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>> ...THE GOLD CAR PARKED OUT
FRONT PULLS FORWARD.
>> SOME CRIMES HAVE THE NATURAL
ELEMENT OF ENTERTAINMENT IN
THEM.
BUT HOW DOES ONE CAPTURE THAT IN
A NOVEL?
NEXT, ON "GLOBAL PERSPECTIVES,"
WE'LL TALK TO SOMEONE WHO REALLY
KNOWS.
>> THIS PROGRAM IS MADE POSSIBLE
IN PART BY FUNDING FROM...
THIS IS "GLOBAL PERSPECTIVES,"
WITH PULITZER PRIZE-WINNING
COMMENTATOR JOHN BERSIA.
>> WELCOME TO
"GLOBAL PERSPECTIVES."
AMERICAN CRIME RATES HAVE BEEN
TRENDING DOWN FOR THE PAST
20 YEARS OR SO, BUT THE ISSUE
REMAINS A MAJOR CONCERN FOR
MANY, IF NOT MOST, AMERICANS.
PERHAPS IT'S BECAUSE WE SEE SO
MUCH OF IT.
SECURITY CAMERAS ALMOST MAKE US
A PART OF SOME CRIMES, SUCH AS
THIS ROBBERY OF A FLORIDA STORE,
WHERE CUSTOMERS WERE THREATENED
BY GUN-WAVING BAD GUYS...
OR THIS D.C. DRIVE-BY SHOOTING
THAT SENT PEOPLE SCRAMBLING.
SOME REAL CRIMES HAVE AN ELEMENT
OF ENTERTAINMENT -- SAY,
WATCHING SOME INEPT GUYS TRYING
TO MAKE OFF WITH AN ATM
MACHINE...
OR SEEING THE BAD GUY GET HIS AT
THE END OF A HIGH-SPEED CHASE.
OUR GUEST TODAY HAS LOTS OF
EXPERIENCE WITH ANOTHER
ENTERTAINMENT ASPECT OF CRIME.
LISA SCOTTOLINE IS THE AUTHOR OF
20 NOVELS THAT HAVE BEEN
TRANSLATED INTO 25 LANGUAGES.
SHE ALSO HAS BEEN PRESIDENT OF
THE MYSTERY WRITERS OF AMERICA
AND TEACHES A COLLEGE COURSE ON
JUSTICE AND FICTION.
WELL, LISA, THANK YOU FOR
JOINING US TODAY.
>> OH, THRILLED TO BE HERE.
>> YOU'VE BEEN WRITING NOVELS
NOW FOR ALMOST 20 YEARS.
>> RIGHT.
>> WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO WRITE
THE FIRST ONE?
>> WELL, I THINK I'VE ALWAYS
LOVED BOOKS AND SORT OF A
BOOK-OHOLIC.
AND I THINK IT WAS -- AS A
PERSONAL MATTER, I WAS A LAWYER
AND WAS HAPPILY MARRIED, AT
LEAST I THOUGHT, UNTIL BASICALLY
A BABY CAME ALONG AND KIND OF
EVERYTHING FELL APART.
AND I SAID, "I'VE GOT TO FIND
ANOTHER WAY TO MAKE A LIVING."
YOU COULDN'T REALLY BE A TRIAL
LAWYER, AT LEAST IN MY VIEW, AND
BE A SINGLE MOM.
SO, I STUDIED UNDER PHILIP ROTH
AT UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA AS
AN ENGLISH MAJOR, AND I SAID, "I
SHOULD BE ABLE TO DO THIS."
AND I ALWAYS THOUGHT BACK TO
NANCY DREW.
I THINK TODAY I WRITE
NANCY DREW WITH A MORTGAGE.
THAT'S HOW I VIEW WHAT I DO.
>> WAS IT YOUR LAW BACKGROUND
THAT LED YOU IN THE DIRECTION OF
CRIME-FILLED STORIES?
>> I THINK IT WAS.
I THINK THESE ISSUES -- A CRIME
ALWAYS WILL INVOLVE IN THIS SORT
OF CALCULUS OF QUESTIONS ABOUT
IT -- RIGHT AND WRONG AND GOOD
AND EVIL AND HATE AND LOVE.
IT'S A BIG THING TO WRITE ABOUT.
YOU'RE GOING WAY BACK, RIGHT?
DOSTOEVSKY, SHAKESPEARE.
GO BACK TO "MERCHANT OF VENICE."
GO BACK TO THESE QUESTIONS OF
WHAT IS JUSTICE, WHAT IS LAW,
WHAT IS CRIMINAL, AND WHAT
ISN'T.
I THINK THAT'S REALLY COOL STUFF
TO WRITE ABOUT.
AND IT WILL ALWAYS -- IF YOU
EVEN HAVE ANY KIND OF NOVEL THAT
HAS A KIND OF, I THINK OF IT AS
A TOP LINE, OF WHODUNIT AND,
MORE IMPORTANTLY, WHY DID THEY
DO IT -- 'CAUSE I THINK THAT'S A
MORE MODERN WAY TO LOOK AT IT --
IT WILL ALWAYS RESONATE.
