Hey guys! So my blog just turned 2 years old today. That’s really crazy. I just want to thank everyone – authors, bloggers, my followers, viewers, publishers, and my parents (for buying me books haha). I also want to thank those who comment on my blog posts. I know it’s time consuming to read AND write a comment so I really appreciate it. This past year has been a crazy journey…I’ve had a lot of reading and blogging slumps and I even considered to just stop blogging because sometimes I would get really lazy to type up a post. I decided not to because I know I’ll regret it. I think it’s better for me to go on a hiatus instead of quitting. Anyways, I decided to contact the authors whose books have impacted me and I’m so glad that they agreed to do an interview even though they are busy…so thank you so so much!
Today I have Emil Ostrovski, author of one of my favorite books, The Paradox of Vertical Flight! He is such a great writer which is why I wanted to interview him, and I’m so glad he said yes! Before we get into the interview, here is a little bit about him…
Rather than give you a witty, self-deprecating account of the trials and tribulations of my twenty-three year old, suburban, upper-middle class, went-to-a-girl’s-liberal-arts-college life, I’ll admit that I haven’t really done anything much worth reading about.
So in lieu of providing you with my biography, I will recommend that you read Desmond Tutu’s. Here.
Why Desmond Tutu?
Well, I’ve always liked his name.
Q: Welcome to Little Book Star, Emil! I noticed on your website that you also write short stories. Do you prefer writing short stories as to a novel?
I like writing short stories better. They’re less of a commitment (I have literary add and major commitment issues), and if you want, you can write short stories about recurrent characters or places and get an effect very much similar to that of writing a novel or novella. A novel, by contrast, is necessarily a massive project, and as such, it weighs heavily on you psychologically. Unfortunately though, it’s virtually impossible to make a living off writing short stories, so I concentrate my efforts on novel writing out of financial necessity and a rare streak of pragmatism.
Q: How would you convince a person who hates reading into becoming an avid reader?
Look, obviously, as a writer, reading and writing are very important to me. People, for whatever reason, are pretty universally drawn to stories. If someone hates reading, I’d be tempted to say they just aren’t reading the right things, and I would encourage them find a book or story or publication that appeals to their interests. I would also say that books expand our imagination, our sense of what’s possible, they enlarge our understanding of other people and of the world we inhabit together. That said, everyone’s different. Not everybody has to be an avid reader. You’re alive once. If it genuinely makes you happier to climb mountains or skateboard or do jumping jacks on the roof of your house at 3 a.m. while singing Ella Fitzgerald’s Somethings Gotta Give in a tone-deaf bass, then go for it.
Q: Would you rather read or write for the rest of your life?
Good question! Read, probably. Because if I’m not reading, I don’t think I’ll be able to write anything that’s worth anyone else’s time anyway. Besides, reading is a lot more fun than writing.
Q: What’s your favorite word? Mine’s lackadaisical (such a fancy word for being lazy haha).
Haha, lackadaisical is a good one! Mine is apotheosis. :)
Q: Random fact about The Paradox of Vertical Flight?
The original title was “To Grandma’s House With Socrates.” The Spanish title translates to “Socrates’s First Trip/Voyage,” and the German title is, “Where there’s some time…”
Thanks so much for interviewing me, Leigh!
All the best to you!
Thank you so much for your time, Emil! Make sure you follow Emil on the interwebs!
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