Interviewing, for me, is an intuitive blend of facts, prep, and magic. It really plays out with authors like James Patterson, whom I’ve had the pleasure of interviewing probably a half-dozen times.
Once, as we finished up an in-person interview, James had on a huge grin. “What’s up, Jim?” I asked, curious what he could be thinking.
“I can’t fool you.”
“What do you mean?” I asked, now, really curious.
“You don’t read your questions to me one by one. I have some interviews where the media person will read question number one, and barely listen to what I’m saying. Then, they just move onto question two, then three and four, and so on.”
“Okay…?”
“They don’t listen to my answers. You do. You follow up with what I’m saying, and it’s fun. But they don’t.”
“What happens?” I asked.
Now James grinned so big, I wondered what he could be thinking. We weren’t recording any more, but I had to know. I sat, riveted, with my mic and recorder turned off and balanced on my lap.
He said, “If I notice that an interviewer is just going from written question to written question, I give them ridiculous answers.”
“You do?” I asked, astonished.
“Yes,” James said, laughing, “I give non-sensical answers, and I just imagine what they hear when they get the recording back to the studio!”
I pictured it. A reporter returning to the studio, just sure they had nabbed a great interview with this famous author. Until they played it back. I’d had tech difficulties before – batteries running down or the cassette tape jamming. Not fun. I could only imagine. I let it go when he spoke next.
James Patterson cheerfully thanked me for our interview, smiling. He had acknowledged our collaborative experience. I felt a wash of gratitude for our magical, intuitive conversation.
James Patterson and Deepak Chopra
James Patterson and I have done a number of interviews in person over the years. Most were for AP Radio Network’s 800 stations and Barnes and Noble dot com. One was even a cover story for Writer’s Digest.
This particular time, we were at UCLA for the LA Times Festival of Books.
When I first arrived, I walked through the authors’ green room, tables piled high with fresh fruit and other food. I heard my name being called.
“Diana! Over here!” I flipped my head around toward a familiar voice. There, sitting nearby, was James Patterson. Grinning, James had tucked himself into a chair, almost anonymous.
I walked over to him. I felt shy at the acknowledgment, outside our typical interviewer-author banter. So, after we chatted for a while, I slipped away saying, “See you at our interview.”
A few hours later, it was time for me to gather up James and escort him to a specially chosen room for an interview, away from the noisy crowds. I stood outside waiting for Jim, to gather him up for that very interview.
Just then, I turned and noticed another best-selling author nearby, Body/Mind/Spirit writer Deepak Chopra. I waved and Deepak stepped closer to me. Deepak said that he was a huge fan of Jim’s. Deepak Chopra wanted James Patterson’s autograph.
I told Deepak that I was about to interview James and would connect them. Just then, James saw me and waved.
Another sweet moment, as I stood tucked — as you see in this photo — between two remarkable men, Deepak Chopra and James Patterson.