FAVORITE AUTHOR OF THE WEEK: Arthur Golden bestselling author of "Memoirs of a Geisha"

Arthur Golden is the bestselling author of “Memoirs of a Geisha.” In Memoirs of a Geisha, he has done a very daring thing: he, an American man, written in the voice of a Japanese woman.

His brilliant debut novel tells the story of a strikingly pretty child of an impoverished fishing family. It begins in a poor fishing village in 1929, when, as a nine-year old girl with unusual blue-gray eyes, is taken from her home and sold into slavery to a renowned geisha house.

Her name is Chiyo Sakamuto. She learns the rigorous artistic and social skills a geisha must master in order to survive in her society: dance and music, wearing kimono, elaborate makeup, and hair; pouring sake to reveal just a touch of inner wrist; competing with a jealous rival for men’s solicitude and the money that goes with it.

Chico becomes the geisha name Sayuri, As a renowned geisha she enters a society of wealth, privilege, and political intrigue. As World War II looms Japan and the geisha's world are forever changed by the onslaught of history.

Memoirs of a Geisha is a treasure of a book, an unparalleled look at a strange and mysterious world which has now almost vanished.

Though he’s been termed on “overnight success,” Arthur Golden’s “Memoirs of a Geisha,” was written over a 10-year period in which Mr. Golden rewrote the novel three complete times, changing the point of view before finally settling on the first person viewpoint of Sayuri.

Then novel was written after interviewing a number of geisha, including Mineko Iwasaki, for background information about the world of the geisha. The book is entirely a work of the imagination. Given his family history in journalism, Arthur Golden chose to create a fictional world as close to the truth as he possibly could and strove diligently to get the details right.

“Memoirs of a Geisha,” was on the New York Times Bestseller list for two years. It has sold more than four million copies in English and has been translated into thirty-two languages around the world.

Memoirs of a Geisha were made into a successful film in 2005 by Columbia Pictures and DreamWorks. It was produced by Steven Spielberg's Amblin Entertainment, Spyglass Entertainment and Douglas Wick's Red Wagon Productions.

The film was nominated and won numerous awards, including nominations for six Academy Awards, and eventually won three: Best Cinematography, Best Art Direction and Best Costume Design. It was directed by Rob Marshal, a six-time Tony Award nominee, Academy Award nominee, Golden Globe nominee and Emmy winner whose most noted work includes the 2002Academy Award Best Picture Chicago and the 1998 Broadway revival of Cabaret.

Arthur Golden graduated from Harvard University where he received a degree in art history, specializing in Japanese art. In 1980 he earned an M.A. in Japanese history from Columbia University, where he also learned Mandarin Chinese. Following a summer at Beijing University, he worked in Tokyo, and, after returning to the United States, earned an M.A. in English from Boston University.

To purchase his book, please visit AMAZON and Barnes & Noble

UPCOMING INTERVIEW: Bestselling Author, Award-Winning Journalist of Vanity Fair, Vogue, New York Times Magazine & The New Yorker: Marie Brenner

Marie Brenner is the definitive investigative journalist, and a bestselling author. She has published nine books, among them are: On the Border August 2009, Apple and Oranges May 2009, Kay Thompson’s Eloise 2005, Great Dames:What I learned from Older Women 2000, House of Dreams 1988, Intimate Distance 1983, Rookie 1980, Going Hollywood: An Insider’s Look at Power and Pretense in the Movie Business 1978 and Tell me Everything in 1976.

Her work with major magazines is prolific. She joined the staff of Vanity Fair in 1985. Since then she has been a contributing editor to both "New York," and The New Yorker magazines, and her articles have also been featured in Vogue, and the New York Times Magazine. Her work was so resonant and important that it's crossover appeal to the a broader film audience was not lost on Hollywood.

Ms. Brenner's 1996 expose' of the tobacco industry for Vanity Fair was the inspiration for a highly successful feature film released in 1999. Her essay entitled The Man Who Knew Too Much was adapted to film as The Insider, starring Golden Globe winner & Oscar winner Russell Crowe, and Emmy Award-Winning, Golden Globe and Oscar winner, Al Pacino, under the direction of Oscar award winner Michael Mann. Credited with both popular and critical success, The Insider was nominated for seven Academy Awards, including Best Picture.

This timely story chronicled Jeffrey Wigand's dangerous struggle to reveal the dark secrets of a corrupt corporate culture. The shocking truth changed the way Americans viewed old corporate America, and provided an ominous foreshadowing of the corporate scandals to follow. It would be the first domino in the chain of scandals of marking what the end of mainstream America's blind faith in institutions like Enron, Worldcom, and Wall Street. Three years later Brenner's 2002 Vanity Fair article, "The Enron Wars," made national news when Senator Peter Fitzgerald used it as source material when questioning witnesses called to testify before the senate committee.

