Debra Garfinkle

July 10th, 2006 · No Comments

This New Voices interview features D.L. Garfinkle (Debra), author of Storky: How I Lost My Nickname and Won The Girl published by G.P. Putnam's Sons, a division of Penguin Young Readers Group.

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Debra Garfinkle

Can you describe Storky: How I Lost My Nickname and Won the Girl for our readers?

It’s just like Bridget Jones’ Diary, if Bridget were a fourteen-year-old Jewish boy in San Diego with more depth. Here is a nice summary from the Horn Book Guide: “Michael, a gangly high schooler who is better at getting grades than girls, keeps a witty journal during his hormone-drenched freshman year. The breezy entries winningly chronicle his stabs at romance as well as his dismay over his single mother’s pregnancy and his unraveling relationship with his irresponsible father.”

I wanted to make teens laugh so much while they were reading that they wouldn’t mind learning a lesson about loving yourself no matter how others treat you.

Who were your favorite authors growing up? Who are your favorite authors today?

Like some serial killers, I’m a Salinger nut. I’ve read Catcher in the Rye at least ten times and even used Holden for my son’s middle name. Paul Zindel also was a huge influence on me, and reading The Happy Hooker at age ten cemented my love of books.

My favorite adult authors are Nick Hornby, Anne Lamott, Anne Tyler, and Leo Tolstoy. Yes, Tolstoy. Some of my favorite contemporary YA authors are Sarah Dessen, Gordon Korman, Carolyn Mackler, and Mary Pearson.

How do you approach a new story? Some authors plan, some don’t. Some outline, some don’t…

I usually start with a character I love, give him some conflicts, envision a theme I care about and a happy ending, and write. When I begin, I always think I’m producing the most brilliant novel in the history of the world. By about page 30, I think it’s the worst thing in the universe and curse myself for not outlining because I have no idea what to write next. By the time I get to the ending, I’m thrilled to be finishing the damn thing. Then I revise it a zillion times. Writing is such a joy for me.

What are your plans for your next novel? Can you give us a peek?

Stuck in the Seventies should be out with Putnam in Spring 2007. It’s a humorous, romantic time travel novel about a wild teenage girl from the present who finds herself naked in the bathtub of a teenage boy honor student in 1978. Yes, it’s for older teens.

Is there anything special you like to wear or do while you write? Where is your favorite place to write?

I have three young children, so I write whenever I can find the time. Usually that’s early in the morning in the den in my pajamas, always with a giant mug of coffee. I used to write at the kitchen table, but I used some of the Storky advance money (okay, most of it) to build a desk in our guest room.

Are you interested in visiting libraries or schools? If so, how can interested teachers and librarians contact you?

I love talking about my three favorite subjects: moi, moi, and moi. I also talk about reading, writing, and humor. I have done lots of school and library visits, and also speak to adults. My website http://www.dlgarfinkle.com/ has information on speaking engagements.

What is a question you wish interviewers would ask—but never do?

How can one individual possess so much intelligence, talent, beauty, and charm?

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