You Had to Be There

~ You love them. You’ve read their books or articles. You follow them on Twitter. But how well do you know them and their wicked sense of humor? Play The Twizzy and find out. ~

Happy Monday and welcome back to another game of The Twizzy! Thank you for all your responses. I’m glad you’re all enjoying it so much.

Are you ready for Game 19? Remember, each of you is allowed 1 guess per day.

I’ll give a recap for those of you who haven’t played yet:

In my quest to keep you all entertained, I thought up a quiz. But not just any quiz. That would be boring. This is a quiz where Twitter Stars answer 30 questions. As you’ll see, these aren’t your run-of-the-mill questions. That, too, would be boring. As far as I’m concerned, this is the first time something of this scope has been done on Twitter. If it isn’t, I’m sure someone will let me know (but I won’t believe them).

Originally it was just to be the published authors I interact with but this plan grew and grew. Everyone I asked said yes! So what you have here is a lovely mix of writers – from New York Times Bestselling authors to newly published ones. From sportswriters to freelance journalists. I didn’t stop there though. I asked literary agents and editors, and then it extended to all aspects of publishing – from business development to public relations. I’ve even been lucky enough to snag one British celebrity.

Below is the list of the participants with their Twitter bio and handles. While you go through, you may consider following them, and buying their books or newspapers. These people are awesome, truly. As busy as they are, they took time out to play “The Twizzy” and they answered the questions with such flair that I was laughing each time a new email came in.

Once you’ve gone through the list, take a look at the question and answer session below. You will laugh. The questions will be the same every Monday. Your job is to figure out who from the list answered the questions that week. Include your guess in the comments section here on my blog. I will not post your comments until the winner has been announced. This is because I want you to guess on your own. If by Thursday there is still no correct answer, I’ll give 1 hint. The first correct answer wins a prize. Yes, a prize. They consist of: Seven Souls A Leaping co-written and donated by Kellyann Zuzulo (while supplies last), 1 copy of How to Build a Fire written and donated by Erin Bried, and $15 Barnes & Noble gift cards (with 1 donated by the wonderful Kellyann Zuzulo), macaroons or starry, starry nights from Gesine.com. You will have until Friday to guess. Then I will reveal The Twizzy Star of the Week. If you’re not on Twitter, you can still play because you’ve likely read their books or articles, and, as the weeks go on, the list will narrow.

If you have any questions, Tweet me at www.Twitter.com/SunnySoCal and please use “#TheTwizzy” in your question.

Have fun and good luck!

~ Denise

The Twizzy Stars List for Game 19 (Please scroll to the bottom of this page for a list and biography of previous Twizzy Stars. Believe me, I’ve hit the jackpot. They’ve all been AWESOME! Check them and their answers out!)

Nichole Bernier @NicholeBernier: Writer (Conde Nast Traveler) & mother of 5 trafficking in humor, Twizzlers, occasionally wisdom. Novel THE UNFINISHED WORK OF ELIZABETH D, Crown/RH 2012.

http://www.nicholebernier.com

Marc Carig @ledger_yankees: Real-time coverage of the New York Yankees by The Star-Ledger and NJ.com

www.nj.com And http://carig.wordpress.com

Brenda Copeland@BrendaCopeland: executive editor, teacher, reader, friend, cheese lover

Ken Davidoff @kendavidoff: National baseball writer for Newday

http://www.newsday.com/sports/baseball/ken-davidoff-s-baseball-insider-1.1278117

Catherine Delors @CatherineDelors: Writer, historical fiction (For the King, Mistress of the Revolution.) Loves Paris, history and the 18th century.

http://versaillesandmore.com

Mark Feinsand @BloggingBombers: The Yankees beat writer for the New York Daily News.

http://www.nydailynews.com/blogs/yankees

Jenny Gardiner @jennygardiner: Author of Sleeping with Ward Cleaver, Winging It: A Memoir of Caring for a Vengeful Parrot Who’s Determined to Kill Me, & Slim to None. Also a laugh ho.

http://www.jennygardiner.net/blog/

Jane Heller @janeheller1: Novelist, Screenwriter, Blogger, Author of Confessions of a She-Fan, Yankees diehard, movies/books fan, pop culture maven

http://www.janeheller.com

Ann Leary @annleary: Author of OUTTAKES FROM A MARRIAGE and An INNOCENT, A BROAD

http://www.annleary.com/

Holly LeCraw @HollyLeCraw : Writer, reader, southerner far from home. My first novel, The Swimming Pool, is out in paperback from Doubleday this April.

