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INTERVIEW

January 23, 2004

In this interview with Bookreporter.com reviewer Joe Hartlaub, Brad Meltzer discusses some of the dramatic plot lines and compelling characters in his latest thriller THE ZERO GAME. He also talks extensively about his other projects and how he was able to overcome rejection early in his career to become a New York Times bestselling author.

BRC: THE ZERO GAME begins with a couple of appropriations committee staffers engaging in some clandestine betting on the outcome of Congressional votes. You were an intern on Capitol Hill when you were nineteen. Did this type of thing actually occur? And, to the best of your knowledge, does it still?

BM: THE ZERO GAME is based on a real story I heard when I was an intern on Capitol Hill: two Senate staffers who were so sick of picking up their Senator's dry cleaning decided to put the words "dry cleaning" in their Senator's speech as a bit of revenge.

("Although many people think of the environment as an issue that is dry, cleaning it should be our top priority.")
"You can't do that," one of them said.
"Sure I can."
"You can't," the first insisted.
"Wanna bet?"

Right there, THE ZERO GAME was born.

As for it happening, to be honest I made it up. But so far, two different government employees have told me they've seen a smaller variation being played (i.e., people betting on how many votes will be cast for a certain bill). That's just scary. Also, I'm honestly amazed by how many staffers on the Hill, when they hear the plot, say, "I wouldn't be surprised if someone was doing that right now." God bless America!

BRC: One of the plot elements of THE ZERO GAME that continues to stick with me is the twist that occurs less than 70 pages into the novel. I'm being deliberately vague here, as I do not want to give it away, but I don't recall ever --- ever --- reading a novel where the author did something like this. Did you agonize over whether to do it --- and that should probably be "IT" --- and did you encounter any resistance to it?

BM: Yeah, it's the big surprise of the book, and to be honest I don't think it's ever been done before --- which was exactly why I thought, "I have to try this --- let's see if I can pull this off." It's either the best part of the book or the worst, but so far, reader response has been amazing. For me, you have to always try new things as an author; otherwise you just start churning the books out.

BRC: Some of the most dramatic events in THE ZERO GAME take place underground, whether it's a supposedly deserted mine in South Dakota or in the nether reaches of the Capitol building. Obviously you had the opportunity to explore the basement of the Capitol during your stint as a Capitol Hill intern. But you demonstrated an equal level of familiarity with deserted mines while describing the action in the Homestead Mine in South Dakota. Did you do on-site research for that particular portion of the book?

BM: I did. I went down 8,000 feet into an abandoned gold mine. The first time I went, because of a flood, we could only go down two thousand feet. I went back two weeks later and they took me to the very bottom. Two weeks after that, those miners got trapped in that Pennsylvania mine. They were 240 feet down; I was 8,000. That's six Empire State buildings straight down. I'm a moron for doing that one, but I think it makes for one of the scariest scenes I've ever written. My wife wanted to kill me --- but for my readers, I'll risk my life.

BRC: Martin Janos was an extremely interesting character in THE ZERO GAME, kind of a cross between James Bond and Michael Myers --- the Halloween protagonist as opposed to the actor. What was your inspiration for Janos?

BM: I just wanted a real, true villain. No faceless government entity as the bad guy ... or some mega untouchable corporation. I wanted a villain. A real villain. One who was smarter than anyone in the book. And one who loved antique cars. Janos was born.

BRC: You mention Senatorial hideaways in the Capitol Building. Fact or fiction? And did you ever personally see one?

BM: Fact --- I saw many from the outside and one from the inside. They're the secret places the Senators and Congressmen use to hide from staff, etc. But one really did have a dimmer switch --- all those details in the book are real.

