Good Morning Folks!
Hello and welcome to another new session of author interview, and today we have the author behind the incredible book, The Biology of Luck- Jacob M. Appel. So let's chat with him to know more about his books, his life and life beyond books!!
Me: Hello and welcome to my blog, Jacob. Congratulations on your new book, The Biology of Luck. Please briefly share with us the story behind the book, The Biology of Luck?
Jacob: I wrote the book more than a fifteen years ago, starting when I was a graduate student in Andre Aciman’s workshop at New York University. I had written an earlier novel, recently published as The Man Who Wouldn’t Stand Up, and when my agent was unable to sell that manuscript, I placed both in the trunk of my car and largely forgot about them. Then in 2013, my boss at the creative writing program where I teach part-time mentioned he knew of an independent publisher seeking manuscripts, and on a whim, I retyped The Biology of Luck and sent it out. And then—as in all publishing stories—I got very lucky. The key to being a great writer is not talent. Talent grows on trees. And shower curtains, unfortunately. Luck, in contrast, can be very difficult to come by…..
Me: What was your source of inspiration in this book, The Biology of Luck?
Jacob: I want to begin be emphasizing what was NOT the source of inspiration for this book. Namely, any women I have known personally. Several former romantic partners of mine seem to believe that they provided the basis for Starshine, the main female character. They (and their attorneys, if they have them) can be certain this is not the case. Nor am I anything like Larry. But I do frequent the 125th Street Post Office in Manhattan and the service is as deplorable as described in the novel. Possibly worse.
Me: Your book is set across the five boroughs of New York. Did you travel to each
one of them for the purpose of research?
Jacob: I am a licensed New York City touring guide, so I know all of these locations very well. That meant there was no need to revisit them for research. Besides, as a resident of Manhattan, I’m limited to one visit to Staten Island per lifetime—anything more my compromise my reputation.
Jacob: I am a licensed New York City touring guide, so I know all of these locations very well. That meant there was no need to revisit them for research. Besides, as a resident of Manhattan, I’m limited to one visit to Staten Island per lifetime—anything more my compromise my reputation.
Me: Your first novel, The Man Who Wouldn't Stand Up, won the Dundee International
Book Award in the year 2012. How will you describe your moment when you learned
that you won such a prestigious award?
Jacob: At first, I was suspicious it was a joke. I didn’t actually remember submitting my manuscript, so I figured it might be a prank….that I’d end up on the Scottish version of Candid Camera. Now, every time my phone rings, I hope someone’s calling to award me a prize….I’d settle for a minor Nobel…I’d even share it. Alas, usually the call is someone trying to sell me carpet cleaner.
Me: How
will you describe your journey so far as an author? And was it always your one
true dream to be an author?
Jacob: My one true dream was to date Sophia Loren. Alas, that seems less and less likely. My backup dream was to date Karen Russell. Alas, she also seems spoken for. You might say my backup backup dream was to be a writer. Alas, my journey has been slow and tortuous. Like traveling down the Mississippi in a raft or hunting a white whale. I keep asking the captain, “Am I an author yet?” and he keeps telling me to go back down to my cabin and keep my mouth shut.
Jacob: My one true dream was to date Sophia Loren. Alas, that seems less and less likely. My backup dream was to date Karen Russell. Alas, she also seems spoken for. You might say my backup backup dream was to be a writer. Alas, my journey has been slow and tortuous. Like traveling down the Mississippi in a raft or hunting a white whale. I keep asking the captain, “Am I an author yet?” and he keeps telling me to go back down to my cabin and keep my mouth shut.
Me: Tell us one trait of your protagonist, Larry Bloom in The Biology of Luck, that
intrigue you the most.
Jacob: Larry has considerable insight into his shortcomings, which are many. Most people with many shortcomings have much less insight into their limitations. Several former bosses of mine come to mind. I meet people every day, and I think, “Everyone you know despises you, and you don’t even realize it. But one day you will realize it, and then….” I try to wear my shortcomings on my sleeves, so there is no mistaking them.
Jacob: Larry has considerable insight into his shortcomings, which are many. Most people with many shortcomings have much less insight into their limitations. Several former bosses of mine come to mind. I meet people every day, and I think, “Everyone you know despises you, and you don’t even realize it. But one day you will realize it, and then….” I try to wear my shortcomings on my sleeves, so there is no mistaking them.
Me: What do you expect your readers to get away with after reading your book, The
Biology of Luck?
Jacob: Paper cuts. Lots of them. Maybe a sprained thumb from turning pages too quickly. It’s that good a book. But I’d also like them to have a sense of appreciation for the suffering of others, for the poor ordinary sops who struggle below the radar screen of life. That’s Larry. He could use a hug.
Jacob: Paper cuts. Lots of them. Maybe a sprained thumb from turning pages too quickly. It’s that good a book. But I’d also like them to have a sense of appreciation for the suffering of others, for the poor ordinary sops who struggle below the radar screen of life. That’s Larry. He could use a hug.
Me: How
will you describe your normal writing day? And how do you get away from the
stress of a long day's work?
Jacob: I’m a doctor, so I don’t have a very hard job. I show up at the hospital; sick people show up at the hospital. No need to advertise or drum up business. No fear that there won’t be enough patients. People forget that—unlike lawyers or businesspeople—physicians never have to look for work. The stressful part of the day is the writing. In medicine, my ability to kill people is very limited….by law, custom, oversight. A nurse might look over and say, “Please stop strangling that patient.” But in front of my computer, I can kill off characters on a whim. Out of pity. Out of spite. Just for plain amusement. That’s a lot of responsibility for one man to carry.
Jacob: I’m a doctor, so I don’t have a very hard job. I show up at the hospital; sick people show up at the hospital. No need to advertise or drum up business. No fear that there won’t be enough patients. People forget that—unlike lawyers or businesspeople—physicians never have to look for work. The stressful part of the day is the writing. In medicine, my ability to kill people is very limited….by law, custom, oversight. A nurse might look over and say, “Please stop strangling that patient.” But in front of my computer, I can kill off characters on a whim. Out of pity. Out of spite. Just for plain amusement. That’s a lot of responsibility for one man to carry.
Me: What's next up on your writing sleeves? Please tell us briefly about it.
Jacob: I’ve given up wearing sleeves. Too many shortcomings to hang on them. I’ve also given up hats. Too many rabbits hanging out in them and there’s nothing worse for a man’s hair than rabbit claws. But I do have two books on my agent’s desk. Novels. Brilliant ones, I might add, if my grandmother’s opinion is to be trusted. If you’re a major publisher and you’d like to buy them, please be in touch.
Jacob: I’ve given up wearing sleeves. Too many shortcomings to hang on them. I’ve also given up hats. Too many rabbits hanging out in them and there’s nothing worse for a man’s hair than rabbit claws. But I do have two books on my agent’s desk. Novels. Brilliant ones, I might add, if my grandmother’s opinion is to be trusted. If you’re a major publisher and you’d like to buy them, please be in touch.
Me: Thank You so much Jacob for sparing time to have this interview session for my
blog. I can only wish you luck in all your future endeavors.
Jacob: My pleasure. And thank you for reading my book. You may have doubled my readership singlehandedly.
Jacob: My pleasure. And thank you for reading my book. You may have doubled my readership singlehandedly.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Jacob's Bio:
TERRIFIC interview! The author's sense of humor more than won me over. Time for me to read his books! Thanks, Aditi.
ReplyDeleteYeah, he is unexceptionally very funny! I never knew anybody who has this much of sense of humor. As usual my pleasure :-)
Delete