Swinging into Fiction: Bamberger & Shipnuck

"Whether it’s Tiger or other fallen stars, I’ve always viewed their travails like everyone else on the outside, with a mix of fascination and judgmental superiority."

I admit it.  The thrill-seeking me would love to be a star. The money, glamor, and excitement would make it a tough opportunity to turn down. However, the highly sensitive, introverted me is not so sure I could handle it, especially given my recent peak into some of the unique challenges.

I can barely cope with my often well-meaning, yet highly judgmental mother much less a million plus people all craning their necks to see what I'm writing on Facebook, eating for dinner, or doing with the little spare time I have. And that's on top of their ongoing evaluation of whatever the heck it is I would be doing to warrant such a mob following.

My guest today, Alan Shipnuck, along with his colleague Michael Bamberger, has delved into the exclusive challenges of being a famous athlete. Alan and Michael, both successful writers for Sports Illustrated, have brilliantly swung over to the realm of fiction in what seems to be a fateful collaboration between two golf experts who discovered they were both driving in the same direction.  Their novel, THE SWINGER (Simon & Schuster) illuminates the life of the modern world-class, life-by-the-tail athlete. It's also a meditation on love, sex, marriage, friendship, celebrity, and the media.

The world is expanding as our technological capabilities skyrocket. Our lives are becoming open books strangers can easily flip through during coffee breaks or while getting the oil changed. Maybe that's great for creatives; maybe it's helping us express ourselves and reach out in new ways.  But it's painfully true that every rose has its thorn.  All of us, especially those who are watched the most, are increasingly more vulnerable to both lies and the truth.

I like to think of Aberration Nation as a unique hub where highly creative individuals can share their stories ... warts, successes, and all.  I was thrilled to have Paul Rudd join in that happy, dysfunctional  circus, and was embarrassed over how it turned out. I realized that some of those who have achieved high levels of success may not be free to support a grassroots forum like Aberration Nation. 

Apparently, some celebrities must protect themselves from lies involving hackers and stalkers, and some, like Tiger Woods, must work to protect against the truth. They give so much of themselves in their chosen fields, but it seems that in many cases, they must hold back the very thing we'd benefit from tapping into--their true spirit.  I suspect that, in many cases, that unique spirit somehow enabled them to rise above so many. It somehow made the difference we are trying to achieve.  Imagine how much could be learned from uncovering and studying the journeys (PR machine free) that these highly successful people have taken, and the real price they pay to stay on top.    

We're all human no matter what we may have achieved. Alan writes that "Whether it’s Tiger or other fallen stars, I’ve always viewed their travails like everyone else on the outside, with a mix of fascination and judgmental superiority. But writing this book was a visceral experience and at times I could feel Tree’s panic and exasperation and shame. It certainly has given me more empathy for what a guy like Tiger has gone through. Certainly Tiger has acted very selfishly and made some poor decisions but he’s also paid an incredibly high price for actions that weren’t unlawful." 

He and Bamberger have written a great novel that shines a light of reality on celebrity that, in Alan's words, "allows us to go deep into the life of a cloistered, conflicted star athlete. The result is fiction that in many ways is more true than real-life."

The journey to celebrity is much more than simply a series of fortunate events.

You have both had interesting, successful careers in sports journalism. What was the mutual key driver for tackling fiction, and how did your partnership come about?

Michael and I have both shared a fascination with fiction. We grew up reading novels, and it’s such a venerated art form. But making that leap is intimidating for a career reporter. Whether it’s our work for SI or previous non-fiction books, we both pride ourselves on our ability to gather information. To just sit alone in a room and make it all up? That was certainly a different challenge, but we both ultimately felt liberated having to rely on nothing but our imaginations.

As for the partnership, Michael and I had both independently come up with the idea of writing a novel about a fallen golf hero but neither of us got very far. Still, we felt there was a great story to tell and felt invigorated by the idea of teaming up.

THE SWINGER focuses on Herbert X. "Tree" Tremont, the most dominant golfer of all time and the richest sports figure in history. According to Simon & Schuster, the novel is written with a smile, not with disdain for athletes like Tree, but with empathy and affection and hope that Tree's transformation, redemption, and return to greatness may be around the corner. What about the character Tree, and real top athletes who may have similar lives, inspired you to write the novel, and why should readers be interested in this particular story?

Well, clearly there are some echoes to the life and times of Tiger Woods. To deny that would be silly. But this book isn’t a forensic recreation of Tiger’s scandal; really, that’s just a jumping-off point. We wanted to write a story that was uniquely our own. It is only through the magic of fiction that we can go behind closed doors and get to know every thought and emotion of the world’s greatest golfer. We can place him in the middle of a tabloid frenzy and eavesdrop on every conversation, not only of the embattled superstar but also the enablers around him and the reporters who are treating him like prey. I think readers will appreciate the intimacy of this story. As reporters we’re merely proxies for the public – it’s been frustrating for all of us to never get to know Tiger, and the revelations about his secret life certainly drove home how elusive he’s been. The book allows us to go deep into the life of a cloistered, conflicted star athlete. The result is fiction that in many ways is more true than real-life.

With regard to THE SWINGER, was there an "ah-ha" moment you can tell us about?

Not one moment in particular. But I remember when we were four or five chapters into the writing there was this exhilarating feeling that what we had was pretty damn fun to read and I could see the rest of the book stretching out before us. This was strictly an experiment in the beginning. We didn’t have a publisher and for a while we were considering just posting the chapters anonymously on the Internet as we went, or self-publishing. It was truly just a couple of writers writing for the sake of writing. At some point we showed the material to a few readers we trust and their enthusiasm and interest changed the trajectory of the project, but really this started out as mere farting-around.

Each novel I write seems to change my life or create a shift in my thinking or perception in some way. Did writing the novel change or impact your lives in any way that perhaps goes beyond the other sports journalism that you do?

It’s certainly changed how I think about future projects. The idea of doing another non-fiction book is pretty daunting. All that flying around and doing interviews and transcribing tape – man, that’s so much work! I’m definitely eager to dabble more fiction, and not just golf. This book has a lot cool insidery stuff about the PGA Tour but it’s also a meditation on love, marriage, friendship, sex, celebrity, the media. Writing about so many different things has given me the confidence to branch out from just sports.

With regard to your work with Sports Illustrated, some folks may struggle with understanding why and how creativity factors into the delicate mix of relaying real life information in a powerful way. In general, how does creativity factor into sports writing?

Subscribers don’t get their SI until Wednesday afternoon, or maybe Thursday. Long gone are the days when we’re informing people who won or lost. The challenge in this 24/7 media environment is to give readers something new, to take them places they haven’t already been. So fresh information is important, as is unique analysis and access. But storytelling is also paramount. There is so much byte-sized information, I think readers want to get lost in something longer and more elegant. The creativity you mention can be through the use of certain devices, like writing a magazine story in the form of a screenplay or a diary, to cite two things I’ve done in the past. But really I think the challenge is to make every story compelling and different from what’s already out there. I feel like that’s my mandate every time I sit in front of my computer.

Do you believe some of the various attributes related to being writers have caused you aberrations in life, helped you deal with life's aberrations, or both? How so? Did those experiences help you to identify with Tree in any way?

After all these years I’m definitely more comfortable expressing emotion through the written word. Give me a blank greeting card and I can make almost any family member cry, but it’s much harder for me to express these kind of feelings face to face.

Writing Tree’s story definitely affected me. Whether it’s Tiger or other fallen stars, I’ve always viewed their travails like everyone else on the outside, with a mix of fascination and judgmental superiority. But writing this book was a visceral experience and at times I could feel Tree’s panic and exasperation and shame. It certainly has given me more empathy for what a guy like Tiger has gone through. Certainly Tiger has acted very selfishly and made some poor decisions but he’s also paid an incredibly high price for actions that weren’t unlawful. Why do we feel such disappointment in him and hold him to such a high standard? He’s not a minister or an elected official, he’s just a jock. Certainly some of these feelings inform the book.

