Ah, Chris Crutcher. Any fan of The YA knows his name.
He's an active (and outspoken) advocate for children, teens and freedom of speech.
He's got two books on the ALA's 100 Most Frequently Challenged Books of 1990-2000, he's made the ALA's Top Ten Most Challenged Books Lists for two years running, as well as making 2005's Most Frequently Challenged Authors list. He won the Margaret A. Edwards award in 2000.
He's the author of Whale Talk (still makes me cry, and I've read it at least ten times), of Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes, of Stotan! and Ironman and Athletic Shorts and of the upcoming Deadline. His autobiography, King of the Mild Frontier, works extremely well on adult readers as a YA gateway drug. His fiction hooks reluctant readers on books and it says to all readers, reluctant or not: You Are Not Alone.
I apologize in advance for the upcoming picture of Rod Stewart.
Book(s) Currently Reading:
The Absolutely True Diary of a Part Time Indian, by Sherman Alexie; A Short History of Nearly Everything, by Bill Bryson; War and Peace, by Leo Tolstoy (only kidding).
Dixie Chicks, James Taylor, Carly Simon, Paul Simon (no relation), Beatles, Medwyn Goodall, Laura Brannigan, John Denver, Bruce Springsteen, Bob Seger, Emmylou Harris, Rod Stewart (man, I'm gonna get eaten alive on THAT list).
Last Movie Viewed:
Literary Crush (fictional and/or real):
Pet Peeve:
Publishing companies who pay five times my advance for a book written by a first time author with no proven track record who is also, say, the daughter of the President of the good ol' USA, who himself is something less than a wordsmith.
Current Obsession:
My wrinkled butt in a Speedo. (This should be viewed as a negative obsession.)
Guilty Pleasure:
Neccos
Favorite Piece of Trivia:
The Yreka Bakery (in Yreka, CA) is a palindrome.
Irrational Fear:
That my publishers will read about my Pet Peeve.
Favorite Word:
Fuck
For a slightly less silly, much more in-depth interview with Chris Crutcher, be sure to visit Finding Wonderland on Thursday. In the meantime, today's other SBBT interviews are as follows:
Laura Ruby at Miss Erin
Bennett Madison at Shaken & Stirred
Shaun Tan at A Fuse #8 Production
Holly Black at The YA YA YAs
Kazu Kibuishi at Finding Wonderland
Christopher Golden at Bildungsroman
David Brin at Chasing Ray
Kirsten Miller at Jen Robinson's Book Page
Sara Zarr at Big A, little a
Sonya Hartnett at Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast
The Rod Stewart photo is riveting. In a "now-I-have-to-gouge-my-eyes-out-and-still-I-can't-look-away" kind of way. That was so very wrong of you. And funny. And wrong.
Great SDQ interview, although I'd like to know whether Crutcher actually swims, or just wears the Speedo around his house, like Rod seems to do.
Posted by: Kelly Fineman | 19 June 2007 at 09:15 AM
Yes, ditto. The Rod photo is very wrong. I remember hearing an ad a few years ago on the radio for one of his upcoming big concerts: "ALL ROD, ALL NIGHT!" Also wrong.
I enjoyed that interview.
Posted by: Jules | 19 June 2007 at 10:17 AM
Co-ordinated two piece swimsuits! Not just for the ladies! Or the attractive!
Posted by: Lauren | 19 June 2007 at 05:08 PM
!&%^& Oh. Apology SO not accepted, woman.
I think the worst thing about Ye Olde Rod was the... erm...stripes. And now we will draw a veil.
I really liked this interview - Chris and I share pet peeves. And I daresay he would still blow Rod out of the water in a Speedo.
Posted by: TadMack | 19 June 2007 at 06:19 PM
Love the Necco picture. And this: "His fiction hooks reluctant readers on books and it says to all readers, reluctant or not: You Are Not Alone." I recently bought a copy of Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes, but haven't gotten to it yet. This interview encourages me to get to it sooner rather than later.
Posted by: Jen Robinson | 19 June 2007 at 10:16 PM
Jen - that book is going to knock your socks off. It's STILL my favorite of his. Still.
Posted by: TadMack | 19 June 2007 at 11:08 PM
Fun interview! The Rod picture alone is (sorta) worth it :)
I'm a huge Crutcher fan. Thanks for the interview, Leila.
Posted by: Kelly | 19 June 2007 at 11:09 PM
Leila. I just had to put my cereal down half-finished. Ew.
What's with the tuft of pubes spilling over the top? If your pubes are showing, you're not really dressed. That's my motto.
Moving on... this was a fun interview. Thanks to you and Mr. Crutcher.
Posted by: eisha | 20 June 2007 at 07:26 AM
Eisha, you just had to use the p-word, didn't you? I had convinced myself that it was a... strangely curly shadow.
Posted by: Leila | 20 June 2007 at 07:28 AM
Really fun interview! But jeez, guys...I'm going to have All-Rod-All-Night nightmares.
Posted by: a. fortis | 25 June 2007 at 01:02 AM