THERE WILL ALWAYS BE LAYERS THAT
SMART PEOPLE WILL START TO THINK
ABOUT THE THEMATIC QUESTIONS
BEHIND THEM.
EVEN A SINGLE *** -- MOST OF
MY NOVELS WILL HAVE ONE.
I NEVER WRITE -- THERE'S NOT A
HIGH BODY COUNT.
IT ONLY TAKES ONE TO REALLY
UNDERSTAND THE IMPLICATIONS OF A
CRIME AND ITS RIPPLE EFFECTS.
>> HAVE YOU EVER BEEN VICTIMIZED
BY CRIME?
>> NO, I HAVEN'T.
I ACTUALLY, KNOCK WOOD, HAVE NOT
BEEN A CRIME VICTIM.
>> YOU'RE REALLY LUCKY.
>> I AM.
BUT I DO A LOT OF RESEARCH.
I KIND OF HANG WITH HOMICIDE
DETECTIVES.
AND I'VE INTERVIEWED MORE THAN
MY SHARE OF MURDERERS.
IT'S VERY CHILLING TO BE IN A
CELL WITH SOMEBODY WHO'S
COMMITTED MULTIPLE MURDERS.
THEY'RE NOT AS WARM AS YOU,
JOHN.
>> WELL, TELL US ABOUT ONE OF
THOSE WITHOUT MENTIONING ANY
NAMES.
WHAT WAS IT LIKE?
WHAT WAS YOUR INITIAL REACTION?
DID YOU FEEL THREATENED AT ANY
TIME?
>> ANSWER IS, I FELT THREATENED
ALL THE TIME.
FOR ONE BOOK I DID, CALLED
"ROUGH JUSTICE," WHERE THERE WAS
A HIRED KILLER.
NOW, THAT'S A DIFFERENT --
USUALLY, MY MAIN CHARACTER, AS I
SAID, FOR A LONG TIME, FOR
20 YEARS, WAS EVERYWOMAN.
THE NEW NOVELS MORE I'M WRITING
ABOUT A MALE PROTAGONIST, AS
WELL.
I DON'T THINK I WRITE FOR A
GENDER OR A SET OF REPRODUCTIVE
ORGANS.
I THINK I'M WRITING FOR A
SENSIBILITY.
SO, PEOPLE WHO WANT A
PAGE-TURNER, BUT IT HAS TO BE
REALLY WELL-WRITTEN AND HAVE
SOME DEPTH.
NOW, USUALLY I CAN PUT MYSELF IN
THE SHOES OF THAT MAIN
CHARACTER AND MOST OF THE MINOR
CHARACTERS.
THE LAW STUFF I KNOW.
WHAT I DON'T KNOW FORENSICALLY,
I FIND OUT.
BUT I HAD A CHARACTER THAT WAS A
HIRED KILLER, AND I DON'T HAVE
THAT SHADE OF DARK, HONESTLY, IN
ME.
I JUST DON'T.
SO, I WENT AND INTERVIEWED THIS
GUY, AND, YOU KNOW, IT'S
TERRIBLE BECAUSE THE HARDEST
THING TO WRITE ABOUT IT WAS THAT
YOU HAD TO AVOID THE CLICHé.
BUT MY SENSE BEING WITH HIM WAS
THE THING THAT I HOPE
COMMUNICATED ON PAPER, WHICH
THAT THERE WAS ABSOLUTE REMOVE.
THERE WAS NO WARMTH, BUT THERE
WASN'T COLDNESS.
THERE WAS JUST LACK OF AFFECT.
AND YOU SAY, "SO, WHAT DOES IT
FEEL LIKE TO KILL SOMEBODY?"
AND HE SAYS, "WELL, YOU KNOW."
I REMEMBER HE SAID, "IT DOESN'T
FEEL LIKE ANYTHING."
AND I THOUGHT, "WELL, I GET
THAT, BECAUSE I CAN TELL THAT
YOU DON'T FEEL ANYTHING."
HIS LAWYER WAS WITH ME.
WE WERE IN A CELL, AN INTERVIEW
ROOM.
I DID NOT FEEL -- IT WOULDN'T
HAVE MADE A DIFFERENCE TO HIM IF
I LIVED OR DIED OR HE KILLED ME
OR SOMEONE ELSE KILLED ME, WHICH
WAS MORE CHILLING THAN HIM BEING
ANGRY AT ME.
>> ALSO, AN UNBELIEVABLE AMOUNT
OF PROFANITY, ONLY A FRACTION OF
WHICH I PUT IN THE BOOK.
THERE WAS ANGER IN HIM, BUT IT
WAS SOMEWHERE ELSE.
>> WAS THERE SOME EXPLANATION AS
TO WHY HE DID THIS?
>> OH, THERE'S A WHOLE
BACKSTORY, AND THERE'S ALSO A
SET OF EXCUSES.
SOMETIMES CRIMINALS ARE REALLY
INTERESTING, AND SOMETIMES,
HONESTLY, THEY'RE NOT.
SOMETIMES THEY'RE JUST
DISORGANIZED PEOPLE WHO HAVE
MADE REALLY POOR DECISIONS AND
KIND OF DON'T KNOW HOW TO GET
OUT OF IT.
