight, and cozily dressed. His speech is also soft, with a little Southern accent and a slight lisp. His eyes are really intense, though. He says he is still good friends with the Judge.
Looking at him, you can't tell he went through what he did. Oh, and get this...he has to get those teeth redone soon! His dentist promised to give him lots of painkillers ;)
I met a malta-poo walking home from the gym this eve. (maltese-poodle mix) .. small, white, fluffy, very cute!
The new colors look great!
I love the small doggies. We saw a dog that looked like a Bichon Frise mix today...white with some brown markings...D wanted to take it to the office with him ;)
Agreed. Love the Fitzgerald book Great Gatsby. I know several people in real life that were just like his cousin and her hubby.