BRC: John H. Campbell is widely regarded as the father of modern science fiction. He published a story in the magazine Astounding Science Fiction in the early 1940s, which, unbeknownst to him, came uncomfortably close to describing an atomic bomb. He was visited by U.S. Intelligence agents who were extremely interested in how he came to acquire his knowledge of what was called "The Manhattan Project." You apparently had a marginally similar experience when you were doing research concerning a possible connection between neutrinos and plutonium for THE ZERO GAME. Can you tell us about that?

BM: As you know the book is fiction, but as I researched neutrinos and called scientists, I eventually started asking about the subatomic connection between neutrinos and plutonium. That's when my source at one of the government's top scientific facilities, and my best source, stopped returning my calls. A few weeks later, the source asked that his name --- and the facility's --- be pulled from my acknowledgments. That was just scary. It's one of those moments where you start listening for clicks on your phone to see if your phone's being tapped.

BRC: Your web site contains a "lost chapter," so to speak, from THE ZERO GAME. You have named it "Chapter 4.5." Can you tell us why this portion of THE ZERO GAME wasn't included in the published novel?

BM: To be honest, it just slowed the book down at a point where it needed to speed up. I always have a hard time balancing the "character" parts and the "thriller" parts because I prefer the "character" parts. But with the Internet, voila...the lost chapter is free for everyone to see at www.bradmeltzer.com.

BRC: You recently had a very eventful week involving work in films, television and comic books. What happened, and what can we look forward to from you in those media?

BM: In one short period:
- we got the green light on the pilot for a new TV series called Jack & Bobby, about a young boy who will grow up to be President (which I'm working on with Greg Berlanti, Scoop Cohen, Vanessa Taylor and Tommy Schlamme, who did The West Wing).
- we sent in the outline for the TV series I co-created with Scoop Cohen and Frank Spotnitz of The X-Files, called The Thirteenth Floor, about a law firm that defends dead clients who are fighting to avoid hell and get into heaven.
- I saw the arrival of the script (by director Justin Lin) for the film version of THE TENTH JUSTICE, my first novel.
- we had our new comic book, "Identity Crisis," (the Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman murder mystery I'm writing for DC Comics) crowned "The most anticipated comic book project for 2004" by Wizard magazine.
- And now I have a new novel, THE ZERO GAME, that has been released (with film rights sold to Kathy Kennedy and Gary Ross, the team that did Seabiscuit).

Trust me, it still seems silly --- I just feel blessed to be involved with any of these projects.

BRC: Between THE MILLIONAIRES and the publication of THE ZERO GAME you wrote several issues of the comic book GREEN ARROW. How did you become involved in that project?

BM: They asked me. I thought about saying no. My wife reminded me I'd been waiting my whole life to do this. I --- as always --- listened to her. And she --- as always --- was right. Otherwise, taking over the book from director Kevin Smith was one of the true highlights of my professional career. The only reason they asked me was because Green Arrow is named Oliver in his secret ID --- and Bob Schreck, GREEN ARROW editor, saw that I had named the main character in THE MILLIONAIRES "Oliver" after Green Arrow. He realized my love for all things Oliver and made the offer.

BRC: With the screenplay for THE TENTH JUSTICE, the television series Jack and Bobby, and DC Comics' "Identity Crisis" it would seem that you have been pretty busy. Do you have any ideas for your next novel. And have you started working on it?

BM: If I don't, my publisher will be plenty mad, so...uh...yeah, I got it all worked out.

BRC: What sort of daily work routine do you practice? And do you do anything in particular for inspiration?

BM: I do sit down every day and take some time to remind myself how lucky I am to being doing this for a living. I got twenty-four rejection letters on my first novel. It's still sitting on my shelf, published by Kinko's. I had twenty-four people tell me to give it up --- that I couldn't write. But the day I got my twenty-third and twenty-fourth rejection, I said to myself, "If they don't like this novel, I'll write another, and if they don't like that one, I'll write another." Why? Because I fell in love with writing. A week later, I started the book that became THE TENTH JUSTICE. Does that make everyone who sent me objections wrong? Not a chance. The best and worst part of publishing is that it's a subjective industry. So whatever you do with your life, as cliché as it sounds, don't let anyone tell you "No."