AND I THINK HE WAS A LITTLE BIT
THE LATTER.
>> TAKE US INSIDE YOUR HEAD WHEN
YOU'RE PREPARING TO WRITE ONE OF
YOUR NOVELS AND EXPLAIN TO US
HOW YOU PREPARE.
DO YOU COME UP WITH THE TITLE
FIRST, OR IS THAT SOMETHING THAT
COMES LAST?
>> I'M VERY BAD AT TITLES.
>> OKAY.
>> I CAN'T DECIDE IF IT'S
BECAUSE I'M A WOMAN OR 'CAUSE
I'M ITALIAN.
SO, TWO WORDS DOES NOT COME
EASILY TO ME.
LIKE, I'M WARMING UP AT ABOUT
30,000 WORDS.
I WRITE NOW -- THE NOVELS ARE
ABOUT 90,000.
I ALSO WRITE A HUMOR COLUMN FOR
THE PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER,
CALLED "CHICK WIT."
THAT'S 800 WORDS.
IT'S HARD FOR ME.
I CAN'T DO TWO WORDS.
SO, WHAT COMES TO ME FIRST IS AN
IDEA.
THE NEW BOOK IS CALLED
"DON'T GO."
IT'S ABOUT A GUY WHO SERVES IN
AFGHANISTAN, AND HE COMES HOME
TO FIND THAT HIS WIFE HAS BEEN
KILLED IN WHAT LOOKS LIKE A
HOUSEHOLD ACCIDENT, AND HIS JOB
IS TO SORT OF FIGURE OUT WHAT
HAPPENED AND TRY TO LEARN TO BE
A FATHER TO HIS YOUNG DAUGHTER,
WHO HE'S NEVER MET.
AND, REALLY, HE'S INSECURE ABOUT
THAT.
NOW, SOMETHING LIKE THAT, YOU
CAN SORT OF IMAGINE YOURSELF IN
HIS SHOES.
BUT THAT WHOLE IDEA CAME TO ME
WHEN JUST THINKING A LOT ABOUT
WAR.
I'VE WRITTEN A PREVIOUS NOVEL,
"KILLER SMILE," WHICH HAD TO DO
WITH THE ITALIAN INTERNMENT
DURING WORLD WAR II, WHICH I
HADN'T KNOWN ABOUT.
MY GRANDPARENTS WERE NOT
INTERNED BUT WERE REGISTERED AS
ENEMY ALIENS, EVEN AS MY FATHER
SERVED IN WORLD WAR II, OF
COURSE, FIGHTING FOR US.
AND SO, YOU SORT OF GET AN IDEA
THAT GETS TIPPED OFF.
WITH "DON'T GO," IT WAS REALLY
MORE LIKE, "WOW, IF YOU'RE
WRITING A SERIES OF BOOKS, WHICH
I HAVE, ABOUT, LET'S SAY,
STARRING WOMEN, ULTIMATELY, YOUR
QUESTION IS A LITTLE BIT ABOUT
WHAT IS A WOMAN?
AND AT SOME POINT, IT KIND OF
MORPHED INTO, WHAT IS A MOTHER?
AND NOW, I'M THINKING MORE
ABOUT, WHAT IS A FATHER?
AND IF YOU SET THAT *** IN
THE CONTEXT OF WARTIME, WHICH WE
ARE HAVING, ALTHOUGH WE HAVE
KIND OF A REMOTE RELATIONSHIP TO
THIS WAR.
AND I ALSO WANTED TO LOOK AT THE
INTERESTING DIFFERENCES THAT
OCCUR AT THE BEGINNING OF A WAR
AS OPPOSED TO THE END.
IS IT DIFFERENT TO DIE IN
AFGHANISTAN TODAY AS OPPOSED TO
SIX YEARS AGO?
WELL, LET ME SUGGEST THAT I
THINK THERE'S A DIFFERENCE.
IT'S AN AWFUL LOSS FOR THE
FAMILY.
IT'S AN AWFUL LOSS EITHER WAY.
BUT THERE IS A REAL POIGNANCE TO
A TIME THAT YOU PASS AFTER YOUR
COUNTRY HAS ANNOUNCED IT'S
PULLING OUT.
AND SO, I SORT OF WANTED THAT TO
GIVE THE NOVEL ITS RESONANCE AND
DEPTH.
AND THAT IDEA JUST COMES TO YOU,
AND THEN YOU START WRITING.
SO, IF I GAVE YOU A GLIMPSE INTO
MY HEAD, IT WOULD BE SORT OF AN
ANXIETY.
THERE WOULD BE -- WELL, THERE
WOULD BE A FAIR AMOUNT OF
COBWEBS OVER HERE.
BUT, BASICALLY, YOU'RE ANXIOUS,
BECAUSE IF YOU DON'T WRITE WITH
AN OUTLINE, YOU HAVE AN IDEA.
IT SEEMS LIKE A GOOD IDEA, AND
IT SEEMS LIKE ONE THAT COULD
ACTUALLY HAPPEN.
