A Little Skin Flaying

July 6th, 2004 · No Comments
by Booksquare

We think we’re going to spearhead a little campaign. Still trying to come up with a catchy title (acronyms aren’t our thing), but it will be something like The Fund for Good Author Interviews. Well, probably not fund because who would get the money? We suppose it could be, hmm, an educational fund for journalists. But don’t they get student loans and such? Okay, regardless, we are campaigning for improved author interviews. It is our right as citizens of the world.
Yes, we too are starting to suspect something was slipped into our Diet Coke. We linked to Sarah Weinman’s interview with Michael Connelly yesterday. Excellent example of what we’re seeking. Today, we take a look at an interview that takes a slightly different tack: The Guardian profiles Stella Riminigton, author of At Risk. Not only does the story start off with the delicately phrased “don’t bother” review of Rimington’s first book, but it goes on to comment on the author’s sartorial choices (especially in light of her current job), her demeanor when faced with questions she doesn’t want to answer, and even delves into the former spy’s thoughts on royal scandals. In other words, we get a real picture of Stella Rimington. Because, after all, semi-autographical fiction doesn’t tell you everything.

File Under: Square Pegs