Linda Bass
Author Interview - Linda Bass
Author of A Tiny White Light: A Memoir of a Mind in Crisis
After the culture shock of moving from a small Wisconsin town to the tumult of Los Angeles in 1967, Linda’s family disintegrates: her parents decide to divorce, and she and her younger brother, Brian, suddenly must fend for themselves. While she finds a foothold in academic pursuits, Brian spirals downward into schizophrenia and, finally, commits an irrevocable act. Plagued with guilt, Linda loses her sense of purpose, abandons a promising career in psychology, and finds herself in a life she never envisioned—poor, alcoholic, an accidental parent in an unhappy marriage, feeling invisible and alone.
When Linda sees a psychologist, Sam, he helps her recover what she has lost: her sense of self. Feeling truly seen, she falls in love with him and suspects her feelings might be reciprocated, but can’t be certain. The ambiguity, mingled with other overwhelming stresses, triggers her descent into a psychotic episode—one that echoes her dreams, Brian’s experience, and Sam’s own phobia. Will Linda follow in her brother’s footsteps, or will this episode prove to be the wake-up call she needs to change course?
Author Interview - Linda Bass
Author I draw inspiration from:
I like most of the books by each of these authors, but will just mention one for each: Alice Munro (Open Secrets); Elizabeth Strout (Olive Kittredge); Matt Haig (The Humans); Geraldine Brooks (Horse); Ann Patchett (Bel Canto); Abraham Verghese (The Covenant of Water).
Author Interview - Linda Bass | Author I Draw Inspiration From
Favorite place to read a book:
Seated at the dining room table or in bed. When I was a young girl, I’d take an old quilt, wrap it around me, and lie down under our birch tree and read for hours.
Book character I’d like to be stuck in an elevator with:
I can’t say I’d really want to be stuck in an elevator with anyone, but perhaps the alien narrator in Matt Haig’s The Humans, who would likely be unintentionally amusing as well as capable of freeing us from our predicament.
Author Interview - Linda Bass | Book Character I’d Like to be Stuck in an Elevator With
The moment I knew I wanted to become an author:
There was no single moment. It wasn’t so much wanting to be known as an author, but to have the opportunity to spend my time putting my thoughts and feelings into words that bring them to life visually, emotionally, and intellectually on the written page.
Hardback, paperback, ebook or audiobook:
a. Hardbacks. Their heft lends some credibility and implies substance, whether deserved or not, but then there’s the weight and rigidity and the need to prop them open to read—unless I use a book stand, which makes turning pages difficult. Storage space is required.
b. Paperbacks. Lighter-weight, cheaper, not so precious that I can’t write notes in them, easily transportable, but again, they don’t provide the ability to search for previous references to forgotten characters or places. Storage space required.
c. E-books. The backlit feature means I don’t need to search for good light. Storage space is unnecessary. I can easily sort my digital library, search the book itself for reminders about characters/events, highlight and retrieve passages I like, and add notes. But I can’t easily share my books; can't surround myself with them and so be reminded of them, and visitors can't see what I’ve read.
d. Audiobooks. I’ve never listened to one, but I'm making my book available in that format for those who prefer them because they can listen and multitask. The downside is probably that it’s a little tougher to manage the reading pace, and it might be disruptive to, e.g., stop and go back if I missed something.
While I prefer e-books, a part of me mourns not having the physical copies on my shelves.
The last book I read:
You caught me reading a just-for-fun book: The Hallmarked Man by Robert Galbraith (J. K. Rowling’s pen name) for this detective series. The two lead characters are well-drawn and likable, but their unexpressed love for each other has been a very lengthy theme, so I’m hoping in the final pages they will finally reveal them..
Galbraith’s books are getting longer and longer as are books by other well-known authors. This one is 901 pages, three times as long as my book. I long for a time when I, too, won’t be plagued with having to painfully cut in order to limit my word count.
My next read is Lily King’s Heart the Lover, which I picked up at one of King's recent readings. A friend thought it was terrific.
Author Interview - Linda Bass | The Last Book I Read
Pen & paper or computer:
I have a long shelf of journals, but started writing exclusively on a computer back in the ‘90s. Even my journal is now digital. The ability to cut and paste, highlight, and add comments for “future me” to think about is essential. I marvel at all the writers who wrote and edited their books by hand in the past.
Regarding my writing process: I do have a list of ideas and snippets of observations that might prompt a story. I now also have many anecdotes that I cut from my book in the interests of narrative arc and word count; they could form the basis of future work. I can whip out drafts pretty quickly, but editing is the hard part, of course.
Book character I think I’d be best friends with:
The character Anne (but as an adult) from Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Maud Montgomery or Olive from Olive Kittredge by Elizabeth Strout. They’re both smart, quirky, forthright, and stand up for themselves.
Author Interview - Linda Bass | Book Character I’d be Best Friends With
If I weren’t an author, I’d be a:
All my life I wanted to write or draw or paint, and while I was able to dabble while a single parent working full-time, it wasn’t until retirement that I could devote time to each. My paintings have been in several group shows, but I now mostly paint portraits by commission. Unfortunately, art has taken a back seat to writing the last couple of years. I have not yet managed to regularly schedule time for both art and writing.
Favorite decade in fashion history:
In the ‘60s, I recall hoping that stretch pants would never go out of style; it turns out they came back in the form of skinny jeans. I loved the late ‘80s, with long skirts and sweaters/jackets with shoulder pads—elegant and yet exuding substance/authority. Now it’s difficult to find clothing that appeals to me, and my wardrobe is mostly t-shirts, hoodies, and jeans or yoga pants. I worry that I might need to dress up again someday.
Place I’d most like to travel:
I mostly prefer to "travel" through reading, but I might be talked into visiting Europe just to see the original art in the Louvre, etc.
My signature drink:
Coffee, with milk, please.
Favorite artist:
Boston-based oil painter Julie Beck and other realists, and most impressionist painters; jazz singer Diana Krall, jazz trumpeter Chris Botti, and singer Linda Ronstadt are among my favorite musicians.
Number one on my bucket list:
I’m interested in learning to sculpt.
Anything else you'd like to add:
Please visit my author website for more info about A Tiny White Light, including excerpts, reviews, etc.: https://lindabass.com
To see my artwork, please go to https://lindabassart.com
Find more from the author:
https://www.instagram.com/linda_bass_author/
https://www.instagram.com/linda_bass_art/
https://www.facebook.com/linda.bass.313
http://www.linkedin.com/in/linda-bass-4ba4409
Author website: https://lindabass.com
Art website: https://lindabassart.com
About Linda Bass:
Linda Bass
Linda Bass grew up in Wisconsin before moving to California, where she earned a BA in psychology from UCLA and an MA in psychology from UC Berkeley. She worked in the work- force development field for thirty years, most recently as the executive director of a regional workforce board in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and also worked as a Crystal Reports designer on a consulting basis. After retiring, she moved to Western Massachusetts, where she spends her time writing and painting, solving puzzles, reading, singing (to herself), enjoying friends and family, and feeling grateful for all of it. She is currently working on a second book.