AND SO YOU'VE GOT TO FIGURE OUT
WHY THIS WOMAN DIED, WHO KILLED
HER, WHY THEY KILLED HER, AND
WHY IT MATTERS, WHICH IS THE
LARGER QUESTION.
>> DO YOU EVER INJECT YOURSELF
INTO YOUR WORK, IN THE SENSE OF
CREATING A CHARACTER THAT'S SORT
OF YOU?
>> I'M TRYING TO MAKE NOVELS
THAT ARE NOT ONLY ENTERTAINING
BUT INTERESTING AND INFORMATIVE
AND ALL THAT GOOD STUFF, BUT,
ULTIMATELY, THAT MOVE YOU.
IF YOU'RE READING A PAGE-TURNER,
MAYBE YOU HAVE A BOOK THAT
YOU'RE KIND OF JUST GOING
THROUGH, BUT MOST OFTEN, OR AT
LEAST I HOPE, WHAT I WRITE IS A
BOOK THAT YOU EMOTIONALLY
CONNECT TO THAT MAIN CHARACTER.
NOW, TO DO THAT, I THINK YOU
HAVE TO GO WITHIN.
YOU HAVE TO TALK ABOUT EMOTIONS
YOU'VE HAD OR LIFE EXPERIENCES
YOU'VE HAD.
AND YOU HAVE TO NOT BE AFRAID TO
SAY THAT.
SOMETIMES I SAY, IF YOU'RE NOT
WRITING SOMETHING THAT MAKES YOU
CRINGE, BECAUSE IT'S SO AN
EXPOSURE OF YOURSELF, THEN YOU
HAVEN'T DONE YOUR JOB.
NOBODY WILL CONNECT IF IT'S
GENERIC.
AND I DON'T WRITE FICTION LIKE
THAT OR NONFICTION LIKE THAT.
SO, I THINK, TO A CERTAIN
EXTENT, ALL OF THE CHARACTERS
HAVE SOME ASPECT OF ME, BELIEVE
IT OR NOT.
>> HAVE YOU EVER ENCOUNTERED A
CRIMINAL OR HEARD A STORY THAT
WAS SO HORRIBLE THAT YOU
INITIALLY WERE INTERESTED IN
USING IT AND THEN JUST RECOILED
AND DIDN'T USE IT?
>> I NEVER WOULD WRITE A STORY
THAT'S IN ANY WAY FROM EXTERNAL.
I COULD EXPLAIN TO YOU, AND IT'S
MORE TIME EVEN THAN YOU HAVE,
WHY EACH BOOK OCCURS TO ME AT
EACH POINT AND TIME.
BUT THEY'RE ALWAYS FROM
SOMETHING THAT IS PERSONAL, EVEN
A LIGHT THING.
"LOOK AGAIN," WHICH WAS A NOVEL,
WAS ACTUALLY JUST CHOSEN FOR
WORLD BOOK NIGHT, WHICH IS
WONDERFUL, TO PROMOTE LITERACY
GLOBALLY.
OKAY, SO HERE IS I HAVE A KID
WHO'S LEAVING COLLEGE.
SHE'S GRADUATED.
AND I SORT OF REALIZED, "GEE,
I'M GONNA HAVE TO LET HER GO."
AND WHEN I GOT HOME FROM PACKING
HER IN A CAR AND HAVING THAT FUN
RIDE, I SAID TO MYSELF, "THIS
IS INTERESTING, BECAUSE I FEEL
LIKE I HAVE TO LET HER GO, BUT
THAT ASSUMES I OWN HER," AND
THAT'S EXACTLY INCORRECT.
SO, THE NEXT BOOK I WROTE WAS A
BOOK ABOUT A WOMAN WHO COMES
HOME ONE DAY.
AND SHE GETS ONE OF THOSE FLIERS
IN THE MAIL, AND IT SAYS, "HAVE
YOU SEEN THIS CHILD?"
KID IN THE MIDDLE LOOKS EXACTLY
LIKE HER KID, WHO'S ADOPTED.
AND THE READER -- 'CAUSE MY
READERS ARE SMART -- KNOWS RIGHT
AWAY, ON THE FIRST PAGE, THAT
THIS WOMAN, THERE'S SOMETHING
WRONG WITH HER ADOPTION.
SHE DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT THAT.
SHE'S COMPLETELY INNOCENT.
AND SHE'S GONNA HAVE TO DECIDE
WHETHER SHE TELLS EVERYBODY AND
MAYBE LOSES HER CHILD, OR KEEPS
A SECRET AND KEEPS HER CHILD.
WHAT'S REALLY GOING ON IN
"LOOK AGAIN" IS THE QUESTION OF
WHO OWNS A CHILD, AND IT CAME
FROM MY EXPERIENCE PICKING UP MY
KID AT COLLEGE.
SO, EVERYTHING COMES FROM
WITHIN, BECAUSE THE EMOTIONALITY
IS WHAT HAS TO UNDERPIN THE
NOVEL.
THAT'S WHY NOTHING I'VE EVER
HEARD ABOUT EVER FINDS ITS WAY
INTO MY BOOKS.
IT WOULD BE AN OVERLAY.