Ms.Brenner’s article “Erotomania” became the Lifetime channel movie Obsessed, starring Jenna Elfman, Sam Robards and Lisa Edestein. The word on the street has it that her article, In the Kingdom of Big Sugar, is being reworked for the big screen. Media sources are not sure if either Oscar and Emmy award winning director Alex Gibney for Tribeca Films, or Oscar winning actress director Jodi Foster for Universal Pictures under the banner Sugar Kings will prevail. Either camp is capable of producing a worthy tribute.

Her talent and achievements are extensive and widely recognized. She is the winner of six Front Page awards for her journalism, and was awarded the Frank Luther Mott Kappa Tau Alpha Award for research.

The playwright Alfred Uhry who’s first non-musical play Driving Miss Daisy has been commissioned to write a play adaption of Ms. Brenner’s book “Apples & Oranges,” for a Manhattan Theater Club production. Artistic director, Lynn Meadow will direct the play, at a date to be announced.

Mr. Uhry who won a Pulitzer Prize and Academy Award for the stage and screen version if “Driving Miss Daisy” is also a Tony Award-Winner for “The Last Night of Ballyhoo” in 1997.

Her book, “Apple and Oranges” is about Ms. Brenner’s difficult and ultimately moving relationship with her brother and her attempts to forge new bonds as adults while she puts her life on hold to help him after he was diagnosed with cancer.

Photo of Marie Brenner by Kate Burton

To learn more about Marie Brenner please visit her website.
To purchase her books please visit Amazon and Barnes & Noble

SUPPORTS BEHIND MY RECOVERY

Hello, Blogosphere! It's been a bit of stretch since my last entry, so I wanted to catch up with all of you. I have received numerous emails from my readers, authors & friends who were concerned about my health. The outpouring of supports I received was so overwhelming,

There was so much support behind my recovery, and I thank you all for your thoughts, well wishes and kind words concerning about me.

Well, I’m back now..... I’d like to announce that new interviews, blog updates and website updated materials will be posted here starting NOW!!!!!!!!!!!

Thank you.

Sincerely,

E.I. Johnson

FEATURED AUTHOR: Dennis Lehane - Award-Winning author of Mystic River and Gone, Baby, Gone

Dennis Lehane is an Award-winning author and the New York Times bestseller. He has written award winning novels including Mystic River, which was made into a six Academy Award-winning film in 2003. The film won Oscars in two of the six categories within which it had been nominated, including awards for its screenplay and best film.

The film is about a childhood tragedy, that overshadowed the lives of three men and are reunited by circumstance when one loses a daughter.

Mystic River was directed and co-produced by Academy Award-winning actor, Clint Eastwood, starring two time Academy award-winning actor Sean Penn, Academy Award-winning actor, Tim Robbins and two time Golden Globe nominee, Kevin Bacon. The novel itself was a finalist for the PEN/Winship Award and won the Anthony Award and the Barry Award for Best Novel, the Massachusetts Book Award in Fiction, and France's Prix Mystère de la Critique.

Mr. Lehane’s other novel, Gone, Baby, Gone was also adapted into an Academy Award-nominated film. Gone, Baby, Gone is a 2007 crime drama/mystery film directed by Ben Affleck and starring Casey Affleck. The plot centers on two private investigators, Patrick Kenzie and Angela Gennaro, hunting for an abducted four-year-old girl from the Boston neighborhood of Dorchester.

On October 22, 2007 Paramount Pictures announced that they had optioned Shutter Island with Academy Award-winning director Martin Scorsese and starring three time Oscar nominee, Leonardo DiCaprio playing U.S. Marshal Teddy Daniels, "who is investigating the disappearance of a murderess who escaped from a hospital for the criminally insane and is presumed to be hiding on the remote Shutter Island. The movie Shutter Island is slated to be released on February 19, 2010.

Dennis Lehane joined the writing staff of the HBO drama series The Wire in 2004. He was nominated for the Writers Guild of America Award for Best Dramatic Series at the February 2009 ceremony for his work on the fifth season.

He wrote and directed an independent film called Neighborhoods in the mid 1990s. The film was said to be similar to Good Will Hunting given its setting in Boston's working class areas like Southie which is South Boston and Dorchester, even though production ended in 1996, more than a year before Good Will Hunting.

Dennis Lehane, is the author of nine novels: A Drink Before The War (July 1996), Darkness, Takes My Hand (July 1997) Sacred (July 1998,), Gone, Baby, Gone (April 1999), Prayers For Rain (May 2000), Mystic River (January 2001), Shutter Island (April 2004), Coronado (September 2006),The Given Day (September 2008)

He was born August 4, 1965 and reared in the Dorchester neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts, and continues to live in the Boston area, which provides the setting for most of his books.

He is a graduate of Boston College High School (a Boston Jesuit prep school), Eckerd College (where he found his passion for writing), and the graduate program in creative writing at Florida International University in Miami, Florida.

He was previously married to Sheila, an advocate for the elderly for the city of Boston. He and his current wife, Dr. Angela Bernardo reside in Florida with their baby girl Gianna Malia.