BRC: What books have you read in the past six months that you could recommend to our readers?

BM: I finally read KAVALIER & CLAY, which I bought when it came out but never read (out of spite for all the people who told me I HAD to read it). But they were right. I loved every page. I also read WHERE THE TRUTH LIES by Rupert Holmes and THE EYRE AFFAIR by Jasper Fforde. All original. And loved them all.

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AUDIO INTERVIEW

January 11, 2002

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PAST INTERVIEW

January 26, 2001

Brad Meltzer is an author extraordinare --- not only can he write hair raising legal thrillers full of complex characters and enticing plot lines, but he can also conduct interviews in cars on his cell phone during a hectic author tour. Bookreporter.com's Senior Writer Joe Hartlaub wrote the in-depth questions and managed to impress the author in the midst of traffic. Find out the details about Meltzer's new book, THE FIRST COUNSEL, how he dug up so much dirt on the White House, where you can find his cleverly inserted references that our eagle-eye reader Joe already discovered, what he has planned next, and much more.

BRC: One of the many highlights of THE FIRST COUNSEL is the incredibly detailed description it contains on the White House. Assuming that your description was accurate --- and it certainly had the ring of truth to it --- how did you manage to acquire this information, especially that about First Daughters?

BM: THE FIRST COUNSEL is actually one of the most intensely researched books I've ever attempted and that's why it took longer for me to write than anything else [three years]. I started by trying to track down every former First Daughter that was out there. I became obsessed with First Daughters, I contacted as many as I could find and every single one of them slammed the door in my face expect for the one who actually agreed to be a source. She's the one who gave me details about what life is like in the White House. I know the big question is: who is she --- but I'm not saying. And it's not because she said, "Please don't say anything," it's because after two years of researching First Daughters, I realized that these girls get their lives ripped apart. If I said her name then I'd be part of that. Also, people might assume that my character Nora is based on her, which she is not, and I felt I owed this daughter more respect than that.

As far as the secrets, I got those from friends who worked in the White House and took me around and showed me everything, as well as from a former secret service agent, who had actually read THE TENTH JUSTICE and was very amenable to helping me.

BRC: THE FIRST COUNSEL deals with an interesting concept --- a First Daughter given to extreme mood swings and behavioral excesses. Nora Hartson was not, however, reminiscent of any particular first daughter; I actually was reminded more of an infamous intern than anyone else. Given that you began writing THE FIRST COUNSEL shortly before the Lewinsky scandal broke, what was your inspiration for this story? Was it influenced at all by the Lewinsky scandal?

BM: Not at all, it kind of creeped me out. I designed Nora way before I started writing the book and I always knew what I wanted her to be like. Nora on some level is every president's daughter. Each one of them reaches a moment when she wants to scream, but the problem is you don't scream in the White House, you can't scream in the White House --- but in THE FIRST COUNSEL you actually see and hear the scream.

BRC: THE FIRST COUNSEL is written in first person present which works very well for the book. Did you experiment with different voices for THE FIRST COUNSEL, or was it obvious to you from the beginning that this story could only be told in that voice?

BM: I was determined when I started the book that it would be in first person. The other books I've done have always been in third person. I really wanted to try it out. My agent warned me and said, "You think it's going to be easy, but it's not." I found it very freeing since I love to write dialogue, and the whole book becomes a conversation with the reader, so on that level I was concentrating on my strengths. The hard part about writing first person, especially in a thriller, is that your reader never gets to peer over the shoulder of the villain. In every thriller you have that moment where you look over the villain's shoulder; you see him stroking his cat and thinking about taking over the world. In this one I had to think about how to scare the reader without counting on the formulaic tricks.  

BRC: On a similar note, did you heavily outline THE FIRST COUNSEL before you began writing it, or was this a novel that moved you along as much as you moved it?

