Ashvegas wrote an edgy post today about Marisha Pessl, based on Gawker ’s dissing the author of Special Topics in Calamity Physics, labeling her only “book hot,” whatever that means, based on a not great photo. Later in the day, Gawker actually apologized (is this a first?), and labeled her “TV hot,” based on her author photo.
Poor girl. All she wants is to be taken seriously as a writer, yet no one can stop discussing her looks. But all publicity is good publicity, and you can bet her novel is selling like funnel cakes at a country fair. In fact, at this moment, her Amazon sales rank is #15. Yes, #15. Big sigh.
Having met her a couple of weeks ago here in Asheville, I’d rate Marisha as hawt, though a bit on the thin side. Girl needs to eat some nachos.
Meanwhile, I woke up this morning to a flooded diswasher AND “someone” had locked Sumo Cat on the screen porch all night forcing him to poop all over the sofa cushion. Kind of made me wish my looks were being dissed on Gawker.
Share This
Here’s the NYT story from Monday that sparked the Gawker stuff.
EM, i thought you’d weigh in on whether or not you have to be good looking to write a good book. Although i guess Stephen King pretty much answers that question.
thomas pynchon, anyone?
I think the consensus, Ash, is that you can write horror/thriller/bodice rippers without having ever experienced “ugly angst,” but if you’re writing the next great American novel, it helps to have been beaten a bit by that stick.
Of course, Michael Chabon breaks this rule. But he breaks them all. Damn I love him.
but did you attempt to read any of Ms. Pessl’s fictions?
I did. I also attempted to listen to her reading, but didn’t last very long. I have some good gossip on her too, which is incentive for you to come have a beer with me sometime soon….
c