Lisa K. Friedman

Author Interview - Lisa K. Friedman

Author of Hello Wife

Single, unfulfilled, and well into middle age, Charlotte Lansing desperately seeks love and acceptance. When she announces her engagement to an unemployed morphine addict, her family is thrown into turmoil. Her mother tries to prevent disaster, her father tries to bridge the divide, and her sister clings to the hope that their bond will protect Charlotte. But Charlotte, believing she's finally found happiness, resists their efforts. Ultimately, they can only watch as she disappears into her husband's addiction...

In this bittersweet, heart-piercing tale about one woman’s fierce determination to capture what she’s always wanted, despite the consequences, Lisa Friedman explores sisterly bonds, the strength of families, and the devastating impact of opioid abuse in modern America. Poignant, and at times darkly humorous, Friedman reveals the moments of grace and care that can emerge in all of our darkest days.

Author Interview - Lisa K. Friedman

Author I draw inspiration from:

I gravitate toward authors who write with a minimalist’s eye. Claire Keegan is the inspiration for so much of my work. I study everything she writes. She revises mercilessly, leaving only the most necessary words, phrases, descriptions. I’ve even traveled to Ireland to work with her!

Author Interview - Lisa K. Friedman | Author I Draw Inspiration From

Favorite place to read a book:

My favorite place to read is in the ugliest piece of furniture you’ve ever seen. It’s an upholstered armchair with a dreary skirt and rolled armrests and too many stains to count. It lives in a corner of my bedroom, facing a window and when I am sitting there, I pretend I’m in a sound-proof booth where no one can find me.

Book character I’d like to be stuck in an elevator with:

I am claustrophobic, so the idea of being stuck in an elevator brings sweat to my neck. But, hypothetically speaking, I’d choose to be with Beryl Peoples, from Richard Russo’s novel, Nobody’s Fool. She is plain-speaking, unflappable, and crotchety. I’d hope she’d ask me if I’d like some tea, so I could retort: Not now, not ever.

Author Interview - Lisa K. Friedman | Book Character I’d Like to be Stuck in an Elevator With

The moment I knew I wanted to become an author:

When I was about eight, I wrote a nightmare story while my parents were downstairs having a dinner party. I brought the pages in the kitchen and left them. When I heard my mother reading aloud to a silent room, I got worried. Maybe the story wasn’t any good. Minutes later, one of their friends, a teacher, came to my room and asked if I’d like to take writing lessons. She said I had natural talent. That’s when I knew.

Hardback, paperback, ebook or audiobook:

I like the feel of a book. I like to fan the pages and smell the words. Also, when I’m reading, I can remember where things are physically: I can find a sentence by its placement on the page. You can’t do that with ebooks. Also, I like paperbacks mainly because they are less heavy, so I can read them in bed.

The last book I read:

The last book I read was All the Colors of the Dark by Chris Whitaker. The writing was terrific, which really kept me reading. Then, I read his We Begin at the End, which was unusual and very clever.

Author Interview - Lisa K. Friedman | The Last Book I Read

Pen & paper or computer:

I write on a desktop most often. But I do a lot of my "thinking" on scraps of paper. I have notepads everywhere: in the car, in the bathroom – I even have waterproof pads that I take on the kayak!

Book character I think I’d be best friends with:

I wouldn’t mind being besties with Joyce, from Richard Osman’s The Thursday Murder Club. She’s observant and holds nothing back. I like a ballsy person, someone who knows themself. Joyce is hilarious, deadpan, and very frank: a perfect combo.

Author Interview - Lisa K. Friedman | Book Character I’d be Best Friends With

If I weren’t an author, I’d be a:

If I weren’t an author I’d be wielding a hose at the gardening center. I love plants and have a great garden that brings me lots of pleasure – of the calming kind. When I am stuck, or not writing well, I think about switching careers to be a plant waterer. It’s the most stress-free activity, so why not take it up as a career?

Favorite decade in fashion history:

Fashion? This is totally out of my area. I keep photos of outfits I like, cut from catalogs that come to the house, or from so called “research” on the internet. I keep these photos in my underwear drawer and, when it’s time to get dressed, I take out a picture and copy it!

Place I’d most like to travel:

I’d like to travel to Kashmir because I’m a Led Zeppelin enthusiast and that’s my favorite song.

My signature drink:

My signature drink is coffee. I drink it all day even though I know it rots your stomach. Milk and sugar help it go down easier.

Favorite artist:

I always wanted to be a rock and roll singer. My favorite artists are musicians. I’m a sucker for Al Green, Tracy Chapman, Ricky Martin (oh how embarrassing!) and Nirvana.

Number one on my bucket list:

I don’t have a bucket list. I have a mantra: “Say yes.” I try and assess things by the likelihood of fun. If it satisfies that criteria, I say yes before learning any of the details. I like making knee-jerk, last-minute decisions; they’ve led me to Greenland where I watched the northern lights from a 100 year-old sailing ship, to Austin Texas for SXSW, and to Uzbekistan, wherever that is.

Find more from the author:

• https://www.instagram.com/lisakaplanfriedman/

• https://www.facebook.com/lisakaplanfriedman/

About Lisa K. Friedman:

Author Interview with Lisa K. Friedman

Lisa K Friedman is an award-winning essayist, author and educator whose work appears in newspapers and magazines around the country. She holds a MA degree in Fiction from the Johns Hopkins University Graduate Program and a BA in American Literature from George Washington University. She teaches creative writing for adults and children, and mentors professional and beginning writers in the art of fiction. When she is not writing, Lisa is sailing on a sunfish with her dog at the bow. Find her at lisakfriedman.com