I’m reblogging this old interview, because I feel like I acquit myself well. 

kindle-author:

An Interview with M. L. Kennedy // Author of The Mosquito Song

1)  Where were you born, where do you live now, and are you close to perfect swimming water?

I was born in Buffalo and live in Chicago which is about 2,100 miles worth of road from perfect swimming.

2)  What is your favorite smell?

I liked vanilla as a teenager, but nowadays I’m more of a coffee and bacon guy. It’s not a particularly sexy answer.

3)  Tell us about your education and what you do now (jobs and hobbies).

I’ve got a degree in psychology from the University of Chicago and the majority of the credits for an unfinished graduate degree in education. I work a couple of jobs, and spend the majority of time raising my daughter, Thalia.

4)  Tell us about your boyfriend, girlfriend, husband, wife. How did you meet? What is your favorite thing about him/her? How about your children (if you have children)? How about a dog or cat?

I met my wife in college. I’m not exactly sure when or how. That is to say, I can’t remember which of our early adventures is our first one. I remember crashing a weird party with her on the Quads where everybody was talking about mentors and protégés, the sort of thing one does for a free cup at age 18.  My wife is great. She manages to both support me and call me on my bullshit. It keeps me honest.

I’ve got one daughter. She’s a third grader, a ballerina, a straight “A” student, and she knows all the words to the PLANTS VS. ZOMBIES love theme.

I have only one dog, but he sheds enough for at least four. Fuzzy bastard.

5)  Is ignorance bliss?

At times, it can be. It tends to be a costly bliss. I tend to think of myself as an Agathist, which one can more easily reconcile with reality than simple optimism.

6)  How did you get interested in writing?

Same way I got interested in eating mashed potatoes; I’ve just always done it. I remember when I was seven that I made up a whole team of super-heroes. There was a girl who could breathe fire, a guy with really pointy fingernails, and a guy with a long neck. Seven year olds don’t always invent the most practical super-powers.

7)  How has your practice evolved over the course of time?

Well, I spent my 20s writing screenplays and short stories. THE MOSQUITO SONG was approached as a serial. It changes a few things. You have to name the story before it is finished, you can’t go back and change plot points. It is an interesting way to do things, but I’m approaching the next book differently. The story is kind of expanding from the middle, where I can see what I need for the end and insert it in the beginning, whether it be a prop or a theme.

8)  What do you consider to be your greatest success?

Being happy more than 75% of the time.

9)  Is there any thing that your family or friends would be surprised to learn about you?

I have seen every episode of NewsRadio and listened to all the DVD commentary tracks. Wait, maybe that should be my greatest accomplishment.

10)  What did you find out after finishing THE MOSQUITO SONG? What weren’t you expecting?

After finishing THE MOSQUITO SONG, I learned why master keys make locks easier to pick. I felt like I could’ve used that thing.