Ask the Author: Joel Perry
Answered Questions (4)
Joel Perry
I just finished a commissioned screenplay about a dying church that, out of desperation, hires an actor to play the pastor to attract a congregation. Despite himself, he succeeds far better than anyone expected--until he gets found out. It's a Christian comedy with gay square dancers and fart jokes. Seriously.
And I've just started working on another comedy about a teenage mean girl who has a car crash and wakes up able to see visions and angels and all that--and she is NOT happy about it. Not sure yet whether it's a screenplay or a YA novel with underage mystics who meet cute. We'll see.
And I've just started working on another comedy about a teenage mean girl who has a car crash and wakes up able to see visions and angels and all that--and she is NOT happy about it. Not sure yet whether it's a screenplay or a YA novel with underage mystics who meet cute. We'll see.
Joel Perry
Oh, come on! Back in 2000, 55 Academy Awards were stolen, and only 52 were found? It seemed like a natural to wonder what the heck happened to those other three. I couldn't believe no one else jumped on that! I started writing it in late 2000, but then other books got written, then my publisher (Alyson Publishing) moved to NYC, then they went under, then my mom died, and then my dad, and a lot of other life happened and the book ended up sitting in a drawer for a long time. I told Ron Suresha, who is the publisher for Bear Bones Books about it and, well, many years later here we are!
Joel Perry
When I wrote my first books of humorous essays, I learned that there's what really happened--which is usually boring--and then there's what SHOULD have happened. I chose to write the latter, which was basically just tweaking the reality a bit. At a reading someone asked me how much of those books were true. I responded that it was all true, and about 80% of it actually happened. And of course, the other great thing about being a writer is you get the last word!
Joel Perry
Depends on the project. When I have an assignment and a deadline, I always start immediately in case I have writer's block (WB) so I'll have time built in to let it sit for a while. If the deadline gets close and I still got nuthin', I'll just power through it. Having something written, even if it's dreck, gives me something to work with editing into a workable shape. When it's something of my own and WB strikes, I set it down and go on with my life. Somehow, the back of my head will keep working on it until something pops up. It can be suggested by something a friend says, or I see on TV, or I can be driving or eating or dusting and go, "Aha!" That plus I usually have two or three other things I can work on while I'm waiting for the WB on that particular project to open up.
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