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 36? Remember, you’re 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 two British celebrities.

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), macaroons or starry, starry nights from gesine.com, $15 Barnes & Noble gift cards (with 1 donated by the wonderful Kellyann Zuzulo), or a surprise FANTASTIC hardcover book from my grab bag of goodies from Alyssa Smith. 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 36 (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!)

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

http://versaillesandmore.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/

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

The Twizzy – Game 36

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

I had a lot of lucky breaks early on, which helped immeasurably when landing my first “real” editorial job.  I landed an internship at NIST’s e-book conference while in high school, which allowed me to meet-and-greet some giants in the field at a very young age.  I ended up with two more internships immediately out of college, and one of them turned into my first full-time gig.  

As for the second part of your question, a definite yes—I’m certainly not in it for the money!

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

Be enthusiastic.  If you love what you do (or want to do) it shows, and will give you an edge over someone with the same amount of experience.  

3. Are you known by any nicknames?

I have lots of nicknames as a result of my gaming name (which is still my Xbox ID).

4. What song’s your tearjerker?

An instrumental version of Greensleeves is sure to make me feel terribly mournful.  It played in the background while I read a very sad part of a book as a child, and songs that are tied to a memory (especially one when I am reading) resonate very strongly with me. 

In case anyone was wondering which book: it was Lloyd Alexander’s The High King, and the part in particular was when Fflewddur cast his harp into the fire.

5. Do you like capers?

Does anyone not?  (***Note from Denise: One of the many reasons I adore you.***)

6. Any food you must have?

My morning coffee is terribly important during the work week.  

7. Pet?

Although I have no pets currently, in the past I’ve been the owner of several parrots and I intend to adopt another when the time is right. 

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

The word itself is awesome in the same way that melancholy, troglodyte, and sasquatch are.  Carbuncles themselves are not as sexy.  

9. Favorite stroll?

The path home is nice.  I get into a rhythm walking in the city, and sometimes when I reach my destination I take loops around it by the block so I can finish my thoughts.  

10. Most embarrassing memory?

I am prone to being injured at places where there should be no possibility of accidents.  For example, I managed to fracture my ankle going into a Starbucks to get a coffee—the Friday before starting a new job.  There’s no way you can’t NOT show up on your first day of work, so I arrived on crutches and slippers.  

11. Biggest pet peeve?

Poor grammar!  

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

This was a question I was asked during my college interview, and I wanted to meet Alexander the Great. I still do – I think he would just exude charisma. (***Note from Denise: Yes.***)

13. Who bugs the crap out of you?

Anyone who is oblivious to the amount of privilege they enjoy.  (***Note from Denise: Great answer.***)

14. Favorite book?

Sunshine, by Robin McKinley.  

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

I’m a bit musically-deaf, so no, not really.  It sounds very much like everything else being played.  

16. Favorite movie?

The Empire Strikes Back, closely followed by Stranger Than Fiction.  (***Note from Denise: LOVE Empire. My favorite one.***)

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

I enjoy marmite, but if it were made out of marmosets, I would like it far less.  

18. Favorite quote?

“Tomorrow owes you the sum of your yesterdays. No more than that. And no less.” (Robin Hobb)

19. Favorite swear word?

While I’ve never used them myself (my accent is all wrong) the curses used in Firefly are all sorts of awesome. 

(If you want to link, here: http://www.toplessrobot.com/2010/11/fireflys_15_best_uses_of_chinese_profanity.php )

20. How do you feel about capybaras?

I’ve lived with guinea pigs in the past, and capybaras are their larger, cuter cousins.  Not nearly as adorable as mini-giraffes, though.  (I am on the waiting list.)  http://www.petitelapgiraffe.com/

21. Guilty pleasure?

Costuming at a convention.  (Yes, I’m one of those people.)  

22. Favorite character?

Javan Haldane.  I love a tragic hero, and somehow when they are entirely unsuccessful

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

It depends.  Are they saying it with a widdle accent?  Then 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?

Dwight Schrute would win, hands down.  He’s half Renaissance man, half extreme survivalist, half crazy.  (Math is not one of my skills.)

25. Phobias?

Driving.  I dislike the experience of being in a car very much.  I’m a tremendously nervous passenger at best.  

26. How do feel about cheese? Be specific.

At about age 5, I hid a glass of milk in her room to find out if it would turn into the deliciousness that is cheese.  Note: It didn’t, and in fact I had entirely forgotten about the experiment until my parents went hunting for the source of the smell. 

I adore all kinds of cheese—from the super-fuzzy and green gorgonzola to the classic Jarlsberg.  There’s nothing like a good stinky cheese.  However cheese is one of those foods that make you wonder about the first guy who tried it.  

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

Is it terrible that I have no idea?

28. Foods you refuse to eat?

Eggplant. I’ve tried it in many forms, but I just can’t stomach this vegetable.  Its texture is just too much like cow’s tongue.  And olives—though I use ample amounts of olive oil when I cook.  

