Lauren Baratz-Logsted, a first time
author, sent me a copy of her work "The
Thin Pink Line"
to review for this site. The review and recommendation is posted on the
A Good Read page of
this website. Lauren consented to answer a few questions for us. Any
other authors wishing
to send a book for review can send an
e-mail for details.
MM: Everyone wants to know this: How
did you get started and what does it take to find a publisher?
LBL: I left my day job as a bookseller in November 1994 to take a chance on
myself as a novelist. I broke many eggs along the way in the process of making
my omelet. Finding a publisher isn't easy, but I got lucky. In November 2001,
Red Dress Ink was launched and I started reading reviews of their books in the
NYTimes and Publishers Weekly. I knew immediately that whatever editorial
sensibility had brought those books to print would also be interested in
THE THIN
PINK LINE.
MM: What gave you the idea for a "fake pregnancy"?
LBL: I had been married nearly ten years as of late May 1999 and thought I
would never get pregnant. And then - voila! - I got pregnant. During
the first three months I was home, so sick that all I could do besides
watch "Donnie and Marie" - do you sense my desperation here? -
was pull myself out of bed just enough times a day to keep up my
daily walking and writing. The thought occurred to me, not too long
into the thing: "What if some woman, some slightly sociopathic woman,
was making up the whole thing, just to get attention?" So I started to
write, unsure myself all the while if Jane Taylor would in fact be able
to keep up her charade up for the entire nine months.
MM: Why is the book set in England when you live in Connecticut?
LBL: Not to be pretentious, but I'm one of these writers who "hears voices."
When PINK started writing itself, the voice of Jane Taylor was distinctly
British and there was no arguing with her.
MM: How long did it take to write the book?
LBL: The first draft took less than three months, but then I revised and revised
and revised several times until I sold it. Once I sold it, I revised some more.
MM: And how long until it was published after that?
LBL: I did the first draft in the summer of 1999, submitted it to RDI in
December 2001. The actual call with a contract offer came in May 2002.
MM: Who is your favorite author and which book of theirs would
you recommend?
LBL: Now that's a hard question! But if I can only pick one author and one
book, then it has to be Gabriel Garcia Marquez,
Love in
the Time of Cholera.
MM: The
Thin Pink Line left off ripe for a sequel, I know I was
wondering what would happen to Jane and Tolkein. Is there
one in the works?
LBL: There is! In July 2004, just a few short months away, CROSSING THE LINE
will be published. It begins with the very last line of the first book,
so all your questions about Jane and Tolkien will be answered, as well
as any you might have about that, er, item Jane finds at the end of the
first book.
MM: When do you think the movie from the book will come out so
we can watch?
LBL: I wish I knew! It has been optioned for a film, but I'm afraid that's no
guarantee as my understanding is that many are optioned but few are called.
Let's just hope we're one of the few.
MM: Who would you cast for Jane if you had your choice?
Me opposite Ioan Gruffudd, that handsome man from the "Horatio Hornblower"
series? Failing that, Kate Beckinsale would be good.
MM: I think that is nosy enough for us. Thanks again for sending the book,
it was fun although I am clearly not a serious reviewer.
LBL: Oh, but anyone can post a review on Amazon, Julie. (smile)
MM: A last note, click any orange
link on the page to get Lauren's book