Have you ever had to deal with people in your life failing to understand some of the personality traits, interests, or drive that goes along with being a writer? If so, can you tell us about it and how you've dealt with it?

As a writer it’s hard to turn your brain off. When I’m in the middle of writing a feature I’m always thinking about it. There have been plenty of times when my exasperated wife has caught me staring off into space during a meal or standing motionless in the shower for half an hour, just thinking and writing in my head.

I’ve always believed one of the best ways to improve your writing is to read a lot. Again, I can be easily distracted. My house often has a half dozen dog-eared magazines laying around, and stacks of books here and there. So I guess it takes a certain understanding from those you live with. It’s not like an accountant who leaves all his work at an office. A writer is sort of constantly haunted by words.

Have you developed a specific process that enables you to meet both your nonfiction and fiction writing goals? If so, can you tell us about it, and also share any thoughts you may have on the role of discipline and organization?

We wrote the bulk of this book over the winter, when the golf season was more or less dormant and we had some downtime from our days jobs at SI. It would be very hard to find time to write fiction during the heart of the golf season.

Modern life is not conducive to writing. There are so many more intrusions than there used to be. Writers love to procrastinate anyway, and the Internet is the greatest tool ever invented for avoiding work. Then you throw in the constant barrage of emails, texts, phone calls, tweets – it can just be hard to find the peace to get lost in the process of writing. It’s embarrassing to admit but when I need to do some serious typing I sometimes disable my Internet access just to make it a little tougher to let my focus wander. I also do a lot of my writing after 10 p.m., when my wife and kids are asleep and the rest of the world has stopped bothering me.

Were there specific challenges to writing a novel as a team that you can share with us? How did you deal with these, and also, what were the advantages of teamwork?

It was a very seamless collaboration. We spent a lot of time talking about the direction of the book and hashing out plot details and then we just let if fly. Writing a novel can be a lonely experience; while there were certainly moments of banging my head against the keyboard, it was a huge help to have Michael there to bounce around ideas and pick up the thread whenever the muse departed. Certainly I wanted to keep impressing him every time it was my turn to type. Importantly, there was no ego invested in who wrote what. We were both editing and improving each other’s work and cherry-picking each other’s best ideas, and over time this helped meld the two voices into one.

Will there be more Bamberger and Shipnuck novels?

Michael and I had dinner during the week of the PGA Championship and we kicked around a few ideas for a sequel to THE SWINGER. We have great affection for these characters and it would be fun to revisit their lives and careers. At this point Tree and the gang are like old friends—we don’t want to lose touch with them. But there’s nothing to announce…yet.

New Art: Small Works

 

Curious Creature

12" x 12"

Acrylic & Pastel on Canvas

Princess Blabbermouth

8" x 10"

Acrylic & Pastel on Canvas

You and Me

8" x 8"

Acrylic & Pastel on Canvas

My work is represented by Monkdogz Urban Art.   To see more, go here.

New Art: Facebook Folly

Facebook Folly 

Acrylic & Pastel on Canvas

Detail:

My work is represetned by Monkdogz Urban Art.   To see more, go here.

A Series of Unfortunate Events

A Play

(sort of)

The protagonist, Penelope, has been rolled over by a series of unfortunate events this week that felt a bit like a New York City bus, one of those super long ones with the odd accordion apparatus at its center.  If a person got caught up under that sort of bus, they're apt to get jumbled up quite a bit.  They might lose their bearings, not knowing what hit them.  They would most definitely get hurt.

Penelope decides to share the big 'bus slam' on her blog, Aberration Nation.  She changes the names of those involved to protect all innocent parties, potentially including thousands of Facebook users.  Call her a sneaky trouble maker but she believes it's a story worth sharing, regardless of names.  It's a valuable cautionary tale for our new cyber-driven Facebook world filled with fakers, jokesters, hakers, and real people who, in the end, show us that the true spirit of friendship lives on.

Cast of characters:

Penelope: Artist/Writer
Tom: A-list Actor / Celebrity
Josh: Tom's buddy
Dave: Los Angeles-based Screenwriter / Penelope's relative
Fran: East Coast based publicist
Beth: Tom's representative 1
Gwen: Tom's representative 2

Note:
Unless otherwise specified, the exchanges below are through personal Facebook emails.

Curtain Opens

Act 1

Day 1: 

Penelope to Dave: Okay, I have to ask ... do you really know all these famous creative folks who you are FB friends with? I am very curious ... and nosy. I admit it. I think it's a trait that was passed to me from some of my past, far removed relatives. (-:  What kind of writing do you do?

Dave to Penelope: I lived in Hollywood for years, so I know some people, the others are friends of friends.  I have rarely used my real name, I've had plays produced and have written screenplays and have done a lot of script doctoring but I always hate what I write so I don't want to be associated with it.

Penelope to Dave: Very cool! I just love knowing that there are other creative people in the "family," even if we are far removed. In my extended family, which includes xxx, there are quite a few. Knowing that always makes me feel that I know myself better ... I know what you mean about hating what you write .... I had a run in with a critic this week and wrote a blog post about it. Did you see that? Now, I feel like I hate my book. LOL

Day 3: 

Dave sends Penelope and six actors/celebrities FB friend suggestions to link up. Three of those send Penelope FB friend requests.  Penelope sends requests to the other three. 

They all connect. 

Penelope to Dave: Thanks for the friend suggestions ... (-:

Dave to Penelope: just a few people I thought you might enjoy

Penelope to Dave: Very cool ...

Dave to Penelope: and who I thought would appreciate your work, as I do xo

Penelope to Dave: That's so nice! Hopefully they will ... Josh liked a comment I put on one of his posts. (-:

Day 5:

Penelope to Tom: Hi Tom, I love what you wrote in your info about the xxx. I'm an artist and writer (friend/relative of Dave), and have a blog that focuses on creativity and life's aberrations called Aberration Nation. I've interviewed quite a few artists, writers, actors, musicians, screenwriters, directors, etc., including some high profile folks. I'd love to have you on. It's easy. I just send you questions via email. Here's the link if you'd like to check it out: http://www.aberrationnation.com/p/about-this-blog.html. There's a link at the top that will take you to a list of the folks I've interviewed. Best - Penelope

Tom to Penelope: email questions? i'll do that

Penelope to Tom: Great! I can send them via FB. If there's another email you prefer just let me know.

Tom to Penelope: xxx@xxx.com

Penelope to Dave: Tom just agreed to an interview on my blog! I told him that I loved what he wrote about the xxx on his FB info. Very cool! I just sent him the questions ... hopefully he'll follow through. Cool, cool, cool! Thanks to you ....

Dave to Penelope: wow! very cool, he's a great guy and I admire him a lot. let me know! xo
Penelope to Tom: Just sent ... (-:

Tom to Penelope: ill have them done by tonight

Penelope to Tom: Awesome!

Tom to Penelope: im going to send them back 1 at a time

Tom sends all interview answers, one at a time to Penelope via xxx@xxx.com.  They are all positive, insightful responses.  During the day Tom's nephew (per FB) uploads a picture of him on set using his phone.  The comment is, "Always on Facebook."

Penelope to Tom: Hi Tom, I was just reading over your answers. I'm assuming you meant that last long piece to come across the way it did ... maybe it's all true about you ... but it sounds like you were poking fun a bit. If so, that's fine. I just want to make sure we're on the same page; it may impact what I write. If you weren't meaning it to poke fun and you were just busy and found something close to home to send over to me ... I may just edit it a little. If I don't hear from you, I'll go with my gut. (-:  I was able to download the picture...

