On his old, now defunct site, Victor Gischler conducted a series of interviews from the end of 2004 to mid-2005. With his permission BSC will be reprinting his World’s Worst Interview series over the next few days. Sometimes the internet feels temporary, and good content gets lost or forgotten in the rush forward. When possible, we want to blow the dust off of something and bring it back to the front. If you know of something that should be reprinted let me know.
Victor Gischler conducted the following interview with Christopher Moore in February of 2005.
Here we go again. World’s Worst Interview, Christopher Moore edition!
Christopher Moore is the author of Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ’s Childhood Pal; Fluke; The Lust Lizard of Melancholy Cove, and other novels with equally intriguing titles. These novels are smart and funny and a little “out there.” Let’s interview the guy.
Victor Gischler: In Fluke, the protagonist is swallowed by a whale and takn to an underwater whale city. Now, last summer when I was swallowed by a whale, all that happened was that I was covered in plankton and fish guts. What made you write this book? Where did you get the idea?
Christopher Moore: Actually, a number of years ago my agent and I were discussing ideas for a book that some of one of our mutual friends, who was have a tough spot in his career. My agent suggested that whale song might contain some sort of message. Nothing more than that, really. Five years or so later, I was looking for a project that would get me out in the ocean the research and I started plotting the details of Fluke.
What’s your relationship with your editor/publisher? Do they ever say “This is just too damn goofy” when you turn in a novel or synopsis?
No, on the contrary, they usually ask, “Will it be funny.” The problem is, comedy doesn’t translate into outline or synopsis form very well. In fact, I’ve never seen a funny outline. I have to remind them of this, and then I’ll quickly synopsize one of my previous novels, and say, “See, that doesn’t sound funny either, but it is.”
Each year, thousands of people are maimed by seemingly harmless and deceptively cute animals like lemurs and panda bears. Thoughts?
This is nature trying to teach us a lesson. In my experience, all cute, living things are dangerous. If you need to lose blood to learn that, well, that’s the price.
Are you more of a shower person or a bath person?
Shower. Even when I take a bath I usually shower afterward to get the dirty water off of me.
Any film interest in your books? What actors do you picture in which roles?
All the books have been optioned or bought for film. I’ve given up on casting them. My first book was bought for film fifteen years ago, and I’ve mentally cast it many times, only to have the actors age out of the role. At the rate it’s going, I’d have to pick a teenage actor to play the old people if I were to try to cast something now.
Mmmmmmmmm. Beer. (Okay, that’s not really a question … but I like to talk about beer.)
I’m boring. I stopped drinking seventeen years ago. I did enjoy beer, though. Too much.
What eats up your spare time? Golf? Fishing? Curling?
Swimming, kayaking, video games, and TV. Lately I’ve been doing a lot of landscaping around my house.
Do very very very strange people show up to your book signings?
Not so much. Most of the people who come to my signings seem very normal. Occasionally I’ll get a Goth or a Hippie-type person, and I like that, but for the most part my audience is made up of smart, working-people who like to laugh.
Do you have any special, useless talents? (Like burping the alphabet, etc.?)
I’m pretty good at knife-throwing. Really.
Finally, what’s next? Any hints?
I’m writing a death comedy, then a sequel to my vampire book, Bloodsucking Fiends.
Thanks a lot to Christopher Moore. [Applause. Applause.] His most recent novel is The Stupidest Angel. Visit him at his website.
And BSC Review would like to thank Victor Gischler for the generous use of this interview series!
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Victor Gischler is the author of 4 hard-boiled crime novels. His debut novel Gun Monkeys was nominated for the Edgar Award, and his novel Shotgun Opera was an Anthony Award finalist. His work has been translated into Italian, French, Spanish and Japanese. He earned a Ph.D. in English at the University of Southern Mississippi where they beat him with rolled up newspapers and fed him raw liver. His fifth and sixth novels Go-Go Girls of the Apocalypse and Vampire a Go-Go were published by the Touchstone/Fireside imprint of Simon & Schuster.
