Ask the Author: Kendra Bean
Answered Questions (3)
Kendra Bean
Hi Robin,
It's possible that you are! Much of her father's family lived in Bridlington. Perhaps you can try Ancestry.com in the first instance, and I'm sure you an find out more in local registries in and around the area where your grandmother was from.
Best of luck, and please let me know how you get on with your search!
It's possible that you are! Much of her father's family lived in Bridlington. Perhaps you can try Ancestry.com in the first instance, and I'm sure you an find out more in local registries in and around the area where your grandmother was from.
Best of luck, and please let me know how you get on with your search!
Kendra Bean
Hi Jennifer,
Boy, can I relate to where you're coming from! I know this can be nerve-wracking, but we all have to start somewhere, and I've learned by doing. With celebrities and authors, it's probably best to send a letter to them via their agent, unless you can find personal email address. When you write or phone people, even if you don't have much experience, you have to make yourself sound like you do. Play up your strengths. Do you have a blog about classic film? Mention it! Had you been doing research about your subject prior to interviewing people? Mention it!
Another good thing to do is reiterate how serious you are about your subject and what sort of narrative you're looking to present. For example, I told people I was working on a photography book about Vivien, however, there would also be text and I wanted to be fair and truthful in my writing. I've found that people really like talking about themselves and sharing stories, and many are happy to have other people (especially younger people) express an interest in their work and their memories. So make sure you do some research about the person you're interviewing. Have they written a book about your subject? Read it. Have they appeared in documentaries before? Watch them. Let them know you're at least somewhat familiar with who they are.
Once you get your first interview under your belt (and interviews are tricky - I'm still learning how to ask the best questions in order to get the best answers), more doors will open for you. Don't forget to ask if they know anyone you may be able to contact! As long as you present yourself as professional and knowledgeable and enthusiastic, people will take you seriously.
Good luck! :)
Boy, can I relate to where you're coming from! I know this can be nerve-wracking, but we all have to start somewhere, and I've learned by doing. With celebrities and authors, it's probably best to send a letter to them via their agent, unless you can find personal email address. When you write or phone people, even if you don't have much experience, you have to make yourself sound like you do. Play up your strengths. Do you have a blog about classic film? Mention it! Had you been doing research about your subject prior to interviewing people? Mention it!
Another good thing to do is reiterate how serious you are about your subject and what sort of narrative you're looking to present. For example, I told people I was working on a photography book about Vivien, however, there would also be text and I wanted to be fair and truthful in my writing. I've found that people really like talking about themselves and sharing stories, and many are happy to have other people (especially younger people) express an interest in their work and their memories. So make sure you do some research about the person you're interviewing. Have they written a book about your subject? Read it. Have they appeared in documentaries before? Watch them. Let them know you're at least somewhat familiar with who they are.
Once you get your first interview under your belt (and interviews are tricky - I'm still learning how to ask the best questions in order to get the best answers), more doors will open for you. Don't forget to ask if they know anyone you may be able to contact! As long as you present yourself as professional and knowledgeable and enthusiastic, people will take you seriously.
Good luck! :)
Kendra Bean
Hi Andy,
I started out with an idea and no knowledge of how to make that idea into a tangible reality, so everything was challenging on some level. But I think in particular, there were two big mountains to climb. The first was actually getting a publisher. In my mind Vivien Leigh is still totally famous (hello, everyone knows Gone With the Wind). But publishers didn't see it that way. She wasn't considered a "safe subject" like Marilyn Monroe or Audrey Hepburn, so I had to really sell the idea that Vivien deserved a new book and that she was still relevant and had a fan base.
The second major hurdle was getting everything turned in on a tight deadline. I've never been someone who can just sit down at the computer and have the words flow out of my fingertips onto the keyboard. I scrutinize and rewrite until it sounds the way I want it to. So it was tough, and there was a lot of anxiety that went with it. But it was very rewarding in the end to know that I could do it.
It's been a HUGE learning experience for me, and I wouldn't trade it for anything.
I started out with an idea and no knowledge of how to make that idea into a tangible reality, so everything was challenging on some level. But I think in particular, there were two big mountains to climb. The first was actually getting a publisher. In my mind Vivien Leigh is still totally famous (hello, everyone knows Gone With the Wind). But publishers didn't see it that way. She wasn't considered a "safe subject" like Marilyn Monroe or Audrey Hepburn, so I had to really sell the idea that Vivien deserved a new book and that she was still relevant and had a fan base.
The second major hurdle was getting everything turned in on a tight deadline. I've never been someone who can just sit down at the computer and have the words flow out of my fingertips onto the keyboard. I scrutinize and rewrite until it sounds the way I want it to. So it was tough, and there was a lot of anxiety that went with it. But it was very rewarding in the end to know that I could do it.
It's been a HUGE learning experience for me, and I wouldn't trade it for anything.
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