Tom to Penelope: Wasn't poking fun, it's just me

Penelope to Tom: Okay I do hope you aren't insulted that I asked. It's very well written. You know, it just sounded more like someone just starting out, but then again maybe you feel that way ... like there's so much ahead and that's a good thing. I understand. I feel like that also and I'm 45.

Tom to Penelope: I meant from when I was starting out

Penelope to Tom: Okay - thanks! I'm good. Makes sense. (-:

Tom to Penelope: You can Change it just don't get me in trouble with my publicist!

Penelope to Tom: Okay, I was thinking of just adding a sentence of two to explain that the last paragraph was written from the perspective of when you were starting out ... just so it might flow a little better... not much change. I think people will like it a lot.

Tom to Penelope: how many people read your blog?

Penelope to Tom: More in the hundreds / thousands range. Certainly not millions but I'm gaining a following. Do you want me to send you the interview before I post. I don't want you to worry. It should be fine.

Tom to Penelope: post it

Tom posts on Penelope's wall, asking her to post it that night and she agrees.

Penelope to Tom: Great! I'm sure people who are interested in your work will find and read it. I get quite a bit of traffic, and it grows with each interview. I've been writing blog since late 2007, and the following keep increasing. I guess it's sort of an underground INDIE endeavor. My creative vision. I like that. I think I should be able to post it by 10 or 11.

Tom to Penelope: yay! i have to be up at 3 am, so that makes me happier than before!

Penelope to Tom: It feels good to make you happy. Your work has certainly given me a lot of happy moments. (-: I'll try to work quickly (and smart) and let you know when it's up. Do you want me to just post it to your wall?

Tom to Penelope: post the link and ill put it on my status

Penelope to Tom: Hey ... do u think your nephew would mind if I use the pic he posted of u on facebook this afternoon? That would be so perfect. I'm not sue if I can download it unless i'm facebook friends with him. I'm on my cell now. Will be home in about an hour. Don't worry. I'll get it posted tonight and it will be good. It would be great to get the others on. We'll see. (-:..

Tom to Penelope: sure!

Penelope to Dave: Dave, Do you swear on our family heritage that I am talking to the real Tom? I am 99% sure but don't want to make an ass out of myself in the middle of some big joke. He wants me to post the interview tonight so I'm working on it now. He already sent me the answers. P

Dave to Penelope: Honey, I'm sure the occasional posers have snuck onto my site, and I delete them whenever I find out. To the best of my knowledge it's him, although it's not like I've spoken to him on the phone or anything. Mostly I go by mutual friends, and he and I have mutual friends who I know for a fact to be the real thing.

Penelope to Dave: Thanks -- sorry if I seem weird. (-: Working on his interview now. Thanks!!

Dave to Penelope: It's a natural concern. ask him to send you a naked picture while holding a copy of the LA Times with today's date on it. other than that, I don't know what to tell you.

Penelope to Dave: LOL - it's fine. Thanks!!

Penelope to Tom: Coming within 10 minutes ... brace yourself. (-: I usually spend more time on my interviews, but I'm happy with it. Hope you like it! I'll talk it up tomorrow as much as I possibly can in my circles, and do my part to get it moving.

Tom to Penelope: Alright!

Penelope to Tom: Just posted it!

Tom posts "likes" posts and adds comment, "I like it a lot.  You should get Josh and xxx on, too!"  If you ever want anyone, hit me up."

Tom posts on Josh's wall, "You should do an Aberration Nation interview."

Josh responds, "Josh is skyping now and then has a meeting."

Tom responds, "Well, when you have time."

Josh responds, "Maybe."

Tom "likes" all Penelope's posts regarding the interview and adds a few positive comments to her FB wall. 

Numerous FB friends of Tom's and Penelope's "like" the interview links and post highly positive reviews. 

79 people share the link on Facebook within two hours.

Act II

Fran to Penelope: Great interview with Tom, Penelope. Keep up the great work!

Penelope to Fran: Thanks so much! I just posted it and then had to run out to pick up my daughter from a friends, so it was great to come back to your message. Do you work with Tom?

Fran to Penelope: No. I friended him a while back and he has really gotten into the Facebook thing. He seemed real...and now I know how true that is after reading your blog. Did you approach him about interviewing for Aberration Nation? It's obvious to me now that Facebook has become a publicity tool for many top celebrities. Fb allows them to be so much more accessible to their public. I work for a web-based media production company, xxx, and I am heavily involved in the New England film industry. Thus, I am constantly connecting with industry people so that I may keep my finger on the pulse of things. Best wishes on future blogs and congratulations on such an informative and enlightening interview with Tom. Great job. Let's keep in touch because we seem to have many of the same interests : )

Fran to Penelope: You should definitely try and interview the rest of the xxx, and maybe even xxx! Your blog is a real positive and a good personal soap box for these Hollywood heavyweights. Best wishes on all your success, Penelope. Much peace, health and prosperity to us ALL. xoxo

Fran posts to Josh's FB wall:  You and xxx, xxx, and xxx should all do interviews on Aberration Nation. 

Josh responds, If xxx and xxx will do it, maybe I will.

Penelope to Fran: Sent him a note ... we'll see. I agree that it would be great ... and extremely cool!

Beth emails Penelope: Our client Tom did not complete this interview (please see below link). This is someone pretending to be him. Can we please have it removed from the site?

Penelope emails Beth: Thank you for contacting me!  Well, this is embarrassing on a devastating scale. Of course, but I just need a bit of time to figure out how best to handle it from my perspective. Very upsetting ... and will upset a lot of people who are thinking that Tom and his friends are interacting on FB. This obviously blows open a lot. I will follow up on this within a few hours.

Penelope to Fran:  Hi Fran, I just got an email from a xxx with xxx saying that the person that completed Tom's interview is not him and that it was someone pretending to me him. They are asking me take it down. Very embarrassing. Ugh! Just wondering if you could check this out for me or advise me. Thanks, she says through her tears ...

Fran to Penelope: Penelope, before you do ANYTHING, did this person from this xxx provide you with any credentials whatsoever to prove they are who they say they are? You need to send this information in a private note to Tom asking him what is the real deal here. I know (intuitively) that it is him here on Facebook. There is no way someone would have faked an interview like the one you got for Aberration Nation. It was is too REAL, and just too Tom! Above all, don't panic! You are not in any kind of trouble here. Stay strong and positive until it sorts itself out. I am here to help you in any way I can. Let me know what happens. xoxo

Penelope to Fran: I just have her email /signature information. I am very upset. I will send it to him but it it's not him, he's just going to say that she's not legit.

Fran to Penelope: You dealt directly with Tom. Continue to deal directly with him. Anyone can e-mail you and bullshit you into giving up all kinds of information. Don't do it unless, and until, you are physically provided with a legal document. Trust me on this. There is no need for you to be freaking out right now. If it turns out those weren't Tom''s own thoughts, which it can't, you are not in any kind of trouble. Seriously. Ignore this xxx person until she can provide you with PROOF she is who she says she is and that Tom, himself, has a problem with your interview.

Penelope to Fran: OK - do you think I should still email him? I also have a regular email that he sent me emails with. Thank you so much! Her name is not listed on the xxx team list (but she could be an admin). I googled her and came up with nothing ....

Fran to Penelope: That's what I'm saying here. You have no clue as to who this person really is. People are devious in this industry, believe me I'v been where you are now. Bullshit can go a long way on Facebook. Question: How did Tom send his interview responses to you; via Facebook or private e-mail, or an even more private avenue? This answer will give me a better indication of it's validity.

Penelope to Fran: All his answers came through this email: xxx@xxx.com.

Fran to Penelope: Tom, here on Facebook, is the one you approached about the interview first. Correct? He then provided you with the above e-mail, correct? And has the Tom here on Facebook contacted you to deny the interview and ask you to take it down?

