Q&A With Mark Terry

May 13, 2008

Q: Shouldn't you be working?

A: Yes, but I'm self-employed, so the boss is temporarily out of the room.

Q: How's your work-in-progress going?

A: My two characters are about to get into even bigger trouble than before, so it's going fine.

Q: Any novel coming out soon?

A: Not that I know of. If you hear differently, let me know.

Q: How's the marketing of other novels going?

A: Fine, if you define "fine" as being regularly rejected by major publishing houses and having a manuscript fall into a black hole at a smaller house for five or six months.

Q: How's the writing biz going?

A: Booming. I'm swamped. I should be working on something but instead I'm having an imaginary interview with myself. I just finished interviewing a woman in Utah for an article I'm writing.

Q: When are you going to New York?

A: Rumor has it first week of June, though I was hoping next week. We'll see.

Q: When are you going to Houston?

A: Second or third week in June. Should be hot.

Q: What did you have for lunch?

A: Greek pita, chips and grapes. And diet Coke.

Q: How do you take coffee?

A: Without the coffee. I don't drink coffee. Can't stand the taste and I rarely drink warm/hot beverages.

Q: Seen any good movies lately?

A: Iron Man. Robert Downey, Jr. rocks no matter what he's in, but this movie was a lot of fun (He was brilliant in "Zodiac." Check it out). And I have no desire to be Peter Parker, but Tony Stark? You bet. Seriously cool. If I want to be a super hero, it'll be either Iron Man or Wolverine. Wolverine's got even better health benefits than CEO Tony Stark.

Q: What's on your Netflix queue?

A: "Gone, Baby Gone" and "Letters from Iwo Jima" and "Lions to Lambs." It's our depressing movie trifecta.

Q: What would you like as a last meal?

A: A drink from the Fountain of Youth. Failing that, pizza, breadsticks and an antipasto salad.

Q: If you were stranded on a desert island and could only have one album with you, what would it be?

A: Welcome to Margaritaville by Jimmy Buffett. I figure with that, it's only a matter of time before a cruise ship shows up to drop off tourists and I'd be rescued.

Q: If you could be anything besides a writer, what would you be?

A: Besides an independently wealthy philanthropist? Maybe a hotshot guitar guy like Andy McKee.

Q: If you had to pick one novel to call your favorite, what would it be?

A: Either "To the Hilt" by Dick Francis or "Bag of Bones" by Stephen King. Don't make me decide.

Q: How many angels can dance on the head of a pin?

A: Four if it's the macarena, five if it's the chicken dance, but only two if it's a tango.

Cheers,

Mark Terry