Ask the Author: Ben Purkert

“Love a good Q and A! I'm happy to answer whatever I can between now and August 1st (pub) on anything related to the novel, the writing process, the publication process, the universe, etc.

- Ben” Ben Purkert

Answered Questions (6)

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Hi Ben, I started reading a sample of The Men Can't Be Saved and want to get it as an ebook in Australia. It's not available on Kindle in Australia. Can you please let me know where I can get it as ebook? Thanks.

Ben Purkert Hi Sean! Unfortunately it's not being sold in Australia at the moment. I do know that some American bookstores will ship internationally. (My pal in New Zealand ordered the book from The Strand in NYC, and a signed copy arrived in her mailbox not too long after.) So I think, for now at least, that's your best bet.

Hope this helps!

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How do you deal with writer’s block?

Ben Purkert I try to be patient with myself. Typically, if the words aren't coming, I'm not reading enough. (I'm low on fuel, as Anne Lamott says.) I'll take a break from writing for a few weeks and just zip through a stack of books. That always unlocks something for me.

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How do you get inspired to write?

Ben Purkert I'm not the kind of writer who gets big ideas (or even small ones)... I usually start with just an image or a phrase that sticks with me. If I'm lucky, I'll sometimes stumble upon an idea in the writing process. But it always begins with the words. They come first.

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Where did you get the idea for your most recent book?

Ben Purkert When the TV show Mad Men debuted, I was working as a tagline copywriter at an NYC branding/advertising agency. I loved getting a glimpse of the agency world of the 1960's and I thought to myself, maybe I could try writing about the agency world of today? I wanted to explore all the ways that the industry had changed, and more importantly, all the ways it hadn't. I also hoped that, through the novel, I could explore other themes that have always interested me: capitalism, sex, toxic masculinity, Judaism, addiction, corporate culture, comedy, and more.

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