Inside the Blogger's Studio

There is no Instant Messenger for the wicked here in Gambier, OH. (I miss you, Stephanie!) The kids ask me what college students do at a place like this. What can they find to do among all these trees and gentle, woodland creatures?

I'll tell you what we did. We studied. We made our own fun with sticks and acorns. We did interviews. You can do it, too:

1. If you want to participate, leave a comment below saying "Interview me." "Blow me" or "Eat me" are not acceptable substitutes.

2. I will respond by asking you five questions - each person's will be different. I'll post the questions in the comments section of this post.

3. You will update your blog with the answers to the questions.

4. You will include this explanation and an offer to interview others in the same post.

5. When others comment asking to be interviewed, you will ask them five questions.

All righty then.

1. Where were you going the day you sold The Chicago Manual of Style for gas money?

I had no place to go until after the book store clerk put those crisp bills in my hand. Before that moment, I figured I could pack my work clothes in the trunk and save a trip back to my apartment. With that gas money, though, I drove around the block twice and visited my aunt on the other side of town.

2. In your opinion, what is the best film adaptation of a book you love?

You think I'm going to say "Gone with the Wind," but you're wrong. "The Color Purple" is the best film adaptation of a book--ever. The book inspired my college thesis. The movie makes me cry and call my sister every single time I see it. Every time.

3. The Bible: fascinating tome filled with endlessly entertaining stories or snoozefest nonpareil?

With the exception of the books detailing who begat whom, the Bible is a pretty fascinating tome. This is an easy shot, but the Book of the Revelation continues to freak people out after over 2000 years. Think about that. The Exorcist only freaked people out for, like, thirty years.

4. If E.L. Doctorow were to meet John Irving in a street fight, who would win? (And would anyone care?)

John Irving is punk rock. The tattoos, the motorcycles, The World According to Garp--oh, he wants you to say a word, just one word. E. L. Doctorow is a Kenyon man. He wears sweater vests. He smiles--not snarls--at the camera. Advantage Irving? Nah. Kenyon alumni fight dirty. (And, no, no one cares.)

5. If you could be any fictional character in the history of literature, who would it be?

I think I need to be Carmilla from Le Fanu's Carmilla. That bodacious vampire babe lived for centuries, seducing young girls with her night whispering and blood-sipping. Oh, and she took some time out to have her picture painted, too.