Although I do include some standard questions, i try to tailor each interview question to the author’s specific work and interests, frequently asking questions unrelated to their actual writing, but rather instead to organizations they work with and outside interests they’ve expressed interest in. (In the latter case, I have had authors refuse to answer because they were afraid it would detract from the promotion of their current novel).

I figure if I don’t show an interest in the author and their work during the interview, they have every right to not show an interest in answering the questions. And if I can write up their responses just by looking at interviews they’ve done in the past, I’ve failed miserably as an interviewer.

You have moved up on the awesome scale just for doing that.

@32

You’d either become everyone’s favorite interview candidate or everyone’s least favorite for doing that.

Q: What is your favorite book?
A: I’m glad you brought that up, because I believe that there is a crisis in this country – a literacy crisis. Not only are about 10% of the people in the US funcationally illiterate, 66% of those who are technically literate never read anything! 66%! That’s *half*. And don’t even get me started on the appalling math skills of the average American.

(Numbers given may differ from reality in unspecified ways)

Lopsided Cat, of course.

*ducks and runs*

But I still think my way is better ;-)

Actually, I think one could read either Zoe’s Tale or Last Colony first, and then read the other of the two.

Next time, I’m just going to answer the question I want to answer, the way politicians do.

John, if you want to share your thoughts on federal pre-emption, Iqbal v. Twombly or ERISA I can probably get a couple of lawyer magazines to call you up with some really new interview questions. By “new” I don’t guarantee “not boring”.

Thanks for doing what you do so well.