I LEAVE IT TO "LAW & ORDER" TO
DO THE RIP-FROM-THE-HEADLINES
STUFF.
I DON'T DO THAT STUFF.
>> MM-HMM.
IS THERE ANY SUBJECT YOU WON'T
TOUCH IN YOUR WORK?
>> I'M NOT A BIG FAN OF CHILD
MOLESTATION.
IT'S TERRIBLE TO SAY.
I DON'T MEAN TO BE GLIB ABOUT
IT.
YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU WRITE A
NOVEL, AND I'M WRITING TWO A
YEAR, AND I WRITE THE HUMOR
BOOK, AS WELL.
BUT YOU'RE SPENDING SIX
MONTHS -- I WORK EVERY DAY,
SEVEN DAYS A WEEK, PRETTY MUCH
ALL DAY AND A LOT OF THE NIGHT.
I DO 2,000 WORDS A DAY WHEN IT'S
FIRST DRAFT.
YOU'RE SPENDING A LOT OF TIME IN
THE CONSCIOUSNESS OF THESE
PEOPLE.
AND THAT'S WHY I SO FAR HAVEN'T
HAD A MAIN CHARACTER WHO'S LIKE
DEXTER OR RIPLEY, AS WONDERFUL
AS PATRICIA HIGHSMITH WAS.
I DON'T WANT TO SPEND MY TIME IN
THAT SPACE.
I FEAR IT WILL SHORTEN MY LIFE,
CAUSE CANCER, MAKE ME
MISERABLE.
I'M CRANKY ENOUGH.
I DON'T NEED IT.
SO, I DON'T -- SOME SUBJECTS SO
FAR I'M NOT REALLY DELVING INTO.
>> TELL US ABOUT "CHICK WIT,"
WHICH YOU WRITE WITH YOUR
DAUGHTER.
>> "CHICK WIT" IS SO FUN.
HAVING WRITTEN THE NOVELS AND
SORT OF THINKING MORE ABOUT MY
LIFE AND BEING A HUGE FAN OF
NEWSPAPERS AND BEEN READING
THE PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER,
WHICH IS MY HOMETOWN NEWSPAPER,
ALTHOUGH I REMEMBER WHEN WE HAD
TWO.
AND, ALSO, THINKING, "DAMN, I
MISS ERMA BOMBECK."
YOU KNOW, LOOKING AT THE PAGE
AND SEEING THERE'S LOTS OF STUFF
ABOUT POLITICS.
BUT RUSSELL BAKER,
ANNA QUINDLEN, ELLEN GOODMAN,
MIKE ROYKO -- NEWSPAPER USED TO
BE A LOT ABOUT VOICE.
AND -- DAVE BARRY!
I MISS THAT.
AND I THOUGHT, "WE NEED THAT."
SO, I ACTUALLY WENT TO
THE INQUIRER AND SAID, "LISTEN.
WHY DON'T YOU LET ME DO THIS?"
AND THEY SAID, YOU KNOW, IT WAS
LIKE A "SEINFELD" EPISODE.
"WHAT'S IT GONNA BE ABOUT?"
AND I SAID, "IT'S NOT GONNA BE
ABOUT ANYTHING.
JUST WATCH AND LET'S SEE IF I
CAN DO IT."
AND HAPPILY IT ENDED UP BEING --
IT'S VERY POPULAR.
IT BECAME A SERIES OF BOOKS.
THE FIRST ONE WAS, "WHY MY THIRD
HUSBAND WILL BE A DOG."
AND WHAT IT'S REALLY ABOUT IS
THE LIFE OF A WOMAN, BUT TRULY
IT'S NOT ME, PER SE, AT ALL,
JUST AS THE NOVELS AREN'T ME,
PER SE.
IT'S ABOUT EVERY WOMAN.
IT'S ABOUT -- WHAT IT'S GOING
TO BE IS I WRITE IT WITH MY
DAUGHTER, WHO'S TWENTY-SOMETHING
NOW.
AND IT WAS ABOUT HER GROWING UP,
IN A WAY.
TWENTY-SOMETHING PEOPLE FOLLOW
THE COLUMN.
FIFTY-SOMETHING PEOPLE FOLLOW
ME.
AND MY MOTHER, GOD BLESS HER,
WHO LIVES IN MIAMI, PEOPLE
FOLLOW HER.
AND SO, IT BECOMES A LITTLE BIT
ABOUT EVERY WOMAN IN THE
SANDWICH GENERATION, HAVING AN
AILING AND CRANKY PARENT WHOM
YOU ADORE ON ONE END AND A
CRANKY DAUGHTER SOMETIMES -- HOW
WE GET ALONG, HOW WE DON'T.
WHAT IS THE STUFF OF YOUR
EVERYDAY LIFE AND WITH HUMOR.
BELIEVE IT OR NOT, THIS WAS A
SERIOUS DISCUSSION, BUT THERE'S
HUMOR IN MY NOVELS, AS WELL.
I THINK I WRITE ABOUT SMART
PEOPLE, AND THEY'RE OFTEN FUNNY.
THEY'RE WITTY.
THEY LIKE TO MAKE JOKES.
