Interview with Marta Acosta
November, 2009
Marta Acosta
SS: How would you describe perfect happiness?
MA: This is a question for beauty contestants, isn't it, and I'm supposed to say world peace. However, if that's not possible, then I'd be thrilled with a cup holder for my car. I frequently yearn for a latte, but all attempts to transport one from the cafe to my home have proved disastrous. I also have ideas about cloning my dead dog. I saw part of that Stephen King movie about the dog that comes back to life, so I'm apprehensive about trying the U-Kan-Clone! kit that I bought from an infomercial. What was the question again?
SS: What’s your greatest fear?
MA: It goes without saying that my greatest fears are having a hot latte spill while I'm driving and unleashing a pack of rabid cloned dogs upon the world.
SS: If you could be anywhere in the world right now, where would you choose to be?
MA: London, even though they have that werewolf problem.
SS: With whom in history do you most identify?
MA: Benjamin Franklin, because I've beeen shocked by electricity, too.
SS: Which living person do you most admire?
MA: I admire my husband for his ability to go into a fugue state when I begin to speak.
SS: What are your most overused words or phrases?
MA: I asked my husband, but he doesn't recall.
SS: What do you regret most?
MA: You'd have to buy me a drink first to find out, and then I'd lie.
SS: If you could acquire any talent, what would it be?
MA: Just one? Speaking Esperanto, in case we achieve world peace and want to communicate with a common language.
SS: What is your greatest achievement?
MA: I don't have one yet, but I hope to clone non-psychopathic dogs and be the world's first Esperanto talk show host.
SS: What’s your greatest flaw?
MA: My greatest flaw is not being able to answer questions seriously.
SS: What’s your best quality?
MA: I'm told by reliable sources that my best quality is that I sometimes go away.
SS: Who is your favorite fictional hero?
MA: Oh, it would have to be Fanny Price in Jane Austen's Mansfield Park, because everyone is always saying, 'My darling Fanny!' and "My sweet Fanny" to her.
SS: Who is your favorite fictional villain?
MA: It would have to be Fanny Price from "Mansfield Park," because she never takes advantage of her fabulous name.
SS: What is your biggest pet peeve?
MA: My favorite pet pea is the Fruit of the Loom pea in his green felt costume. I love those guys!
SS: What’s your fantasy profession?
MA: My fantasy profession is being a successful writer. It's a remarkably vivid fantasy --- I even imagine that my novels are on bookshelves. I'm considering stalking myself, but I don't know if I really can commit the time and effort.
SS: What 3 personal qualities are most important to you?
MA: Sense of humor, intelligence, and understanding the importance of cars with cup holders.
SS: If you could eat only one thing for the rest of your days, what would it be?
MA: My words and I frequently do.
SS: What are your 5 favorite songs?
MA: They change all the time, but: TV on the Radio "Wolf Like Me," Dandy Warhols' "Mis Amigos," A.R. Rahman's "Chaiyya Chaiyya." Lou Reed's "Perfect Day," and Aretha Franklin's "Say a Little Prayer."
SS: Who are your favorite authors?
MA: Jane Austen, Charlotte Bronte, Evelyn Waugh, Mark Twain, Henry James, and John Kennedy Toole.
SS: What are your 5 favorite books of all time?
MA: Persuasion by Jane Austen; Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte; A Confederacy of Dunces by John Kennedy Toole; To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee.
SS: Is there a book you love to reread?
MA: I've re-read all of my favorites, but I'd have to say that The Cat in the Hat is a fantastic book to read repeatedly and aloud.
SS: Do you have one sentence of advice for new writers?
MA: Write because you want to write, not because you want to be a writer.
SS: What comment do you hear most often from your readers?
MA: They feel like my heroine is real and a friend.
Get more on Marta Acosta at SimonandSchuster.com
Marta Acosta
What Readers want to know...
SS: How would you describe perfect happiness?
MA: This is a question for beauty contestants, isn't it, and I'm supposed to say world peace. However, if that's not possible, then I'd be thrilled with a cup holder for my car. I frequently yearn for a latte, but all attempts to transport one from the cafe to my home have proved disastrous. I also have ideas about cloning my dead dog. I saw part of that Stephen King movie about the dog that comes back to life, so I'm apprehensive about trying the U-Kan-Clone! kit that I bought from an infomercial. What was the question again?
SS: What’s your greatest fear?
MA: It goes without saying that my greatest fears are having a hot latte spill while I'm driving and unleashing a pack of rabid cloned dogs upon the world.
SS: If you could be anywhere in the world right now, where would you choose to be?
MA: London, even though they have that werewolf problem.
SS: With whom in history do you most identify?
MA: Benjamin Franklin, because I've beeen shocked by electricity, too.
SS: Which living person do you most admire?
MA: I admire my husband for his ability to go into a fugue state when I begin to speak.
SS: What are your most overused words or phrases?
MA: I asked my husband, but he doesn't recall.
SS: What do you regret most?
MA: You'd have to buy me a drink first to find out, and then I'd lie.
SS: If you could acquire any talent, what would it be?
MA: Just one? Speaking Esperanto, in case we achieve world peace and want to communicate with a common language.
SS: What is your greatest achievement?
MA: I don't have one yet, but I hope to clone non-psychopathic dogs and be the world's first Esperanto talk show host.
SS: What’s your greatest flaw?
MA: My greatest flaw is not being able to answer questions seriously.
SS: What’s your best quality?
MA: I'm told by reliable sources that my best quality is that I sometimes go away.
SS: Who is your favorite fictional hero?
MA: Oh, it would have to be Fanny Price in Jane Austen's Mansfield Park, because everyone is always saying, 'My darling Fanny!' and "My sweet Fanny" to her.
SS: Who is your favorite fictional villain?
MA: It would have to be Fanny Price from "Mansfield Park," because she never takes advantage of her fabulous name.
SS: What is your biggest pet peeve?
MA: My favorite pet pea is the Fruit of the Loom pea in his green felt costume. I love those guys!
SS: What’s your fantasy profession?
MA: My fantasy profession is being a successful writer. It's a remarkably vivid fantasy --- I even imagine that my novels are on bookshelves. I'm considering stalking myself, but I don't know if I really can commit the time and effort.
SS: What 3 personal qualities are most important to you?
MA: Sense of humor, intelligence, and understanding the importance of cars with cup holders.
SS: If you could eat only one thing for the rest of your days, what would it be?
MA: My words and I frequently do.
SS: What are your 5 favorite songs?
MA: They change all the time, but: TV on the Radio "Wolf Like Me," Dandy Warhols' "Mis Amigos," A.R. Rahman's "Chaiyya Chaiyya." Lou Reed's "Perfect Day," and Aretha Franklin's "Say a Little Prayer."
Questions About Books and Writing
SS: Who are your favorite authors?
MA: Jane Austen, Charlotte Bronte, Evelyn Waugh, Mark Twain, Henry James, and John Kennedy Toole.
SS: What are your 5 favorite books of all time?
MA: Persuasion by Jane Austen; Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte; A Confederacy of Dunces by John Kennedy Toole; To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee.
SS: Is there a book you love to reread?
MA: I've re-read all of my favorites, but I'd have to say that The Cat in the Hat is a fantastic book to read repeatedly and aloud.
SS: Do you have one sentence of advice for new writers?
MA: Write because you want to write, not because you want to be a writer.
SS: What comment do you hear most often from your readers?
MA: They feel like my heroine is real and a friend.
Get more on Marta Acosta at SimonandSchuster.com