Photo of Dennis Lehane by Ulf Andersen

To learn more about Dennis Lehane, please visit his website

To purchase his books, please visit AMAZON and Barnes & Noble

FAVORITE OF THE WEEK: William Goldman - Writer of Iconic Stories, famous for his original screenplay, "Butch Cassidy & the Sundance Kid"

Welcome to Up Close and Personal. Once a week, on a Sunday, a favorite author, journalist will be featured as ‘Favorite of the Week”. The article will give them more exposure and publicity about their recent work.

This week we choose William Goldman. He is a writer of iconic stories, a novelist, nonfiction writer, playwright and two-time Academy Award-winning screenwriter for writing original screenplay for Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. He also won an Academy Award for writing Adapted screenplay for All the President’s Men.. He shocked the film world in 1969 by earning an unprecedented $400,000 for the screenplay of Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid.

Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid became a 1969 Western film starring the late film director, Academy Award and Golden Globe winning actor, Paul Newman and Academy Award and Golden Globe winner, Robert Redford.

Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid was the top grossing film of the year. The film won Oscars in four of the seven categories within which it had been nominated, including awards for its screenplay and best film.

Because he is not a director or an actor, many people outside the movie industry do not know the name William Goldman, but those within or around the industry certainly do.

Mr. Goldman grew up in a Jewish family in the Chicago suburb of Highland Park, Illinois. He graduated from Oberlin College with a B.A. degree and an M.A degree at Columbia University in 1956.

He began writing when he took a creative writing class in college. His main interest were poetry, short stories and novels. He later published five novels and had three plays produced on Broadway before he began to write screenplays.

Among the many other popular scripts written by Mr. Goldman are The Stepford Wives (1975), Marathon Man (based on his novel) (1976); All the President's Men; (1976) A Bridge Too Far (1977); The Princess Bride (1987) Misery (1990); Chaplin (1992); Maverick (1994) and Absolute Power (1997).

Simon Morgenstern is a pseudonym and a narrative device invented by Mr. Goldman to add another layer to his novel The Princess Bride.

William Goldman was married to Ilene Jones until their divorce in 1991. The couple had two children.

To purchase his books please visit AMAZON and Barnes and Noble

INTERVIEW: Wendy Clinch - Author of "Double Black: A Ski Diva Mystery"

Welcome to “Up Close and Personal.” For every interview I will be introducing a literary personality discussing their views and insights, as well as upcoming literary events around the world.

Today’s interview is with Wendy Clinch. She's born and raised in Ocean County, NJ, and the founder of The Ski Diva dot com, the premier internet community for women skiers. She is the former advertising copywriter, having spent more than 25years in the field, most recently as a partner in her own agency in a suburban Philadelphia.

She’s a graduate of Syracuse University, and now lives in Vermont with her husband, Jon Clinch, author of “FINN: A Novel” and “Kings of the Earth.”

Double Black - A Ski Diva Mystery is her debut novel that tells the tale of Stacey Curtis from Boston, who's dreams of wedded bliss on Beacon Hill are turned upside down. She ditched grad school, along with her cheating fiancée, when she finds him in bed with a mutual friend. This life shattering event sends Stacey rebounding into her first love - the mountains of Vermont ski country to become a ski bum ...

The novel is populated with quirky characters, bitter family warfare, murder, loaded with New England atmosphere, and a young woman with nerve, spunk, and a sense of humor about it all, DOUBLE BLACK is an exciting run down some treacherous mountain trails.

E.I. Would you share some early insight into who you were as a teenager? What were you like? Give us three “Good to Know” facts about your first job, the inspiration for your writing, any fun details that would enliven your page. Tell your fans about Wendy Clinch -- the woman behind the” DOUBLE BLACK: A SKI DIVA MYSTERY” suspense mystery novel

WC: I grew up on the Jersey shore, so my childhood is tied very closely to the beach and the ocean, an interesting background for someone who’s become such a dedicated skier. But I was always very active and athletic. I became a cheerleader in high school -- not because I liked football or basketball, but because I liked to jump around and there weren’t many options available for girls when I was a kid. It was either that or field hockey, and I wouldn’t trust myself around a hockey stick.

My Dad took me on my first ski trip when I was 13. The funny thing is that I absolutely hated it at first. The only thing that kept me going was sibling rivalry; I wanted to be better than my sister. But after a lot of lessons and many more ski trips, I eventually fell in love with the sport. And that’s stayed with me, even today.

Some facts about me from when I was growing up?

Bruce Springsteen’s Dad was my bus driver in elementary school;
I skipped first grade;
My first job was in the hosiery department at WT Grant, a store very much like today’s Walmart;
I used to waitress on the boardwalk during the summers;
During college I wrote commercials for a small local radio station. Sometimes they’d use me for voices, too. I did a great Burger Chef Jeff.

E.I. Please tell your readers or describe to them the central idea of DOUBLE BLACK: A SKI DIVA MYSTERY? And what was it that sparked your imagination? What were your favorite aspects?

