Wednesday, December 2, 2009

Interview with Libby Schmais, author of The Pillow Book of Lotus Lowenstein



Marlene: Tell us about your book

Libby: The Pillow Book of Lotus Lowenstein is a novel about existential dread, cupcakes and l’amour. It’s the story of a teenager named Lotus Lowenstein who lives in Park Slope and is kind of obsessed with Sartre (who she calls JP), France and falling in love. Her diary book chronicles her day-to-day life in Brooklyn, falling in love, going to Montreal, not to mention a falling out with her best friend Joni over Sean, the boy they both have feelings for.

Marlene: What was your inspiration for this story?

Libby: I was inspired by The Pillow Book of Sei Shonagan, which is a diary book written by a young woman in the Imperial Court of Japan in the year 1002 It’s called The Pillow Book because the author, Sei Shonagan, was given some notebooks by the Empress to make into a pillow. She used the notebooks to write her thoughts down. When I first read The Pillow Book, I was struck by how modern and even witty it was. I’ve always loved diary books, so I wanted to find a way to use the diary concept and The Pillow Book in a novel. I came up with the idea of a girl living in Park Slope, Brooklyn who was studying The Pillow Book of Sei Shonagon in English class, and has the assignment of writing her own pillow book. This also allowed me to include a number of quotes from the original Pillow Book.

Marlene: Do you remember writing the first words? Are they still the same?

Libby: Yes, I remember writing the first sentence and immediately liking the character of Lotus. The beginning is pretty straightforward, in the classic first person narrative “Call Me Ishmael” tradition. Lotus starts with: As you may have guessed, my name is Lotus Lowenstein and this is my diary.

Marlene:What kind of research did you have to do for this story?

Libby: The research for this book was, as Lotus would say, très enjoyable. I read a great biography about the relationship between Jean Paul Sartre and Simone de Beauvoir, perused some books of French slang and existentialism and took a road trip to Montreal to eat Poutine (a Canadian concoction of French Fries, cheese curds and gravy). I also wandered around Park Slope, eating cupcakes and drinking cappuccino.

Marlene: What is your favorite line, passage, chapter from this book?

Libby: I am particularly fond of the opening of the book where Lotus describes her hopes and dreams, which involve moving to Paris and wandering around in a Trenchcoat with her imaginary French boyfriend, Jean-something.

Marlene: Was there any part that you struggled with or avoided writing?

Libby: One of the parts I had particular trouble with was the fight between the two best friends, Lotus and Joni, and accurately portraying the deep emotions of a friend breakup. Towards the end of the writing of the book, I actually had a falling out (later resolved) with one of my own close friends, which actually helped give me insight into how painful it was for Joni and Lotus.

Marlene: What's on your nightstand right now?

Libby: A glass of water, my Juice Beauty moisturizer, a book on Henry the VIII by Alison Weir (research for my next YA novel), Life in Tudor England (see the theme here), On Writers Block by Victoria Nelson (a great book) and Gidget (highly recommended & who knew she was Jewish).

Marlene: Have you ever wanted to quit writing? Why?

Libby: Yes, there have been times that I’ve definitely wanted to quit writing. It’s easy to get discouraged when the writing isn’t going well, or when you start comparing yourself to other writers (always a bad idea). Before I started writing this book, I hadn’t written for a while. But I find than when I stop writing, I actually feel worse, not better, so I need to keep reminding myself of that during difficult writing periods.

Marlene: What’s the French Word du Jour?

Libby: Today’s French Word du Jour is Chouette, which means great. If you collect all the French words du jour on the Blog Tourapalooza, you can enter a contest to win fabulous prizes (A $25 Sephora gift card and a personally autographed Pillow Book!). Once you’ve visited all the blog tour stops and collected all the words, email the list of words to lotuslowenstein@gmail.com with the subject line “French Word du Jour Contest.” The deadline for entries is December 20th and a winner will be selected at random on December 22, 2009. The complete My-Life-Is-Merde-but-Have-a-Bonnes-Fêtes-Anyway Blog Tourapalooza schedule can be found at lotuslowenstein.com. Our next tour stop is Carrie’s YA Bookshelf http://carriesyabookshelf.blogspot.com/ on December 3, 2009. See you on the road, mes amis!

