March 19, 2009
Today I’m interviewing Liz Funk about her book SUPERGIRLS SPEAK OUT, which is an investigative look at a generation of over-achieving “Supergirls”—and the dangerous consequences that stem from their need to succeed.
What inspired the idea for your book?
All through high school and college, I witnessed the Supergirls around me really struggling to try to be perfect: there were girls in my high school who would get up at the crack of dawn to blow dry and curl the ends of their hair, assemble perfect outfits with color-coordinated pieces from Abercrombie and American Eagle, and maybe even finish up extra homework for AP classes that they couldn’t finish the night before. These girls worked so hard to always look perfect, to be popular, and to be nice and sweet and never get angry, but they were really missing out on developing their personalities and individuality. Every now and then, girls in my high school who seemed perfect would end up having major mental breakdowns, and I knew there was a story there—that all wasn’t perfect in the land of perfect girls. And that’s basically how “Supergirls Speak Out” was born!
Why did you decide to write in this genre?
I’ve honestly always loved non-fiction books, especially journalistic non-fiction and especially journalistic non-fiction about young people and young women. I’ve always loved Alexandra Robbins’ books (the Overachievers: the Secret Lives of Driven Kids and Pledged: the Secret Lives of Sororities) and have always wanted to model my career after hers; I was also really inspired by books like Female Chauvinist Pigs: Women and the Rise of Raunch Culture by Ariel Levy and Unhooked: How Young Women Pursue Sex, Delay Love, and Lose at Both by Laura Sessions Stepp. Although I don’t believe my book will be shelved with women’s studies: it think it’s going to be in cultural studies. Although, honestly, I hope it lands on the front tables in bookstores rather than in a section! Wink wink…
What is your writing process like?
I like to drink a cup of coffee or a Red Bull, listen to some really loud music for five minutes, and then sit down and write at my dining room table in complete silence. Sadly, I can’t think when there is any kind of noise around me, so I’ll never be one of those pensive writers with her laptop in Starbucks or Barnes and Noble. Whenever I get writer’s block, I like to read books by my favorite authors—Jonathan Franzen, Curtis Sittenfeld, and Nick McDonell—to jump-start my creative engines, if you will.
What are you working on now?
I’m actually writing a novel! It’s a social novel—I’m making an argument against sexism and the limiting roles for young women, similar to “Supergirls Speak Out.” I had wanted to write a novel forever and had a vague idea of what I wanted to write about last year, and then the topic really clicked for me over this past summer. Writing fiction is so much harder for me than writing non-fiction. To be honest, journalism comes really easily to me, but creative writing doesn’t at all! It took me seven months to write “Supergirls,” but this novel will probably take me at least two years.
What do you do when you’re not writing?
I’ve honestly always been somewhat of workaholic (and a Supergirl!) so I made my New Year’s resolution this year to get some hobbies. So lately, I’ve been cooking a lot, playing the oboe, painting, walking my dog, reading plays, and watching lots and lots of television. I just got hooked on 30 Rock—I absolutely love Tina Fey’s character Liz Lemon, who is very much a Supergirl. I’m also in the early stages of planning a month-long vacation in France this summer, which I’m really excited about.
Who do you like to read?
My favorite authors are Jonathan Franzen, Nick McDonell, Kay Thompson, J.K. Rowling, Alexandra Robbins, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Curtis Sittenfeld, and Dan Brown (earlier this week, I read Angels and Demons in 48 hours flat—I’d never been so enthralled by a book, short of the Da Vinci Code!).
I honestly love to read a really eclectic mix of books. I just got really into reading plays: I love Jonathan Franzen’s translation of Spring Awakening and I also really like Equus, by Peter Shaffer (I’ve seen the play three times; I looove Daniel Radcliffe!). And naturally, I really like young adult fiction; I was a big fan of Meg Cabot, Louise Rennison and Sara Ryan when I was growing up and I try to stay abreast of all the new releases—there are so many excellent young adult books and not enough time to read them all! Probably the best YA book I read recently was I Love You, Beth Cooper by Larry Doyle. I was laughing hysterically!
Where can readers find you?
Well, at any given time I can probably be found in a Barnes and Noble buying way too many books, but for more reliable way to find me, readers can visit me at my web-site at www.lizfunk.com. I’m pretty good at responding to my e-mails and with updating my blog! And obviously, they can find me on Amazon!
Bio:
Liz Funk is a speaker, journalist, and author writes about Generation Y, focusing especially on young women, education, and social class. Her articles have been published in USA Today, CosmoGIRL!, the Christian Science Monitor, Newsday, New York magazine, the Huffington Post, the New Jersey Record, the Baltimore Sun, the Nation, Tango magazine, Vibe Vixen magazine, the Times Union, and Girls’ Life, among other publications. For two years she wrote a blog about young women’s issues for the Albany, NY newspaper the Times Union; before that, she was a columnist at the Altamont Enterprise when she was in high school. She will graduate from Pace University in May with a degree in English; while on campus, she wrote a popular sex column for the school newspaper. She is a senior fellow of Young People For/People for the American Way Foundation and she is a member of the advisory board for Ypulse.com, where is a frequent contributor. She has also served on the National Organization for Women Young Feminist Task Force. She was born in 1988 and splits her time between upstate New York, Long Island, and New York City. Supergirls Speak Out is Liz’s first book.
Posted by Sara Hantz in Uncategorized @ 6:40 am
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What a great premise. I can’t wait to pick SUPERGIRLS SPEAK OUT up.
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