BM: The second is definitely the better way to describe it. When I outline I only do 50-100 page installments, after that you have to let creativity turn the pages. If you outline the whole book at once you lose the spontaneity.

BRC: I'd like to spend a little time on your penchant for inserting --- quite cleverly --- little references in each of your books for readers to pick up on. Joel Westman, for example, is referenced not only in THE FIRST COUNSEL but also in THE TENTH JUSTICE and DEAD EVEN. Similarly, Richard Rubin is a (very) minor character in each book. Do you have any plans to make either of these people a major character in a future novel?

BM: Wow, you are the first person to find Joel Westman, I'm very impressed! I look at it this way --- Joe Westman is the person who links all of us together in the web of life and he's meant to be that person. One day I'll tell his story but not now. But there are some things you may not have noticed... He's Ben's co-clerk IN TENTH JUSTICE, Sarah's upstairs neighbor in DEAD EVEN and Ben's next door neighbor in the FIRST COUNCIL. I do have plans for him, but not yet. Richard Rubin is mentioned for a personal reason and so far no one knows why --- yet. That's all I'm saying.

Close readers will also notice that the law firm that Ben is recruited by in the TENTH JUSTICE is the same law firm that Jared works at in DEAD EVEN. And the best one of all is that there's a moment in DEAD EVEN where Jared's secretary is giving him a pep talk and says, You won this case and that case and the Wexler case --- Wexler is the real name of Rick, who is the villain of THE TENTH JUSTICE. So at that moment it's revealed what happened to the villain --- Jared is the lawyer who gets him off.

BRC: I was also knocked out by the fact that you paid quiet homage to Alan Moore's graphic novel THE WATCHMEN by naming the justices in THE TENTH JUSTICE after each of The Watchmen. I've read elsewhere that you are a big fan of graphic novels. Which other ones have you enjoyed?

BM: Anything by Frank Miller or Neil Gaiman. Garth Ennis also. But DARK NIGHT is still one of the best ones, I reread it every two years or so. If you want more references see if you can figure out who the President's senior staff are named after in THE FIRST COUNCIL.

BRC: You also named one of the justices in THE TENTH JUSTICE after your wife, your high school sweetheart and also a lawyer. Does she have any inclination toward writing a novel?

BM: No, but I think if she did I would love it. Right now I drive the both of us insane enough as it is. As a lawyer she does the real writing, I do the make believe.

BRC: You are presently in the midst of an author's tour in support of THE FIRST COUNSEL, and have a really interesting contest going on your website (www.bradmeltzer.com). You are letting visitors to your website vote for the final stop of your book tour. I love this idea, and have already cast my vote. What led to this idea? And if you were picking the stop, where would it be?

BM: Hawaii! But my publisher told me it had to be one of the 48 continental states. My mom, of course, is voting for Florida every day. Right now it looks like I'm going to Austin, Texas, which is fine by me. I'd love to go to Austin.

BRC: Are there presently plans to adapt any of your novels to film? Is there one you'd particularly like to see on the big screen?

BM: THE TENTH JUSTICE rights have been bought by Fox 2000. And I think it would make a great movie, but to me Hollywood is icing on already great cakes. I'm just happy people pay me to write novels. As far as which one would make the best movie, THE TENTH JUSTICE or THE FIRST COUNCIL, and I'm not sure which, it depends on who does it.

BRC: I have read elsewhere that you are presently working on a new novel, which is ---good news! --- a thriller. Will the new novel have a legal theme, or are you going to venture into uncharted waters?

BM: All I'll say is that it has a lawyer, it is a thriller, but not how you think....

BRC: You and your wife are quietly but extremely active in a number of charities, one of which is highlighted as a subplot of THE FIRST COUNSEL. Could you tell us a little about some of the charities you work with?