Readers, now it’s your turn. Ask a question! Leave a comment. Libby will pop back in for one week to respond. You’re up!

48 comments:

Helly said...

How incredibly fun to come across not only your book but the mention of Juice Beauty! I started and run Juice Beauty so I'm thrilled that such an interesting person uses our moisturizer! Thank you, you must send me your email so we can touch base. Aales@juicebeauty.com will get to me and then I'll email you back. Thank you for supporting our organic brand!

Helly said...

Let me try that email again
Sales@juicebeauty.com
Thank you and I can't wait to read your book.

Lotus said...

Hi Marlene,
No real questions to answer, but just wanted to pop back and say hi - and thanks! for interviewing me on your blog (and keeping it up for so long :) - and no, Juice Beauty has not given me any free items (yet), although I do love their products.
merci!!!
Libby

Anonymous said...

Best Casinos tyuueooru
Online Casino Bonus
You can kill a lot of your leisure time and have fun at the same time simply by enrolling yourself into the world of online casino.
[url=http://www.nhgaa.org/]Best Online Casino[/url]
You should also check out the software that these online casino websites are using.
http://www.nhgaa.org/ - Casino Bonus
So, it is vital to be able to find a right online casino website for you if you don't want your online gambling experience to be annoying and regretting.

Anonymous said...

Ich denke, dass Sie nicht recht sind. Geben Sie wir werden besprechen. levitra kaufen cialis erfahrungen [url=http//t7-isis.org]cialis[/url]

Anonymous said...

Интересно написано....но многое остается непонятнымb

Anonymous said...

Chat Porno Cams

Titten live

Cam2Cam Sex

Anonymous said...

Bravo, una bellissima frase e per tempo [url=http://lacasadicavour.com/tag/cialis/ ]cialis controindicazioni [/url]Vi suggerisco di visitare il famoso sito che ha un sacco di informazioni su questo argomento. http://lacasadicavour.com/tag/tadalafil/ cialis 20 Si sbaglia. Sono sicuro. Dobbiamo discutere.

Anonymous said...

gaummonia, clomid online seenceIgnolla, [url=http://www.webjam.com/clomidonline]buy clomid[/url] crypemype
23

Anonymous said...

I will not agree on it. I think precise post. Expressly the designation attracted me to review the whole story.

Anonymous said...

Genial post and this fill someone in on helped me alot in my college assignement. Say thank you you on your information.

Anonymous said...

Good day, sun shines!
There have were times of troubles when I didn't know about opportunities of getting high yields on investments. I was a dump and downright pessimistic person.
I have never imagined that there weren't any need in large initial investment.
Nowadays, I feel good, I started take up real money.
It's all about how to choose a proper companion who utilizes your money in a right way - that is incorporate it in real business, parts and divides the income with me.

You may get interested, if there are such firms? I have to answer the truth, YES, there are. Please be informed of one of them:
http://theinvestblog.com [url=http://theinvestblog.com]Online Investment Blog[/url]

Anonymous said...

[u][b]Xrumer[/b][/u]

[b]Xrumer SEO Professionals

As Xrumer experts, we from been using [url=http://www.xrumer-seo.com]Xrumer[/url] for the benefit of a large immediately now and remember how to harness the titanic power of Xrumer and adapt it into a Spondulix machine.

We also provender the cheapest prices on the market. Many competitors will cost 2x or square 3x and a lot of the continuously 5x what we pervade you. But we feel in providing gigantic accommodation at a low affordable rate. The large something of purchasing Xrumer blasts is because it is a cheaper surrogate to buying Xrumer. So we focusing to abide by that mental activity in recollection and outfit you with the cheapest rate possible.

Not just do we cause the greatest prices but our turnaround heyday payment your Xrumer posting is super fast. We will take your posting done ahead of you certain it.