"DON'T GO" HAS A SCENE OF REALLY
DARK HUMOR, 'CAUSE I FIND IT
WITH HOMICIDE DETECTIVES, AND I
THINK YOU FIND IT IN WAR.
I WAS HELPED VERY MUCH IN THE
RESEARCH OF THAT BOOK BY AN ARMY
SURGEON IN AFGHANISTAN, WHO HAD
RETURNED.
YOU DON'T GET GREAT RESEARCH
LIKE THAT OFTEN.
AND THERE'S A SCENE IN THE BOOK
WHERE THE ARMY SURGEON,
ATTENDING HIS WIFE'S FUNERAL,
HOLDS HIS BABY, WHO DOESN'T KNOW
HIM AND BASICALLY SORT OF ISN'T
INTERESTED, AND HE ALMOST DROPS
HER.
HE'S HORRIFIED.
EVERYONE'S UPSET.
HE COULDN'T BE MORE EMBARRASSED.
HE GOES BACK TO THE WAR, AND
THEY START THROWING THINGS AT
HIM, TO SEE IF HE CAN CATCH.
AND THAT, I LIKE TO USE HUMOR IN
THOSE BOOKS.
I GET TO WRITE THE HUMOR COLUMN.
THAT'S FUN.
BUT I THINK YOU CAN ALWAYS FIND
SOME EVEN DARK HUMOR THAT WILL
ALSO NOT ONLY GIVE A LITTLE
COMIC RELIEF BUT BRING A LITTLE
HUMANITY TO THE NOVELS, AS WELL.
>> YOU TOUCHED ON WHAT SOME HAVE
CALLED THE GOLDEN AGE OF OPINION
JOURNALISM.
WHAT'S YOUR PERSPECTIVE ON THE
EVOLUTION OF PRINT AND BROADCAST
MEDIA IN THE 21st CENTURY?
>> I'M THRILLED.
I WISH THERE WERE MORE -- I FEAR
FOR PRINT, AS I FEAR FOR
BOOKSTORES, 'CAUSE MY FIRST LOVE
IS -- I STILL LIKE THE LOW-TECH
OF THE NEWS-- I DON'T EVEN MIND
WHEN MY HANDS GET DIRTY.
I STILL LIKE A NOVEL, BUT I READ
BOTH IN DIFFERENT FORMATS, AND
I'VE COME TO THINK THIS IS A
DISTINCTION OF FORM OVER
SUBSTANCE.
WHAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT IS THAT
PEOPLE READ.
WHAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT IS THAT
NEWSPAPERS REPORT AND HAVE
PEOPLE LIKE YOU AND PEOPLE WHO
ARE INVESTIGATING THINGS AND
BRINGING THINGS TO LIGHT THAT
NEED TO BE BROUGHT TO LIGHT.
SOMEBODY, GOD KNOWS, HAS TO
FIGURE OUT THE ECONOMIC MODEL
BECAUSE YOU NEED MONEY TO RUN A
BUREAU.
AND I'VE BEEN WRITING THIS FOR
THE INQUIRER OVER FIVE YEARS,
ALMOST SIX NOW.
THE NEWSROOM IS MUCH DIFFERENT
THAN IT WAS.
THE NEWSPAPER HAS CHANGED HANDS
AND EVEN GONE THROUGH A
BANKRUPTCY.
THANK GOD IT'S STILL VITAL.
BUT THIS IS WORRISOME.
THERE HAS TO BE A WAY, BECAUSE
BOOKS ARE DOING VERY WELL.
I MEAN, PEOPLE ARE FINDING
E-BOOKS, THANK GOD, AND SO
THEY'RE READING IN BOTH FORMATS.
AND THERE ARE MORE BOOKS
PUBLISHED NOW THAN EVER.
I REALLY WISH WE COULD FIGURE
THAT OUT FOR NEWSPAPERS.
>> NOW, YOUR BOOKS HAVE BEEN
TRANSLATED INTO 25 FOREIGN
LANGUAGES AND PUBLISHED IN
35-PLUS COUNTRIES.
WHAT IS THAT LIKE, TO KNOW THAT
YOU'RE EVERYWHERE?
>> [ LAUGHS ]
I FEEL VERY LUCKY.
I FEEL LUCKY EVERY DAY.
I HAD FIVE YEARS OF WELL,
POVERTY WOULD BE THE WORD THAT
COMES TO MIND, TRYING TO GET
PUBLISHED, WITH MY DAUGHTER, AND
A LOT OF REJECTION.
ANYONE WHO GETS INTO -- WELL, I
THINK IT'S ACTUALLY ANY
BUSINESS.
IT'S NOT THE WORST THING TO
LEARN.
YOU KNOW, IF IT DOESN'T KILL
YOU, IT MAKES YOU BITTER.
THAT'S WHAT I DECIDED.
I REMEMBER AN AGENT WROTE ME A
LETTER, A REJECTION LETTER, AND
IT SAID, "WE DON'T HAVE TIME TO
TAKE ANY MORE CLIENTS, AND IF WE
DID, WE WOULDN'T TAKE YOU."
>> OH.
>> NICE.