http://hollylecraw.com/

Georgia McBride @Georgia_McBride: YA author of the PRAEFATIO series. Represented by Mark McVeigh of The McVeigh Agency. Founder of #YAlitchat. Mom to 2 humans + 3 Chihuahuas. Hopeless Romantic.

www.georgiamcbride.com

Susan Orlean @susanorlean: Writer, writer, writer. Oh, I also write.

www.susanorlean.com

Karen Palmer @karen_palmer: Writer, editor, teacher. If I had to choose between reading and eating I’d be dead in a week.

www.karenpalmer.com

Jerome Priesler @YankeesInk: New York Times bestselling novelist and regular contributor to YESNetwork.com.

http://www.yankeesink.com

Drew Sarver @mypinstripes : Database Developer, Blogger, BaseballDigest.com writer, Beagle lover, Husband

http://mypinstripes.blogspot.com

Kathleen Schmidt @bookgirl96: A bookish broad, PR superhero, mother of two, lover of sports, and wife of @Rockpappa.

http://kathleenschmidt.tumblr.com

Jayne Sharp-Vitty @jaynesharp: Mummy, wife, voice over & telly gal x

http://andsowtobed.blogspot.com

Alyssa Smith @booksandcorsets: Editor, reviewer, convention organizer, avid costumer, and owner of several demanding parrots. Non-official feed. Tweets about her interests: cooking, sewing

Allison Winn-Scotch @aswinn: Novelist, NY Times best seller (yeah, I had to get that in), celeb profiler, diaper changer, dog walker, ass-kicker, pop culture junkie, superwoman.

www.allisonwinn.com

Laura Zigman @laurazigman: Writer, branter, complainer, mom, recovering publicist.

http://laurazigman.wordpress.com/

The Twizzy – Game 19

1. How hard was it to break into your line of work? Do you enjoy it?

Difficult and not. The hardest part – and this is the HARD PART – was finally writing a good book. (I’d written bad ones before my published debut.) After I wrote a better book, it got easier.

2. Have you any advice for people who would also like to do your line of work?

Keep writing. Keep reading. Keep your ears (and ego) open to a lot of constructive criticism.

3. Are you known by any nicknames?

A shortened version of my first name, but then, wouldn’t that be too big of a hint?

4. What song’s your tearjerker?

Puff the Magic Dragon. Yes, seriously. I have two kids, and that line, “A dragon lives forever, but not so little boys…” chokes me up every time.

5. Do you like capers?

In small quantities.

6. Any food you must have?

Chocolate. In any form.

7. Pet?

A black lab. He’s my faithful companion in my office as I write. (Though he may just be looking for food scraps.)

8. How do you feel about the word “carbuncle”?

I have no idea what it means, but I love it.

9. Favorite stroll?

Our family takes an annual beach vacation, and it’s hard to beat my morning walk in Grand Cayman. Other than that, I like walking the pooch on weekend mornings, though not in the current six degree weather.

10. Most embarrassing memory?

Is it wrong for me to say that I don’t embarrass easily? Hard for me to think of one, though I’m sure I’ve made an ass of myself more times than once during a celebrity interview. Fortunately, I didn’t realize it at the time.

11. Biggest pet peeve?

Laziness and/or irresponsibility. I’m a big fan of owning up to your actions and being held accountable. I also hate people who are rude to waiters, and grocery shoppers who block the aisles, then yell at you for asking them to move.

12. Who would you like to meet (in any time period)?

This is a cop-out, but I would truly love for my daughter to meet my late grandmother. We joke that she is my grandmother’s reincarnation – that she has literally come back to life in my daughter’s body – and that’s a real compliment. It would really mean so much if she could have met (or could meet) the strong, zany woman who helped shape her DNA.

13. Who bugs the crap out of you?

Celebrities who fake relationships and stage photo shoots for the cover of US Weekly. Also, judge-y moms, overly self-promoting writers, and anyone who uses guilt as a weapon. (Yuck.)

14. Favorite book?

Impossible question! I plead the fifth. But right now, I’m very into male writers – Nick Hornby, Jonathan Tropper…Josh Ferris’s This is Where I Leave You is a perennial favorite. I also adored One Day by David Nicholls, though not everyone else did.

