Rapid Fire Spotlight: Interview with Author Elisa Lorello
Interview by Martin McGregor
Elisa Lorello has been a writer and a teacher for all of her
life. Elisa is the youngest of seven children, is newly married, and she
currently lives in Maine with her husband and children (the furry four-legged kind). She earned her
bachelor’s and master’s degrees at the University of Massachusetts, Dartmouth
and taught rhetoric and writing at the college level for more than ten years.
In 2012 she became a full-time novelist. To date, she has written eight novels
including the bestseller “Faking It.” She also teaches the craft of
storytelling, writing process, and rhetoric, and she approaches each subject
with enthusiasm and humor.
She has featured as a guest speaker at the Triangle Association of Freelancers 2012 and 2014 Write Now! conferences, and in May 2016 she presented a lesson for the Women’s Fiction Writers Association spring workshop. She continues to speak and write about her publishing experience and to teach the craft of writing and revision. Elisa’s bio says that she enjoys reading, walking, hanging out in coffee shops, Nutella, and all things Duran Duran. She also says that she plays guitar badly and occasionally bakes.
She has featured as a guest speaker at the Triangle Association of Freelancers 2012 and 2014 Write Now! conferences, and in May 2016 she presented a lesson for the Women’s Fiction Writers Association spring workshop. She continues to speak and write about her publishing experience and to teach the craft of writing and revision. Elisa’s bio says that she enjoys reading, walking, hanging out in coffee shops, Nutella, and all things Duran Duran. She also says that she plays guitar badly and occasionally bakes.
I caught up with her recently to ask her about how Duran
Duran has influenced her life and her work, and to ask her as she steps out
into her own future, what does she think it holds for Elisa?
M: How
are you feeling today?
E: The
sun is out and there's a nice breeze coming through the window, so no
complaints today!
M: Where
are you based?
E: I
currently live in midcoast Maine, which is north and east of Portland. We're
surrounded by coastal water and tranquil trees. Gets no better.
M: So what
do you do to relax?
E: Depends.
Sometimes taking a drive relaxes me. Sometimes it's sitting in a comfy chair
and reading. Sometimes it's just ten minutes of meditation. Or going to a
coffeeshop with a friend, or browsing in a library.
M: Can
you remember the first time that you ever heard a Duran Duran song?
E: Funny,
that's a faint memory for me. I vaguely remember hearing "Hungry Like the
Wolf" on the radio, with the "moaning" at the end, and mistaking
the band for The Human League. I also have faint memories of hearing
"Rio" on the radio. I didn't have MTV, so it was really my best
friend who officially introduced me to the band and the music. Then I got the
first three albums for Christmas and my birthday a month later. That was 1983
and '84.
M: What
are your passions in life other than writing and music?
E: Spending
time with my husband and/or my siblings; reading; chocolate, my tuxedo cat, and
being at the beach, especially the ocean. To name a few. 😉
M: Which
band member would you most like to be trapped in an elevator with and why?
E: John
Taylor, of course! Need I explain? Although I suspect Nick Rhodes would be a
great conversationalist.
M: If
you could have anyone living or dead perform on stage with Duran Duran, who
would it be and which song?
E: That's
an interesting question. I grew up listening to the Beatles, so having George
Harrison back would be wonderful, especially on stage with the band. John
Lennon too, of course. I also love the jazz greats like Nat King Cole and Ella
Fitzgerald. Can you imagine Ella Fitzgerald performing a song or two with the
band?
M: What
is the most personally valuable lyric to you out of all of Duran Duran’s songs?
E: "And
as I try to make my way to the ordinary world, I will learn to survive"
had gotten me through some really tough times. That entire song has, really.
M:If
you could place yourself into any Duran Duran video, which one would it be?
E: Who
wouldn't want to be in "Rio"? Although I'd get pretty sick on that
yacht. I'll just stay on the beach, thank you. I also love the "Pressure
Off" video. Wouldn't mind being in that one, either. I can play
tambourine.
M: What
are you currently working on?
E: I'm
actually on a writing sabbatical this year. The last few years brought a lot of
change--I got married for the first time, moved to Montana, moved to Maine a
couple of years later--and the publishing industry is always changing, but it's
taken some hits. I felt like I needed to recharge my creative batteries, so I'm
working at a small, community-owned movie theater in town, and I'm really
enjoying that and having fun. I also had some health challenges this year, so
it was important to take care of those. I'm sure if/when inspiration strikes
again, it'll feel like I never left.
M: So tell
me what does the future hold for Elisa Lorello?
E: I
have no specifics and no crystal ball, but I know for sure it's all good
things.
Duran Duran Worldwide is a fan created effort and has no direct affiliation with Duran Duran. Please follow us on Facebook! Article edited by Josie Beaudoin.
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