BM: Sure, the Arc is a charity that deals with people who are mentally retarded and it helped me do a lot of research for THE FIRST COUNCIL, but beyond that it's one of the most extraordinary organizations I have run into. Their work is absolutely humbling and I'm honored that I get to be mentioned in the same sentence as them. You can find them at http://www.thearc.org

We're also involved with Big Brothers Big Sisters and I had a Little Brother who I still volunteer with. This is why Sarah had a Little Sister in DEAD EVEN.

BRC: Could you share with us your working habits when you are writing a novel, from beginning to end?

BM: : I always start with a nugget, in this case a White House lawyer. Then I start doing as much research as I can --- going into the White House, snooping around, meeting with anyone who will talk to me, contacting former presidential daughters, etc. Based on the research I'll hone the plot a little more, and in this case it's --- What if a White House lawyer was dating the President's daughter? From there the most important part of the process is building the characters. I'll spend weeks determining everything I know about the characters --- from what foods they like, what their favorite movies are, what their home life was like, what kind of cereal they eat --- because it's the minutia of life that makes us who we are. And when I finally figure out who they are I throw them into the plot. If I've done my job I don't have to tell them what to do, they tell me what they want to do. From there I work from 9AM to whenever I peter out, sometimes 4PM sometimes 7PM. Writing is like squeezing a sponge --- you can only squeeze so much before it goes dry.

BRC: What authors have been a primary influence on you, both personally and professionally?

BM: Neil Gaiman, Frank Miller, Garth Ennis --- I don't read novels within the legal thriller genre, in fact, I don't believe in genres. I think genres are a trap. On some level the legal thriller lives and dies in the courtroom. I think there are things we've seen a hundred thousand times already and if we keep seeing them no one is going to care. I'm proud to say I'm a legal thriller writer who has never written a true courtroom scene. Even in DEAD EVEN they're only in court for two minutes. That's all on purpose. The only way to keep any genre alive is to do what hasn't been done before. As long as there is some young writer out there who is clicking away at her keyboard or playing around with something new, the genre will always have a future.

BRC: So you don't read legal thrillers --- do you watch any court related television dramas?

BM: I actually don't watch any courtroom TV shows, but I do watch The West Wing, and they do a really good job. But it made me nuts when I was finishing THE FIRST COUNCIL and that show suddenly came on the air :)

BRC: Can you tell us a little about your educational and professional background?

BM: I went to college at the University of Michigan, studied history, took one Great Novels class and a few creative writing classes. Then I went to Columbia law school and learned how to write like a lawyer. Add six months. Add 24 rejection letters. Get lucky. Get a novel published. Mix. There you have it.

BRC: Are there any books you have read in the past six months which you could recommend to our readers?

BM: I finally read TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD. It's cliche and obvious to say it's great, but it's just that good. And then I also read PEDRO AND ME by Judd Winick about the Real World San Francisco cast member's experience with fellow house mate Pedro, who died from AIDS-related complications after the show aired. Read it; you'll thank me later. Judd is actually my old college roommate. There's a reason why one of the law firms in DEAD EVEN is called Winick and Trudeau.

Check out Brad's website at http://www.bradmeltzer.com

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PAST INTERVIEW

July 9, 1997

On July 9, 1997, TBR welcomed Brad Meltzer, whose first novel, THE TENTH JUSTICE, was just published. Our interviewer was Jesse Kornbluth (BookpgJK), editor of The Book Report. Our online host was BookpgXena.

Bookpg JK: Great to have you here, Brad.  May I call you Brad?

BMeltzer: Of course. Though I will also respond to "Shirley."

Bookpg JK: How annoying is this scenario?  A law school student gets an idea. Despite a heavy work load and the presumption of a real life, he writes a book. It  turns out to be good and the next thing you know, a hotshot publisher has multo copies out and it's on the NY Times bestseller list.  Brad -- be honest -- wouldn't you dislike a guy like that?

BMeltzer: It's so sickening it makes me want to vomit.

Bookpg JK: Seriously...  Are you terrified to have to write a second book?  Shouldn't you quit while you're ahead?

