Is this before beer-guzzling, sobbing, streaking, or after? Only photographer Robin Gage knows for sure. Photo by Robin Gage.
TDQ: What are you reading right now?
Harmel: Right now, I’m reading “Miracle on the 17thGreen,” a short 1999 novel by James Patterson and Peter de Jonge; Keith Richards’s memoir, “Life;” and “The Book of Tomorrow” by Cecelia Ahern. Reading multiple books at the same time is a recently developed bad habit. But it has improved my juggling skills.
TDQ: What project are you working on right now?
Harmel: I’m just finishing up the first draft of Chubby Checker’s autobiography. I know, I know, you’re thinking, “Autobiography? But she doesn’t look like a 69-year-old rock’n’roll star.” What can I say, I have really good eye cream. Also, I’m just ghostwriting the book. I’m also about half way through the writing of my seventh novel, “The Blue Hour,” which will be out next year from Simon & Schuster. And of course I’ve been agonizing for months about my answers to The Daily Quarterly.
TDQ: You’ve been called a mix between Carrie Bradshaw and Bridget Jones, which begs the question, who would win in a fight between them?
Harmel: Bridget would probably trump Carrie in pure hand-to-hand combat, but Carrie is nearly always in stilettos, which, if necessary, can be used as deadly weapons, so I’m going to have to go with Carrie.
TDQ: You’ve written “chick lit” books for women and two books for girls. Ever thought about a novel about a couple guys who start up a news website? Ooooh! You could make it a Choose-Your-Own-Adventure book!
Harmel: Sounds like a steamy romance novel to me. Would you be willing to appear on the cover shirtless? Can I have the main character talk longingly of your rippling abs?
TDQ: Check your e-mail. We just sent you some photos. Isn’t it really all downhill from here after this interview runs?
Harmel: Completely. This is obviously the pinnacle of my career.
TDQ: In all the interviews you’ve given, what’s the one question you’ve never been asked that you wanted to be asked, and how would you answer?
Italian for Beginners
Harmel: “Kristin, I just loved your book so much that I’d like to make it into a movie, probably starring a hunky actor of your choosing, who will fall immediately in love with you when he realizes what a genius you are to have created such a compelling character for him to play. Then, I plan to make the movie a worldwide hit, on a larger scale than “Titanic,” and I’d love to give you a larger-than-normal share of the profits, so that you can comfortably buy that Beverly Hills mansion you’ve had your eye on and still have hundreds of millions of dollars left over in the bank. Would that be okay?”
I would mull it over for a moment and reply, “It depends. Does that mansion come with a pool boy?”
Oddly, I haven’t been interviewed by a filmmaker who has asked me this. Yet. I continue to wait.
TDQ: Are you on Twitter? If yes, why aren’t you following @dailyquarterly?
Harmel: I actually am on Twitter, but the application stopped working on my Blackberry, and in typical Lazy-Kristin style, instead of fixing it, I’ve just stopped tweeting. Now that I know that @dailyquarterly can be a part of my day, though, my life has new meaning. I’ll be sure to get back on. .
TDQ: Better source of news using social media: thedailyquarterly.com online or @dailyquarterly using Twitter?
Harmel: Is there a third option?
TDQ: You’ve lived in Paris, New York, LA, Miami and Boston, but now you live in Orlando. Was the lure of Mickey Mouse just too great?
Harmel: Yes. I’m a sucker for guys with big ears. You know what they say. Big ears: Big…. theme park.
TDQ: You’re welcome for our time
Harmel: Oh, did I forget to thank you?
Kristin’s next book, “The Blue Hour,” will be out next year. Also, keep an eye out for Chubby Checker’s autobiography. To learn more about Kristin and to buy her other books, check out her website.