Lisa: We’re so pleased to have author Alan Semrow joining us today to introduce himself and chat about his memoir Ripe: Letters. Welcome to The Novel Approach, Alan! Why don’t we start off with an easy one: Tell us something about yourself that most people don’t know.
Alan: I use my computer mouse upside down.
Lisa: Well, for those of us who tried that at home, that’s a true skill! But back to business, what’s your favorite scene in Ripe and what makes it a fave?
Alan: Because this book is about actual experiences I’ve had, that’s a tough one. A lot of things that are detailed in this book are things that I don’t see myself ever forgetting. They are things that I’m really happy happened. But I do love this one part, right at the end of the letter, “Dear Desert Guy.” The letter details this very real moment I’d shared with someone while traveling. The scene below sort of describes what happened after—me crying tears of joy on a plane. I find it hilarious that it had that sort of an affect on me, but I also think it’s quite telling.
The plane wasn’t filled to capacity. There was an empty seat between me and an elderly woman. As the sun fell down, I stared out at the pretty mountains, at everything behind them. I was headed back to my life and a lot of parts of me dreaded it. I feared that maybe one day I’d lose what I was feeling in the pit of my stomach for you.
But now—as it’s come to be true for me, these things don’t ever really need to leave. Sure, they can fade and lose some of the initial sparkle. But they can stay as long as you choose to let them. And, I guess, this serves to say that over many occasions now, I’ve chosen to let them stay.
As the plane taxied and began to hurry faster, faster, faster down the runway, I listened closely as Harry Styles’ “Sign of the Times” blew through my ears, growing into that huge climax with the violent guitars and banging orchestra. It was at take-off, as me and the plane shot into the gorgeous sky, that those two little tears made their way down my face.
Lisa: Thank you for sharing that scene with us. If you could spend some real-life time with one of the characters in the book, who would you choose and why?
Alan: Oh God, I would love to (and I will) spend some more time with a lot of these characters.
Lisa: On the flipside, which character would you probably least get along with? Why?
Alan: I’ll never tell.
Lisa: Alrighty, fair enough. Let’s take off your author cap and put on your reader cap for a moment: what do you look for in a book, what sort of protagonists do you love, and do you have a favorite genre/sub-genre?
Alan: In a book, I look for something that’s reflective of my own experiences, I suppose. Whether that’s memoir or fiction, it really doesn’t matter. I want to learn something about myself when reading a book—even better if I come out of the experience of reading it slightly changed.
I love a good protagonist that is self-deprecating, sarcastic, doesn’t take him or herself too seriously. One character I am obsessed with is Malone from Dancer from the Dance by Andrew Holleran. I return to that book at least twice a year. I identify with Malone on a very real level. He’s a lover and he’s not ashamed of it.
Lisa: There’s nothing better than a book that sticks with you like that. What are your least and most favorite things about being an author?
Alan: The entire process of writing makes me anxious, because the entire time, in the back of my head, I’m saying to myself, “Can you really pull this off?” And then the revision process is a whole other beast. It’s a very panicked time for me—I just want the thing to be done.
When I am done, I typically look back at the process with absolute fondness. Especially if I’m happy with what I’ve done, which I really am with Ripe.
Being an author is very cathartic, too, which is a perk. I learned a lot about myself while writing this book. I came to terms with a lot. I think I came out of it all with a much fuller picture of how I want to remember my relationships—the attitude I want to have towards them. I’m much more appreciative.
Lisa: Have you ever written a line, paragraph, or passage, and thought, “Darn, that’s pretty amazing, even if I do say so myself”? What was it?
Alan: Yeah, there were a few moments while I was revising this book where I was like, “That’s a good piece. That’s a real good one.” One in particular is “Dear Purple Drank.” I think it’s so funny. Another was “Dear Great White Buffalo.” That one holds a very special place in my heart.
Lisa: What’s the one genre/sub-genre you haven’t written yet, but would love to? What’s kept you from it so far?
