As I write these words, I have just been asked to be interviewed on a video podcast tomorrow. That’s short notice, but I expect the conversation to be freewheeling, so I shouldn’t need to do anything to prepare. When an interview is specific to a book I wrote a year or several years earlier, I really don’t remember it and need to go back and reread or at least skim it, but in this case I don’t think I need to do any prep work. I just need to remember it’s video, not the more common audio-only, so I shouldn’t go digging in my ear or <gasp> pick my nose during the interview.
One of the perqs of being an author is you get to do public speaking—both in-person speeches and radio/TV/podcast interviews. Of course, for those who are mic-shy or who get tongue-tied and pour gallons of sweat at the mere thought of giving a public speech, it doesn’t seem like such a perq, but count me among those who enjoy such activities.
I do remember one occasion, many years ago, when I “froze” on TV. I just couldn’t remember anything about the book I was supposed to be talking about. After that, for a while, I took a Valium before every speech or radio/TV appearance. Thankfully, those days are long behind me. I’ve even had two TV shows of my own and was on camera for half an hour every week during each show’s run!
One particular TV interview that I did stands out in my mind. It was for a news show quite a few years ago.
There had been a sensational kidnapping that had made the national news. I no longer remember either the victim’s name or any of the details, but it took place somewhere on the West Coast—I think in the San Francisco area. The ABC affiliate in that area found out that I was the author of a series of six books for kids on kidnap prevention and safety. So this West Coast station got in touch with me, asked if I would do an interview, and asked if there was an ABC affiliate within reasonable distance of my home. There was. The West Coast station then contacted my local ABC station and arranged for me to do the interview via satellite uplink.
The technology fascinated me.
At the West Palm Beach, Florida ABC station, I was given a rather uncomfortable stool to sit on in front of a green screen, with an earpiece through which I would be able to hear my interviewer’s questions. I was told to look to my left as if that was where the interviewer was seated. There was some initial question about whether the West Palm Beach station could connect to the satellite. I think they call it “catching the bird.” But in the end it all went off without a hitch.
It was a fascinating and fun experience.
Hopefully much more radio/TV/podcast broadcasts and public speeches lie in my future! Ahhh…the perqs of authorship….