Penelope to Fran: Yes, Yes, and no ...This is very weird ... should I email him or call the woman? I just really don't know what to do. I could also just do nothing, I guess, but if it's not him, I hate for the person (and other? doing this on FB ) to not be exposed. I have calmed down ... (-:  I just became friends with xxx, apparently an LA radio personality, who is also friends with Tom. Should I ask him about it?  Someone else has given me the advice to pull it until I confirm one way or the other.

Fran to Penelope: Well then, I would say there is absolutely nothing for you to worry about. Relax. Just see where this all goes before you do anything foolish like recant your interview, and don't delete your blog...YET! I could've contacted you and told you I represented Tom and that you were to take it down immediately. And then you know what happens? These people contact the celebrity and tell them how they just saved them from a bad career move and how he should pay them to represent him. It will all be clear to you shortly. Keep enjoying the great reviews your getting from the interview. You totally earned those. xoxo

Fran to Penelope: DON'T TALK ABOUT THIS TO XXX!! He's a radio personality and will jump on this immediately as material for his own show. Penelope, you don't know me and I don't physically know you, but I am an Intuitive. That's a someone with a special gift of insight when they know something to be fact, but they don't know HOW they know this. Have faith when I tell you your best course of action right now is NO ACTION. It will all become clear in time. You can leave your blog up. It contains no slander or false claims of any kind. Trust your instincts woman! That is your best guide right now.

Penelope to Fran: Ok .... do u still think I should let him know either via facebook and/or the email I have. Maybe I should and see what happens. I won't tell xxx.

Fran to Penelope: Send Tom a personal message via Facebook messaging and tell him what is going on. Don't give names, just that a xxx contacted you to say the interview was a fake and have told you to remove it from your blog. Then ask Tom to verify whether or not he has anything to do with this. Again, Penelope, you are under NO obligation to remove your interview from your blog. Period. Just let everything lay as it is for right now and enjoy the accolades you're receiving. Peace.

Penelope to Fran: OK. Thanks so much for your help! I know it's not like a NY Times scandal, but it's important to me. Also, I would just like the truth to win out, whatever that may be ... I'll let you know what happens. I haven't heard back from him yet about my other email related to interviewing the others. I see that he hasn't been on FB much today, so that would make sense. We can't find anything on the web about him being their client.

Gwen emails Penelope: This needs to be taken down immediately. I just went to the link and it is still up. Please remove ASAP.

Penelope to Fran: Just got this ... guess I need to take it down, but if I do I am telling everyone that he (on FB) is a fake. P

Fran to Penelope: Ya, and anybody can google xxx and get her name. Doesn't it seem a bit strange that you couldn't find the first womans name anywhere, and then another e-mail comes in with a more identifiable name? You call or e-mail "Gwen" and ask her for secure credentials and PROOF she represents Tom and has the right to ask you to do this. Don't let these people intimidate you, Penelope. They have no recourse if you leave the interview on your blog. Just don't re-post it anywhere else on Facebook...for now. Get to the truth about this. You have that right.

Penelope emails Gwen: Before un-posting my interview, I would like to request proof that your company represents Tom, and that this is a legitimate request on his behalf.  I have not yet honored the request to take down the interview because I am investigating the situation to determine who is being truthful. Of note, please be aware that the interview contains no negative content. If I determine that the person identifying himself as Tom on Facebook is not Tom, I intend to take down (of course), and also let everyone know what has occurred here.  If he is not Tom, than apparently there is an entire slew of folks pretending to be his friends and family on Facebook, which I find to be incredible. I have contacted him on Facebook, letting him know that an xxx contacted me regarding the validity of the interview. I am surprised that this has not yet been exposed by those supporting Tom as there are quite a few people / fans on Facebook who will feel like complete idiots once they realize the truth, including many industry professionals.  Of course, if this is the case, I do not blame the real Tom in any way.

Penelope to Fran:  Ugh - just sent a ballsy email ... feeling like I'm going to be in some kind of trouble. I copied you. If it's really them, I'm thinking they might call me. Interesting ... I think our Tom is gone from FB. Check on your end. Looks like I have to write another blog post .... (-:
 
Fran to Penelope: Absolutely! Did you give them your number? Just remember, it could still be a hoax. Just take it very slow. You need physical proof that "Gwen" has the right to ask you to remove your interview. Sounds like all is not as it seems. We'll get to the bottom of it. Now I'm really curious as to where this will end up. LOL

Penelope emails Gwen: As a quick follow up, I just checked Facebook and it appears that our "Tom" is gone, or has blocked me. I will likely take the blog post down and will certainly be writing a new post to share what has happened here. Thank you for your patience. I'm sure it's frustrating. It's upsetting to me.

Gwen emails Penelope: I represent Tom and I have cc’d his lawyer, agent and manager on this correspondences should you have any questions about the validity of my role. If you look on IMDB.com and/or Whorepresents.com you will see that I am Tom.s publicist. Facebook tends to have a lot of impostors of actors. We will be contacting Facebook directly to take down the impostor who you have been communicating with.  Your article needs to come down ASAP. Please respond.

Penelope emails Gwen: Thank you so much for including these folks and for providing more information. I will certainly take it down and will also do what I can to expose this situation. I apologize that I was fooled, and made this poser situation worse. As I said, it is VERY upsetting to me; it will reflect poorly on my credibility on several levels.  It has been an emotional couple of days.  I plan to retain all correspondence I have via FB and regular email with the fake "Tom." Please let me know if I can be of help in additional way.
 
Penelope to Fran: Ok - I think that either the faker blocked me because of the email I sent about the xxx firm, or Tom has blocked me. I bet it's a faker now. I'm going to take it down (it won't be deleted and then see what the xxx firm writes back). Do you agree?
 
Fran to Penelope: This is Tom's screw up, not yours Penelope! Please don't take it personally. Ok, take it down for now, but DON'T DELETE IT! Make sure you archive it and copy all conversations between you and Tom for your protection and benefit. This way you can get a handle on exactly what the fuck is going on (pardon my language). No need to be nervous about anything. You have done absolutely nothing wrong.

Penelope to Fran: It's down but not deleted. Oh well, seems like I still have an exciting story ... Now I start my own damage control. Here we go ...

Fran to Penelope: What damage is there, really? I don't believe you got duped. I believe Tom possibly went over someones head on this thing, and now he has to mop up his mistake. There is so much red tape when it comes to celebrities being real people and doing real-people things. Oye, you wouldn't believe. LOL

Penelope to Fran: Hey - and we met ... that's a positive! And yes, I think you could be right. Maybe we'll never know. They probably wouldn't want me to say that in my new article so I'll have to be careful.

Fran to Penelope: You have the upper hand here, ya' know. "They" can't do anything to discriminating to you. Stay strong. Stay positive. "We" are the good thing to come from all this. Right on, sistah-friend. ; } Tom has left the building!! SO WEIRD!! I'm stumped for sure. I tell ya, these celebrities come and go off facebook. They start a page, it gets outta hand, they delete their profile, they come back later, they delete that, they change the format...Holy Crap it gets confusing.

Fran to Penelope: Just wait and let the situation cool down a bit. Things look different after a day has gone by. Just sayin'.... Also, xxx@xxx.com is no longer a valid e-mail address. I still believe it was the real Tom who gave you the interview, and that he was told to recant it for professional integrity reasons. You are the innocent party in this three-ring circus. That's Life. xoxo

Act III

Fran to Penelope: OMG...Tom is back on Facebook. This shit is crazy, man. Aberration, for sure!!

Penelope to Fran: What do u mean, he's back? This makes me want to write about it all, but they won't want me to imply the clean up scenario. My husband thinks it's very suspicious that he pushed me so hard to post it that night. Probably a bunch of college kids in a room laughing ... who knows. I always wanted to solve a mystery.