WC: The book focuses on Stacey Curtis, a young woman who ditches her cheating fiancé and moves to a Vermont ski town to live the life of a ski bum. She doesn’t have any money so she ends up sleeping in her car, until one day she stumbles across a ring of master keys for the area’s vacation condos. Since the condos are unoccupied most of the time, why not put them to good use? So she starts going from condo to condo, spending one night here, one night there, until late one night she opens a door and discovers—a dead body. And that’s where the book takes off.

One of the things I most enjoy about the book is the local color. As someone who hasn’t lived in Vermont for very long, a lot of things here were new to me, and I felt that I could present them in a way that an outsider would understand. Describing the landscape, the town, the ski resort, and developing characters based on the people who live, visit, and work here was a lot of fun.

E.I. Many writers describe themselves as "character" or "plot" writers. Which are you? And what do you find to be the hardest part of writing?

WC: I truly believe that nothing gets a book going better than well developed, believable characters. I love the whole process of coming up with a backstory about someone and figuring out their personalities. Once you have that, the plot sort of takes care of itself.

E.I. Do you think the art form of writing is a calling for you?

WC: Although being a novelist is fairly new to me, I’ve always worked as a writer. For many years I made a living writing ad copy for industrial equipment—like pumps used to move toxic chemicals, and wastewater treatment equipment. Writing DOUBLE BLACK was a welcome change of pace.

In many ways, I think my years in advertising were terrific preparation. You get an assignment for an ad or brochure and you just sit down and do it. Every day. There’s no waiting for inspiration to strike. I approached writing this book in much the same way.

E.I. Your book, DOUBLE BLACK: A SKI DIVA MYSTERY explores the Mystery set in a small town in Vermont, the heroine’s unfaithful fiancé, combining a love of skiing with a tricky murder mystery in a Vermont’s wilderness. What drew you to explore these topics and was there something special that first sparked the storyline for the novel?

WC: The book was mostly the result of my moving from suburban Philadelphia to rural Vermont. The way of life here is very different. There are no shopping malls, very little traffic, and a much slower pace. What’s more, there’s a definite contrast between the locals who are trying to go about their ordinary lives, and the out-of-staters who come to the area for short periods of time and then go back home. Each depends on the other, yet both have entirely different perspectives. It’s a huge culture clash. I thought it would be interesting to develop a story where both of these groups had to work together to solve a murder.

In many ways, and as funny as it may sound, Stacey Curtis, the main character, is the person I never gave myself the chance to be. When I graduated from college I got married and went straight to work—and soon I pretty much traded in skiing for the pressures of daily life. Not that I’ve regretted a minute of it, but I’ve always wondered what course my life would have taken if I’d followed a less-conventional path. Now Stacey’s doing just that on my behalf!

E.I. What were your biggest challenge and obstacle while writing and creating Stacey Curtis, Guy Ramsey and Chip Walsh? Did you work them out in advance, or did they evolve as you wrote the story? Are any of the characters in the story actually based on real people in your life?

WC: No, the characters aren’t based on anyone particular, though aspects of their personalities are drawn from people I’ve known and observed. Mostly they evolved as I wrote the story. I had some basic traits for each of them. For example, Stacey Curtis was young, independent, and determined to make a new life for herself; Guy Ramsey was a small town sheriff and dedicated family man with limited crime fighting experience. And Chip Walsh, the ski patroller, was a rich young man who’d moved to Vermont to find himself. They fleshed out as the story went along.

E.I. If you were asked to read a chapter from this book, is there one that you would select to share?

WC: I think it’d be the first chapter. It gets you into the story and sets up the situation right away.

Here’s the opening sentence: “When Stacey Curtis found the dead man in the bed, she knew it was time to get her own apartment.”

I think it’s a grabber!

E.I. Do you let anyone read your manuscript, before you send it to your editor?

WC: My husband, Jon Clinch, is my best editor. He’s an author as well; his first novel, FINN, was named one of 2007’s best by The Washington Post, The Chicago Tribune, and The Christian Science Monitor, and a Notable Book of the Year by the American Library Association. His second book, KINGS OF THE EARTH, is coming out in July, 2010, and it’s absolutely staggering.

I run things by Jon all the time. After all, he’s a tremendous reader, incredibly smart, and has a fantastic sense of plot and character. I’m lucky to have him, not just as a writing resource, but as my husband, too.

E.I. As a writer do you ever feel pressure or insecure, or are you able to separate all that from your own creative process?

WC: I think all writers have their up and down days. Some days it all comes together, and other days the entire process is a struggle. If you let the bad days get to you, it’s easy to feel pressured and insecure. I try to focus on the good days. It just makes life easier.

E.I. If you were allowed total control of the Hollywood version of (DOUBLE BLACK: A SKI DIVA MYSTERY) who would be in it? And in your opinion who do you think should direct?

WC: I actually think that DOUBLE BLACK would make a great TV series. Some people have told me that it reminds them of an old TV show, NORTHERN EXPOSURE. There are a lot of quirky characters, tons of local color, a nice amount of action, and a great setting.

