Interview with S.S. Michaels

S. S. Michaels is represented by Mark McVeigh of  The McVeigh Agency. She has a BS in Business Administration and a MA in Media & Visual Arts. She has worked for such entities as Scott FreeThe American Music Awards, The Golden Globe Awards, Arista Records 25th Anniversary Celebration, etc.), and CBS. She has lived abroad, traveled widely, driven a racecar, and jumped out of an airplane. She has completed two novels and has others in the works. A handful of her short stories have appeared in various publications, and she is currently studying under the tutelage of Jeremy C. Shipp in the “Yard Gnome Army Bootcamp.” She has one husband, two kids, and two dogs. (Ridley Scott), dick clark productions, inc.

PPM (Peevish Penman?):  Are you an aspiring writer?  

No, I'm already a writer. What I aspire to is being a published writer.

PPM: Is your writing popular with lawyers?

I know several lawyers, but they've never read my work. I do seem to have quite a few of them visiting my blog for some unknown reason. Whether it's because they like my writing or I'm under investigation for something, I don't know.

PPM:  If so, which piece resonates with them the most?  

Um... let's see... they'd probably relate most to the brain-sucking tattoo artist in Tattoos and Chloroform.

PPM: Are you as entertaining and bizarre in real life as you are in your online persona or is that just a cover for not being as advanced as your thirteen year old self might have wanted you to be at your present age?

I'm more like a military general in real life, but I do bizarre things like bleach my hair, watch cartoons (even when the kids are in bed or at school), play video games, and I am learning to do skateboarding tricks. The thirteen year old me was much more mature.

PPM: Which of your fictional works do you think will be burned first?  

Pop Art, absolutely. It's a satire, a commentary on the power of celebrity.

PPM: You're obviously a brilliant writer and we've heard that you were scared off during your first Mensa meeting, what happened?  

There were too many old people there. I know Mensa has no age requirements, and they even accept children as members, but there was no one at this meeting under the age of sixty. One man was so old and talked sooo sloooooooowly -- I just don't have the attention span for that. What makes the situation especially funny is that the guy was recounting his college football career.

PPM: Who is the most brilliant writer who has influenced you and is that a good thing, if so why?

I'd say my biggest influence is Chuck Palahniuk, who I think is brilliant. Is it a good thing? That remains to be seen. It took him a long time to get published.

PPM: Was it a hoax, you know, the moon landing?

No, but I do think there are some residents at Area 51 who were brought back from that trip.

PPM: What is the dumbest mistake you've made in promoting or developing yourself as a writer and how can other aspiring writers avoid it?

I'm on Twitter a lot, just goofing around, so people don't take me very seriously. Although, I'm not sure if I want to be taken too seriously, considering my writing style and subject matter, so that may not be a mistake. Some people take me too seriously and get offended or whatever, but, I don't know, some people are just like that. Um... I waited a really long time to begin writing seriously, went to grad school, had two other careers first. But, that gave me more life experience to write from, so that may not have been a mistake, either. I don't know, really. I have learned from every "mistake" I've made along the way. Nothing is really a "mistake," if you learn something -- it's more like a lesson in what not to do.

PPM: And lastly, if Peevish Penman started a secret society for writers, would you join and what would your position be called?  

I recently read a book about secret societies and they seem a bit elitist and many of them have less than honorable purposes, so I don't know. It would depend on your society's charter. My position, assuming I did join, might be First Assistant to Resident Jackass.

This interview was conducted for Peevish Penman by PPM editor, Carrie E. Bailey, Resident Jackass of the Peevish Penman Super Secret Secret Society for Writers.