BMeltzer: It's the easiest thing to quit, but I'd be a fool if I ever did.  

Bookpg JK: Had you ever written any fiction before?

BMeltzer: The first novel I ever wrote, I wrote when I got out of college.  All I got for it was 24 rejection letters.  

Bookpg JK: What was it about?

BMeltzer: What I knew at the time... a tale of friendship set on a college campus.

Bookpg JK: Friendship seems to be a large issue for you.

BMeltzer: It's something everyone can relate to. We all have friends who are old friends, we have new friends we don't trust yet, and competitive friendships we don't like to admit are competitive.  That will always be fascinating.

Bookpg JK: I was very impressed in TENTH JUSTICE at how much these young careerists think friendship is important.  We are led to believe that young careerists think only careers are important.

BMeltzer: Anyone who thinks friendship is not important is writing a two-dimensional character.  On this planet, there is no one who doesn't think at least one friend is important.  

Question: Are there any writers you look to for inspiration?  Grisham?  Diehl?

BMeltzer: When I write, I NEVER read within the genre I write in.  So during this book, I read a lot of science fiction:  Allen Moore's WATCHMAN and Gaiman's SANDMAN.  Not reading other writers' stuff is the best way to keep my voice honest and true.

Question: How long did it take you to write TENTH JUSTICE?

BMeltzer: About a year, 18 months.  It was hard to tell because in that year I was in law school, got married, and took the bar exam.  

Bookpg JK: How many hours a night did you sleep?

BMeltzer: Few. I tried to write from 8-11 every night, but never on Friday.  On Saturday and Sunday, about 5 hours each.

Bookpg JK: When did you know this one was "working?"

BMeltzer: There is a point in every novel when you stop telling the characters what you want them to do and they start telling you what THEY want to do.  That is when you know it is working.

Bookpg JK: What kind of research did you do?

BMeltzer: No one on the Supreme Court would talk to me. So I tracked down as many former clerks as I could.  One of them told me, "This plot could happen."  With that, I knew I was headed in the right direction.  

Bookpg JK: If your brand-new wife had not liked the book, would you have dumped her?

BMeltzer: Not a chance -- unless she REALLY didn't like the book.

Bookpg JK: When did she read it?

BMeltzer: She is the ONLY person who reads it as I write it.  And it doesn't go out the door unless it gets past her BS meter.

Bookpg JK: Which character do YOU identify with?

BMeltzer: I'd say "Lisa" -- but I'd probably be lying. In many respects, the easy answer is true... I identified with every one of them. Tell MHanlon I do have a very strong feminine side!  I know all about pantyhose!

Bookpg JK: Watch out lurkers!  Brad Meltzer is EVERYWHERE!  Back to the book... you DON'T see yourself doing what your main character did?  Making an innocent mistake that almost ends his young career?

BMeltzer: Everyone has been in a position where they wished they could take back what they just said.  I probably did that about five minutes ago.  So, of course, you could blow it at a second's notice.

Question: Do you think all the advance publicity will hurt or enhance your future as a novelist?

BMeltzer: Hurt, hurt, hurt, hurt, hurt -- let the backlash begin.

Bookpg JK: Ok, so what have you bought with the money?

BMeltzer: With my first check, I paid off my college and law school loans. All we bought besides was a new couch and a new computer.

Bookpg JK: Is there a film deal?

BMeltzer: Yes.  But if you want to know what TENTH JUSTICE is about, read the book.

Question: Did you always want to be a writer?  Did you always have the inkling?