I’m not much of a movie person, but I could see Jennifer Garner playing Stacey Curtis and Matthew Mcconaughey playing Chip Walsh, the ski patroller/love interest in the story. Jennifer’s done a lot of action and could pull it off, physically. And Matthew has a preppy look that I think would work well for Chip. For the sheriff, Scott Bakula. He’s about the right age and can combine gruffness and concern very nicely. I’ll have to pass on recommending a director, but I’m certainly open to options. (Spielberg, if you're reading this, give me a call!)

Photo of Wendy Clinch by Jon Clinch

To learn more about Wendy Clinch, please visit her website
To purchase her book, please visit AMAZON and Barnes & Noble

INTERVIEW: Award-winning Author famous for her novel “I Know What You Did Last Summer” - Lois Duncan

Welcome to “Up Close and Personal.” For every interview I will be introducing a literary personality discussing their views and insights, as well as upcoming literary events around the world.

Today’s interview is with Lois Duncan. She is an award-winning author of suspense novels for young adults. Some of her works have been adapted for the screen, the most famous example being the 1997 film “I Know What You Did Last Summer,” adapted from her novel of the same title.

The 1971 children's book “Hotel for Dogs” has been made into a movie, in 2009, starring Emma Roberts. She is the niece of 3 times Golden Globe winner and Academy award-winner, Julia Roberts.

Ms. Duncan was born in Philadelphia Pennsylvania in April 28th 1934. Her parents were famous photographers, Joseph Janney Steinmetz and Lois Steinmetz. She attended Duke University but dropped out of school, got married and started a family. She later graduated from University of New Mexico, with a B.A. in English in 1977.

Ms. Duncan, is the author of fifty books ranging from non-fiction books for adults, children’s picture books, but she is best known for her young adult suspense novels.

Her novel, “Who Killed My Daughter?” is the base on a true story about the brutal murder of her eighteen-year-old daughter, Kaitlyn. “Who Killed My Daughter?” was written for the adult audience but the young adult audience accepted it and loves the book.

Her latest novel, “News for Dog” published in April of 2009 is another canine adventure with Andi and her brother Bruce. They started a new project which is a newspaper for dogs. They made a hit out of their paper but then, they attracted mysterious dognappers.

E.I. Would you share some early insight into who you were as a teenager? What were you like? Give us three “Good to Know” facts about your first job, the inspiration for your writing, any fun details that would enliven your page. Tell your fans about Lois Duncan -- the woman behind the award-winning author of suspense novel for young adults?

LD There was never a time when I didn't think of myself as a writer. At age 10, I started submitting poetry to magazines, and, amazingly, some of it was published. By age 13, I had begun to sell stories and articles, and, at age 20, I wrote my first novel. Because of my age when I started my career, teenage subject matter was all I knew to write about, so I fell automatically into that genre. Today I have written over 50 books, including poetry, text for picture books, and fiction and non-fiction for adults, but I've experienced the most success with young adult suspense novels such as I Know What You Did Last Summer and Killing Mr. Griffin.

I'm married to Don Arquette, an electrical engineer, and am the mother of five children. The youngest of those children, Kaitlyn Arquette, 18, was murdered in Albuquerque, New Mexico, in 1989. When police dropped off Kait's unsolved case, I wrote a non-fiction, adult book, Who Killed My Daughter?, to motivate informants. Our family maintains a Web site at www.kaitarquette.arquettes.com, to update people on our on-going personal investigation and give tipsters an easy way to contact us. We've gleaned a lot of new information that way.

E.I. What is it about the art form of writing suspense novels that enchants you the most?

LD Those are the kind of books I most enjoy reading. I like plots with twists, character development, and surprise endings..

E.I. Please tell our readers about your book “News for Dog”? What sparked your interest in the subject of Dogs? What were your favorite aspects?

LD Between writing suspense novels, I've always liked to "cleanse my pallet" by writing something in a different genre. Hotel for Dogs -- a humorous story for 8-12-yr-olds -- was such a book. I wrote it in 1971, and it came and went without much attention, because everyone was salivating for my next suspense novel. Then, a couple of years ago, my film agent was in Hollywood, marketing film rights to my YA novels, and one of the producers at Dreamworks asked, "Is that the same 'Lois Duncan' who wrote Hotel for Dogs, my favorite book when I was a little boy?" That book had been out of print for so long that my agent had to phone me to find out if I'd written it. I had to order a copy from Amazon to recall what it was about.

"The rest," as they say, "is history." Hotel for Dogs became a very successful movie. Scholastic republished HFD and, as part of the contract, I agreed to write two sequels. So, I wrote News for Dogs (Scholastic, 2009) and Movie for Dogs, which will be published in the spring of 2010.

E.I. Many writers describe themselves as "character" or "plot" writers. Which are you? And what do you find to be the hardest part of writing?

LD I think I'm equally balanced between the two. Plot -- meaning structure -- is very important in a genre novel, especially a mystery, where all the pieces have to fall into place. Because I'm less interested in what people do than in the motivation behind their actions, characterization is one of my strong points. Description is probably my weakest point. And I'm not very good at research. I've never had much success with historical novels or stories laid in foreign settings. I write best about what I know about.

E.I. What was your biggest challenge in writing “News for Dog”?

