Monday, November 15, 2010

PERFECTION: AUTHOR INTERVIEW AND GIVEAWAY

GIVEAWAY ENDED
PERFECTION
BY JULIE METZ

ABOUT THE BOOK:
Julie Metz had seemingly the perfect life—an adoring husband, a happy, spirited daughter, a lovely old house in a quaint suburban town—but it was all a lie.
Julie Metz’s life changed forever on one ordinary January afternoon when her husband, Henry, collapsed on the kitchen floor and died in her arms. Suddenly, this mother of a six-year-old became the young widow in her bucolic small town. But that was only the beginning. Seven months after Henry’s death, just when Julie thought she was emerging from the worst of it, came the rest of it: She discovered that what had appeared to be the reality of her marriage was but a half-truth. Henry had hidden another life from her.

Perfection is the story of Metz’s journey through chaos and transformation as she creates a different life for herself and for her young daughter. It is the story of rebuilding both a life and an identity after betrayal and widowhood, of rebirth and happiness—if not perfection.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

I am a writer, graphic designer, and artist. In addition to Perfection I have written essays and commentary for publications including The New York Times, The Huffington Post, Hemispheres, Glamour, and mrbellersneighborhood. I received a MacDowell Fellowship in 2008 where I completed work on Perfection and began work on a novel. I live in Brooklyn, N.Y.

I am a born and raised New Yorker. I grew up on the Upper West Side of Manhattan during the 1960s and 70s, before it got fancy. I still miss the old neighborhood and the marigold yellow kitchen of my childhood where I did most of my homework on the kitchen table—round, white, Formica.

I often forget names but I never forget a face.

As a young child I attended a Waldorf School and I credit these years with supporting my creative drive. Later I switched to a private girls school on the Upper East Side, quite the opposite kind of environment, though I still found a refuge in the art room. I did not love my middle and high school years but we did learn how to write. I took Latin for six years and still regret that I didn’t study harder.

I have always been a letter writer, which is how PERFECTION began.

I love cats, even the scraggly ones. I used to pick up sad strays, but now we have two and that’s plenty. I get to know dogs one at a time, but I think there might be one in my future...

I love to dance and I think I’m pretty good at it. It’s a time when my natural shyness fades away.

Some other jobs I’ve had in my life: summer babysitter, art class model, envelope stuffer, restaurant dishwasher, canvasser for the failed ERA Amendment, paste-up artist in the advertising department at Carnegie Hall, junior staff designer at Harper & Row Publishers, freelance designer before computers. The most challenging and rewarding job I’ve had is being a mother, because the job description changes every day.

I am the world’s biggest skeptic, but try me.

AUTHOR INTERVIEW:

Q: Welcome and thank you for agreeing to do an interview for Bookin with Bingo. Is there any personal information you would like to start out with today?
A: Thanks so much for having me as a guest! For those who are not familiar with me or my book, I am Julie Metz, author of the memoir Perfection. This is my first book and was a New York Times bestseller. I live in New York City with my boyfriend and my daughter, who is now 14.

Q: Where did you get the inspiration or idea for this book?
A: Seven months after my husband’s sudden death, I discovered his secret life. The events happened to me, all in a rush, I had been keeping a journal and writing to friends. Several friends suggested that I write about what had happened. One friend in particular was a writer and she gave me the following advice: go home, sit for twenty minutes a day, see what happens.

Q: How did the title of your book come about?
A: The title Perfection is somewhat ironic…and not. At the time of his death my husband was working on a food book about Umami, the Japanese concept of perfection. So my title evolved as a comment on how our search for perfection often leads women to cover over the aspects of themselves that might feel less than perfect.

Q: Do you see yourself in your characters? Which characters are easiest or more difficult to write?
A: In fiction, I think writers often bring something of what they have observed in themselves or others to their characters. In writing a memoir the task is to recreate actual people and events. It’s hardest to write an unsympathetic character in a way that creates sympathy in the reader.

Q: What books would you say have made the biggest impression on you, especially starting out? What are you currently reading?
A: I’ve been a lifelong reader. I love Jane Austen, the Bronte sisters, Dickens, E.M. Forster, Joyce, Virginia Woolf. My education was pretty traditional so I read a lot of classics at school and that continued after college. More recently I am a huge fan of Alice Munro, Richard Ford, Jennifer Egan, Jhumpa Lahiri, Kiran Desai, Lorrie Moore to name a few. I read mostly novels and short stories, even when I worked on my memoir. Right now I am reading Jonathan Franzen’s Freedom, selected by my book group!

Q: What project are you working on now?
A: I am working on a novel…

Q: What is something about you that you would want people to know about you that we probably don’t know?
A: I spend much of my time at home, often in some version of pajamas.