NOW, I SEE THAT GUY EVERY YEAR
AT BOOK EXPO, IN NEW YORK, AND
I'M LIKE, "DUDE, I REMEMBER YOU.
I WILL NEVER FOR--" -- IT'S
20 YEARS LATER.
I'M STILL FURIOUS.
>> YOU MENTIONED THAT SOME OF
YOUR BOOKS HAVE INSPIRATION IN
EVENTS THAT TAKE PLACE IN OTHER
COUNTRIES, SUCH AS AFGHANISTAN.
HOW OFTEN IS THAT THE SITUATION,
AND DO YOU TRAVEL A LOT OVERSEAS
TO GET IDEAS?
>> I DON'T, BECAUSE TO ME IT'S
ALL -- LOCATION IS IRRELEVANT,
WHICH IS SURPRISING, BECAUSE
PEOPLE WILL SAY, "OH,
PHILADELPHIA'S A CHARACTER IN
YOUR NOVELS."
AND I GO, "THAT'S VERY NICE."
I'M NOT SURE I AGREE, BUT THAT'S
A THING PEOPLE SAY.
TO ME, SETTING MATTERS BECAUSE
I'M A GREAT STRUNK AND WHITE
FAN ABOUT SPECIFICITY OF WRITING
IN PARTICULAR.
SO, SETTING GROUNDS A CHARACTER,
JUST AS THAT CHARACTER'S
FAVORITE FOOD, HOBBY, LOVE LIFE,
HAIR, MAKEUP, CARBOHYDRATE
COUNT.
YOU WANT TO KNOW ALL THAT, BUT
NOT ALL OF IT MATTERS.
WHAT MATTERS IS THE CHARACTER
AND DOES IT WORK AND DO YOU
CARE?
SO, I WOULD NOT TRAVEL FOR
SETTING.
I WOULDN'T TRAVEL FOR VERY MUCH
AT ALL.
YOU DON'T NEED TO, 'CAUSE IT'S A
FUNCTION OF YOUR IMAGINATION,
WHICH IS THE WONDERFUL NEWS
ABOUT IT.
>> WHEN YOU CONNECT WITH PEOPLE
TO INTERVIEW THEM FOR YOUR
BOOKS, DO YOU DO THAT TYPICALLY
IN PERSON, BY PHONE, ONLINE?
THERE ARE SO MANY WAYS TO
CONNECT.
>> ALWAYS IN PERSON.
>> ALWAYS IN PERSON.
>> I LOVE THAT.
THEY'RE HAPPIER INTERVIEWS THAN
THE SERIAL-KILLER GUY.
BUT I LOVE TO LISTEN TO -- YOU
KNOW, I THINK THE CENTRAL
QUESTION OF ANY NOVEL IS, "WHAT
IS IT LIKE TO BE YOU?"
AND I'VE LEARNED THAT THAT'S MY
RESEARCH QUESTION.
WHAT IS IT LIKE TO BE YOU?
I WANT TO KNOW EVERYTHING ABOUT
YOU.
I MEAN, I KIND OF DO.
AND IN YOUR CASE, YOUR FAMILY'S
FASCINATING.
YOUR FATHER'S FASCINATING.
I WANT TO KNOW ABOUT THAT.
AND IT ALL INFORMS EVERYTHING.
IT COMES IN, ESPECIALLY
RESEARCH.
COME IN WITH A LIST OF
QUESTIONS.
THAT'S THE STUFF ACTUALLY YOU
CAN GET ON THE WEBSITE THESE
DAYS.
BUT I JUST DID INTERVIEWS IN A
PRISON JUST TO SEE MORE THINGS
ABOUT PRISON.
I WAS LIKE, "WOW, YOU KNOW WHAT
I LEARNED?
THE FOOD IS OVERSALTED IN
PRISONS."
NOW, THAT'S AN INTERESTING
DETAIL.
I WANT THAT.
THE RESULT OF THAT IS, ACTUALLY,
THAT THE PRISONERS ARE THIRSTIER
THAN THEY SHOULD BE.
AND SO SOMETIMES THEY FIGHT OVER
WATER BOTTLES.
WHO KNEW THAT?
WELL, THAT'S THE KIND OF STUFF
YOU FIND OUT BECAUSE YOU HAPPEN
TO -- THEY SAY, "DO YOU WANT TO
HAVE LUNCH?"
I GO, "I WOULD NOT PASS UP THE
OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE LUNCH IN A
PRISON."
AND THEN I LEARNED SOMETHING
THAT I DIDN'T -- IT CERTAINLY
WASN'T ON MY FACT SHEET.
BUT IT WILL BE IN A NOVEL.
NO ONE -- PRISON OFFICIALS WILL
GO, "WOW, SHE REALLY DID HER
HOMEWORK."
NOBODY ELSE WILL GET IT, EXCEPT
MAYBE PEOPLE LIKE YOU MIGHT GO,
"THAT'S KIND OF COOL."
THAT'S MY JOB.
I'LL INTERVIEW PEOPLE FOR THE
RESEARCH, AND I ALWAYS SEEM TO
FIND -- I TRACK THEM DOWN.
AND HAPPILY, AT THIS POINT,
THEY'LL COME TO THE SIGNINGS.