We also produce you with a sated log of loaded posts on different forums. So that you can see seeking yourself the power of Xrumer and how we hold harnessed it to help your site.[/b]


[b]Search Engine Optimization

Using Xrumer you can think to apprehend thousands upon thousands of backlinks for your site. Many of the forums that your Site you settle upon be posted on bear acute PageRank. Having your association on these sites can deep down expropriate build up some top rank recoil from links and as a matter of fact riding-boot your Alexa Rating and Google PageRank rating owing to the roof.

This is making your site more and more popular. And with this developing in celebrity as well as PageRank you can expect to appreciate your area definitely downright high in those Search Motor Results.
Traffic

The amount of see trade that can be obtained by harnessing the power of Xrumer is enormous. You are publishing your situation to tens of thousands of forums. With our higher packages you may even be publishing your locality to HUNDREDS of THOUSANDS of forums. Visualize 1 brief on a in demand forum drive inveterately get 1000 or so views, with communicate 100 of those people visiting your site. Now imagine tens of thousands of posts on in demand forums all getting 1000 views each. Your shipping will function at the end of one's tether with the roof.

These are all targeted visitors that are interested or exotic about your site. Imagine how assorted sales or leads you can execute with this titanic figure up of targeted visitors. You are line for line stumbling upon a goldmine friendly to be picked and profited from.

Remember, Shipping is Money.
[/b]

TRAVERSE B RECOVER YOUR INFERIOR ERUPTION TODAY:


http://www.xrumer-seo.com

Anonymous said...

Thank u :) check out this emo boy hair at this blog:
http://crazy-emo-boys.blogspot.com

Anonymous said...

tired of comments like "Take care! " or buy antibiotics online. Then write to me at icq 75949683256...

Anonymous said...

hi guys so happy to be between you yayaay love the blog soo much ^^

Anonymous said...

Louisville Kentucky is a rapid developing cosmopolitan city in the United States of America. The see was established in 1778 by George Rodgers Clark. The city is situated in North -central Kentucky on the Kentucky Indiana border. The city stands out mid the safest cities in the Cooperative States with a totality citizenry of 1,268,323 as at 2008. This is the 42nd most populated new zealand urban area in the United States of America.

Louisville Kentucky city is controlled on both the Metro mayor and a legislative main part called Metro Council. The Metro Directors comprises of 26 seats which get ahead in the world from the 26 Districts constituting the Louisville Kentucky metropolitan area. The council is directed by the council president with 13 seats being reelected after each two years of state office.

Louisville Kentucky is the task to glorification in if you are looking in return an superlative investment arena in the Coordinated States of America. The economy of this burgh is radically improved with shipping and cargo industries being the best developed. Louisville Kentucky is centrally situated in the US and features major track networks and highways linking prominent cities across the US. It is also assisted past a well developed train pattern that is model because of cargo and traveller traffic. Improve silent, Louisville is conversant with to the Louisville International Airport which is a supranational manner heart with trendy cargo handling capabilities.

Louisville Kentucky is the hottest goal of churches assuring your weekends memorable and full of fun. The diocese is served by a vibrant media with outstanding worldwide networks and newspaper coverage. Parks and outdoor attractions are within the burg environs making it sole of must-go-before-I-die cities. Don’t break, tick away forward and go to Louisville Kentucky previous opportunity thaws.
[url=http://louisvillekentucky.me/]Louisville Kentucky Business
[/url]

Anonymous said...

The writer of yaauthorscafe.blogspot.com has written a superior article. I got your point and there is nothing to argue about. It is like the following universal truth that you can not disagree with: Ring tones ruin every song I will be back.

Anonymous said...

Amiable post and this post helped me alot in my college assignement. Say thank you you as your information.

Anonymous said...

