We are excited to introduce The 14:55 Interview, a new series that takes a short, but deep dive into the writing life.
Get a glimpse into what makes your favorite creative types tick—from the writers who inspired them, to the weird habits that accompany the practice of writing, their favorite places in the world, and more. Each week, Sean Murphy, Executive Director of 1455, poses 15 questions in (less than) 15 minutes in this fast-paced and insightful series.
The Questions:
- The first book that made you want to be a writer?
(Or: what book changed your life?) - Your most profound artistic influence is?
- Album or movie you recommend without reservation?
- Best first (or last) line in any book, ever?
- Most underrated author?
- Why have you not read MOBY DICK?
(Or, which classic do you regret not reading?) - Is there a single theme or issue your work addresses?
- What’s your writing routine? (Or: do you believe in them?)
- Do you believe in writer’s block?
- Talk about the most significant setback (artistic or otherwise)
in your life? - How have you developed your career?
- Define or explain what literary success means to you.
- What do you wish you had known, as an artist, 10 or 20 years ago?
- Have you ever visited a writers retreat?
(If not, why; if so, how was your experience?) - One-minute exhortation for beginning writer looking for advice?
The Writers:
Our first three guests, and the video recordings of each interview, are below.
Bethanne Patrick is a writer, author, and critic whose column about hot reads appears monthly in The Washington
Post. Her books AN UNCOMMON HISTORY OF COMMON THINGS (with John Thompson) and “AN UNCOMMON HISTORY OF COMMON COURTESY were released by National Geographic in 2009 and 2011 respectively,
and her anthology THE BOOKS THAT CHANGED MY LIFE by ReganArts in 2016. She is currently working on a
memoir for Counterpoint Press.
Karen E. Bender is the author of the story collection Refund, which was a Finalist for the National Book Award in Fiction in 2015, shortlisted for the Frank O’Connor International Short Story Prize and Longlisted for the Story prize. She is also the author of the story collection THE NEW ORDER, which was Longlisted for the Story prize. Her novels are A TOWN OF EMPTY ROOMS and LIKE NORMAL PEOPLE. She is Distinguished Visiting Professor of Creative Writing at Hollins University. Karen is the fiction editor at Scoundrel Time. Visit her at www.karenebender.com.
Robert Anthony Siegel is the author of two novels and a memoir, CRIMINALS: MY FAMILY’S LIFE ON BOTH SIDES OF THE LAW. His work has appeared in The New York Times, Smithsonian, The Paris Review, The Oxford American, and other venues. He teaches workshops at Catapult in New York City. His Web site is www.robertanthonysiegel.com.
Our next guest is last year’s Lit Fest keynote author Angie Kim, author of the best-selling novel MIRACLE CREEK. Stay tuned and visit 1455’s YouTube page for more videos!