BMeltzer: Never saw it -- even though it was in front of my face. In college, I did all my essays, regardless of the course, in dialogue form.  When I graduated college, I had so many student loans to pay off that I took a job at GAMES Magazine.  My boss's offer was: Stay here for a year... if you like it, continue... if you hate it, leave. The week I got to work, my boss got a call from an old friend named Bill Clinton. And Clinton said, "How about running my campaign for President?"  My boss left.  I was alone in Boston.  I knew almost no one.  I figured: "I have a lot of free time. Everyone has one novel. I'll take my shot."  I took my first paycheck and instead of paying loans, I bought a Mac. I pumped out an 800-page monster over a year.  I threw out the first 300 pages and got an agent. We sent it out to publishers and got those 24 rejection letters. That novel is still sitting on my shelves... "Published by Kinko's."

Bookpg JK: Will it get published now?

BMeltzer: I don't see the need to clean my closet yet.  I think you should put your best work out.

Question: What do you in your free time -- when you are not writing?

BMeltzer: I'm a movie freak.  And I spend a lot of time with friends.

Bookpg JK: And these friends -- do they suddenly like you more?  Do they hope to be in your next book?  Or do they see themselves in TENTH JUSTICE?

BMeltzer: My friends are smart.  They certainly don't like me more.

Bookpg JK: When I interviewed John Grisham, he said, "The best thing about the law was getting out of it."  So did Richard North Patterson.  What is it about the law that makes lawyers not like it, and will you ever be the lawyer you were trained to be?

BMeltzer: The worst part is all the noogies and purple nurples.  As for practicing law... I'll do everything in my power not to.  

Bookpg JK: Did you know this while in law school?

BMeltzer: I went to law school because I thought it would be intellectually interesting. But I much favor my creative side -- which I get from writing.

Bookpg JK: Really annoy us and tell us you're halfway through your next novel.

BMeltzer: I will now annoy you.  I've been working on it for awhile.

Bookpg JK: Are friends in it?  Is the law?  

BMeltzer: It's a legal thriller, but I'm bound by contract not to talk about the plot. You know how those lawyers can be!

Question: What has been the most rewarding result of being a published and critically acclaimed writer?

BMeltzer: Watching my wife open the book and read the dedication.

Question: Do you watch Court TV?

BMeltzer: Never.

Bookpg JK: Why not?

BMeltzer: Too many lawyers.

Question: Where do you get your ideas?

BMeltzer: Good ideas are usually right in front of your face.  You just have to know where your face is.

Bookpg JK: It often happens that a young writer turns out a popular book and is besieged by offers that seem terrific: write for VANITY FAIR, do a script.  Has this happened to you?

BMeltzer: Nope.

Question: What do you think of the online chat format?  Are you much of a surfer in your free time?

BMeltzer: E-mail fiend.  But I surf rarely.  

Bookpg JK: Do you use the Web for research?

BMeltzer: Yes.  That's what I use it for most.

Bookpg JK: So if we could hack your account, we might figure out the plot of the new novel.

BMeltzer: That's cute.  And yes, SMDMDW, I agree... my picture is way too serious.  And they airbrushed my birthmarks!

Bookpg JK: Should Matt Perry be in this movie when he gets out of rehab?

BMeltzer: Ask the director.  (I'll play that one safe!)

Question: Do you write for the sake of plot and intensity, for the sake of entertainment?  Or do you write with the intention of educating, or addressing justice, morality in the O. J. age?

BMeltzer: I enjoy it the most when I'm writing characters.  If the characters are real, everything else takes care of itself.

Bookpg JK: I thought we'd get through this without any mention of O. J., but as long as we didn't... let's find out.  How many O. J. books have you read?

BMeltzer: Zero.

Bookpg JK: If you won a date with Marcia Clark, would you go?

BMeltzer: Depends on who pays for the date.

Bookpg JK: Her advance was bigger. Can you handle that?

BMeltzer: As I said, I have a strong feminine side.

Bookpg JK: On the strength of this experience,  do you see yourself haunting chat rooms in search of characters?

BMeltzer: Who says I haven't?

Bookpg JK: On that ambiguous note, let me say how much fun it's been to have you here.

BMeltzer: Thanks.  And thanks to everyone who has supported this book.

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