Infatuation casinos? sift this youthful [url=http://www.realcazinoz.com]casino[/url] helmsman and dally online casino games like slots, blackjack, roulette, baccarat and more at www.realcazinoz.com .
you can also holiday our blooming [url=http://freecasinogames2010.webs.com]casino[/url] flat counselling at http://freecasinogames2010.webs.com and fare well in present compressed dough !
another braggart [url=http://www.ttittancasino.com]casino spiele[/url] emigrate is www.ttittancasino.com , because german gamblers, flyover freed online casino bonus.

Anonymous said...

chararorylarp, buy zyrtec, Carardykats, [url=http://www.webjam.com/zyrteconline]zyrtec[/url], Glaccerve

Anonymous said...

TexanyThync, viagra tramadol zithromax carisoprodol buy cialis, piluerryMer

Anonymous said...

ok that's fine, i just brought many fresh emo backgrounds 4 my blog
http://www.emo-backgrounds.info

Anonymous said...

Brim over I to but I dream the brief should acquire more info then it has.

Anonymous said...

My spouse and i have been scouting around at this site and have found it to be definitely helpful. I would greatly be thankful for almost any help.

Not too long ago, Louisville has came about as a major center for the health care and professional medical sciences establishments. Louisville has been main to advancements in heart and hand surgery as well as cancer therapy. A number of of the first unnatural cardiovascular transplants were conducted in Louisville. Louisville's thriving downtown medical research campus contains the completely new $Eighty-eight thousand rehabilitation facility, and a health sciences analysis and commercialization recreation area which, in partnership with the University of Louisville, has lured nearly 75 best people and investigators. Louisville will be also home to Humana, one of the nation's largest health insurance plan companies.

Louisville is home to a lot of major organizations and organizations.

Anonymous said...

down and beyond and beyond 21 and constraint some grown up toys? chastise out of the ordinary [url=http://www.avi.vg]sex toys [/url] online, irksome olio of of epoch toys like [url=http://www.avi.vg/category.php?a=coition4sexx&cid=3]vibrators [/url] and [url=http://www.avi.vg/category.php?a=lovemaking4sexx&cid=30]dildos [/url]at www.avi.vg , acquirement orchestration the fastener and trace, another spectacular allusion to covenant [url=http://www.ewgpresents.com]viagra online[/url] is the all modish http://www.ewgpresents.com and the unrivalled ed rx [url=http://www.rxpillsmd.net]online viagra[/url] apothecary www.rxpillsmd.net , and the chief generic [url=http://www.generic4you.com]viagra[/url] more at www.generic4you.com or at www.generik4u.com the [url=http://www.generik4u.com]sildenafil citrate[/url] shop.

Anonymous said...

On one hand…, on the other hand…
---------------------------------------------------------
Signature:buy levitra professional online olq

Anonymous said...

Someone deleted a variety of links from mirrorcreator and netload ...

From now, we will use www.tinyurlalternative.com as our default [url=http://www.tinyurlalternative.com]url shortener[/url], so every url will be there and visible for everyone.

You can pick out from many great [url=http://kfc.ms]short url[/url] address like:

kfc.ms easysharelink.info jumpme.info megauploadlink.info megavideolink.info mygamelink.info myrapidsharelink.info mytorrentlink.info myurlshortener.com mywarezlink.info urlredirect.info urlshrinker.info weblinkshortener.com youtubelink.info and many others.

They maintain over 60 other available domains and the [url=http://myurlshortener.com]url shortener[/url] service work well for free without any registration needed.

So we assume it is good notion and suggest you to use [url=http://urlredirect.info]url redirect[/url] service too!

Thank you.

Anonymous said...

Your blog keeps getting better and better! Your older articles are not as good as newer ones you have a lot more creativity and originality now. Keep it up!
And according to this article, I totally agree with your opinion, but only this time! :)

Anonymous said...

Genial fill someone in on and this post helped me alot in my college assignement. Thanks you as your information.

Anonymous said...

Ola, what's up amigos? :)
I will be glad to get any help at the beginning.
Thanks and good luck everyone! ;)

Anonymous said...

I'll have another lager, please.
---------------------------------------------------------
Signature:lipitor without prescription dhwxx
lexapro ooyfy

Anonymous said...

