Leaps of Faith
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Stephen Ambrose
Children's Authors
Graeme Base |
A writer's diary:
desperately seeking a plug INTERVIEW BY RACHEL KRANZ Noon My alarm goes off. Although I was up till 5:30 this morning finishing an assignment, I still feel guilty being in bed at this hour. Not guilty enough to get up, though. I lie in bed, obsessing about how to publicize my novel. 12:01 My answering machine clicks on. Through my sleepy haze, I hear the voice of one of the educational publishers I work for: "Hi, Rachel. You're probably not up yet, but I know you're there . . ." I'm still thinking about my novel. I'll call him later. 12:02 "See, some television people called and -- " As soon as I hear the magic word, I leap out of bed. "Did you say television?" 12:04 Apparently my editor has gotten a last-minute call from Court TV. About a year ago, I wrote a book about teen smoking -- after the book on twin pregnancies and before the one on gay rights -- and the jury's just gone out on the big Florida class-action case, the one where they're suing the tobacco companies. Court TV is bringing in the attorney general of Mississippi and a top New York city official to comment. They'd also like me to appear on the program. 12:15 I call the producer. She needs me at the studio by 1 p.m., and I haven't even taken a shower. "I have one condition," I tell her. "I've just written a novel, Leaps of Faith, which has nothing to do with smoking, granted, but you wouldn't believe how hard it is to get publicity for a first novel. I've got about six million deadlines this afternoon, but I'm willing to put them all aside if only you'll mention my novel." I'm desperate. She's desperate. She agrees. 12:30 I've showered, dressed, and called 62 friends to crow about my upcoming publicity coup. No time for makeup, and I'm a bit intimidated at the idea of TV makeup anyway. Hey, they can do me at the station, right?
1:15 When my glamorous fellow guest and her entourage sail into the green room, the idea of "camera-ready" takes on a whole new meaning. Does she really walk around like this all the time? I can't tell you how relieved I am when I discover that she's still made up from her earlier appearance on the Fox morning show. Of course, that doesn't mean she doesn't walk around like this all the time . . . 1:29 We're about to go on the air, so to calm myself down, I call my agent. "You'll be proud of me," I tell her. "My one condition for disrupting my entire day was that they mention Leaps of Faith. Talk about creative publicity!" She is proud of me, though she won't be able to see me. Like me and most of my other friends, she doesn't have cable. 1:30 I'm on the air! I hear myself being introduced -- but no mention of Leaps of Faith. I think about interrupting the host to bring it up but decide that will make me sound gauche. For the rest of the program, I try to acquit myself with dignity, despite my aching disappointment. Finally, the host signs off. Sigh. 5:30 The extremely nice producer returns my call. "I'm so sorry about not mentioning your novel," she tells me. "It was on the teleprompter, but for some reason the host didn't read it. You were great, though." Well, that's something. And I did have fun, though I'll be paying for those missed deadlines all weekend. Apparently, the lust for publicity is its own reward -- and its own punishment.
Rachel Kranz is a writer living in Manhattan whose first novel, Leaps of Faith, was published in March by Farrar, Straus & Giroux. Although it has absolutely nothing to do with smoking, the comic novel does have a delightful cast of zany characters, including an actor, his psychic boyfriend, and his union organizer sister as they encounter love, art, politics, and community in New York City.
Author photo by Sally Heckel.
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1:00 Wrong. "I've got two hosts plus all the other guests," the makeup person says haughtily, gesturing around the empty room. I grovel for a while, and she finally agrees to part with some mascara and a little blush. "Guests are supposed to arrive camera-ready," she reminds me with a sniff.