LD Trying to write a modern day sequel to a book written over 30 years ago and having the two flow seamlessly together as if they were written in the same time period. News for Dogs starts six months after Hotel for Dogs ends. Yet the characters now have computers, digital cameras and cell phones.

E.I. How did you decide what level of details your young reader will accept? Did you work them out in advance, or did they evolve as you wrote the story?

LD I always plot my stories before starting to write them. Otherwise it's too easy to bog down in the middle.

E.I. How much of Andi, Bruce, Jerry, Connor and Aunt Alice were planned out in your head?

LD Andi, the young writer, is a self-portrait -- myself at age ten. My hobby is photography, so there's quite a lot of me in her brother, Bruce, the young photographer, as well. The other characters were invented.

E.I. How do you imagine the audience when you are writing?

LD With books for children and teenagers, I imagine the reader as being the same age or younger than my viewpoint character. Never older. Kids don't like to read about characters younger than themselves.

E.I. Do you have sheets of newsprint covered in a story boards all over your walls?

LD No. I make notes in a notebook.

E.I. If you were asked to read a page from “News for Dog” is there one that you would personally select to share with your readers? And why?

LD I don't think you can pull a page out of context and have it make sense.

E.I. Please tell us about your upcoming novel, “Movie for Dogs” Can you give us a sneak peek about the book?

LD In News for Dogs, Andi and Bruce publish a newspaper for dog owners to read to their dogs. (I got that idea from a neighborhood newspaper that my brother and I published when we were children.) When their on-line edition of the paper gets them into so much trouble that they're no longer able to publish it, Andi focuses her talents on writing a book about their adventures with evil dog-nappers. In Movie for Dogs, she converts that book into a film script, and she and Bruce and their friends make a video and enter it in a contest. When they make it to the finals, they and their dogs go to Hollywood. (I got the idea for that from going to Hollywood myself to watch the filming of Hotel for Dogs.)

E.I. As a writer do you ever feel pressure or insecure, or are you able to separate all that from your own creative process?

LD I felt extreme pressure when I signed a multi-book contract to write three young adult suspense novels within a three year period. I wrote the first two books, The Twisted Window and Don't Look Behind You right on schedule. Then, Kait was chased down in her car and shot to death. All my will to write vanished. There was no way I could create a fictional mystery novel about a young woman in jeopardy when our own horrendous real life mystery was all I could think about. I overshot the deadline for that third novel by seven years. However, my publisher was patient, and I eventually forced myself to honor the terms of the contract by writing Gallows Hill. That's the last teenage suspense novel I intend to write, at least until Kait's case is solved.

E.I. Ms. Duncan, Thank you for contributing to my blog. It has been a pleasure for me to get to know your work a little better. Would you like to end your interview with a writing tip or advice for young aspiring writers?

LD Just sit down and do it. Writing is a self-taught craft, and there are no shortcuts. Good writing comes with practice. Write your story. Then set it aside for a while. Take it out and read it with fresh eyes to find the weaknesses. Then rewrite it and set it aside again. Take it out and reread it. Continue that process until it's the best you can make it. Then write something else.

To learn more about Loid Duncan, please visit her website

To purchase her books, please visit AMAZON and Barnes & Nobles

FAVORITE OF THE WEEK: Sebastian Junger - Journalist, Author of the Bestselling Book "The Perfect Storm"

Welcome to Up Close and Personal. Once a week, on a Sunday, a favorite author, journalist will be featured as ‘Favorite of the Week”. The article will give them more exposure and publicity about their recent work.

This week we choose "Sebastian Junger." He is an author and a journalist. He is most famous for his worldwide bestselling novel “The Perfect Storm: A True Story of Men Against the Sea.” He combines his novelistic techniques with reporting and scientific research to record the impact of a fierce storm during October of 1991. His narrative reconstructs the last moments of a doomed Gloucester fishing boat and the rescue at sea of other victims of that storm. The book was subsequently made into film by Warner Brothers.

He is a Boston-born freelance writer, from Belmont , Massachusetts. He received his Bachelor of Art degree from Wesleyan University in Cultural Anthropology in 1984. He received a National Magazine Award in 2000 for his article “The Forensics of War,” published in Vanity Fair for his world travels covering life on the edge.

He began writing for the ‘The City Paper’ in Washington DC, but wasn’t sure about a career in journalism. From there, he took a job climbing trees for a lumber company. He injured his left leg with a chainsaw while working as tree trimmer in the Boston area. After he recovered from the accidents, he returned to journalism and began writing ‘The Perfect Strom.’

Mr. Junger now writes for numerous magazines, including American Heirtage, Outside, Vanity Fair, Men’s Journal and the New York Times Magazine.

His second book Fire, was published in 2001. "Fire" is about his collection of articles dealing with dangerous regions of the world or dangerous occupations. It is most notable for its chapter "Lion in Winter" in which Mr.Junger interviews Afghan North Alliance leader Ahmad Shah Massoud, the Lion of the Panjshir, a famed resistance fighter against first the Soviets and then the Taliban.

