Interview by novelist and screenwriter David Wisehart

I had the honor of being interviewed by David Wisehart, author of Devil's Lair and Crimson Lake, on his blog Kindle Author.  David is also the writer, director, and producer of Valentino: a play in verse, which will receive its world premiere production at the Hollywood Fringe Festival.

It was a lot of fun talking with David and it was a pleasure to discover other fascinating interviews with indie authors on his site. 

You can check it out here.

Interview by Fantasy Writer and Artist Jenna Elisabeth Johnson

On July 2, 2010, I was interviewed by Jenna Elisabeth Johnson (author of "The Legend of Oescienne") on her excellent blog Hello Kruel, Kruel World! 

The interview is here 
http://oescienne.com/blog/2010/07/02/drive-thru-interview-with-author-gabriela-popa/

"Say to a blind man, you're free..."

I am one reluctant blogger.  When I initiated this blog, I promised myself I would "publish" (isn't the name of that button misleading?) only things that I felt must be said.  If that makes for infrequent posts, so be it.  And so, after a long hiatus, here I am, writing a sad note.  Yesterday, Saramago died. 

A few weeks ago, as I was preparing for vacation, I cruised amazon looking for a few book (read people) to take with me.  One of the books I purchased was Saramago's Notebook http://www.amazon.com/Notebook-Jose-Saramago/dp/1844676145/ref=cm_rna_own_review_img, recently translated in English.  Another one was my old friend Guillevic ( a bilingual edition that enchanted me, by Denise Levertov http://www.amazon.com/Guillevic-Selected-Poems-Denice-Levertov/dp/0811202836; Denise, wonderful work!).  The tragedy was that, in my hurry, I took Guillevic but forgot Saramago on the living room table - where he stoicly waited for my return... 

There are a  few books that refuse to go away to become, in my mind, that white noise that feeds our creativity.  Saramago's Blindness is one of them.  Here is an excerpt:

"Say to a blind man, you're free, open the door that was separating him from the world, Go, you are free, we tell him once more, and he does not go, he has remained motionless there in the middle of the road, he and the others, they are terrified, they do not know where to go, the fact is that there is no comparison between living in a rational labyrinth, which is, by definition, a mental asylum, and venturing forth, without a guiding hand or a dog leash, into the demented labyrinth of the city, where memory will serve no purpose, for it will merely be able to recall the images of places but not the paths whereby we might get there."

The mighty author

I am intrigued by how powerful this little guy, the author, has suddenly become due to the emergence of the mighty digital text. As of one year or so, the entire value chain in publishing has been turned upside-down, but the author (the gifted observer of the world around her - or him) is still oblivious to all it. For the first time, the middle man could be out (not it should be out - but the technology makes him dispensable). The author, however, does not clearly see the opportunity: the author wants to stay in line. The author wants entry to the Law, to follow a metaphor used by Kafka in his story "Before the law" http://records.viu.ca/~johnstoi/kafka/beforethelaw%20.htm, but does not have the courage to enter a door made only for him. He feels that someone else has to validate him. Why? Does a seed ask for permission to germinate? Does a cherry tree ask for authorization to bloom and make fruits? Why should we? And by the way, look at a blooming cherry tree - by the number of insects buzzing around, there's a lot of dazzling marketing right there, that the humble tree invests in, year after year...

I guess that in time, the cherry tree, or the peacock, or the ladybug have learned that no one else will do that marketing for them...The usual counterargument is that poor material will be published ...but, come on...poor material??! Isn't that the most deliriously funny argument that anyone could make?