SOME SAY, "I'M AN E.R. DOCTOR."
AND I'M LIKE, "OKAY, YOU NEED TO
GIVE ME YOUR CARD, 'CAUSE I KNOW
EVERY BOOK I NEED AN E.R.
DOCTOR.
SOMEBODY ENDS UP IN AN EMERGENCY
ROOM SOMEWHERE."
I WISH I KNEW MORE ABOUT
EVERYTHING.
>> YOU SAID THERE'S ALWAYS AT
LEAST ONE DEATH IN YOUR WORKS.
IS IT ALWAYS OVERT, OR IS IT
SOMETIMES SUBTLE, LIKE A DEATH
THAT HAPPENS AS A RESULT OF
SOMETHING ELSE, LIKE A GLOBAL
PROBLEM, HUMAN TRAFFICKING,
SOMETHING LIKE THAT?
OFTENTIMES, PEOPLE DIE IN THOSE
AREAS, AND NOBODY HEARS THEM.
>> WELL, YOU KNOW, I DID THAT IN
"KILLER SMILE," WHERE, DURING
THE INTERNMENT, I SUBPOENAED
FROM THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT
FILES OF ITALIAN-AMERICANS WHO
WERE INTERNED.
AND FIVE IN FACT -- FIVE --
COMMITTED SUICIDE DURING THAT
TIME.
AND SO, I USED ONE OF THOSE AND
CREATED A COMPOSITE.
IN "DON'T GO," IT'S SORT OF AN
INTERESTING QUESTION BECAUSE I
WANTED TO LOOK AT THE EFFECTS OF
WAR AT HOME AND IN A SUBTLE WAY,
SO, IF YOU LOSE SOMEBODY AT
HOME.
AND ALSO TO EXAMINE THE VERY
INTERESTING, TO ME, LEGAL
QUESTION OF WHAT ARE YOUR
DUTIES?
THIS WOMAN IS LEFT FOR DEAD IN
THE FIRST CHAPTER, LEFT TO DIE.
IS THAT A ***?
DO YOU HAVE A DUTY TO SAVE HER?
WELL, ANSWER IS NO, IT'S NOT A
*** AND NO, YOU DON'T HAVE A
DUTY TO SAVE.
AND HOW DO WE FEEL ABOUT THAT AS
A CULTURE?
I THINK WE THINK ABOUT THAT
QUESTION ALL THE TIME ON A
GLOBAL PERSPECTIVE.
DO WE WANT TO GO TO KOREA?
WHO ARE WE GONNA SAVE NEXT?
WHAT ARE YOUR MORAL OBLIGATIONS
AND HOW ARE THEY CONSISTENT WITH
YOUR LEGAL OBLIGATIONS,
DEPENDING ON WHATEVER TREATIES
YOU HAVE.
>> WHAT IS NEXT FOR YOU?
YOU'VE BEEN A LAWYER, A WRITER,
A COLUMNIST, A TEACHER.
IS THERE ANOTHER INCARNATION
THAT YOU THINK ABOUT?
>> NO, I THINK I HAVE MY HANDS
FULL, PRETTY MUCH.
I DO THINK ABOUT WRITING FOR
YOUNGER PEOPLE, BECAUSE I FEEL
LIKE -- THAT'S WHAT'S SO
IMPORTANT ABOUT THE E-READING,
THAT I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT
PEOPLE READ -- THAT, BOTTOM
LINE.
SO, THAT EVEN IF KIDS ARE
READING ON TOUCH SCREENS, AND
YOU'VE PROBABLY SEEN THE VIDEOS
I HAVE, WHERE YOU HAND THE BABY
A BOOK, AND SHE STARTS DOING
THIS.
I'M OKAY WITH THAT, BUT YOU'VE
GOT TO WRITE TO THAT GROUP IF
YOU WANT TO KEEP THEIR EYEBALLS
AND THEIR MINDS.
AND WE WANT TO KEEP THOSE THINGS
BECAUSE I THINK READING
NURTURES.
>> CAN YOU TELL US A LITTLE BIT
ABOUT THE NEXT BOOK?
>> IT'S CALLED "KEEP QUIET."
TWO WORDS HAS KILLED ME TO COME
UP WITH.
BUT IT'S SORT OF EXAMINING WHAT
IS A FATHER, WHAT ARE YOUR
OBLIGATIONS AS A PARENT?
AND I THINK, BASICALLY, WHAT
HAPPENS, IF YOU'RE WRITING AS
LONG AS I AM, LONG-TERM, BOTH
SERIES AND NONSERIES, YOU ARE
REALLY INTERESTED IN EXPLORING
LIFE OVER TIME AND RELATIONSHIPS
OVER TIME AND FAMILY OVER TIME
AND HOW EVENTS AS GALVANIZING AS
CRIME AFFECT THEM.
>> WELL, THANK YOU,
LISA SCOTTOLINE, FOR JOINING US
TODAY.
>> THANK YOU, JOHN.
>> AND THANK YOU.
FOR "GLOBAL PERSPECTIVES," I'M
JOHN BERSIA, AND WE'LL SEE YOU
NEXT TIME.
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