We’re thrilled to have here today Nova Porter from Lana Cooper’s humorous fiction novel, Bad Taste In Men. She's coming to us all the way from the great state of Pennsylvania. It is a pleasure to have her with us today at The Literary Nook!
Thank you so for this interview, Nova. Now that the book has been written, do you feel you were fairly portrayed or would you like to set anything straight with your readers?
I think I was portrayed very honestly. Everyone wants to be the hero of their own story, but there were times when I played the villain, too. There were times when I was throwing myself at guys who had zero interest in me. And there were times when I tried to take "revenge" on guys for turning me down. Stupid kid stuff like busting their chops or prank calling their house. It wasn't like I went to their house and boiled their family pets.
In hindsight, it was wrong of me. I mean, it was their decision. You can't make someone want to go out with you. But, you do stupid things when you're hurt by someone's decision. It's not the most pleasant feeling in the world when the guy you're crushing on would rather chew glass than take you on a date to McDonald's. As hurt as I was at times, I think there were some situations where I could have been a bit more mature about how I handled them.
What do you believe is your strongest trait?
My sense of humor. It's always given me what I need to keep things in perspective, laugh it off, and roll onto the next chapter. Uh… Pardon the pun.
Worst trait?
I'm a schemer. I always have to have a plan cooking. I guess it's because trying to get a date in high school is kind of like Game of Thrones – minus dragons and brutal death scenes. I'd like to be the type of person who lets things take their natural course, but I think it's in my nature to always plan and have a back-up plan.
Do you have a love interest in the book?
Does a love interest have to actually be interested in you to qualify as a love interest? If not, I have several in the book.
At what point of the book did you start getting nervous about the way it was going to turn out?
I was a little worried when I found out my friend Claire had started dating Rick Sanders, the guy I had a huge crush on. That threw me for a loop. So did the night out at the goth club. It's a truly unique experience to play amateur psychologist to a guy who does not hesitate to tell you he's wearing his ex-girlfriend's clothes that night. I can't say I recommend experiencing this first-hand for yourself, but it's definitely a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Not one I'd like to make a twice-in-a-lifetime experience, either.
If you could trade places with one of the other characters in the book, which character would you really not want to be and why?
I would not want to be Wendell McGinty, one of the many guys in Bad Taste In Men who I had a crush on. Between fate, karma, being the brunt of relentless teasing, and that the man's aroma was once likened to having had a cat whiz underneath his armpits, I'd rather be Walter Sobchak's anger management counselor than Wendell.
How do you feel about the ending of the book without giving too much away?
I think everything ended up the way it should have by the end of the novel. Sometimes life throws you some surprises and the outcomes you least expect are often the most satisfying. Time doesn't necessarily heal all wounds, but it brings closure to certain relationships. Just because things don't turn out exactly the way you would have wanted them to at one time or another doesn't remove the value of that relationship or friendship.
What words of wisdom would you give your author if she decided to write another book with you in it?
Can you write a chapter where I get to make out with Dave Navarro? All kidding aside, I would ask her to be sure my brother Orion and my parents play as integral a role as they did in Bad Taste In Men. Everyone needs a sounding board and reliable fountain of advice – and someone to snap them back into reality when they need it most. If you can't count on your family for that – and to openly mock your choices in potential boyfriends – who can you count on?
Thank you for this interview. Will we be seeing more of you in the future?
You never know where I may pop up next… or when. Thanks so much for chatting with me!
Lana Cooper was born and raised in Scranton, PA and currently resides in Philadelphia. A graduate of Temple University, she doesn't usually talk about herself in
the first person, but makes an exception when writing an author bio. Cooper has
written extensively on a variety of pop culture topics and has been a critic
for such sites as PopMatters and Ghouls On Film. She's also written news
stories for EDGE Media, a leading nationwide network devoted to LGBT news and
issues. Cooper enjoys spending time with her family, reading comic books, books
with lots of words and no pictures, and avoiding eye-contact with strangers on
public transportation. "Bad Taste In Men" is her first full-length
novel.
Her latest book is the humorous nonfiction, Bad
Taste in Men.
For More Information
- Visit Lana Cooper’s website.
- Connect with Lana on Facebook and Twitter.
- Visit Lana’s blog.
- More books by Lana Cooper.
- Contact Lana.
About the Book:
Have you ever felt
like even Mother Theresa has got more game than you?
If you have, you'd be in the same
boat as geeky, awkward metalhead Nova Porter. Bad Taste In Men follows Nova from her prepubescent years through young adulthood and her attempts at getting dudes to dig her.
Juggling self-esteem issues, small town outsider status, and questionable taste in guys, Nova is looking for love in all the wrong places - like the food court at the mall. Nova's circle of friends and her strange(ly) endearing family more than make up for what her love life lacks.
Along the way, Nova alternately plays the roles of hero and villain, mastermind and stooge; picking up far more valuable life lessons than numbers for her little black book.
One part chick lit for tomboys and one part Freaks and Geeks for kids who came of age in the mid-'90s, Bad Taste In Men is loaded (like a freight train) with pop cultural references and crude humor.
From getting laughed at by your crush to being stood up (twice!) by a guy with one eye, Bad Taste In Men showcases the humor and humiliation that accompanies the search for love (or at least "like") as a small-town teenage outcast, managing to wring heart-warming sweetness from angsty adolescent memories - and jokes about barf and poop.
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