Alan: I’ve always thought about writing an actual fiction novel. My first book, Briefs, was short stories. Ripe is memoir. I’ve definitely written novels, but they’ve never turned out good enough for me. I’ve been thinking of trying again, but I’m sort of OK with writing letters like these.
Lisa: What’s your favorite part about writing a story that either alters our contemporary world or creates a world entirely from scratch?
Alan: I think there’s a specific thing I had in mind while writing this book that I wanted to make people really think about and pay attention to. The overwhelming message here is to appreciate the moments you share. It doesn’t have to be all the moments by any means, but having a flippant attitude toward good relationships and good sex and really tender moments you have with people isn’t really reflective of reality. Some things should be cherished. It’s just that it seems some people are slow to do that—or to admit it.
Lisa: What book are you reading right now?
Alan: Fight Club—again. And I’m about to finish The Year of Magical Thinking.
Lisa: If you could choose one of your books to be adapted for film or television, which would you choose? Why do you think it would translate well to film?
Alan: There’s this story in my first book called “Beach House.” I think it could make a good mini-series.
Lisa: What’s the one book you’ve read in your lifetime that you wish you’d written? Why did this particular book leave such a lasting impact on you?
Alan: Dancer from the Dance. Even though it was written a long time ago, when the gay scene in New York was sort of up-and-coming, I relate to it and those characters on such a deep level—that longing for love and connection, the longing for the dance.
Lisa: What books and authors would you say influenced you to become a writer yourself?
Alan: Probably Chuck Palahniuk originally—he influenced me to make more of a commitment to it. But there are people like Joan Didion and Amy Hempel who really influenced me to become better.
Lisa: How long did it take to write your book, and what was the most difficult part of the writing process (i.e., dialogue, plot or character development, pacing, etc.)?
Alan: I think the first draft was written within a month. It was very fast. A lot of early mornings and late nights. The most difficult part was the revision process.
Lisa: What’s the best piece of writing/author advice you’ve received that you’d pass on to someone else just getting started in the business?
Alan: “The revision process is the process.” My creative writing professor told me that once when I was sitting down with him to talk about this very provocative piece I’d written. I was pissed at him when he said it, but he was right.
Lisa: Was there a particular part of the process—from writing to editing to cover design to publishing—that was easier or harder than you thought it would be? What was it?
Alan: The initial writing of the pieces was very easy. Not a lot of these pieces changed all too significantly during the revision process. But I think that was surprising to me during the revision process. I probably did about four or five rounds of revisions, but not a whole lot was changing—just small things.
Lisa: If you won the lottery, what’s the first completely self-indulgent thing you’d do?
Alan: I’d first pay off the student loans. Then, I’d probably book a flight for a long getaway.
Lisa: If you could sit down to dinner with any author, past or present, who would you choose, and why? What are some things you’d want to chat about?
Alan: I’d like to talk to Mary-Louise Parker. Her book Dear Mr. You influenced this book a lot. I’m just fascinated by her and by that book. I feel like we’d have a lot to talk about.
Lisa: If James Corden invited you to Carpool Karaoke, what song(s) would you sing with him?
Alan: “Ultraviolence” by Lana Del Rey.
Lisa: If you could travel back in time, with all your years of experience and wisdom intact, what advice would you give to your teenage self?
Alan: Come out. You’re going to have fun. You’re going to surprise yourself.
Lisa: Thanks so much for taking the time to chat with me today, Alan, it’s been a pleasure!
Readers, to connect with Alan, you can find him on Facebook, Instagram, his Website, Goodreads and Amazon.
About the Book
Funny, sexy, evocative, and brutally honest, Ripe is Alan Semrow’s ode to relationships with men. In this epistolary book, Semrow writes to the men who have impacted his outlook, reminded him of basic life lessons, surprised him in more ways than one, and left him reeling for days. Writing to one-night-flings, men he has never met, and men he’ll never stop running into, Semrow touches on some of the most constant human themes—love, lust, desire, and the yearning for connection. All the while, the book details a man’s journey navigating and blooming by way of the modern gay scene. Readers will find familiarity and hard truths in Semrow’s statements about the intricacy and explosiveness of the intimate moments we share.
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