Fran to Penelope: I intuitively believe it was THE Tom who gave you the interview, but he was told he should not have done it without consulting his people. So he had no choice but to do as he was told, with no explanation to you. I have read the interview over and over again, and it strikes me as very genuine. No slander, no profanity, real info with real feelings. Again, it's not your fault you got caught in the middle. Shit like this happens all the time! Get a good night's sleep and we'll talk more about it tomorrow. Ciao.

Penelope to Fran: Thanks, I will write a nice article just in case ....

Fran to Penelope: Tom stated on his page that he was "hacked"....that the last time he looked at his page he had, like, 47 friends! It's hard to know who to believe in a situation like this.

Penelope to Fran: WOW! This is quite the story! So his hacker blocked me ... I guess ...

Fran to Penelope: ??????????????????????????????????

Penelope emails Gwen: The story continues ... apparently "Tom" is back on FB now saying that he was hacked. The "hacker" blocked me before exiting the situation, but we have mutual FB friends. The mutual friends of Tom and myself are now asking about the interview. The reaction to the interview was quite positive actually although fake and people felt that it was very fresh and different, and that he had connected in a cool way. I think he's going to either have to ignore the questions or somehow respond. And some folks are wondering if he did answer the questions, but didn't check with xxx and now it's all being dealt with. I do not plan to suggest that at all ... just so you are aware. Is there any possibility that Tom would be willing to provide his real answers? Of course, your team could approve anything posted. I think it would be a positive outcome that people would find interesting in our world of Facebook intrigue. I like the idea that he would step up and answer the interview questions for me, but honestly I don't care either way. It's just a suggestion. Again, I'm just trying to figure out on my end how best to handle the situation so that I don't look like an idiot. (-: It's just all very upsetting to me. It should be down within 5 minutes.

Gwen to Penelope: Thank you so much for this information. PLEASE tell your mutual friends and anyone who is asking that the person in charge of that facebook profile is not Tom. Tom did not participate in an interview with your outlet – we have confirmed that with Tom.  On another note, we have contacted facebook and are expecting that profile will be taken down; however it may not happen immediately. In regards to an interview, unfortunately he is not available.

Gwen to Penelope: I should not be quoted in your piece as I am talking to you on background. You can of course reference that we contacted you to inform you that the person interviewed was not Tom. Please send us the copy so that we can make sure that we are comfortable with how you represent Tom in your new article. Additionally, please confirm that the current piece quoting the Tom impostor will be taken down immediately. We REALLY appreciate your attention to this matter. THANK YOU.

Penelope to Gwen: Just sent you another email ... then got this. Yes, I am taking it down in about 5 seconds. (-: I will definitely write a new article, and will not quote you. I'll appreciate having you all take a look at it. I will probably write it tomorrow as I want to quickly do my own damage control. If you can then take a quick look, I would greatly appreciate it. (-:

Post reviewed by Gwen goes up on Aberration Nation.

Penelope to Fran: It's down but not deleted. Oh well, seems like I still have an exciting story ... Now I start my own damage control. Here we go ...

Fran to Penelope: What damage is there, really? I don't believe you got duped. I believe Tom possibly went over someones head on this thing, and now he has to mop up his mistake. There is so much red tape when it comes to celebrities being real people and doing real-people things. Oye, you wouldn't believe. LOL

Penelope to Fran: Hey - and we met ... that's a positive! And yes, I think you could be right. Maybe we'll never know. They probably wouldn't want me to say that in my new article so I'll have to be careful.
Fran to Penelope: You have the upper hand here, ya' know. "They" can't do anything to discriminating to you. Stay strong. Stay positive. "We" are the good thing to come from all this. Right on, sistah-friend. ; }Tom has left the building!! SO WEIRD!! I'm stumped for sure. I tell ya, these celebrities come and go off facebook. They start a page, it gets outta hand, they delete their profile, they come back later, they delete that, they change the format...Holy Crap it gets confusing.

Fran to Penelope: Just wait and let the situation cool down a bit. Things look different after a day has gone by. Just sayin'.... Also, xxx@xxx.com is no longer a valid e-mail address. I still believe it was the real Tom who gave you the interview, and that he was told to recant it for professional integrity reasons. You are the innocent party in this three-ring circus. That's Life. xoxo

Fran to Penelope: OMG...Tom is back on Facebook. This shit is crazy, man. Aberration, for sure!!

Penelope to Fran: What do u mean, he's back? This make me want to write about it all but they won't want me to imply the clean up scenario. My husband thinks it's very suspicious that he pushed me so hard to post it that night. Probably a bunch of college kids in a room laughing ... who knows. I always wanted to solve a mystery.

Fran to Penelope: I intuitively believe it was THE Tom who gave you the interview, but he was told he should not have done it without consulting his PR people. So he had no choice but to do as he was told, with no explanation to you. I have read the interview over and over again, and it strikes me as very genuine. No slander, no profanity, real info with real feelings. Again, it's not your fault you got caught in the middle. Shit like this happens all the time! Get a good night's sleep and we'll talk more about it tomorrow. Ciao.

Penelope to Fran: Thanks, I will write a nice article just in case ....

Fran to Penelope: Tom stated on his page that he was "hacked"....that the last time he looked at his page he had, like, 47 friends! It's hard to know who to believe in a situation like this.

Penelope to Fran: WOW! This is quite the story! So his hacker blocked me ... I guess ...

Fran to Penelope: ??????????????????????????????????

Penelope to Tom: Hi Tom, A xxx contacted me an hour ago to say that the interview was a fake. They are asking me to remove it from the blog. Are you aware of this? Thanks, Penelope..

Tom Blocks Penelope

Penelope to Dave: Ok - I am preparing to slit my wrists ... no joke. Should have listened to my gut. Just got an email from Tom's rep, saying that he did not do the interview. It was someone pretending to be him and could i please take it down. I have to figure out damage control now ... Keep this to yourself ... I am checking it out.

Dave to Penelope: sorry! he seemed to have all the details down, school, history and everything

Penelope to Dave: we'll see .... it is very weird ...

Dave to Penelope: I am so sorry, I feel horrible about the confusion

Penelope to Dave: It's not your fault. I think that if it's true a lot of people will be upset. I'll keep you informed as I figure this out.

Penelope to Dave: Is "Tom" gone from your friend list now? Please let me know.

Dave to Penelope: he's still there, why? what's going on?

Penelope to Dave: Long story but it's either an impostor (99% chance) or the real Tom went over his "people's" heads, did the interview, they don't like it and are cleaning it up (1% chance). I took down the interview and I'm writing a new article tomorrow to explain the entire thing. hey, at least I still have an interesting story. (-: His people told me that there are a lot of people impersonating celebrities on FB and that they are talking with FB about it. i guess it's all a lesson learned. A lot of people are going to feel like idiots .... )-:

Dave to Penelope: so sorry, whoever it was knows a lot about Paul's life and was able to speak and write in a tone that would have fit him. I guess there's enough public information there that would allow a person to do that. there's also the question of mutual friends. If it's not him I think a lot of people are being fooled. I am so sorry for any inconvenience I might have caused you.

Penelope to Dave: check out his wall ... the hacker blocked me. Hummm ... I think all his friends should tell him the right thing to do is do a real interview with Penelope ... poor woman ......

Dave to Penelope: checking it out ...things look normal to me. my personal opinion is that it's him. way too many friends in common who would know better. don't write anything too drastic until you have more information.

Fran posts on Toms FB Wall: So you didn't answer interview questions for "Aberration Nation"? Your hacker had an email address with your full name and everything!

Tom to Fran: what happened with the interview?

Fran to Penelope: PENELOPE!! Tom sent me a personal note and asked me "what happened with the interview" after I asked if if was in fact a hacker who had given an interview for Aberration Nation!! OMG, I can't believe this craziness.

