Bloggasm

Cindy aka DistressedJeans, began blogging with Conversations About Famous People, a celebrity gossip website that saw over seven million viewers during its one year run. During the height of popularity with CAFP, she decided to branch out and focus on her favorite thing in the world- good books and the writers behind the books.

Since she began the site (Conversations with Famous Writers) over one year ago, she’s interviewed debut novelists as well as big names like Pamela Anderson, Simon Doonan, Broadway star Anthony Rapp, Jeannette Walls, Jessica Cutler, Lucky beauty editor Jean Godfrey- June and many more.

DistressedJeans also runs Conversations About Fashion, a fashion and beauty site.

Simon Owens: Before you do your interviews with writers, how much research do you perform on the writer’s background? Do you ever have a hard time coming up with questions?

Cindy: I do as much research as I can, checking out other interviews the authors have done so I don’t repeat any questions. I can usually get a pretty good handle on the personality of the writer and am able to come up with at least five decent questions. Sometimes I’m at a loss. And then I think about what I would like to be asked.

Simon Owens: Do you ever get to meet your interview subjects face to face?

Cindy: I met with one and it was a disaster! We didn’t get around to doing the interview at all because we talked so much. I thought we hit it off and would become best friends and live happily ever after but I never heard from her again. She was the wife of an extremely famous producer and I was so thrilled to meet her. It was a learning experience for me. I always do the interviews via email.

Simon Owens: Do you think that readers who get to know a writer through an interview are more likely to buy the writer’s book?

Cindy: Yes, that is what I hope. My goal is to show the writer’s personality through some off-beat questions, find a different side of them. I want the writers to have an opportunity to tell us about themselves and spark an interest, maybe strike a chord with a potential book-buyer. So many wonderful writers slip through the cracks and don’t get noticed, I love introducing good books and interesting authors to my readers.

Simon Owens: How often do you get emailed by authors and publicists who request interviews?

Cindy: I get emails nearly every day. I receive notes from authors and editors and agents, some PR people. Its very flattering that my site is getting noticed and people are enjoying it and wanting their books to be featured. One big name author wrote me a lovely note and asked if I would consider interviewing her, I was like, are you kidding!? Of course!

Simon Owens: What upcoming book publications are you looking forward to the most?

Cindy: I’m so looking forward to Jennifer Weiner’s new book. Allison Winn Scotch has a novel coming out that is supposed to be fabulous and Gayle Brandeis will have a book out next winter. I get so excited, it’s like Christmas when a new book arrives.

Simon Owens: What are the five blogs you’d recommend to supplement the reading of your own?

Cindy: Here are some that I check as often as I can:

These girls cover all the women’s fiction, Candy Covered Books

MJ Rose is so smart, she runs this very successful blog that everyone in the business reads

Hillary Carlip is the editor of Fresh Yarn, a place where writers share their humorous essays.

Author Jen Lancaster is laugh- out-loud funny.

Another writer who is up on everything with lots of knowledge of the business side of book publishing, Karin Gillespie