Ask the Author: Ken Capobianco
Answered Questions (10)
Ken Capobianco
Want to hear the true story of my life with anorexia? Too horrifying to tell.
Ken Capobianco
Kafka's castle. That would be a trip.
Ken Capobianco
I'll be focused on getting the word out on my upcoming novel, "A Field Guide to Temporary Madness and Extraordinarily Ordinary Sex," (June), but I'm pretty sure Blake Bailey's 900-page biography of Philip Roth will take me all summer to devour. In the Fall, I'm looking forward to Richard Powers' "Bewilderment.
Ken Capobianco
Brian, hi, I appreciate you reading. I'm trying to think of how the girl from sweaters--your daughter's mom--is in the book, but the only woman character in that chapter is the young woman who shops for grills so I don't know who you are referring to. The young women in sweaters I worked with in "Alesso's" certainly are not in the book. I'm still friends with one of them who also read it and she didn't recognize anyone. I'm pretty sure I remember you and if you want to pursue this further in detail don't hesitate to email me at franznine@live.com As to your main question, the book is indeed profane and explicit for a reason and the religious statues section is purposeful--rejection of guilt and at that moment, Michael begins to fear his sexual impulses and indulgence and confuses them with his indulgence with food--the intimate connection between food and sex that is tied up in the anxiety surrounding the disorder. While young people might read the book, it is definitely geared for readers over 18--the themes are very complex, the philosophical and literature references are meant for adults who would make the associations and the explicit sexuality, which is purposeful (fear of letting go, experiencing pleasure, indulgence) are all tied into the disorder. Usually, if a young teen, who is struggling, reads the novel, I recommend an adult read along and explain things. The book, though, is definitely intended mature teens and adults who struggle and family members trying to understand the disorder and what their children go through. Anorexia is a very complex confluence of issues and anxieties, and I try to explore each one without being sentimental or giving easy answers. It's not a YA book and wouldn't work if I adapted for kids. I really do thank you for reading and if you want to reach out privately, please do. You wife, though, definitely is NOT in the book, though. best, Ken
Ken Capobianco
As people can see from my biography, I suffered from anorexia for a long time, so I knew I wanted to explore what I went through only in a fictional manner. I also wanted the book to be more than a recovery novel. I'm a fan of them and think they do a great service, but I wanted to explore a variety themes and ideas while making the anorexic experience palpable to readers. Of course, this is the first novel to explore anorexia from a male point of view, so I wanted to speak to a large group of people who have never been represented in a novel before. Ultimately, while it's a story of a young man with an eating disorder, there are universal themes in the book that transcend ed and food.
Ken Capobianco
It's in your soul. That sounds pretentious but it's not. I think you are either inspired to tell a story or you are not. A lot of people write to make money, and that's fine. Writing is writing. I do believe that some people are possessed to write and tell stories. Of course, as a music critic, I write to make money, but I approach each piece as telling a story, so I'm enthused about all my writing. The day I write without enthusiasm, put a bullet in my head--I'm done.
Ken Capobianco
I'm a working music critic, so I'm writing musician profiles and other pieces. In terms of a next book, I'm in the thinking-it-through phase, but I'd like the next book to be straight-up funny with undercurrents of social criticism. I wrote a humor column in Boston for five years and learned the value of laughter to an audience. Nothing I've done up to now has received that kind of positive feedback. I'm a big fan of the rapid-fire black humor of screenwriter Armando Iannucci, and I'd like to see if I could sustain that kind of dipped-in-acid tone throughout an entire novel. It's a good challenge.
Ken Capobianco
Write. You need to write every day. You can't be a writer without doing it.
It sounds fundamental, but too often people procrastinate or say they will get around to it and write maybe once a week. That won't cut it. You also must read. In the social media era, people aren't reading as much. You learn to write by reading great prose. Even when I was not published, I was reading--Didion, Fitzgerald, Baldwin, Roth, Kundera, Giovanni--and absorbing. By the time I sold my first piece, I had a firm understanding of how great writing was crafted. It took me years of false starts and bad writing (I was writing every day), but I got to the point where I had the confidence to share my work with editors.
It sounds fundamental, but too often people procrastinate or say they will get around to it and write maybe once a week. That won't cut it. You also must read. In the social media era, people aren't reading as much. You learn to write by reading great prose. Even when I was not published, I was reading--Didion, Fitzgerald, Baldwin, Roth, Kundera, Giovanni--and absorbing. By the time I sold my first piece, I had a firm understanding of how great writing was crafted. It took me years of false starts and bad writing (I was writing every day), but I got to the point where I had the confidence to share my work with editors.
Ken Capobianco
The ability to communicate with other people. You are able to share stories and ideas--sometimes your audience is small and sometimes, it's made up of thousands. You create a dialogue, and let others into your head. It's a beautiful thing.
Ken Capobianco
I've been a published writer for over 30 years, and I don't remember getting a serious case of writer's block. Once I sit down to write music criticism or fiction, I have a good idea what I'm going to say. The words usually pour out. Of course, I shape and edit, but editing is part of the writing process--probably the most important part. If I'm stumped for a few minutes, I take a short break to listen to music or go for a drive with Prince, Janelle Monae, Graham Parker or The Wu-Tang Clan on blast. Ta-da, I'm ready to write. Always sit down to write with something in your head, and try to write something. It may not be good, but you are on your way. Writing is a process.
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