Friday, September 7, 2007

Interviewed by Barb!


1. WooHoo! You have just published a bestseller. What is its title (and what is it about)?


My first instinct is to say my book is: True Confessions: Lives and Loves of Parish Pastor. Because, they say, write what you know. And of course the book would be totally fictional, but something to counteract the Jan Karon Mitford stories. Because you know, the small town I lived in was Not like Mitford.


My second idea would be a memoir called Scout Is Not a Bad Dog. I don't think I need to say any more about that one. I was thinking, pet memoirs are hot right now.

Third, (and I don't have a title for this one) I would love to write a Christian book that would get really popular like The Purpose-Driven Life, but with better theology. 40 daily kicks in the butt, or 40 daily stories that make us realize that God Is Our Only Hope. What do you think?



2. What is your favorite restaurant in the Twin Cities, and why do you love it?

It will tell you something about my taste in restaurants to reveal that I miss the old Forum Cafeteria, in downtown Minneapolis, the place where, as a little girl, I could carry my own tray and have any color jello I wanted. And it had the most marvelous Art Deco architecture. They were going to tear it down, but they did save some of the inside. But now it's a real lah-di-dah expensive restaurant, and I've never been there.


Truthfully, our favorite restaurant is a place called The Good Earth. It's a kind of pseudo-healthy, organic place, and it's been around the Twin Cities about since I graduated from college. And it's not too expensive. If you come and visit, I could take you to some other, hipper places: St. Martin's Table (books and a healthy lunch), Convention Grill (50s style, burgers and other really unhealthy comfort food), Mickey's Diner (hard to explain). But The Good Earth is our favorite place because 1) most waits under an hour; 2) Husband likes the planetburger; 3) free fresh bread; 4) Good Earth tea!

3. What was the most challenging thing about serving small churches in rural South Dakota?

It wasn't the lack of money. I didn't really feel that there were a lot of expensive things I wanted to do if only we had more money. I think it was that there were three churches. Each church really did have its own distinctive personality. They had many things in common, but they were all different too, and they didn't require the same things. And, I needed to always be careful not to show favoritism.

Also, although the people were very friendly and welcoming, sometimes it was lonely. And, there are many more funerals than baptisms there, so I couldn't measure ministry "success" in terms of numbers.

4. What was your proudest accomplishment back in high school?

I was kind of a late blooomer, so in high school I played bit parts in the school plays, and sang in the choir, but never a solo. But I was on the school literary magazine in my senior year of high school, and I got three pieces published; one, I remember, was a story called The Writer's Eye.

1st runner up: the day my Comparative Religion teacher read a piece I had written aloud to the class. I was gone that day, so the next day all of my classmates were showing me new-found respect! (It was a "creation myth": everyone had to write one.)

5. If you had a time machine, where (and what time period) would you go?

This was hard! I love studying history, but do I really want to go there? (I keep thinking about things like Shakespearean England, but what about the lack of indoor plumbing, etc?) So... what I really come down to, is the 1930's. I'd like to go back to the era of screwball comedies, union organizing, Clark Gable and Gary Cooper and Cary Grant, the Thin Man... yeah, I know it's not reality, it was really the Great Depression, but I'd like to visit it for a little while.

Now, I have to post these 'rules':

1. If you are interested in being interviewed, leave me a comment saying, 'interview me.'
2. I will resond by posting five questions for you. I get to pick the questions.
3. You will update your blog with a post containing your answers to the questions.
4. You will include this explanation and an offer to interview someone else in the same post.
5. When others comment asking to be interviewed, you will ask them five questions.

16 comments:

Hot Cup Lutheran said...

40 daily kicks in the butt... i like it. i can so relate to the multi parish & distinct personalities stuff... and yes the loneliness factor.

Cary Grant... are there even men like him anymore?

how's Scout?

Lori said...

I say if anyone can write that Christian book upright, as it were, you can! And I'd stand in line for my autographed copy. The same for the dog book.

We used to have Good Earth restaurants here in Southern Calilf. But they are long gone, and I do miss them.

You served in rural S.D.? I toured all over S.D. with Covenant Players. Do you know of a place just out of Rapid City in the Black Hills called Bethlehem?

Barbara B. said...

Yes, I would read ALL of your books! And you have lots of cool restaurants to pick from in the Twin Cities!

(PG, I have relatives in the Black Hills -- we have visited there quite often!)

Fran said...

I will be the first person to buy your book! And I will buy many copies and give to all my friends!

Seriously- you had me at "better theology", said in due respect to the other volume.

A book about Scout? You know I'm in!

Great interview. I think you'd come up with really interesting questions but I can not volunteer as I have been interviewed recently. And Lord knows I have done enough talking about me of late... To which I thank you for your kind comments about.

Pax.

Elaine (aka...Purple) said...

I like all the book ideas but especially the last one...can I preorder :-)

Diane M. Roth said...

everyone -- thanks for the support on the book ideas. I'll be letting you know...
also hc -- no, there aren't men like Cary Grant any more.
I'll be posting a short update on Scout soon.
and PG -- you had Good Earth? I thought they might have been more widespread, at one time.
I don't know Bethlehem, in SD. I know of Spearfish, where the Passion play is every summer. IO do love the Black Hills

Grace thing said...

Loved this!

Rev SS said...

dang ... what's with our bloggers .. I left a comment here before too! Anyway ... I too want a signed first edition of all your books.

Diane M. Roth said...

boy, I'd better get going...
and Serena, this happens to me, too, sometimes.

Jan said...

I'd love that book with BETTER theology and like FranIAm, I'd buy copies for many people and have my book study read it together! Go girl!

Diane M. Roth said...

re: the Christian book, hope it's not just that I'm jealous of pastor Rick! (well, maybe a little jealous) and he is a good populizer. I just read an article that says the Christian faith needs more good populizers. so, hey, I'll give it a try!

David said...

"40 Kicks in the Butt" Ok, you have the title, now get busy so we can all buy a copy and get you on Larry King.

Lindy said...

I'll buy your books too! But DO give us more than "pastor" Rick... Oy veigh that guy.
Lindy

PS - You could interview Rowan.

Diane M. Roth said...

Lindy-I will interview Rowan, give me a couple of days to get questions to you/him.

RevDrKate said...

You have to write any or all of those books cuz we know you do great interview!!! Not Like Mitford, eh? Hmmmm.... Oh, the TC restaurant list made me homesick. When they invent that time machine, I'd go right along to that same era with you.

Unknown said...

Sign me up for the books. And actually, I've seen this meme going around for a while (I think Art started it), sign me up for an interview too.

I would love to see you start to flesh out the third book option here on the blog - it would make for some great conversations.