Amazon Asks: Davy Rothbart, author of "My Heart Is An Idiot"
What's the elevator pitch for your book?
My Heart Is An Idiot (selected as one of Amazon's Best Books of the Month) consists of 16 very personal essays about love and adventures on the road.
What's on your nightstand table?
Roughing It by Mark Twain and The Lost Jewels of Nabooti by R.A. Montgomery
Favorite books of all time?
Forced Entries by Jim Carroll, The 21 Balloons by William Pene
Dubois, Burn Collector by Al Burian, Saguaro by Carson Mell, No One Belongs
Here More Than You by Miranda July
Important book you never read?
The Bible
Book that changed your life?
The Autobiography of Malcolm X.
Book that made you want to become a writer?
A Relative Stranger by Charles Baxter.
The 21 Balloons by William Pene Dubois. I loved the book so much that I named my production company 21 Balloons Productions (21balloons.com). Into The Dream by William Sleator was another favorite book as a kid.
What's
your most memorable author moment?
Having one of my favorite writers--Miranda July--surprise me at one of my readings in L.A. Also, having my beloved writing mentor Charles Baxter surprise me at a reading I did last year in Minneapolis.
What talent or superpower would you like to have (not including flight or invisibility)?
The ability to make any piece of fruit perfectly ripe.
What are you obsessed with now?
The web series "Tarantula" by writer/filmmaker/animator/musician Carson Mell. Here's the first episode: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NGu3RnUFzgo&feature=relmfu
What are you stressed about now?
The Detroit Tigers and the AL Central pennant race.
What are you psyched about now?
Finally getting a chance to share My Heart Is An Idiot with my friends, acquaintances, and strangers after 5 years of working on it!
What's your most prized/treasured possession?
My silver necklace--I traded a car for it when I lived in New Mexico!
Author crush?
Anna Stothard (author of The Pink Hotel, among others, out in 2013 from Macmillan)
Pen Envy - book you wish you'd written?
The Ice Opinion by Ice T
What's next for you?
Heading to 79 cities this fall on the My Heart Is An Idiot book tour! Can't wait to see some old friends and make some new ones. http://www.myheartisanidiotbook.com/tour/
Favorite line = "What's your name?"
Procrastination = Reading NYTimes.com
Temptation = Whiskey
Vice = Women
Collecting? = Documentary films, cult classic movies on VHS, and my favorite authors' books.
Susan on September 23, 2012 at 05:07 PM
I'm also stressed about the Detroit Tigers. Did you see the game today? Tragic.
I can't wait to read your book.