Penelope to Fran: Wow! I wonder if he even knows about it. Keep me posted.

Tom posts to his new xxx wall:  To everyone that i know, i made a new account. Sending out requests! To all my wonderful fans, i'll still update this account with important information! Tom

Fran posts to Penelope's wall: Send a friend request to this guy, xxx.  I think you will be pleasantly surprised.

Penelope sends xxx a friend request. Request is accepted.

Penelope writer on xxx's wall: Hi all, it's me, "the interviewer."  I'm having trust issues. 

xxx hits "like"

xxx blocks Penelope 30 minutes later.

Penelope to Fran: Hey he accepted but I think I just got kicked back out ... LOL.  I've been beat up enough for one day. I don't need to be Tom's FB friend. I'm sure he's a great guy, but ....

Penelope posts on her wall:  I think I may be falling out of love with ... Facebook.

Penelope receives outpouring of support from friends. Despite knowing that she's been through significantly worse situations in life, she cries. She finally goes to bed at 3 am.

Day 6:

Fran to Tom under original account that was hacked: The interview by "you" for Aberration Nation is a wonderful piece. The collaboration of Penelope's insightful questions, and "your" inspiring responses, sincerely grabbed my attention. Thus, it really makes me doubt yesterday's startling revelation that you were falsely represented in this matter.

I am an "Intuitive" Tom. It's a special gift I possess which enables it's bearer to "know things that otherwise would not, could not, be known ordinarily". I am still "spreading my wings", as it were, when it comes to reading you Hollywood types, even though I've been in and around this "industry" for several years now and feel I've been privy to quite a variety of gifted personalities. And you are gifted, Tom. I believe you participated in Penelope's interview, either personally or through a "bud" and were later informed by your "people" that it was not in the best interests of your career. Well, that's ok. Shit does indeed happen. We all make mistakes...especially famous people!

But, as if the elaborate cover-up with the claim that you were hacked, along with your creation of an alternate, bizarre Facebook page weren't enough, you nor any of your xxx peeps have appropriately apologized to Penelope for all the stress, disappointment and embarrassment she suffered due to this extremely unfortunate situation...for her! I know it makes no difference in your daily existence, Tom, but this WAS a big deal to Penelope. ;*(

Maybe I've over-stepped by Facebook boundaries here a tad, Tom, but I still have faith in the meaning of honesty, integrity and respect for our fellow beings on this Earth. Not one of us are superior to any fellow human being, no matter how rich and famous we may become in the materialistic realm. I intuitively believe you never meant for things to turn out this way, Tom, but playing with people's reputations here on Facebook, or anywhere else in cyberspace, does not produce the positive energy this planet so desperately requires. I know you're a decent guy and I only hope that you would at least put forth an olive branch, of sorts, to Penelope for what she has suffered because of this extremely unfortunate chain of events.

Tom to Fran: it was through another person, we didn't have permission to do it. That's why they had her take it down, to them it was a "fake" because we have to pass everything we do over to them or we can't do it.

Tom adds Penelope back onto his xxx FB account.

Penelope makes her conclusions about what really happened.  Now the audience must decide.

Curtain Closes

Will the Real Paul Rudd Please Stand Up?

There's no easy way to say this so I'll just blurt it out.

I did not interview Paul Rudd.

This afternoon his representative informed me via email that the "Paul Rudd" who answered my interview questions and interacted with me during the day via both Facebook and email was not the real Paul Rudd. It is an unfortunate situation for which I would like to apologize to both my readers and Paul Rudd.

As I stated in my interview with "Paul Rudd," as creative individuals, "If we fall, we get back up. If a bus hits us, we dust ourselves off. If a critic smashes us over the head, we shake it off. One of the underlying premises for Aberration Nation has always been that life sucks to a certain extent. It ain't easy for anyone, much less a bunch of sensitive, creative, outside-the-lines thinkers."

Tonight I am brushing myself off.

Simply Wonderful: Luiz Cavalli

"There are always people who do not understand a simple painter."

The other night during dinner, my husband looked me in the eye and asked, "Why do you like to paint?"  It was a simple question, one I've thought about quite a bit.  It was one of those moments in life when someone who has closely watched your evolution calls you to the carpet.  They ask for an answer or statement that somehow magically boils it all down to a simple truth.

As he looked at me, waiting for my answer, my mind went blank.  The first thing I could think of was, "I just love it."  He looked at me, eyes squinted and filled with more questions.  He and I are wired differently. All the things I wanted to say about painting raced through my head, but I sat there knowing they would likely sound silly to him. 

Maybe I was wrong. Maybe it was simply me who thought the answers lacked the complexity to fully explain my addiction.

I took a stab at explaining and enjoyed the conversation.  I was happy that he wanted to understand, and my sudden inability to explain was frustrating. I got mad at myself.  Truth is, I was already mad at myself over the painting.  Eariler that day, my mentor and friend, Bob Hogge, told me (kindly) that my last painting "wasn't the best of my more recent work."  He accurately described it as looking a bit like a page out of the JC Penney catalogue.  I wasn't happy with it to begin with so this didn't surprise me.  What upset me the most was that I'd let it happen.  I'd gone a bit backwards.

I wish I could be more like my guest today, Brazilian artist Luiz Cavalli.  Luiz and his work exude simple happiness and forward movement, the concepts that seem to define his life.  Even the chairs he loves to paint look as if they could move us through life, always toward an exciting place in the middle of exactly where we belong.  Nothing is stagnant. Nothing goes backwards. Luiz enjoyes creating art that portray his inner disposition, and in turn, his art makes us feel better. 

So what the heck's wrong with me?  I question too much, running through circle after circle in my head.  It's as if there's a convention going on with multiple speakers and tracks all zooming along at once. The neverending schedule is complex; during the breaks, decisions about where to go next trump taking the time the decompress.

It seems that I'm never satisfied with simple, even when simple is beautiful.  Maybe some of the simple things in life are actually so complex that we can never fully describe or explain them ... maybe like God, truth and beauty as well as all the deep, guttural emotions that drive us into action.  That powerful I-want-what-I-want-when-I-want-it sort of urge that is a reality for which, at times, no explanation can suffice.

So maybe in the end, Luiz' work is more complex than it may appear.  Perhaps why it appeals to so many is its ability to capture that unexplainable, complex space where true happiness and forward movement exist in each of us ... if only we can find it.  Afterall, if pure, unadulterated joy and happiness were so gosh darn simple, there'd be a heck of a lot more of it.

Note: Luiz' interview questions and answers below are provided in both English and Spanish.  We both apologize for any misinterpretations between the two versions.  We think they're close!

Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte ,
Georges Seurat, 1884-1886. (Pointillism)

Have you always know you would be an artist? How has your artistic life evolved? (Você sempre soube que sería um artista? Como sua vida artística evoluiu?)


I realized I had a bit of talent by age 17 when drawing in high school.  I started with pointillism in pen and ink. Soon I began selling my drawings to pay for school.  I studied at the Technical College of Design Communications. Then I eventually started working in advertising in the media ... working with professionals in radio and film and with television production agencies.  During that time I never drew or painted until 2003.  Then at 47 years, I began painting again with acrylic on canvas.  After three years of living as an artist, I began doing solo exhibitions and participating in conferences in Brazil and other countries.

Percebi que tinha um pouco de talento com 17 anos quando na Escola IADÊ de desenho que equivale ao Colegial....comecei a desenhar com canetas Nanquin Técnica Pontilismo em bico de pena...Ai comecei a vender meus desenhos para pagar a escola. Desenhei até a idade 20anos...Mas com 18 anos comecei a trabalhar em Publicidade na area de Midia Eletônica...Produção de comerciais para TV...com a profissão de Radio TV e Cinema produtor de agências....Ai então nunca mais desenhei e pintei....Só voltei a Pintar com 47 anos em acrílico sobre tela...isso em 2003. E a 3 anos que vivo só dos meus trabalhos....Fazendo exposições individuais e participando de coletivas no Brasil e em outros Países.