15. Do songs by Nickelback make you want to stuff hot pokers in your ears?

If someone offered to pay me a million dollars to distinguish between a Nickelback, Creed, Linkin Park or Korn song, I’d lose that offer. Does that answer your question?

16. Favorite movie?

Ooh, toughie. For pure enjoyment factor, I may go with Love, Actually, though I’m a fan of most of the Hugh Grant oeuvre: About a Boy, Notting Hill…anything where he sweeps in and kisses the girl hard.

17. Is marmite the singular form of marmosets? More importantly, does marmite make you want to vomit?

I’m a picky eater – you couldn’t get me to eat marmite if I lost that Nickelback bet and you still offered to give me a million dollars.

18. Favorite quote?

“If you ask me what I came into this world to do, I’ll tell you, I came to live out loud.” -Emile Zola. I’ve been using it since college when the pledges had to interview each sorority sister.

19. Favorite swear word?

The one with F and ends with K and has a U and C in between. I like the basics, though I appreciate the fancier ones as well.

20. How do you feel about capybaras?

Google tells me that this is a 100-lb semi-aquatic rodent, which tells me exactly how I should feel. Given the current state of the NYC subway system, I expect to see one wander by any day now.

21. Guilty pleasure?

Celebrity gossip websites. Also, American Idol and The Bachelor.

22. Favorite character?

I assume we’re talking fictional? I’m going with two TV heroines – the combination of the two is pretty much my perfect woman: Felicity Porter and Sydney Bristow. (And I’m betting that those answers totally just gave my identity away to my Twitter followers.)

23. Do people who say “sammich” make you want to kick them in the crotch?

Yes.

24. Which character would win this smackdown: Peter Venkman, Jack Donaghy, Stay Puft, Dwight Shrute, George Costanza, Basil Fawlty, Mortimer Brewster, Hyacinth Bucket, Mr. Whipple, or the Maytag Repairman?

I love me some Jack Donaghy, so he gets my vote. There is nothing that man can’t do…other than make the perfect microwave oven.

25. Phobias?

I’m not the best on airplanes. I mean, you wouldn’t know it, but inside, I’m freaking out. I have a secret – or not-so-secret- plane crash fear.

26. How do feel about cheese? Be specific.

I feel iffy about cheese. Mostly because my stomach does not understand the art of cheese appreciation, so therefore, my palate doesn’t much get it either. Namely: too much makes me seriously sick. (I have to pick most of the cheese of my pizza…my husband enjoys the congealing clumps on my plate.) Howevs, I do love me some parmesan and some brie, and I’m not above slicing off a bit of gouda or cheddar or something fancier at a cocktail party. But if you want the cheese plate instead of dessert? I am not your gal.

27. Which 1980’s comedy film is this from: “Where’s the rest of this moose?”

Do you want my answer before or after I googled it?

28. Foods you refuse to eat?

Anything that seems like it should be an animal organ rather than something on my plate: liver, brains, testicles. You get the idea. Also, I don’t eat red meat – mostly because I don’t like it and it squicks me out. If you order a steak, I’m not going to throw paint on you, but I won’t take a bite off your plate either.

29. Where do you stand on Justin Bieber?

I had no true exposure to him until I watched him on the Golden Globes, and then I was more squicked out than if I’d been force fed a sirloin. How can this prepubescent kid be an object of lust the world over? Also, he’s about three feet tall. And his voice resembles my four-year old (daughter). I was going to tweet all of this but I feared being tracked down and killed by his rabid (albeit hormonal) fan base.

*Bonus*

Finish this quote from a 1980’s comedy: “Generally you don’t see that kind of behavior in _______________.”

“A major appliance!” Who you gonna call? GHOSTBUSTERS! I did have, after all, my formative years, in the ‘80s.

________________ Past Twizzy Stars ____________________

***The lovely Bethanne Patrick was The Twizzy Star of the Week for Game 1. You can find and follow her at @thebookmaven. http://bookmavenmedia.com/

Bethanne is responsible for #fridayreads on Twitter and the Friday Reads Facebook page. By all means, stop by every Friday and share what you’re reading.

***The charming Caroline Leavitt was The Twizzy Star of the Week for Game 2. You can find and follow her at @leavittnovelist. http://www.carolineleavitt.com/home.htm

Caroline has been on the New York Times Bestseller List for 2 weeks in a row now with her book PICTURES OF YOU. Why not buy it today?

