Day 339 - Q&A with Author Hannah Friedman & GIVEAWAY

CONTEST CLOSED

I'm super excited to post the interview I did with Hannah Friedman. Check out my review of her memoir EVERYTHING SUCKS!


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A lil background info before we go on:

Hannah Friedman (Peekskill, NY) is a recent Yale University graduate. She is the daughter of gold-record singer/songwriter Dean Friedman. An article titled, “When Your Friends Become the Enemy” about her experiences applying to an Ivy League University was published in Newsweek in 2004. Ms. Friedman is the winner of the Yale 2007 Playwright’s Festival, as well as the New York Television Festival’s 2008 “Flying Solo” Pilot Contest. Her pilot about transitioning from college student to author will debut at the Festival in September 2008.

Follow Hannah on Twitter. She is in the top 600 Twitter-ers in the world!

Visit Hannah’s website, and watch her videos HERE.


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Me: First off let me have my fan girl moment and say “OMG I TOTALLY LOVED YOU & YOUR BOOK!” *clears throat* OK now we can begin…

Hannah: I'm so flattered! Thank you :)

Me: Can you tell the lost souls out there who haven’t heard about your memoir what they can expect to read?

Hannah: You can expect to read all about going from the biggest outcast in school to the heights of social royalty all whilst juggling a monkey for an older sister and all of the regular growing-up grit that nobody ever dares talk about candidly... sexual experimentation, drugs, arrests, the absolute absurdity of SATs, non-vampire true love...

Me: How’s monkey-sis Amelia doing? (And how much do you hate being asked that question =)?)

Hannah: 1. She's doing great and 2. I guess I should be used to it by now. I've included an exclusive candid photo of Amelia enjoying some time at the beach a few weeks back.

Me: When did you decide to write a memoir of your life?

Hannah: When I realized that I had no job and no vendable skills and was about to move into my parent's basement post-college.

Me: Did any of your classmates or people you knew give you a tough time after your book came out? Or did they already know they would be featured in it?

Hannah: I think my parents were surprised by some of it, but always supportive. My grandmother, however, has yet to lay her hands on a copy and we're hoping it stays that way.

Me: What was the toughest thing about writing Everything Sucks?

Hannah: Just writing it. Often times I honestly didn't think I could finish it up until the day I handed it in. Writing always feels like an uphill battle because you have to be constantly innovating, editing, condensing... it's tough work when all you're used to doing is writing 5-7 page thesis papers for someone else!

Me: If you could go back and change one thing about the book, would you? If so, what would that be?

Hannah: Very excellent question! Hrm... I definitely don't think it's "done." But it seems that most artists feel that way about their work- that there just comes a point where you have to let it go and have its own life, no matter how imperfect you might think it is. If I started this book over now, or 5 years from now, it would look completely different. But I think that's okay. The book captures a unique perspective because of its unique lens, and no matter how much my inner-editor of today would like to change things that I did last year, I don't think any art would remain intact if artists didn't undergo some form of creative abandonment to allow themselves to move on. Which doesn't mean there won't be more to come... we're talking about the movie rights at the moment, and I have lots of fun adaptations in mind for the screenplay.

Me: What was the one thing you desperately wanted to be when you were a little girl? (Other than a hilarious, accomplished Yale-grad and published author, just to name a few)

Hannah: Probably more than anything I wanted to be a cat in the musical Cats. I drew a whole re-imagined ending where the cat who goes up in the tire at the end actually comes back down as an adorable kitten: Me! Me dressed as an adorable kitten hovering above a Broadway stage on a giant car tire. Don't ask me why... but I really wanted that.

Me: What’s next on your agenda?

Hannah: Screenplays, TV pilots, another book, and a host of funny Youtube songs that you're invited to check out here: youtube.com/writinghannah

Me: Any book out there currently winning your attention? Or one coming out soon that you’re looking forward to reading?

Hannah: I got to meet Judy Blume last week at an anti-censorship performance in her honor, so I've actually been re-reading some of her classics and having a wonderful time! Those and the Discworld series by Terry Pratchet. Love them!

Me: Anything you’d like to add =)

Hannah: Even when things really suck, there is infinite potential for them to really un-suck. Have faith in yourself because you're your own best advocate. And always make time to laugh!!

Me: Thank you so much for taking the time out to stop by and chat with me Hannah. And thanks again for the opportunity to read your book. I had a blast!

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Hannah has generously offered a copy of EVERYTHING SUCKS to one lucky winner.

To enter:

-Comment that you'd like the book and PLEASE leave your email address. (I'm afraid I won't be counting your entry if you fail to do so, sorry)

For Extra Entries:

+2-Become a follower/subscriber!! (If you already are one, hugs to you, let me know and you get these!)
+1-Comment on my review! (<---- click the link)
+1-Follow me on twitter!! (Button located on my right sidebar - please leave your @name so I can verify)
+1-Link back to this giveaway. (Must provide link!)

= Total # of possible entries: 6

Giveaway ends November 25th and the winner will be announced the following day on the 26th. US ONLY PLEASE.