Welcome back for the conclusion of our talk with Lev AC Rosen, author of All Men of Genius.
Read Part One here.
Read Part Two here.
Airship Ambassador: Do you get to talk much with other writers and artists to compare notes, have constructive critique reviews, and brainstorm new ideas?
Lev AC Rosen: Yes – I’m part of a writing group. We get together every other week and critique each others work. It’s great for keeping you writing and for getting steady feedback. I think it’s a must for any serious writer.
AA: How is New York, one of the major centers of publishing, for writing? Does location matter for resources, access, publicity, etc
LR: Not really. I know people think New York is where all the gatekeepers are – but agents and editors communicate primarily by email and phone. You don’t need to see them. Is it nice to be able to meet an agent or editor in person before signing with them? Sure, but it’s not a requirement. And even if you do live in the city, there may not be time to meet them. That said, it’s a great place to meet other writers and go to lots of readings.
AA: Most of the authors I’ve talked with have some type of day job and that writing is their other job. What has that situation been for you and how has it helped/hindered begin a published writer?
LR: I teach creative writing. They go hand in hand – being able to answer my students questions lets me think about my own work in new ways.
AA: Looking beyond steampunk, writing and working, what other interests and topics fill your time?
LR: So so many: noir, screwball comedy, spy stuff, hippos (my husband and I love hippos), YA and Middlegrade books, I watch way too much TV, and we got a kitten recently who pretty much takes up all of our time. Which is understandable, I think.
AA: How do those interests influence your work?
LR: Well, the kitten makes it a lot harder. But I’m working on a bunch of stuff that relates to my interests. I think when you’re fascinated by something, you set out to explore it in writing, which is why my books jump around a lot. I have a middlegrade book – Woundabout – coming out in June with some steampunk influence and some noir and some spy stuff and a cute capybara, which isn’t the same as a kitten, but which also isn’t as different as you might think.
AA: Quick random questions – what is your favorite dinner, painting, and historical figure?
LR: Um, well, pasta, pretty much any sort of vegetarian pasta. Painting changes all the time, but I love Tamara De Lempicka’s portrait of Madame Allan Bott. Historical Figure also changes a lot, but lately I’ve been fascinated with Caterina Sforza. I have a perpetual obsession with Lauren Bacall.
AA: Any final thoughts to share with our readers
LR: Well, thank you, for reading and such, and if you have any questions, I try to answer everything asked of me on twitter or tumblr or my blog (that was pretty shameless). And thank you, Kevin, for interviewing me. It’s been fun!
Thanks for joining us, Lev!
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