***The hilarious Wallace Matthews was The Twizzy Star of the Week for Game 3. You can find and follow him at @ESPNNYYankees . http://espn.go.com/blog/new-york/yankees

Wallace is the Yankees Beat Writer for ESPN New York.

***The adorable Julie Klam was The Twizzy Star of the Week for Game 4. You can find and follow her at @julieklam . http://www.julieklam.com/

Julie is the New York Times Bestselling Author of You Had Me At Woof: How Dogs Taught Me The Secrets of Happiness and Please Excuse My Daughter (Riverhead)

***The fabulous Colleen Lindsay was The Twizzy Star of the Week for Game 5. You can find and follow her at @colleenlindsay http://theswivet.com

Colleen is a former literary agent who is currently part of the Business Development team at Penguin Group (USA).

***The wonderful Veronica Brooks-Sigler was The Twizzy Star of the Week for Game 6. You can find and follow her at @getlit_erate http://www.brookssigler.com

Veronica is the author of Five Finger Fiction. She is working on a sequel. Yay!

***The witty Brett Sandusky was The Twizzy Star of the Week for Game 7. You can find and follow him at @bsandusky and http://brettlikesstuff.tumblr.com/

Brett is a digital publishing professional, innovator, strategist, marketer and writer.

***The funny Elana Roth was The Twizzy Star of the Week for Game 8. You can find and follow her at @ElanaRoth and http://www.elanaroth.com

Elana is a literary agent at the Caren Johnson Literary Agency. She’s also second-to-none in quoting Ghostbusters.

***The delightful Gesine Bullock-Prado was The Twizzy Star of the Week for Game 9. You can find and follow her at @closetmastrbakr and http://www.gesine.com

Gesine is a pastry chef, the owner of Gesine Confectionary, and author of Confections of a Closet Master Baker/My Life from Scratch and the recent Sugar Baby.

***The captivating Laura Strachan was The Twizzy Star of the Week for Game 10. You can find and follow her at @StrachanLit and www.strachanlit.com

Laura is my literary agent. She represents literary fiction and narrative nonfiction. She loves books, art, theatre — compelling stories, well told.

***The talented Joe Wallace was The Twizzy Star of the Week for Game 11. You can find and follow him at www.josephwallace.com @joe_wallace

Joe is an author of nonfiction books, noir stories, and a novel, DIAMOND RUBY.

***The sweet Kellyann Zuzulo was The Twizzy Star of the Week for Game 12. You can find and follow her at www.kfzuzulo.com @kfzuzulo

Kellyann is a former journalist, author of tales, word laborer, stirrer of soup.

***The brilliant Bob Klapisch was The Twizzy Star of the Week for Game 13. You can find and follow him at http://www.northjersey.com/sports/pro_sports/baseball/klapisch/ and http://msn.foxsports.com/writer/Bob_Klapisch @BobKlap

Bob is a baseball columnist for The Bergen Record and foxsports.com

***The new mommy Erin Bried was The Twizzy Star of the Week for Game 14. You can find and follow her at http://erinbried.com/ @NiftyButton

Erin is a pie baker, storyteller, collector of old timey wisdom. Author of How to Build a Fire & Sew a Button (Ballantine). Self mag staff writer.

***The dear Sean Kennedy was The Twizzy Star of the Week for Game 15. You can find and follow him at http://www.sean-kennedy.com/ @slicksean

Sean is a Writer/journalist/media consultant. His Tweets are 20% each: current affairs/culture; writing/media; LGBT topics; food/food systems; personal.

***The darling Pete Caldera was The Twizzy Star of the Week for Game 16. You can find and follow him at: www.northjersey.com And http://blogs.northjersey.com/blogs/pinstripeposts and @pcaldera

Pete is the Bergen Record Yankees beat writer and an occasional band vocalist with the Stan Rubin Orchestra.

***The fantastic David Pomerico was The Twizzy Star of the Week for Game 17. You can find and follow him at  http://www.bantamspectra.net   and @DelReySpectra

David is an editor at Del Rey and Spectra, two of the biggest SF, fantasy, urban fantasy, and paranormal romance imprints in–and out of–the world.

***The sweet Jennifer Gilmore was The Twizzy Star of the Week for Game 18. You can find and follow her at  http://jennifergilmore.net/   and  @jenwgilmore

Jennifer is the author of the new novel Something Red, and the NYTimes Notable novel, Golden Country.

They are no longer choices for the remaining games of The Twizzy.

________________