Television interviews continue to be awkward for us.  Truth be told, we'd rather be writing than having to face cameras, microphones, and distracted hosts.  We are grateful, of course, for the opportunities, but as with most writers, we prefer solitude and privacy.

When we were recently on local Minneapolis television news, the host of the program instructed us, "Look at me. Don't look at the camera."

Because we had to get up at four o'clock in the morning for this interview about our new book and we weren't fully awake, Linda took the host's words literally.  Even as the host directed questions to Allen, while he answered, Linda steadfastly kept staring at the host.

Later, when we saw the tape of the interview, we laughed. We could imagine the chatter in the control booth.  "Why is this woman not looking at her husband while he's talking? Hurry.  Get the camera off of her and focus only on him!"

Smooth, we are not. We're working on it, though.

How will you prepare for interviews about your writing?  Could you look at authors and performers being interviewed on television and imagine yourself in their shoes?

Remember, life is your page.