29. Where do you stand on Justin Bieber?

(Is the real question where do I stand on Justin Bieber’s FANS?) 

I think the guy has a lot of growing up to do.  I give him poor odds on making it into adulthood without a serious entitlement complex.  

*Bonus*

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

A major appliance.  (I have this one!  Also, you seem to have an obsession with 1980s comedies!) (***Note from Denise: Yes. I do. It’s because I’m OLD.***)

________________ 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.

***The talented Allison Winn-Scotch was The Twizzy Star of the Week for Week 19. You can find and follow her at www.allisonwinn.com  and @aswinn

Allison is a novelist, NY Times best seller (yeah, I had to get that in), celeb profiler, diaper changer, dog walker, ass-kicker, pop culture junkie, superwoman.

***The clever Kathleen Schmidt was The Twizzy Star of the Week for Game 20. You can find and follow her at   http://kathleenschmidt.tumblr.com  @bookgirl96

Kathleen is a bookish broad, PR superhero, mother of two, lover of sports, and wife of @Rockpappa.

***The marvelous Mark Feinsand was The Twizzy Star of the Week for Game 21. You can find and follow him at http://www.nydailynews.com/blogs/yankees  @BloggingBombers

Mark is the Yankees beat writer for the New York Daily News.

***The fantastic Georgia McBride was The Twizzy Star of the Week for Game 22. You can find and follow her at  www.georgiamcbride.com   @Georgia_McBride

Georgia is a YA author of the PRAEFATIO series. She’s represented by Mark McVeigh of The McVeigh Agency. Founder of #YAlitchat. Mom to 2 humans + 3 Chihuahuas. Hopeless Romantic.

***The brilliant Brenda Copeland was The Twizzy Star of the Week for Game 23.

***The adorable Nichole Bernier was The Twizzy Star of the Week for Game 24. You can find and follow her at  http://www.nicholebernier.com   @NicholeBernier

Nichole is a writer (Conde Nast Traveler) & mother of 5 trafficking in humor, Twizzlers, occasionally wisdom. Novel THE UNFINISHED WORK OF ELIZABETH D, Crown/RH 2012

***The fabulous Ken Davidoff was The Twizzy Star of the Week for Game 25. You can find and follow him at  http://www.newsday.com/sports/baseball/ken-davidoff-s-baseball-insider-1.1278117    @kendavidoff  

Ken is the National baseball writer for Newsday.

***The funny Jenny Gardiner was The Twizzy Star of the Week for Game 26. You can follow and find her at  @jennygardiner  http://www.jennygardiner.net/blog/

Jenny is the 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.

***The hilarious Laura Zigman was The Twizzy Star of the Week for Game 27. You can follow and find her at @laurazigman  http://laurazigman.wordpress.com/

Laura is a writer, branter, complainer, mom, recovering publicist.

***The talented Jerome Priesler was The Twizzy Star of the Week for Game 28. You can follow and find him at @YankeesInk   http://www.yankeesink.com

Jerome is a New York Times bestselling novelist and regular contributor to YESNetwork.com.

***The ultra cool Rich Oliver was The Twizzy Star of the Week for Game 29. You can follow and find him at @RichOliver  and  http://www.richardoliver.biz

Rich is the jingle singer for the Chris Moyles Breakfast Show on BBC Radio 1 in the United Kingdom.

***The dynamic Susan Orlean was The Twizzy Star of the Week for Game 30.You can follow and find her at  @susanorlean and www.susanorlean.com

Susan is a writer for The New Yorker, and several books – The Orchid Thief and her latest, Rin Tin Tin.

***The hilarious and talented Jane Heller was The Twizzy Star of the Week for Game 31.  You can follow and find her at @janeheller1  http://www.janeheller.com

Jane is a novelist, screenwriter, blogger, author of Confessions of a She-Fan, a Yankees diehard, movies/books fan, and a pop culture maven.

***The charming Karen Palmer was the Twizzy Star of the Week for Game 32. You can follow and find her at @karen_palmer  www.karenpalmer.com

Karen is a writer, editor, teacher.

***The incredible Marc Carig was the Twizzy Star of the Week for Game 33. You can follow and find him at @ledger_yankees   www.nj.com  and http://carig.wordpress.com

Marc is the Yankees beat writer for The Star-Ledger and NJ.com

***The witty Glenn Giangrande was the Twizzy Star of the Week for Game 34. You can follow and find him at @glenngiangrande and http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/profile.php?id=538658980&ref=profile

Glenn is a four-time Emmy recipient, YESNetwork.com personality, on-air talent.

***The clever Drew Sarver was the Twizzy Star of the Week for Game 35. You can follow and find him at @mypinstripes   http://mypinstripes.blogspot.com

Drew is a Database Developer, Blogger, BaseballDigest.com writer, Beagle lover, Husband

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

_______________________