SevenQuestions: Ron Hogan, mad about those books

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Seven Questions

Ron Hogan is a San Francisco free-lancer whose hobby is interviewing the world's greatest writers. The interviews, all must reads for dedicated bookworms, are posted at Beatrice, his Web site. 24 August 1998

1 Who is Beatrice? Back to the 7Q index

If I wanted to present myself as a very cultured sort of fellow, I might try to tell you that Beatrice is the great love of the poet Dante. But the fact is that the Web site started as a collaborative Gen-Xish 'zine, and the original co-editors (who bailed shortly after realizing that putting out a 'zine takes time and effort) named it after a certain large company that produces a little bit of everything and which has generously never objected to my use of the domain name or their catchphrase.

2 How do you get all these famous authors to sit down for interviews?

The first authors came by good fortune. When I started doing author interviews in 1995, the Web was still very new, and hardly any publishers took my magazine seriously. But Random House's LA publicists believed me when I told them that the medium was poised to become VERY important, and gave me access to their best writers. Once I had accumulated content, it became easier to convince other publishers that their authors should talk to me as well. Authors also tell their publicists when they enjoy interviews, which frequently leads publicists to book more interviews.

3 Tell us about something very odd, unexpected or unexplainable that cropped up in the course of your interviews.

The press clippings for Tibor Fischer's first American book tour, in connection with "The Thought Gang," all portrayed him as a dour man who hated giving interviews.

So I approached my interview with him about his subsequent novel, "The Collector Collector," with something approaching dread and terror, since the one hostile interview I'd experienced up to that point had been excruciating. But Fischer turned out to be friendly and very eager to talk, and we had a great time.

4 Share a story of something you experienced that cracks you up every time you tell someone else about it.

You ever see the episode of the Simpsons where Bart gets grounded right when the "Itchy and Scratchy" movie comes out? Well, there's one short scene in it, during a retrospective of the most violent cat-and-mouse team's career, called "Steamboat Itchy." I fell out of my seat doubled over in laughter at that, and while I can maintain my balance these days, it still provokes massive attacks of laughter.

5 Everybody says everything imaginable is available on the Web; what's one thing that isn't, but should be?

Well, there's a mildly interesting picture of me with nothing but a Powerbook covering my naughty bits...no, wait, that is on the Web, I just can't remember the URL for it.

6 Name a cliche that makes you cringe every time you see it?

"Trial of the Century," although I think I've actually used it once.

7 Say you were the publisher of your own newspaper: Tell us something the papers do all the time that you would never permit at your newspaper.

Every single time Ann Landers decides to reprint "Dead at 17," the press just rolls over for her. Haven't we tortured readers enough by now?

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Copyright 1998, Thomas L. Mangan >Back to SevenQuestions

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Ron Hogan is a San Francisco free-lancer whose hobby is interviewing the world's greatest writers. The interviews, all must reads for dedicated bookworms, are posted at Beatrice, his Web site.		24 August 1998
1	Who is Beatrice?	Back to the 7Q index
	If I wanted to present myself as a very cultured sort of fellow, I might try to tell you that Beatrice is the great love of the poet Dante. But the fact is that the Web site started as a collaborative Gen-Xish 'zine, and the original co-editors (who bailed shortly after realizing that putting out a 'zine takes time and effort) named it after a certain large company that produces a little bit of everything and which has generously never objected to my use of the domain name or their catchphrase.
2	How do you get all these famous authors to sit down for interviews?
	The first authors came by good fortune. When I started doing author interviews in 1995, the Web was still very new, and hardly any publishers took my magazine seriously. But Random House's LA publicists believed me when I told them that the medium was poised to become VERY important, and gave me access to their best writers. Once I had accumulated content, it became easier to convince other publishers that their authors should talk to me as well. Authors also tell their publicists when they enjoy interviews, which frequently leads publicists to book more interviews.
3	Tell us about something very odd, unexpected or unexplainable that cropped up in the course of your interviews.
	The press clippings for Tibor Fischer's first American book tour, in connection with "The Thought Gang," all portrayed him as a dour man who hated giving interviews. So I approached my interview with him about his subsequent novel, "The Collector Collector," with something approaching dread and terror, since the one hostile interview I'd experienced up to that point had been excruciating. But Fischer turned out to be friendly and very eager to talk, and we had a great time.
4	Share a story of something you experienced that cracks you up every time you tell someone else about it.
	You ever see the episode of the Simpsons where Bart gets grounded right when the "Itchy and Scratchy" movie comes out? Well, there's one short scene in it, during a retrospective of the most violent cat-and-mouse team's career, called "Steamboat Itchy." I fell out of my seat doubled over in laughter at that, and while I can maintain my balance these days, it still provokes massive attacks of laughter.
5	Everybody says everything imaginable is available on the Web; what's one thing that isn't, but should be?
	Well, there's a mildly interesting picture of me with nothing but a Powerbook covering my naughty bits...no, wait, that is on the Web, I just can't remember the URL for it.
6	Name a cliche that makes you cringe every time you see it?
	"Trial of the Century," although I think I've actually used it once.
7	Say you were the publisher of your own newspaper: Tell us something the papers do all the time that you would never permit at your newspaper.
	Every single time Ann Landers decides to reprint "Dead at 17," the press just rolls over for her. Haven't we tortured readers enough by now?
Back to SQ index Copyright 1998, Thomas L. Mangan		>Back to SevenQuestions