Q: Do you own an eReader of any kind and how do you feel about their impact on books as well as you as an author?
A: No e-reader yet…I am a late adopter. I do love my laptop and my iPhone, so I am sure I’ll get one in the future, though for now I still like the feel of paper. I am happy when people are reading, it doesn’t matter to me much what the format is. I wonder if e-Readers might have a negative effect on the world of book cover design.

Q: What is your advice to anyone, including young people, who want to be writers?
A: Read good books—even when it makes you doubt your own talent, you’ll learn so much from reading good writers.
Go home, sit at your desk for twenty minutes a day. See what happens. In a year you’ll have a lot of pages.

GIVEAWAY

THANKS TO LISA AND THE GOOD
FOLKS AT BOOK SPARKS PR,
I HAVE
ONE COPY OF THIS
FASCINATING
MEMOIR TO GIVE AWAY

--U.S. AND CANADIAN RESIDENTS ONLY
--NO P. O. BOXES
---INCLUDE YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS
IN CASE YOU WIN!
--ALL COMMENTS MUST BE SEPARATE TO
COUNT AS MORE THAN ONE!

HOW TO ENTER:

Go HERE to see My Review and Bonus Entries

+1 ENTRY:
COMMENT ON SOMETHING YOU FOUND INTERESTING ABOUT "PERFECTION" FROM ABOVE THAT WOULD MAKE YOU WANT TO WIN AND READ THIS BOOK.

+1 MORE ENTRY: COMMENT ON SOMETHING YOU FOUND INTERESTING ABOUT JULIE METZ IN HER INTERVIEW ABOVE

+1 MORE ENTRY:
BLOG OR TWEET ABOUT THIS GIVEAWAY AND LEAVE A LINK I CAN FOLLOW IN THE ENTRY

+1 MORE ENTRY: COMMENT ON HOW YOU FOLLOW MY BLOG. IF YOU FOLLOW MORE THAN ONE WAY, YOU MAY COMMENT MORE THAN ONCE AND EARN EXTRA ENTRIES.

GIVEAWAY ENDS
6 PM, EST,
NOVEMBER 29!
 
GOOD LUCK

85 comments:

debbie said...

I am a email subscriber.
twofakind12@yahoo.com

debbie said...

I am a gfc follower.
debbie
twoofakind12@yahoo.com

Anonymous said...

WOW, I'm the 1st to post a comment. I saw Julie Metz when she was featured on Oprah and would love to read her book.

The premise of this memoir interested me and the title, as mentioned, is ironic. We always seem to think others have perfect lives and if only... This book reveals that the grass isn't always greener.

monagargATyahooDOTcom

Anonymous said...

I found that I have a couple things in common with Julie:

. I'm also a homebody and pj's are my outfit of choice.

. I prefer the feel of paper to digital. I will admit that e-readers are convenient sometimes so I may cave eventually and splurge on one.

monagargATyahooDOTcom

Unknown said...

I am a follower and email subscriber. Please enter me in contest. It must have been hard on the character losing her husband like that. The book really sounds like a good read. Tore923@aol.com

Anonymous said...

Email subscriber

monagargATyahooDOTcom

Anonymous said...

Twitter follower(@kulmona)

monagargATyahooDOTcom

Anonymous said...

GFC follower(MonaG)

monagargATyahooDOTcom

Steve Capell said...

I found her comment "Go home, sit at your desk for twenty minutes a day. See what happens. In a year you’ll have a lot of pages" to work for most things in life. I always had this saying, "The way to eat a giant Jello elephant is one bite at a time." Persistence on a daily basis will bring success on any endeavor. This book sounds like an emotional read and one that I am sure was emotional for Julie to write. Julie stated on her web site that her husband Henry was a charming man with a huge amount of charisma and because of that charisma she now has trouble trusting men that exhibit this quality. I can understand her fear because of what she went through, but I also believe that infidelity can happen with an extrovert or an introvert. This book sounds like one that I would like to read so thanks for hosting this giveaway.

steven(dot)capell(at)gmail(dot)com

Margie said...

This looks like a fascinating memoir. It would be interesting to see how she handles the feelings of grief and betrayal simultaneously.
mtakala1 AT yahoo DOT com

Margie said...

It was interesting to see that the book started out as a series of letters to friends. And...being a dog lover, I liked to see that a dog may be in her future!
mtakala1 AT yahoo DOT com

Margie said...

Your blog is on my Networked Blogs list.
mtakala1 AT yahoo DOT com

Reading said...

Thanks for the giveaway. This sounds like the kind of changing life story I would enjoy.

lizzi0915 at aol dot com

Reading said...

I follow on GFC

lizzi0915 at aol dot com

Pamela Keener said...