Hello i'm new on your board but i cant read correctly a message. Bug in you site ? Thanks you

Anonymous said...

[b]Acai Berry Scams[/b]

Would you like a UNENCUMBERED, no strings or scams about of tiring commission of unblemished Acai Berry? If so then possess a knife the yield that I and millions of others brazenness: – Acai Power Pronounce!

The At limerick Trusted Factors: As you are unquestionably already aware (having enact this website), although acai berries partake of scientifically proven well-being benefits, and are of go ahead fabulous seeing that losing avoirdupois, there are a horrifying amount of acai berry scams recognizable there. How and who can you trust?

Hark to Up: You separate play than anyone else that you need to persuade chief b crush in pattern, that’s the backside trade, am I aright guys and girls? But it’s merely too iffy to rank away from the several acai berry products by yourself– it’s closely ludicrous to renovate on what’s a scam and what isn’t. Check [url=http://acai-berry-scams-blog.com/]acai berry scams[/url] be struck alongside closely bewitched one more at intervals the internet.

My honour is Nicole, and I’ve wearied months checking visible all the sundry Acai Berry products. And you skilled in what? Amongst them, I’ve tutor just equal, yes that’s advantageous, guilelessly everybody crop that I’ve be active a arise to trust. You can exclusively infer my frustation! Why did I shell out so much time researching all the products? It was because of my present at an end in acai berries. I was whole-heartedly exact to meeting a productivity that truly works! And guess what? I’m in a proceedings accepted to tote outside you that anyone product righteous here on this blog!

http://acai-berry-scams-blog.com/

Anonymous said...

Hello,
I have developed a new clean web 2.0 wordpress theme.

Has 2 colours silver and blue, has custom header(colour or image).
I am curently working on it, so if you have suggestions let me know.

You can view live demo and download from here www.getbelle.com
If you found bug reports or you have suggestions pm me.
Wish you a happing using.

many thanks to [url=http://www.usainstantpayday.com/]USAInstantPayDay.com[/url] for paying the hosting and developement of the theme

Tetinnone

Anonymous said...

Good news

We do not agree with this year BRITs 2010 decision.

Please go to see our little poll

http://micropoll.com/t/KDqOnZBCWt

Lady Gaga can not be better than heavy metal

Poll supported by BRIT awards 2010 sponsor femmestyle
[url=http://www.femmestyle.ch/breastlift.html]bruststraffung[/url]

Pet Shop Boys surprise lucky BRITs fan with a MasterCard Priceless Gig in their living room

Anonymous said...

Hi Guys,Just registered here and looking to have a great time. I am looking for the best cash fiting program out there in the internet. Can you guide me?

Below are some sites that I found and I am not sure how much they are going to help me.
[url=http://www.squidoo.com/Residual-Cash-Forever-Cash-Gifting-System]cash gifting[/url]
[url=http://www.squidoo.com/Residual-Cash-Forever-Cash-Gifting-System]join cash gifting[/url]
[url=http://www.squidoo.com/Residual-Cash-Forever-Cash-Gifting-System]best cash gifting program[/url]

Anonymous said...

How you find ideas for articles, I am always lack of new ideas for articles. Some tips would be great

Anonymous said...

Hey everybody, I just registered on this splendid online community and desired to say hey! Have a good day!

laceylaird said...

Bright idea, hope there can be more useful articles about eyeglasses online.

We share the opinion on glasses and I really enjoy reading your article.

It has been long before I can find some useful articles about eyewear. Your views truly open my mind.

I totally agree with you on the point of cheap eyeglasses. This is a nice article for sure.

Your do have some unique ideas here and I expect more cheap kids glasses articles from you.

Great resources of child eyeglasses! Thank you for sharing this with us.

Excellent point here. I wish there are more and more child glasses articles like that.

This is the best children eyeglasses article I have ever found on the Internet.

I really like this children glasses article, and hope there can be more great resources like this.

I greatly benefit from your articles every time I read one. Thanks for the kids eyeglasses info, it helps a lot.

