DCist Interview: Kerry Reichs
Most first-time novelists never actually become first-time novelists; in most cases “first novels” end up abandoned as real life overwhelms the time commitment and intellectual energy necessary to take a book from concept to completion. Those lucky enough to finish sometimes never find a publisher, ending up instead with dashed hopes and a pile of rejection notices that begin with “While we found your book intriguing and well-crafted…” and end with “…and we’re sure that your work will eventually find a publisher.” It’s easy to understand what T.S. Eliot meant when he wrote that “most editors are failed writers. But so are most writers.”
Local novelist Kerry Reichs isn’t a failed writer. Instead, the first-time novelist not only completed her book, but she also managed to get it published by a highly respected publisher at Avon, a division of HarperCollins. A former D.C. lawyer, Reichs took a sabbatical from her job, headed west to L.A. to write her novel, and emerged from the experience with The Best Day of Someone Else’s Life, the story of a 27-year-old woman named Kevin, who’s been cursed not only with a boy’s name but with the awful prospect of being involved in 11 marriages in 18 months, a tribunal that lends itself to both high comedy and poignant insight about modern relationships. You can join Reichs at her book launch party tonight at The Park at 14th at 6 p.m.
DCist chatted briefly with Reichs, who is now writing full time and leading a peripatetic existence that has her frequently criss-crossing the country in her Mini Cooper.
How did the idea for the book germinate?
I consider myself a "frontal lobe" versus a "deep back lower lobe" (notice my lack of medical degree) sort of person. The one does the hard work, the other conveys it to consciousness. When it comes to my book, I tend to germinate ideas constantly without being consciously aware of it. Then, at some point, the story will present itself to me in a fairly advanced state of development. When I left my job at a large D.C. law firm to write the book, it was in part due to the fact the complete plotline for my book had presented itself and I knew precisely the beginning, middle and end of what I would write. I rarely write a story where I don't already know exactly the direction and outcome it will take. As to the topic, I can certainly say that my ability to write a satire of weddings was facilitated by the fact that I've attended close to 60 weddings, and been in twelve.
What's the significance of naming your decidedly female character "Kevin"?
Naming Kevin, "Vi", was one of the hardest parts of writing the book. I spent a long time looking and nothing worked. It would be sort of like trying to name your alter ego. Then, one day, that rear lobe that's always working just came up with the name. I liked the idea of the male name for the female character because the book, and the main character, explore the difficulties of battling socially pre-set expectations of how to behave. A woman with a man's name must upset pre-set expectations upon meeting others. Had I attended University of North Carolina for college, I would have enjoyed shattering certain expectations because when I was admitted, I was assigned to a men's dorm!
Let's talk about marriage: why do you think women put so much pressure, on themselves and on each other, when it comes to this ceremony and its trappings?
This is a challenging question. I think the allure of "love and cherish you all the days of your life" is extremely appealing. Who doesn't want to be loved and cared for? Marriage provides a concrete symbol that is supposed to represent that state of being. The mistake people make is when they think the marriage will provide the intent if it doesn't already exist. As for the ceremony itself, it is a rite of passage that can symbolize a transition to adulthood. From a young age we are taught this is a celebrated event and seduced by the big white dress. Who doesn't want the chance to be surrounded by close friends, while looking your best? In fantasy, we conveniently forget the hassles of actually planning and paying for the gala!
What about your writing schedule? When and where do you write? How did you find time to write the book? Were you holding down a day job at the time?
I practiced law at a large D.C. law firm for over six years. As I was approaching partnership, I realized I wanted to be doing something else. So, I took a sabbatical and moved to L.A. to write a novel. It turns out sabbaticals agree with me, so I quit my job and worked on writing full time. I was very disciplined about writing -- it was a job. I would work Monday to Friday approximately eight hours a day, sometimes more, sometimes less. I regimented myself by output. Each day I would visit the Novel Cafe in Venice Beach and work until I had written six pages. I might throw them all out the next day, but I didn't let myself knock off until I had written my six.
Your bio on HarperCollins' website indicates that you're hard at work on another book. Care to talk about the next one?
I'm currently writing the story of Maeve. She is Vi's sister in The Best Day of Someone Else's Life. She was a character I really enjoyed, and as I was finishing up my first book, she gave me a nudge and told me her story, so now I'm working on that. Let's just say she finally finishes college and takes on a great adventure. It's going to be good.
You're now dividing your time between L.A. and D.C. Why the bicoastal schedule, and how does that affect the writing?
I travel a lot. I own a house, which I love, and I have many friends here, so this is my base. But I absolutely love L.A. and try to spend as much time there as I can. The good thing is I adore my MINI Cooper S convertible and I love to drive, so I enjoy a good cross-country trip. I owe a personal thanks to whoever invented audio books!
Kerry Reichs is hosting a party to celebrate the launch of her book, The Best Day of Someone Else's Life, tonight at 6 p.m. at The Park on 14th, 920 14th Street NW.