Sebastian Junger was one of the last American journalists to interview Massoud in depth. The bulk of his interview was first published in March 2001 for National Geographic's Adventure Magazine along with photographs by the renowned Iranian photographerReza Deghati.

Massoud was assassinated on Sept. 9, 2001. Mr. Junger's portrait of Massoud gives one insight into how differently Afghanistan might have fared in the post-9/11 invasion had Massoud lived to help reclaim the country from the Taliban. "Fire" also details the conflict diamond trade in Sierra Leone, the forensic genocide in Kosovo and the hazards of fire-fighting in the Idaho wild.

His third book, “A Death in Belmonth" was released in 2006. It was a centers on the rape-murder of Bessie Goldberg, committed during the 1962-1964 period of the Boston Strangler crimes. Although a different man was convicted, Sebastian Junger, raises the possibility that the real killer was Albert DeSalvo, who eventually confessed to committing several Strangler murders, but not Goldberg's. The Goldberg's house was a mile and a quarter from the Junger family home, where Albert DeSalvo was doing construction work on the day Goldberg was killed. In fact, he said recently in a television interview, he grew up with a studio portrait of him on his family's wall.

His latest novel “War” will be available in bookstores and online on May 11th 2010. The book is about the reality of combat--the fear, the honor, and the trust among men in an extreme situation whose survival depends on their absolute commitment to one another. His on-the-ground account follows a single platoon through a 15-month tour of duty in the most dangerous outpost in Afghanistan's Korengal Valley. Through the experiences of these young men at war, Sebastian shows what it means to fight, to serve, and to face down mortal danger on a daily basis.

Mr. Junger, established The Perfect Storm Foundation to provide cultural and educational grants to children, whose parents make their living in the commercial industry.

To learn more about Sebastian Junger, please visit his website

To purchase his books, please visit AMAZON and Barnes & Noble

INTERVIEW: Bill Scheft - Novelist, commedy writer and a 16-times Emmy-nominated writer for David Letterman

Welcome to “Up Close and Personal.” For every interview I will be introducing a literary personality discussing his views and insights, as well as upcoming literary events around the world.

Today’s interview is with Bill Scheft, a comedy writer and novelist. He was hired as a monologue writer for Late Night with David Letterman in 1991. He was with the program for its last two years at NBC, then he moved over to CBS in August, 1993 to work on Late Show with David Letterman.

He served as head monologue writer for the Late Show until 2004. For the past 19 years with Letterman, he has been nominated for 16 Emmys. He is best known for his weekly humor column, "The Show," which ran in Sports Illustrated from 2002-2005. A collection of his columns, The Best of "The Show", was published by Warner Books in 2005.

Bill Scheft, is the author of three novels: The Ringer (2002), Time Won't Let Me (2005) and Everything Hurts (April, 2009,). Time Won't Let Me was a finalist for the 2006 Thurber Prize for American Humor. The Ringer has been optioned for film by United Artist based on Mr. Scheft's adapted screenplay. His book the best of the show is a collection of his 112 of his weekly humor columns from Sports Illustrated, which run from 2002-2005.

He is a frequent creative presence on award shows, roasts and television specials. Mr. Scheft wrote for the 1995 and 2005 Academy Awards, was the head writer for three ESPY Awards and has contributed special material to the Emmys, Tonys and Grammys.

He has also written for the The New Yorker, The New York Times, Esquire and Sports Illustrated. He lives in New York City with his wife, comedian Adrianne Tolsch.

E.I. Would you share some early insight into who you were as a teenager? What were you like? Give us three “Good to Know” facts about your first job, the inspiration for your writing, any fun details that would enliven your page. Tell also your fans about Bill Scheft -- the man behind the comedy writer, novelist, former head writer for David Letterman, nominated for 15 Emmys and now an author?

Bill Scheft - I'm still with Dave Letterman, have been there since 1991. I was never the head writer. If I was, we would be doing this interview from a locked ward. I am now up to 16 nominations, and as you know, you don't list your nominations unless you've never won.

EVERYTHING HURTS is my third novel. My first novel, THE RINGER, was optioned for film and my second, TIME WON'T LET ME, was a finalist for the 2006 Thurber Prize for American Humor. And as you know, you don't say "finalist" unless you didn't win.

Me as a teenager? Not pretty. I was a great student who would have given it all up to be a great athlete. My first job was as a bag boy at a produce market. 14 years old. 5-1, 91 pounds, bad skin. As I said, not pretty.

Here's three ideally interesting facts about me. I got a job out of college as a sportswriter for the Albany Times-Union and landed the first major interview with then Giants rookie QB Phil Simms, who remains my friend to this day. I was a stand-up comic for 13 years and the house emcee at Catch a Rising Star from 1982-86. The man I replaced? Bill Maher. I also made lifelong friends back then with another struggling comic, Larry David, and was the first person to read for the part of George Constanza for what was then a longshot pilot idea for NBC about a stand-up comic.