How would you best describe your personality, and how your art relays that to the world? (Como você descreveria sua personalidade, e como relés desua arte que, para o mundo?)

I am a tranquil and happy person.  I think that my art conveys happiness.

Sou uma pessoa tranquilha e feliz. E acho que minha arte transmite felicidade.

With regard to your current creative focus, was there an "ah-ha" moment you can tell us about? (Com relação ao seu foco atual criativo, estava lá um "ah-ha"momento em que você pode nos dizer sobre?)

I just love to paint bicycles, chairs, beach scenes, and people.

Gosto muito de pintar Bicicletas ,Cadeiras,Cenas de Praia e Pessoas.

You paint quite a few chairs and bicycles. Can you tell us a little bit about what draws you to these objects and why you feel compelled to paint them? (Você pinta muito algumas cadeiras e bicicletas. Você pode nos contar um pouco sobre o que atrai a esses objetos e por que você se sentir compelido a pintá-los?)

Well, since I was a boy I loved the bicycle design.  Then I began to paint the bike in my pictures ..... and today I think I'm one of the artists who has painted the most bikes.  I feel that the bike has a sense of being free and happy with life, with a lot of movement.  It also helps humanity because it does not pollute. The chairs also are always with me.  It is an object that is always in our liives, and I the seat gives life a certain movement.

Bem desde de menino desenho bicicletas....e quando comecei a pintar surgiu a bicicleta em minhas telas.....e hoje acho que sou um dos artistas que mais pinta telas de bicicletas...Sinto que a bicicleta tem um sentido livre de ser e feliz com vida....Com muito movimento e ajuda a Humanidade não polui. As cadeiras tambem sempre estão comigo...é um objeto que sempre está na nossa vida....estática e eu tendo dar vida as cadeiras com um certo movimento.

Do you believe some of the various attributes related to being highly creative have caused you aberrations (issues) in life, helped you deal with life's aberrations, or both? (Você acredita que alguns dos vários atributos relacionados a ser altamente criativo ter causado aberrações (questões), em vida, ajudou a lidar com as aberrações da vida, ou ambos?)
I think art and painting showed me that life is simpler than you think, and art helped me gain a lot of true friends. Life became easier and happy.

Acho que a arte e pintar me mostrou que a vida é mais simples do que a gente pensa...e com a arte ganhei muitos amigos de verdade. A vida ficou mais facil e feliz.

In what ways does art sooth or inspire you during difficult or challenging times? (De que forma a arte sooth ou inspirá-lo nos momentos difíceis ou desafiadoras?)

Really, it was very difficult to quit advertising.  I had a good salary and the living conditions of art, but today I'm able to live art.

Realmente...foi muito dificil ...largar a publicidade com um bom salario e viver só da arte...mas hoje estou conseguindo viver da arte.

Have you ever had to deal with people in your life failing to understand your creative personality, interests, or drive? If so, can you tell us about it and how you've dealt with it?  (Você já teve que lidar com pessoas em sua vida não compreender a sua personalidade criativa, interesses ou dirigir? Se assim for, você pode nos dizer sobre ele e como você lidou com isso?)

There are always people who do not understand a simple painter, but I have had no major problems with people. It seems that art is more for the interaction and shows.  But I really just like the paint on canvas. Never give up! 

Sempre tem pessoas que não entendem um simples pintor. Parece que Arte está mais para o Interatividade e Instalações...Mas gosto mesmo é da tinta na tela. Não desisto nunca. E não tive grandes problemas com pessoas.

Have you developed a specific creative process that enables you to meet your artistic goals? If so, can you tell us about it. Where do most of your ideas come from?  (Você já desenvolveu um processo criativo específico que lhe permite alcançar os seus objectivos artísticos? Se assim for,você pode nos dizer sobre isso. Onde é que a maioria de suas idéias vêm?)

Well, I started painting my own pictures.  I looked at a picture I took of paint.  I have had several screens that were made of pictures of me.  I photographed a lot when young, so I looked at those pictures and painted them. And so it began.

Bem comecei pintando as minhas proprias fotografias...Olhava para uma foto que tirei de pintava. Tenho varias telas que foram feitas de fotos minhas....Fotografei muito quando jovem...Então olhava minhas fotos e depois pintava. E assim começou tudo.

What do you believe places an artist apart from his or her peers? So many are highly talented, but what makes one stand out as truly gifted?  (O que você acha lugares um artista para além de seus pares? Assim, muitos são extremamente talentosos, mas o que faz uma destacam-se como verdadeiramente talentoso?)

I'm not sure if the translation of this question is correct.  But as far as talent ... I think a person is born with it, and it's a matter of spreading the work and showing it to others.

Esta pergunta a tradução não ficou boa...Não entendi direito...Mas com relação a talento...acho que nasce com a pessoa...e é uma questão de divulgar e mostrar o trabalho.

What is your primary motto or mantra in life? Why is this important to you?  (Qual é o seu lema principal ou mantra na vida? Por isso é importante para você?)

My motto is to focus on happiness and the joy of living.

Meu lema é a felicidade e a alegria de viver.

New Art: Don't Look Away

Don't Look Away

16" x 20"

Acrylic & Patel on Canvase

Detail Pic:



My art is represented by Monkdogz Urban Art, New York City.  To see more, go here.

The Critic who Thought a Duck was a Cow

Story of the Day: Animal announces that she's a duck. She walks, quacks, and swims around like a duck. Critic watches her closely and writes, "She said she was a cow but she's actually a duck. Stupid thing ... she doesn't even know she's a duck. She's a terrible cow. I suppose she put up a good fight trying to be a cow but she failed." Perplexed, the Duck says, "What the duck? I'm a ducking duck, you duck! I ducking said I was a duck. What the duck is your problem?" Then the duck waddles off and writes a blog post ....

- Facebook Status, 12 Aug 2011

I had my first run in with a critic yesterday ... and I freaked.  After a couple of hours and many tears, I calmed down and evaluated what the critic actually said.  I then realized that much of it makes little sense. While I respect the time taken to read my novel, CENTERPIECES, and write the review as well as her honesty, I feel compelled to respond to a few of her comments and questions. 


A little background:

Despite not being published by a major house, or having a trust fund, other famous creditials, or MFA, I've have been able to obtain quite a few reviews for my novels, ABERRATIONS and CENTERPIECES.  I've also received many comments about Aberration Nation from highly creative folks including award winning and bestelling authors Joshilyn Jackson, Lisa See, Darin Strauss, Anneli Rufus, Antwone Fisher, Margaret Weis, Marya Hornbacher, Terri Cheney, Marisa Acocella Marchetto, Melissa Walker, and Susan Cheever.  Of all these reviews and comments, only one or two have included anything that could be construed as negative. 

Being that I'm a sensitive, borderline drama queen, those couple of negative comments were devastating, but I got over it.  Those minor ego setbacks luckily occurred after years of constant rejection from agents and publishers.  Those are the folks I cut my teeth on.  They thickened my skin and taught me how to barrel through at times when it seemed the world was laughing at my creative efforts.   

So why did I freak yesterday?  Well, the review was not only written in a negative tone, it stemmed from an inaccurate assumption about my novel, CENTERPIECES.  I won't bore you with a boohoo story about how horrific it was to read.  Instead, I'd like to explain a few things to the critic. 

Despite the pain involved, I'm always willing to hear constructive feedback, assess it, and then apply what I feel is useful to my work moving forward.  I have operated that way for years, and have seen my work grow as a result.  I respect that approach, and believe it's critical for the creative who wants to continuous improve and evolve. 