What an interesting book. I am sure it was hard to go through that especially after a period of time in the grieving process. I can't imagine the pain resurfacing in another unexpected crisis.
Love & Hugs,
Pam
pk4290(at)comcast(dot)net

Pamela Keener said...

I like how the Title of the book reflects what her husband was writing and possibly her perception of her marriage prior to learning the truth.
Love & Hugs,
Pam
pk4290(at)comcast(dot)net

Pamela Keener said...

I subscribe to your blog via e-mail
Love & Hugs,
Pam
pk4290(at)comcast(dot)net

Unknown said...

I'm still catching my breath from learning that this is Julie's actual story! Wow. I can not wait to read the book now. Thank you for a great interview!

APSkap (at) comcast (dot) net

Unknown said...

I follow via GFC

Unknown said...

I "like" you on Facebook (and your blog is listed in my Favorites page at my FB Blog Page!)

Anonymous said...

I would like read this book because I am interested in how her husband kept his second life secret!


CarolNWong(at)aol(dot)com

Anonymous said...

I am shocked and sad that this situation happened to her! That would be such a difficult surprise to get over.
Also, I like what her friend said,"sit at her desk for 20 minutes and see what happend".

CarolNWOng(at)aol(dot)com

Anonymous said...

I tweeted:

My Twitter name is Carolee888
http://bookinwithbingo.blogspot.com/? See this link for a giveaway of 'Perfection'


CarolNWong(at)aol(dot)com

Anonymous said...

I follow this blog with
Google Friend Connect.



CarolNWong(at)aol(dot)com

Anonymous said...

I follow this blog with Twitter.



CarolNWong(at)aol(dot)com

Anonymous said...

I follow this blog with Networked Blogs.



CarolNWong(at)aol(dot)com

Anonymous said...

I follow this blog with Facebook.



CarolNWong(at)aol(dot)com

Anonymous said...

I follow this blog with an e-mail subscription.



CarolNWong(at)aol(dot)com

petite said...

I am a follower. rojosho(at)hotmail(dot)com

petite said...

What a fascinating and honest story to write. rojosho(at)hotmail(dot)com

petite said...

I think that the author has courage and is able to write about this experience is admirable. rojosho(at)hotmail(dot)com

traveler said...

This sounds like a compelling and amazing story. thanks. saubleb(at)gmail(dot)com

traveler said...

I am an e-mail subscriber. saubleb(at)gmail(dot)com

traveler said...

Interesting premise to this book and the future of her writing including a dog is lovely. saubleb(at)gmail(dot)com

Lisa Richards/alterlisa said...

http://twitter.com/#!/alterlisa/status/4297366815383552



alterlisa AT yahoo DOT com
http://lisaslovesbooksofcourse.blogspot.com

Lisa Richards/alterlisa said...

i follow on twitter @alterlisa


alterlisa AT yahoo DOT com
http://lisaslovesbooksofcourse.blogspot.com

Lisa Richards/alterlisa said...

I follow on FaceBook-Lisa Ann Richards



alterlisa AT yahoo DOT com
http://lisaslovesbooksofcourse.blogspot.com

Lisa Richards/alterlisa said...

"She discovered that what had appeared to be the reality of her marriage was but a half-truth. Henry had hidden another life from her."
I am totally fascinated by the people who live double lives


alterlisa AT yahoo DOT com
http://lisaslovesbooksofcourse.blogspot.com

Lisa Richards/alterlisa said...

OMG- I didn't realize this was based on something that had happen to Metz. I just assumed that it was a fiction book.


alterlisa AT yahoo DOT com
http://lisaslovesbooksofcourse.blogspot.com

bloggingmom said...

This book looks so interesting. I am also a New Yorker and a book lover. I would enjoy reading her book very much.

bloggingmom said...

I am an email subscriber to Bookin with Bingo. garczynski (at) aol (dot) com

bloggingmom said...

I am a follower of BWB.

Unknown said...

I really want to read this book because Julie Metz is an inspiration. She went through some unimagineably difficult times and came out ahead. I don't know what I'd do if my husband died suddenly and, after coping with his death and gaining a foothold in life again, I discover some terrible reality of his life I wasn't aware of because he hid it from me. That Julie manages to get through whatever this is and continue to care for her child is amazing.

Thank you so much for hosting a giveaway of this book!

~ Amy
Aimala127 (at) gmail (dot) com

Unknown said...

Julie Metz lives in Brooklyn, which is great, and she loves all cats even the straggly ones which is wonderful!

Aimala127 (at) gmail (dot) com

Unknown said...

I'm a GFC follower of your blog!

Aimala127 (at) gmail (dot) com

Unknown said...