My inspiration for writing came at first from my uncle, the great writer Herbert Warren Wind, I aspired to live the life of a writer. Now my inspiration comes from the notion that I am doing exactly what I should be doing. The results are not up to me.

E.I. What is it about the art form of comedic writing that enchants you the most?

Bill Scheft - People always say the great thing about being a stand-up comic is that you're your own producer, director, writer and star. I feel the same way about writing novels. You get to create a chaotic world inhabited by people whose lives are much more complicated than yours and see if they can put themselves back together. All that, and no rejection from a live audience.

E.I. Many writers describe themselves as "character" or "plot" writers. Which are you? And what do you find to be the hardest part of writing?

Bill Scheft - The first novel I wrote, WHO LISTENS? was never published. It was a typical first novel: 100,000 words, 80,000 of which were "I." Everybody that read it said the same thing: "This book is hilarious. How 'bout a plot?" I thought it was a tad nitpicky, but since then, I've tried to have some semblance of a story in each of my books. But I am much more interested in behavior than results.

E.I. How do you imagine the audience when you are writing? Do you have sheets of newsprint covered in a story boards all over your walls?

Bill Scheft - I imagine my audience speaks English. Anything else is gravy. As for the "sheets of newsprint covered in story boards" that sounds like some fantasy of yours involving Don Draper, a razor and Ed Asner's back.

E.I. What was your biggest challenge in writing “Everything Hurts”? How did you decide what level of details your reader will accept? Did you work them out in advance, or did they evolve as you wrote the story? How did you overcome these challenges?

Bill Scheft - Great question. The biggest challenge was writing a book about a guy trying to get rid of a psychosomatic limp when I had been limping for years. Because psychosomatic pain can be relieved by exploring the sources of one's unconscious rage, I wrote the book to try and "art" myself out of the pain. So, it takes me two years to write and when I'm finished, son of a bitch, the guy in the book is better, I'm still dragging a foot.

Now, here's where Providence intercedes. Ten days after I sell the book, I see yet another doctor, who takes yet another look at my x-rays and says, "You need a hip replacement. This is a no-brainer. You'll be pain-free." And that's what I did in July, 2008. Many people ask me, "Aren't you furious you suffered for so long?" And I say, "No. I got a book out of it."

E.I. In “Everything Hurts”, How much of Phil Camp is planned out in your head? How do you know where you will go next with your story?

Bill Scheft - On a good day, when I finish a writing session, I know what I'll be doing in the next session. But, like I have to tell you, every day is not a good day. For me, writing fiction is getting into a state of mind where your characters guide you, and the only question I ask is, "Is this plausible?" In terms of the story, as it moves along, it becomes about the balance between behavior and situation. What's needed, who I need to check in on and who I need to take care of.

E.I. If you were asked to read a page from “Everything Hurts” is there one that you would personally select to share with your fans? And why?

Bill Scheft - If I had to read one page, it would be page 229, near the end. Phil Camp has become this accidental self-help guru writing under the name Marty Fleck. He has a twice a week syndicated column called "Baggage Handling." It is wildly popular, which means Marty Fleck gets bags of hate mail. When the column is canceled, his newspaper friends hold a "Marty Fleck Memorial Dinner" and Phil's publicist reads a list of salutations from his hate mail over the years. That begins and ends on Page 229 and is all the reason you need for why famous people isolate.

E.I. How do you weave so much fun and elements of information into your stories and yet you keep them so fast-paced?

Bill Scheft - Well, who am I to disagree with that cogent analysis? Writing is rhythm. The choices you make with words (which I first learned from the Latin poet Catullus) maintain that rhythm. If the reader thinks enough to invest his time in your work, that work should be able carry him along in tone and pace as much as content.

E.I. What did you find to be the hardest part of writing the book? What was your biggest challenge in developing your character, Phil Camp and Jim McManus? Did you work them out in advance, or did they evolve as you wrote the story? How did you overcome these challenges?

Bill Scheft - You have to believe me on this. I had no idea I had written a book about two brothers until I finished it and other people I trust told me I had. I had worked out very little in advance, and whatever I needed to work out was done to explain the present and make the behavior plausible. So, the answer is they evolved. Otherwise, if I had had to get it all right, or most of it right, in my head from the start, that is a challenge I would never have been able to overcome.

E.I. You are well known in the writing community as the 15-time Emmy-nominated writer for David Letterman, an author of three novels, Do you ever feel pressure or insecure, or are you able to separate all that from your own creative process?

Bill Scheft - What do you mean, do I ever feel insecure? Why do you ask that now? Did you hear something? Am I getting fired? I'm getting whacked, right? Come on, tell me. It was the fruitcake I sent to Sarah Palin, wasn't it?

E.I. Mr. Scheft, Thank you for contributing to my blog. It has been a pleasure for me to get to know your work a little better. Would you like to end your interview with a writing tip or advice for young aspiring writers?

Bill Scheft - Writers write.
Anything else is just conversation.

Photo of Bill Scheft by John Filo of CBS

To learn more about Bill Scheft, please visit his WEBSITE.

To purchase his books, please visit AMAZON and Barnes & Noble