With that said, in this case I feel compelled to respond:

Comment:

 "The author Penelope Przekop's second novel, CENTERPIECES, is a novel that bravely tries to be a historical fiction about Van Gogh, art and the creative drive, but instead turns out to the a twisted narrative that describes a stifling world of corporate ladder climbing."

Response:

According to the CENTERPIECES press release, "Penelope Przekop takes readers on a thought-provoking journey as corporate executives follow their creative urges in 'Centerpieces.'"

CENTERPIECES is not marketed as historical fiction.  The novel is categorized on Amazon as Fiction / Alternative History.  This is defined as:

Alternate history or alternative history is a genre of fiction consisting of stories that are set in worlds in which history has diverged from the actual history of the world.

My intent was not to write a historical novel.  The intent was to write fiction based on the interesting facts of Van Gogh's death, and what transpired afterwards.  My idea was to weave those facts with his creative temperament and my own observations about corporate life and creativity. 

Comment:

"Przekop herself, a 'global quality director,' for the pharmaceutical industry--a title as vague and important-sounding as many of the details in her book - is a business woman who 'stepped back' from her career to become a writer and painter." 

Response: 

My title was Director, Global Quality Management, with the global Johnson & Johnson pharmacovigilance organization.  This is a common type of title within not only the pharmaceutical industry but also in many other service and manufacturing industries.  Further, I don't believe the details of my novel are generally vague or important sounding (whatever that means).  Those details that are vague were made to be so purposefully.

Of note, my current title is Senior Director, Global Quality Assurance & Training.  Maybe she will like that one better. 

Comment:

"Chapters set in the latter part of the 19th century, however, in Van Gogh's actual time period (of which there are thankfully very few) are, however, written in an awkward style and are filled with odd thematic sentiments."

Response:

I spent months reading all available literature about Vincent and Theo van Gogh, including the lengthy letters they wrote to one another over many years.  The writing style and thematic sentiments in the chapters set in the late 19th century were closely based on the style of written communication that Vincent and Theo used in their own personal writings to one another.  This was fully my intention so while the comment is quite negative, I am happy to know that I succeeded in mimicking their awkward, overtly sentimental communication style.

Comment:

"CENTERPIECES as speculation historical fiction feels misleading, as readers will not learn about the artist, his life or work, from reading it."

Response:

Again, the primary intention of the novel, clearly communication in the Press Release and jacket description, was not to teach readers about the life or work of Van Gogh.  I'm not sure how the critic has misunderstood the entire intent of the novel.  She states that the novel's few informative facts are listed chronologically in an afterward.  The entire novel takes place after Van Gogh's actual death so the facts listed in the back of the book are those that occurred after his death.  The novel is fiction woven around those facts.  Again, alternative history ....

Comment:

"Ironically, both men seem as miserable in their extended lives as they were in their real ones." (meant negatively)

Response:

This is like saying, "Ironically, she seemed as miserable in her later years as she was in her younger years."  I don't see any irony in this.  Long term happiness is never guaranteed.  We all make choices based on the facts and situations that are presented to us.  Of course, we should look to future outcomes as part of our decision making.  Often we believe we are making the best choice at the time, only to learn later that we didn't realize all of the implications.

Comments:

"Following the revelation that Ellis and Tom are Vincent and Theo, come a series of implausible and confusing events that lead us to believe that the brothers are vampires, or are at the very least vampire-like.  This assumption is based on vague but foreboding dialogue about 'living in the light,' not wanting to 'return to the darkness,' a drug called 'teperaquin' that they supposedly need to stay alive and too much biting and killing to go unnoticed - though it does go unexplained."

Response:

The vagueness around their being vampires was intentional as my goal was not to write a "vampire" novel.  Of course being a vampire is implausible.  It's fiction.  Teperaquin is a drug that enables them to be in the light, not to stay alive.  There is very little biting and killing in the novel, and the details around how those were covered up was relevant to the novel.

Comment:

"Przekop doesn't seem to realize she has on her hands an interesting novel about the mentalities, professions, and industries that unnecessarily stifle creativity, and created as a distraction too many artificial moments of interest."

Response:

I do realize what I created.  Apparently, the critic didn't realize what she was reading.  As for "artificial moments of interest" that is the critic's opinion.  From my perspective, every detail and scene in the novel served a specific purpose, althought every reader may not "catch" every detailed, complex connection upon first reading.

Question:

"Is Mimi a stripper simply so Przekop could write a juicy chapter describing Mimi's sexuality?"

Response:

No.  The novel includes one scene about Mimi's stripping.  Mimi's being a stripper is important for her characterization and the plot.  It is how she knows Ellis and Tom, and why she does not tell Holly that she knows them.  This night job is part of her characterization, which ties into her telling everyone that she's a vampire.  All of this is necessary to the plot with regard to what happens at the end of the novel.

Question:

"Why does Holly, who longs for emotion, color and life, turn away from Van Gogh when he reaches out to her with the truth about his unnatural life?"

Response:

Her disbelief and assumption that he is mentally ill is realistic.  I deeply long for emotion, color and life, but if someone told me they were Vincent van Gogh, I wouldn't jump for joy and accept it with no questions or hesitation.  If I were already involved in a romantic relationship with that person, their belief that they are Vincent van Gogh would be both disturbing and conflicting.

Question:

"Why would Vincent, who ended his own life, wish to be immortally unhappy?"

Response:

See my response above regarding the choices we make in life.  Why would a woman marry a man who then made her unhappy for the rest of her life?  On the wedding day, I'm sure she though all her dreams would finally come true.  Despite our best intentions with choice making, there are often negative outcomes that we didn't foresee.

Comment:

"Why would he become immortal only to allow himself, for 200 years, to be ordered never to paint again by his brother?"

Response:

The initial decision that he would not paint was part of the plan that he, Theo and Johanna created together.  The evolution of that decision is based on many factors that are clearly explained in the novel.  Theo's power over Vincent in the novel is based on the dynamic that evolves due to Vincent being responsible for making Theo a vampire (without his consent) and thus making him lose the woman he loves.  I believe that the dynamic is based on realistic physcological and emotional relationship factors that are true to life, and follow the actual personalities and dispositions of Vincent and Theo van Gogh (based on my extensive research).

Comment:

"Why would Vincent keep alive the brother who stifled him with his faith, devotion and lack of understanding?"

Response:

If the critic is referring to Vincent making Theo a vampire, her assessment about their relationship is inaccurate.  Theo was Vincent's primary support throughout his life, and his closest friend and relative, despite any relationship difficulties they may have had. 

On another level, no matter how much a sibling might drive you nuts, would you let them die if you had the chance to save them?  Further, if you were both healthy, would you just kill them off because they were causing you trouble? I think not. Should we all just kill our relatives and spouses during tough times? 

In conclusion, it appears that this critic has misunderstood CENTERPIECES on multiple levels.  Perhaps that is my fault as a writer, and perhaps it's unprofessional to respond to the review.  However, based on the reaction of my other reader, I'm confident that the book, press release, and actual novel are not as misleading as she found them to be. 

And I am not as dumb as she has assumed. 

I admit that I'm highly emotional, sensitive, impulsive, and sometimes immature. However, I have diligently worked for years on my craft, and am proud of my accomplishments. I stand by my novel, CENTERPIECES, and believe I've succeeded in accomplishing my goals with the project.


If you're interested in reading the novel to decide for yourself, I'm posting the entire book here on Aberration Nation over the next few weeks.  Links to the available chapters can be found on the sidebar.  I'm not promoting the book as much as I could due to my current focus on art, but I do hope that a few folks will read and enjoy it. 

One critic wasn't crazy about my novel.  So what?

Quack!

You can read her review here.


To read the CENTERPIECES press release and back cover copy, go here.

To start reading CENTERPIECES on line, go here.