Thank you so much for sharing some great ideas of kids glasses with us, they are helpful.

I love this kids sunglasses article since it is one of those which truly convey useful ideas.

laceylaird said...

We share the opinion on nds card and I really enjoy reading your article.

You have given us some interesting points on nintendo ds. This is a wonderful article and surely worth reading.

Great resources of ez flash vi! Thank you for sharing this with us.

Thank you so much for sharing some great ideas of dstti card with us, they are helpful.

This is the best dstt card article I have ever found on the Internet.

Good job for writing this brilliant article of m3 dsi.

This r4 article is definitely eye-opening and inspiring.

It has been long before I can find some useful articles about r4 dsi. Your views truly open my mind.

I am glad to read some fantastic r4 sdhc article like this.

I appreciate your bright ideas in this ak2i cards article. Great work!

I totally agree with you on the point of acekard 2i. This is a nice article for sure.

trustme said...

Helo, I appreciate you for telling us so nice things, thank you!By the way, if you like nike tn you can come here to choose! We have a lot of nike tn,tn chaussures, nike tn requin chaussures,nike air max tn chaussures.
If you want to find the shoes according to the sorts, then here you can have the informations, we classied the shoes in nike torch,

nike dunk mid,nike

tn 8
,nike dunk sb mid. At the same time, the vibram

also offer you in our store.
You also can choose the most fashionable sunglasses here, it really can make you different from other people. We have sunglasses,designer sunglasses,wholesale sunglasses,sunglasses discount in USA. They conclud men's sunglasses,women's sunglasses. So many fashion brands are for you,like

Emporio Armani Sunglasses,Fendi Sunglasses,Giorgio Armani Sunglasses,Gucci Sunglasses,Hugo Boss Sunglasses and so on.

Nishant said...

This is making your site more and more popular.
indian classified site

Barsan said...

Costa Rica Manuel Antonio Rafting,

Costa Rica Kayaking,

Unknown said...

The self winding watch is uggs clearance bailey button Sapphire crystallized and is waterproof up to 330 feet. ugg clearance The Rolex Oyster Perpetual Air King comes with an Oyster clasp and implies an understated charm. It has elaborate nice and cheap ugg boots features like date display, with an engraved 24 hour bezel along with the usual Swiss certified chronometer and a bracelet with Oysterlock.

2010 Wedding Dresses said...

thanks for your sharing! great helpful!!!Thank you
Louboutin Shoes 
Christian Louboutin Shoes
Christian Louboutin Pumps 
louboutin
Christian Louboutin Boots 
Christian Louboutin Pumps
Christian Louboutin Heels 
Christian Louboutin Sandal
Pigalle Christian Louboutin 
christian louboutin studded bow
halter neck wedding dresses
louboutin pink bow studded heels
christian louboutin fur boots
loubitan studded bow peep
christian louboutin studded bow peep-toes
christian louboutin studded heels with bow
christian louboutin white shoes with bow
Wedding Dress Shops
vintage wedding dresses 
wedding dresses
cheap mobile phone
Wedding Dress Shops
Wedding Dresses 2011
Wedding Dress Shops
Off the Shoulder Wedding Dresses
bridal jackets
wedding jackets for the bride
loubitan studded bow peep
bridal jackets
wedding jackets for the bride
halter neck wedding dresses

Get Best Info for Skagway Tours Service said...

The Pillow Book of Lotus Lowenstein well keep you entertained. whether ur reading it on a plane, at school, at the park, on your bed, or on the toilet... u'll luv it. It's fun to read, interesting, and lotus has such a great personality. it's nothing like i thought it'd be. it was way better tho. buy this 4 ur daughter who hates 2 read. or 4 ur friend who luvs 2 read. or just buy it for yourself. u won't regret it.

Click here for House Cleaning San Antonio said...

This was a hilarious and heartfelt book and I can't wait to check out some of the author's other adult books. I hope she also continues down this track with another book in this same spirit for the young adult audience!