I'm an email subscriber to your blog (my email for blog subscriptions is Aimala02@yahoo.com)

Aimala127 (at) gmail (dot) com

Unknown said...

Wow! This book seems so intriguing! I don't know how someone holds them self together through such an unthinkable loss at a young age...then finding out the marriage wasn't what it seemed! I really want to know what her husband was hiding and how she over comes the obstacles life has thrown at her.

christauf4(at)gmail.com

holdenj said...

Such an interesting sounding tale of adversity.
JHolden955(at)gmail(dot)com

holdenj said...

Great interview, Bingo! I really liked her comments about e-readers. Although I have no additional comment on the future of book cover design, I work with a number of people that own e-readers and more than one has commented that they read more than ever because they own it.
JHolden955(at)gmail(dot)com

holdenj said...

I am a GFC follower.
JHolden955(at)gmail(dot)com

holdenj said...

I follow via RSS feed.
JHolden955(at)gmail(dot)com

hendy said...

Well I'm dying to know what her husband's secret was-it appears she's picked up the pieces now but I'm sure the process was devastating.
hmhenderson AT yahoo DOT com

hendy said...

I found it interesting that Julie is currently reading Freedom (just as I am though I'm listening)-Interested to know what she thinks of it.
hmhenderson AT yahoo DOT com

hendy said...

tweeted
http://twitter.com/HendyMartin/status/4393990862405632
hmhenderson AT yahoo DOT com

hendy said...

Follow via GFC
hmhenderson AT yahoo DOT com

hendy said...

Subscribe via email
hmhenderson AT yahoo DOT com

hendy said...

Follow on twitter @HendyMartin
hmhenderson AT yahoo DOT com

hendy said...

Follow feed via google reader
hmhenderson AT yahoo DOT com

Unknown said...

I loved Julie Metz's interview. She seems very down to earth and approachable. I can't believe her first book became a New York Times best seller. That's so cool! I'm really interested in her book...I want to find out how she dealt with the circumstances given her and what her husbands long time secrets were.

christauf4(at)gmail.com

Unknown said...

Just tweeted about this giveaway!

http://twitter.com/christauf4

christauf4(at)twitter.com

Unknown said...

I follow your book through my reading list on my Blogger Dashboard.

christauf4(at)gmail.com

Unknown said...

I follow your blog through my Google reader.

christauf4(at)gmail.com

Linda Kish said...

First I thought it was a good story, then I discovered it was true. That makes it more interesting.

lkish77123 at gmail dot com

Linda Kish said...

I am a GFC follower

lkish77123 at gmail dot com

LeAnn said...

I was also a young widow with 2 children--then 5 and 9 (now 21 and 25) I would like to read how the author coped during the grieving process. Nothing ever is as it seems. . .

LeAnn
sunshine9ATimonmailDOTcom

LeAnn said...

irony. . . readers and writers-how we cope with life
The irony of Julie's book title and the title of her late husband's book seems a great way to deal with different stages of grief. . . enough said

LeAnn
sunshine9ATimonmailDOTcom

LeAnn said...

relaxing at home in pj's sounds good to me

sunshine9ATionmailDOTcom

LeAnn said...

follow blog via google reader

sunshine9ATimonmailDOTcom

bison61 said...

Henry had hidden another life from her. That does interest me!

tiramisu392 (at) yahoo.com

Nancye said...

This book sounds very interesting! Now I want to know what was discovered after the husband dies!

nancyecdavis AT bellsouth DOT net

Nancye said...

I learned that Julie was born and raised in New York City.

nancyecdavis AT bellsouth DOT net

Nancye said...

Tweet! Tweet!
@NancyeDavis

http://twitter.com/NancyeDavis/status/7213080832376832

nancyecdavis AT bellsouth DOT net

Nancye said...

GFC Follower

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Nancye said...

Twitter Follower
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Nancye said...

email subscriber

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Nancye said...

RSS Subscriber

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Nancye said...

I follow you on Networked Blogs

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Jax's Book Magic said...

What I found most interesting was "how" you came up with the title of the book.

Laura H. said...

Thanks for the great giveaway! I want to win to see how you handles the emotional rollercoaster of grief and betrayal.

BornajhawkATaolDOTcom

Laura H. said...

I found it interesting that Ms. Metz spends much of her time at home in her pajamas. Oh, to have that job! :-)

BornajhawkATaolDOTcom

Laura H. said...

Tweeted giveaway: http://twitter.com/#!/MamaHendo3/status/9371810122440704

BornajhawkATaolDOTcom

Laura H. said...

E-mail subscriber.

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Laura H. said...

Old GFC follower (Bornajhawk).

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Laura H. said...

Networked Blogs follower (Laura Grassie Henderson).

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Laura H. said...

FB fan (Laura Grassie Henderson).

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